Fox's Feud (8 page)

‘If I thought I could achieve that,’ said Hare, ‘I’d willingly sacrifice myself.’

‘No!’ said Fox shortly. ‘My dear friend, we want no more sacrifices. I don’t want another life lost.’

‘No, no,’ said Tawny Owl importantly. ‘No
one
of us is equal to a contest. But together . . .’

‘Together, what?’ queried Weasel mischievously, who was quite aware of Tawny Owl’s high opinion of himself.

‘Quite clearly we have to ambush him,’ came the peremptory answer.

‘What, all of us?’

‘Certainly.’

‘Including the voles and fieldmice? Yes, I’m sure they would be very useful, Tawny Owl.’

‘Er – humph! Well, no, not them specifically. You know I didn’t mean
literally
– er – well, the whole – er – of us,’ the bird spluttered.

Fox came to his rescue. ‘I think I have a better plan,’ he announced, ‘though ambush does come into it, in a way.’

Tawny Owl completely regained his self-composure at these words and stretched his wings in a haughty way while he directed a look at Weasel which quite plainly said: ‘You see!’

‘I’m thinking along the lines of a great deal of stealth and surprise being used,’ explained Fox. ‘That would certainly be necessary. Now, who do you think fits best into that category?’

‘Are you perhaps referring to yourself?’ queried Badger.

‘No, not at all,’ answered Fox. ‘I’m far too big. As I see it, there is only one candidate. He is capable of lying in Scarface’s path, completely hidden. And he has the capacity to kill with one blow.’

‘You can only be thinking of Adder?’ remarked Whistler.

‘Exactly,’ said Fox. ‘Scarface would be poisoned. Now, the only difficulty I can foresee is Adder himself. Will he cooperate?’

‘Well, Fox, you know, he’s such a strange creature,’ said Badger. ‘There’s no knowing how he would react to such a suggestion.’

‘Surely there
is
only one way to react?’ said Hare. ‘Is he with us or not?’

‘That is never in doubt,’ Fox said stoutly. ‘But he does hate being told what to do. If we could somehow put it in his mind that he is the key to our safety, there would be no question of his not acting. He would make the decision himself and woe betide us if we should praise him afterwards.’

‘That’s Adder all over,’ admitted Weasel. ‘Well then, someone has to have a little talk with him.’

‘Who is closest to him?’ queried Hare.

‘No one’s close to Adder,’ remarked Tawny Owl.

‘Well, who is he most receptive to?’

‘How about Toad?’ suggested Weasel.

‘That might work,’ agreed Fox. ‘But Toad would have to be found first and I don’t know anyone who’s seen him recently.’

‘Toad’s not the one for this job,’ said Tawny Owl deprecatingly. ‘It calls for someone with the utmost subtlety.’

‘That lets you out then,’ said Weasel rudely, who saw where Tawny Owl’s remark was supposed to lead.

‘How dare you!’ he snapped. ‘We all know
you’re
incapable anyway.’

‘Now, now,’ Fox pleaded. ‘Don’t start again. D’you know, I think innocence may serve as well as guile with Adder? Then he’s less likely to suspect he’s being used.

‘Now my cub, Bold, is always talking of the snake. I think he really admires him, and Adder probably knows it. He might be just what we’re looking for.’

‘An excellent idea, Fox,’ enthused Badger. ‘And Bold will feel he is going some way towards making up for his recent misdemeanour.’

‘Then it’s settled,’ said Fox. ‘I shall go and speak to him straight away. He can search out Adder tomorrow and the thing will be done.’

‘Will you let us know how things go?’ Weasel wanted to know.

‘Yes. Let’s meet again and Bold himself can tell you,’ suggested Fox. ‘In the meantime, Hare, you and Leveret must lie low. Farewell to you all for the moment.’

‘Is Adder’s venom really so powerful?’ Leveret asked as Fox trotted away.

‘I believe so,’ Badger answered him. ‘I understand even humans are fearful of snakebite.’

