The Farthing Wood Collection 1 (24 page)

‘You’ve certainly hit on something,’ Fox conceded. ‘But it will be a great way, and few of us are now strong
enough to travel great distances. For the smaller animals it is completely out of the question.’

‘I’ll go,’ said Badger. ‘I’m the fittest of all at present. And the birds can go with me. Then they can carry back anything of use I find. Of course, if anyone else feels able to join me, I’d be delighted.’

‘I shall accompany you, naturally,’ said Fox.

Badger looked at his wasted form with misgiving. He knew Fox felt that in any such venture it was his duty to attend. ‘Well, Fox, you know,’ Badger said awkwardly, ‘are you sure that –’

‘That I’m strong enough?’ Fox anticipated him. ‘Of course I am. I should never forgive myself if I stayed behind.’

‘There is never any doubt about your being brave enough anyway,’ Vixen said lovingly and nuzzled him.

So it was arranged that Fox, Badger, Tawny Owl, Kestrel and Whistler would form the expedition. It would be essential to travel in the dark, so they decided they must go at the very first opportunity, which was that very night.

‘How I wish Toad was around to direct us,’ Fox said.

‘Couldn’t we dig him up?’ Mole suggested. ‘I bet I could reach him.’

Badger laughed. ‘Impossible, I’m afraid, Mole,’ he told him. ‘You’d get no sense out of him. He’s in his winter sleep and nothing will wake him up except a rise in temperature. In fact, to expose him suddenly to these temperatures would probably kill him.’

‘Oh dear, I hadn’t thought of that,’ said Mole.

‘I remember he mentioned a ditch on the other side of the fence,’ Fox mused. ‘If we can find that, and then that first road he travelled down from his captor’s garden, we should make it all right.’

‘Leave it to me’, offered Tawny Owl. ‘I’ll find you your ditch – and the road.’

‘How long will it take you to cross the Park?’ asked Fieldmouse. ‘It must be miles.’

‘It would be no problem at all if it weren’t for the fact that we are so hampered by snow,’ said Fox. ‘But we must reach the houses while it’s still dark. It should be dusk now. I suggest we start straight away.’

The others agreed and, without further ado, Fox and Badger with Tawny Owl and Kestrel, made their way out of the chamber to assorted cries of ‘Good luck!’ Outside the set they acquainted Whistler with their idea, and he was delighted to be of use.

Fox and Badger went, shoulder to shoulder, across the snowy waste in the direction of the Reserve’s far fence. Kestrel and Whistler fluttered slowly in the unaccustomed darkness for short distances while they waited for the two animals to catch them up. Tawny Owl the night bird flew on ahead on silent wings to locate the ditch that was their marker.

‘What do you expect to find?’ Fox asked Badger.

Badger found it strange to be in the role of leader, which at present he clearly was. ‘Oh, I don’t know. Meat and vegetable scraps – there could be all sorts of things,’ he answered vaguely. Then he wished he had not spoken, for he saw the eager look in the famished Fox’s eyes and his mouth begin to water.

‘It really has hit you hard, hasn’t it, old friend?’ he whispered to him. For a time Fox did not answer, and Badger wondered if he had heard. Then Fox spoke.

‘It’s been the hardest trial I’ve ever faced,’ he said wearily. ‘Harder than anything we faced on our journey here, including the Hunt.’

‘It is so sad that, after the triumph of overcoming
every hazard en route to reach our new home, so many of our friends have perished before they really had a chance to enjoy their new life.’

‘It
is
sad,’ agreed Fox, ‘but there is no doubt that old age has played its part. The life span of a mouse is very short.’

‘But the rabbits? The squirrels?’

‘I know, I know. It’s not the start to our new life I had envisaged,’ Fox muttered. ‘But then, how many would have survived staying behind in Farthing Wood? If we get through the rest of the winter without losing any more of our numbers, there will be a breeding stock, at any rate, of all the animals to ensure a permanent representation of the Farthing Wood party in the Park.’

‘Except in one or two cases,’ Badger said, smiling sadly.

‘I’m sorry, Badger,’ Fox said awkwardly. ‘I really put my foot in it. I wasn’t thinking.’

‘Don’t worry. I know what you meant. And it seems our priority must be to save Vole and Fieldmouse at all costs.’

‘That is so,’ said Fox. ‘And that’s where the difficulty lies. The White Deer herd have, on occasion, brought some of their hay for our vegetarians to eat. The problem is, the mice don’t really like stalks. It’s the seeds they want. And berries and insects. Of course, they’re virtually unobtainable.’

‘Well,’ said Badger, ‘perhaps we’ll find something for them.’

