“Today cold”

“Mate...so warm”

“So very red”

“White everywhere”

“Mate...kisses…”

“Oh, it hurts...so very cold”

“But mate...so warm”

“Dancing now”

“With mate...yes with mate”

“So very red...beautiful”

“Running now…”

“Warmer now…”

“Mate follows”

“So very red...beautiful”

“Bliss”

“Light shines”

“Soon sleep”

“Dark better”

“I can hide”

“We can hide...better”

“Me... and mate”

“So very red...beautiful”

“Food...harder now”

“Light...my enemy”

“Our enemy… me… and mate”

“So very red...beautiful”

“Light big now”

“Don’t like”

“Big enemy”

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“Food hard now”

“Harder”

“Hungry”

“Mate Hungry too”

“So very red...beautiful”

“Dancing”

“Dancing again...can’t help it”

“With mate”

“So very red...beautiful”

“Sad”

“Food”

“Light nice...but my enemy”

“After food...light nice”

“Now my enemy”

“They see me”

“Then mate hungry”

“So very red...beautiful”

“Mate cleans me”

“I clean back”

“Bliss”

“Me clean Mate”

“Bliss”

“Me see Mate clean”

“Bliss”

“So very red...beautiful”

“Food”

“Hungry”

“FOOD!”

“I run”

“Even with enemy”

“Light enemy”

“Bliss”

“Food finally”

“Light friend now”

“Light warm”

“Light hot”

“Light higher now

“But...oh food”

“Tasty”

“Mate comes”

“Mate eats”

“So very red...beautiful”

“I clean mate...she eats”

“Loud noise”

“Afraid”

“Mate afraid”

“Run...me...mate...run”

“Oh so loud”

“Mate on ground”

“Mate...more red”

“So much red”

“Afraid”

“So afraid”

“Running”

“Miss mate”

“Running”

“Crying”

“Sad”

“So very sad”

“SOOO VERY SAD”

“Mate not behind”

“Mate never behind again”

“SOOO VERY SAD”

“Crying still”

“Alone now”

“Forever...alone”

“Why...no mate behind?”

“Miss mate…SO VERY MUCH”

“SOOO VERY SAD”

The first rays of dawn painted the sky in a kaleidoscope of pinks and oranges, casting long, dancing shadows across the snow-covered landscape. Wrapped in a thick parka, a scarf pulled tightly around his neck, and gloves shielding his hands from the biting cold, a solitary figure moved cautiously through the silent woods. His breath hung in the air like wisps of smoke, and the rhythmic crunch of his boots on the icy crust was the only sound that broke the stillness.

In the dim light, he spotted a small, emerald form lying at the base of a tree. It was a frog, its lifeless eyes staring blankly upward. As he drew closer, he noticed the tracks of a red fox circling the spot. The predators had been interrupted in their meal. One of the foxes limped, a bullet through it’s leg.

The man, his face partially obscured by a knit mask, knelt beside the frog. With a disdainful kick, he sent it rolling away. He had all the time in the world; the fox was going nowhere. Then, he raised his rifle and aimed carefully at the spot where he had last seen the fox. The gun barked, and a flash of orange disappeared into the undergrowth.

The man reloaded his rifle and cautiously approached the spot where the fox had fallen. There, lying in the snow, was the dead animal. He knelt beside it and examined it briefly before picking it up. The fox was heavy and warm to the touch, and its fur was a rich, bright red. So very red...beautiful.

The man turned his gaze eastward, toward the dense thicket that lay beyond. He knew that the other fox was likely hiding there, safe from his pursuit. A flicker of satisfaction crossed his face as he considered the day's hunt. It would have been better to get both, but one is better than none.