‘Then he carries a deadly weapon indeed,’ the young hare murmured. ‘How I wish he had been close at hand when my mother was attacked.’

Bold, of course, received his father’s suggestion enthusiastically. He was overjoyed to be chosen to undertake the important mission of priming Adder. His brother, Friendly, was also keen to be involved and pestered his father to let him go too, until he eventually relented.

‘Very well,’ said Fox. ‘I suppose there’s no harm in it, as long as you leave Bold to do most of the talking.’

This confidence in his ability made Bold positively glow but, far from becoming conceited, he was only too aware of the trust being put in him. Fox explained to him Adder’s whereabouts.

‘We’ll leave early,’ said Bold. ‘There’s no time to be lost where lives are at stake.’

So, just after first light on the next day, he and Friendly
left the den to search for the unsuspecting Adder. Fox turned to Vixen and said: ‘If he’s successful in this, I think he’s entitled to a little more independence. If he shows signs of wanting to leave the earth permanently, we must let him.’

‘I never expected to have to chase
him
away from the family home,’ remarked Vixen, ‘but it’s a task that often falls to the mother fox when the cubs are too clinging.’

‘Yes, that’s certainly one of the less pleasant of a vixen’s duties,’ remarked her mate. ‘In your case, it may be our other two cubs who have to be chivvied a little.’

Vixen said: ‘I think Friendly will go wherever his brother goes. It’s this one who could be the problem.’ She nodded towards Charmer who was still sleeping.

‘Unless, of course, she should find herself a mate,’ Fox pointed out.

Bold and Friendly went cautiously in the direction of the long grass and bracken that was close to the boundary stream. This was certainly where they expected to find Adder. After the previous day’s rumbustiousness, this morning was calm, fresh and full of scents.

‘What a wonderful morning to be out adventuring!’ Friendly exclaimed to his larger brother cub.

‘It’s a very serious undertaking we’re entrusted with,’ said Bold. ‘We should feel honoured.’

Friendly looked thoughtful. ‘I hope we don’t let anyone down,’ he said doubtfully. ‘Supposing we can’t find Adder?’

‘If Adder’s around, he’ll be sure to be keeping an eye open on everyone’s comings and goings,’ Bold replied confidently.

‘Mole says his eyes are always open,’ chirped Friendly as they entered the long grass, ‘because snakes don’t have eyelids.’

‘Nonsense,’ said Bold. ‘How does he sleep then?’

‘Perhaps Adder doesn’t need to,’ answered Friendly. ‘He’s not very active.’

Bold paused to scratch his flank. ‘If you think that, you can certainly never have seen him stalking his prey. When he strikes, he’s like lightning.’

‘Thanks for the compliment, youngster,’ came a drawling voice close at hand. Presently Adder slithered into view. ‘It’s a rarity to hear anyone saying anything pleasant about me.’

Bold felt he had made a splendid start. ‘I know my father and mother have nothing but good to say of you,’ he added eagerly.

Adder chuckled drily. ‘That’s loyalty for you,’ he lisped.

Bold was not sure if he was referring to himself or his parents. Adder was looking at him penetratingly. ‘Were you searching for me by any chance?’ he asked.

‘Oh no,’ Bold fibbed. ‘We were – er – just enjoying an outing.’

‘Yes, that’s it. Just adventuring,’ Friendly chipped in.

Adder held Bold’s gaze for a moment longer. ‘Well,’ he said at length, ‘I’m glad to have seen you.’ He seemed to be about to move on.

‘Er – won’t you stay a little longer, Adder?’ Bold asked hurriedly. ‘We – we don’t see you often.’

Adder’s expression remained inscrutable, but a glint came into his red eyes. He was beginning to see how the land lay. ‘All right,’ he responded. ‘Delighted to be in such demand, I’m sure.’ The sardonic tone to his voice was now unmistakable. Friendly began to look flustered but Bold struggled to appear cool. He tried to think of an opening to the all-important subject. Adder waited.

