Warmer Days…

“Mrs Fox!” A shriek bounced through the open window at Foxes’ Retreat.

Mrs Fox peeped outside, slightly unnerved by such a racket in the sublime quiet of Foxes’ Retreat. Mr Fox could be seen hopping, yes hopping, around the edge of the pond.

“It’s Spring, Mrs Fox! Look!”

Sure enough, Mrs Fox noted, her eyes widening at the bulging masses of frogspawn now inhabiting the front garden pond. There were a lot of frogs. She started to count. Mr Fox laughed and shook his long foxy nose at her. Her brow furrowed.

“Sssh. I’m counting….”

“There are too many, Mrs Fox. I have already tried." He pulled her down to squat on the grassy bank next to him, pointing across the pond. “One, two, three… many!” he exclaimed, falling back onto his bottom as he snorted at Mrs Fox’s annoyance.

“Many?” she enquired. “Many?” Is that the best you can do, Fox? After all that adding up work I did with you last winter?!”

Shaking her head, she stood up and set off back to count the deviled eggs she had prepared earlier. There was no mistaking it. There were several missing, and she had a fair idea who knew about them.

“Many, indeed,” she muttered to herself, slipping one of the golden filled halves into her mouth all at once.