Once upon a time, there was a fox with an immense desire to explore the world. This yearning led him to travel far and wide, across the lands and seas. He encountered countless creatures, such as the mysterious owls that flew silently through the night, deer with beautiful antlers, and even the occasional coyote. He found himself surrounded by an endless array of plants and trees: some as white as snow, others red like the setting sun, bushes with flowers as red as blood and sweet-smelling, others thorny but yielding delicious berries.

In his journey, he witnessed mountains, lakes, and rivers. Everything he discovered made him feel superior, as though he had seen and experienced it all. Though the animals and landscapes varied, to him, they all seemed the same in essence. Their simple conversations bored him, for he believed he'd already heard it all. In this state of boredom, he came upon a place he had never been before, a massive cave towering imposingly before him.

With the red light of dusk bathing the horizon, he decided to enter the cave in search of shelter for the night. Inside, a deep tunnel stretched, growing darker the further he ventured, as the light from outside waned. Even his eyes, accustomed to seeing in the moonlit night, struggled to pierce the cave's shadows, so he chose to sleep right there.

In the middle of the night, a sound stirred the fox. Curiosity compelled him to investigate its source, his mind filled with possibilities. Could it be a bear? He had encountered them before and knew how to handle such situations.

His questions were soon answered when he spotted a figure on the cave's ceiling. It descended gracefully to the ground a creature resembling a mouse but with elongated ears and a pair of wings. This was the first time the fox had encountered such a being, so he decided to speak.

—Creature watching me from the shadows, answer my questions, I beg you. What kind of animal are you, and by what name are you called?

The creature flapped its wings a few times before replying to the fox.

—I am a creature that flies by night to feed on the blood of those who sleep alone under the stars. I am a bat.

The fox was startled by the bat’s words. He had never imagined an animal that sustained itself on the precious essence of others’ life—at least not one so small. For some reason, this seemed more depraved than the usual order of things. The bat, noticing the fox’s distress, approached him delicately.

—Calm yourself, dear guest —she said in a soothing tone— I have never taken a life for the sake of my hunger. In fact, I might even say I provide a pleasant experience for those I feed from.

The fox, somewhat reassured by the bat’s words, decided to sit. The bat, gazing at him with a gentle voice, continued.

—Young guest, if you would permit it, I’d like to ask you a small favor. Truth be told, I haven’t had any luck finding food tonight, and I’m rather hungry. I know it may be much to ask, but would you do me the honor of allowing me to take just a little of your blood to quench my thirst?

Seeing the fox hesitate, the bat added, “Of course, this would be nothing more than a favor between host and guest. If you decline, I wouldn’t hold it against you. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you like.

Moved by the bat’s hospitality and recognizing that she had offered him shelter, the fox felt it was only fair to return the favor. Besides, how much harm could one small bite do?

Shyly, the fox agreed, extending his paw for the bat to do her work. The bat, in turn, gently took his paw and carefully sank her fangs into the fox’s skin. A sensation unlike anything he had felt before spread through his body a tingling that brought pleasure. Soon, he grew drowsy and drifted into the arms of Morpheus.

At dawn, the fox awoke, a little confused but still remembering the pleasurable sensation of the previous night. He left the cave for a time and wandered until he reached a lake, where he found some berries growing nearby, which he decided to eat for breakfast.

As the fox ate peacefully, an animal approached him quietly from behind. Sensing the presence, the fox swiftly turned and saw a small shrew watching him intently.

—Oh, young fox, what brings you so far from the lush forests that have nurtured you?

—Little shrew, I am on a journey through these lands you call home, seeking to satisfy my need for knowledge, knowledge of all things in this world, without exception.

—Oh, young fox, I thought you had left your home only to die dishonorably here, in my home.

The fox looked at the shrew, whose eyes were brimming with tears. Gently, he moved closer to wipe them away.

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—Kind shrew, grant me the favor of lifting me from the darkness of my ignorance, for the reason behind your tears and words gnaws at my heart.

The shrew, calming herself, revealed the source of her sorrow to the fox.

—You see, young fox, this is not the first time we’ve met, for I saw you enter the cave of that monster of the night. That terrible beast has claimed the lives of countless creatures, draining the sweet essence of life from them, leaving behind nothing but empty shells of what they once were.