‘My – er – my parents send their regards,’ he said.

‘Thank you. Did they expect you to see me then?’

‘Well, no. But, you see, they knew we might come this way and, of course, well – you’re often about,’ Bold floundered, looking round at Friendly for support.

‘Ah yes, I did say I would be hereabouts,’ Adder said knowingly. ‘Are Fox and Vixen well?’

‘Oh yes.
They
are,’ replied Bold with evident relief at the looked-for opportunity presenting itself.

‘You imply that someone is not well?’ Adder rejoined.

‘Hare’s mate was killed,’ Friendly announced rather baldly.

‘That is bad news,’ said Adder. ‘How did it happen?’

‘She was killed by Scarface,’ Bold answered.

Adder’s intuition had by now grasped the true purport of the cubs’ appearance. Their inexperience was no match for his slyness. He knew they had been sent to look for him for some purpose. He laid a trap for them.

‘No doubt Fox wants all the Farthing Wood band to avenge in some way this latest death?’

Friendly fell straight into the trap. ‘No, not all. Just one,’ he blurted out. Bold glared at him.

‘I see, I see,’ Adder hissed. ‘And where do I fit in?’ (He knew perfectly well, of course.)

‘My father merely wanted you to know what had occurred,’ Bold said, hoping to retrieve the situation, ‘so that, if you felt you could help in any way, er – well – ’

‘I would do so?’ leered the snake. ‘Yes, yes, you need say no more. I understand perfectly.’ He was enjoying himself. ‘I’m to be the tool to carry out the job.’

‘Why didn’t you keep quiet?’ Bold snapped angrily at his brother. ‘You heard my father. It was to be left to
me
.’

‘Oh dear, oh dear,’ sighed Adder. ‘Do I detect a slight lack of rapport?’

‘I should have come alone,’ muttered Bold.

Adder was greatly amused by the young foxes’
discomfiture. In his smoothest manner he said: ‘You really don’t have to find an excuse to visit me, you know I shall always be pleased to see you. I have thoroughly enjoyed our little chat.’

Bold’s pride in his selection by his father was now utterly deflated. He had simply not been clever enough for the likes of Adder. His crestfallen appearance, however, stirred a flicker even in the snake’s dry old heart.

‘You may tell your father that I shall do all in my power to even the score,’ he told the cub, ‘and,’ he added, ‘nothing would give me greater pleasure.’

Bold pricked up his ears and looked at Adder in astonishment.

‘Next time you come to see me,’ said that knowing reptile, ‘I hope it will be solely for our mutual pleasure.’

Then he was off, weaving his patterns through the long stalks of grass and producing only the barest rustle of noise.

‘I believe even our father could be outwitted by his cunning,’ Bold whispered in admiration, and wondered if he heard an answering chuckle through the fern fronds.

‘We did it! We did it!’ crowed Friendly.

But Bold was too happy to reprimand him again and turned hastily back to tell Fox of the result of their encounter. ‘Listen, Friendly,’ he said. ‘There’s no need for us to mention that Adder guessed we had been sent deliberately. After all, our triumph will be marred a little if we admit we were bested.’

‘Isn’t that being dishonest?’ Friendly asked innocently.

‘Even if it is, it doesn’t matter. We’ve achieved the required result, haven’t we? Scarface will be killed, and that’s all that matters.’

Friendly was not happy about hiding the complete
truth, but decided he would say no more as he had already come close to wrecking the whole plan. Yet Bold’s lack of honesty was to prove a costly mistake, and one which he was to regret for a very long time.

Fox and Vixen were proud and delighted at the outcome of their cubs’ meeting with Adder, and Fox lost no time in spreading the good news that the snake was ready and willing to strike against Scarface. The other animals were relieved and, some, a little surprised that the immature Bold had succeeded so easily in implanting the idea in Adder’s subtle brain.

Tawny Owl had said: ‘So he fell for it, did he? All credit to the youngsters, then. It’s no easy matter to hoodwink that rascal.’