The fox pondered the shrew’s words, thanked her for the warning, and walked away.

At nightfall, the fox returned to the cave, intent on confronting the bat. His thoughts swirled between the events of the previous night and the words the shrew had spoken. When the bat saw him, she descended gracefully, just as before.

—Young fox, you’ve returned so soon to my humble abode? I am flattered by your preference for my hospitality.

—Silence, you deceiver! With your lies, you have beguiled me. I now know your true intentions. I have been warned by the creatures of this forest of your wicked actions and the danger I face in your presence. I’ve come only to condemn you for your dark deeds.

—Oh, dear fox, who has changed your heart toward me? Was it the wolf, the bear, or perhaps the tiny shrew? I have long suffered at the hands of those who accuse me simply because they do not understand my nature. But you have I not treated you with nothing but kindness? Do I seem like the heartless monster they claim I am?

The fox began to doubt the shrew’s words. It was true—the bat had shown him nothing but courtesy since their first encounter. Perhaps he was being misled. The bat’s voice, calm and sincere, echoed in his mind.

—I ask you to ignore their baseless accusations. They speak only falsehoods.

The bat’s words weighed heavily on the fox. After all, what could the shrew know? She hadn’t been in the cave with him. The bat had never given him any reason to distrust her. Humbled, the fox lowered his head before the bat.

—Oh, noble bat, I judged you based on the words of a stranger, even though you have treated me with nothing but kindness. I’ve dishonored your graciousness by accusing you. Please, gentle bat, I beg your forgiveness. Tell me what I must do to atone for this insult, and if it is within my power, I will place your desires above all else.

The bat wrapped him in her wings, gently caressing his head as she spoke softly.

—Nothing would please me more than to spend another night by your side, young fox. Your presence soothes my soul, and your warmth is a comfort to me.

The fox lay down beside the bat, feeling like a terrible creature for having thought so ill of his host.

—However, there is one more favor I would like to ask, young fox. If it’s not too much trouble, might I feed from you once more tonight? Your essence is sweet, and its taste has enchanted me.

The fox, relieved that forgiveness cost no more than a little of his blood, happily agreed, extending his paw to the bat. The bat took it in his own claws. The fox's paw still bore the marks from the previous night's bite, so the bat positioned his fangs slightly higher this time, forming four small punctures in the fox’s skin.

Once again, the fox felt that pleasant sensation spread through him, the familiar tingling coursing through his body. After a moment, he fell asleep, just like before. The next morning, he awoke feeling slightly fatigued, so he decided to rest a bit longer before venturing out to eat a few berries.

This time, he didn’t run into the shrew, so after a bit more exploration near the cave, he returned once again at dusk. But this time was different. He wasn’t driven by curiosity or aggression as he had been before. No, this time, he had a more specific desire. He wanted to find that same pleasure he'd felt before.

The bat greeted him with the utmost courtesy, immediately understanding the reason for his guest's return. He offered the fox a place to get comfortable. The fox settled in, and the bat embraced him gently. Taking the fox’s paw, he once again extracted the precious lifeblood from the fox’s pulsing veins, and soon, the fox fell asleep once more.

The following days became strangely blurry for the fox. He had fallen into a routine without realizing it. Each day, he woke feeling more tired than the last. Each day, he got up to eat. And each dusk, he returned to the bat’s cave. Every night, he consciously decided to stop exploring and return to the cave.

From time to time, other animals in the forest would warn him that what he was doing was wrong. How could it be wrong? How could something so wrong feel so good?

Sometimes, the fox would question whether he should keep exploring the world. Perhaps he was mistaken? Had his spirit wandered? Had his desire dulled for his own good?

Other times, the bat would speak to him in a delicate tone, embracing him, never leaving his side. The bat would tell him how calm he looked, that everything would be alright.

Every day, more holes appeared in the fox's skin. Every day, the bat’s fangs would bite higher than before. Each day, the fox slept more deeply. And every night, he was intoxicated by that feeling of pleasure once again.

And then, one day arrived.

The day came.

And the sun rose.

But the fox only slept.

The night fell.

But the fox did not rise.

With his last strength, the fox offered his neck.

His paw, now riddled with holes, lay still.

And the bat sank his fangs into the fox’s neck.

And the fox never rose again.