When they next caught up with the birds, Tawny Owl was waiting as well. He told them he had found the ditch and the road down which they must go.

‘Did you find the houses, too?’ asked Badger.

‘Er – yes,’ he replied uncertainly.

‘What’s wrong?’ asked Fox.

‘Well, we shall all have to be cautious,’ he explained. ‘It seems there are others around on the same errand.’

‘Foxes?’

‘Yes, a pair.’

‘Where?’

‘Along the road.’

‘Well, we aren’t the only creatures in the Park who are suffering. We sometimes tend to forget that.’

‘How do we know they’re from the Park?’ Kestrel mentioned.

‘True,’ admitted Fox. ‘But it’s most likely.’

Before they reached the boundary of the Park, he asked to have a brief rest. Badger’s concerned expression was unconcealed. ‘I’ll be all right,’ Fox assured them all. ‘I’ve lost a little of my strength, I’m afraid.’

Eventually they reached the fence and found a spot
where previous animals had scooped away the ground underneath in order to come and go as they pleased. Badger and Fox scrambled underneath and crossed the ditch. Tawny Owl led them to the road.

The surface was like glass where motor traffic had beaten down the falls of snow into a tight mass. But it was quiet now and empty. The animals padded slowly along it until the first of the human dwellings was reached.

‘Wait here,’ said Tawny Owl. ‘I’ll investigate.’ Badger and Fox hid themselves in the darkest spot against the garden wall, while Whistler and Kestrel perched high up on a chimney pot.

‘This one’s no good,’ Tawny Owl later informed them. ‘The wall is too high for you and so are the gates.’ They moved on to the next house to find the same problem. Fox looked at Badger significantly.

‘Owl!’ Badger called in a low voice. ‘See if you can find the other foxes again. Perhaps they know something we don’t.’

Tawny Owl returned with astonishing news. He had located the strange foxes in the grounds of a large house some distance away from the others. They had simply jumped the comparatively low fence and were nosing around a number of sheds and hutches. From sounds he had heard, Owl had discovered that one of these was a chicken coop, and this was obviously the foxes’ target.

‘Chickens!’ exclaimed Fox.

‘The same,’ said Tawny Owl.

‘But the racket! They’ll wake the entire neighbourhood.’ Despite his protestations, Fox was having the utmost difficulty in preventing himself from drooling. The thought of food had an overwhelming effect on him.

‘There might be enough for all of us,’ Badger hinted.

‘What? You can’t mean it, Badger. You wouldn’t con-done
such –’ Fox broke off. He knew he was blustering; playing a part – and so did Badger. For it had been the first thought to cross his mind, too. After all, in straitened circumstances, one has to consider any opening.

‘I wonder how they get them out?’ Badger muttered.

‘Come and see,’ Tawny Owl said.

They followed him further along the road, the other birds accompanying. Owl perched on the fence he had told them about.

‘There’s certainly a strong scent of fox,’ said Badger.

‘And also of chickens,’ Fox whispered.

‘Carefully now,’ Tawny Owl warned the two animals as he, Kestrel and Whistler fluttered into the grounds.

Fox and Badger looked at the fence. ‘Can you jump it?’ Badger asked.

‘If I were fully fit – nothing easier. But a lot of my stamina’s gone. However, I’ll have a jolly good try. What about you?’

‘
I’m
no jumper,’ answered Badger. ‘You go ahead, and I’ll scout round the outside of the fence and see if there’s another way in. I’ll join you inside.’

He watched Fox backing away from the fence in order to give himself a good run up to it. Then he saw him leap upwards, just scraping the fence-top, before he landed the other side. Badger was now alone on the road side of the fence. He shuffled along its length, looking for a suitable opening. But there seemed to be no way through. There was a gate halfway along one side which, of course, was closed. He paused, wondering whether he should call out. Just then there broke out the most appalling din. There was a loud crash, immediately followed by the most frenzied squawks and a clattering of wings. Badger correctly surmised that one of the foxes was attempting to break in to the coop. The noise grew
absolutely deafening, and then he heard a barking and human shouts.

Cowering against the fence, not knowing if he should stay or run, Badger saw two foxes leap the fence into the road, a hen dangling from each of their pairs of jaws. Then they were off, racing down the road as fast as their burdens would allow them. Suddenly he heard three or four gunshots in quick succession and a very scared third fox – his own friend – leapt the fence almost on top of him.

‘Quick!’ Fox shouted hoarsely. ‘This way!’ And he raced away in the opposite direction to that taken by the two raiders. Badger sloped after him as fast as he could go – and in the nick of time. Out of the gate in the fence came a huge, ferocious and furious dog followed by two men – one young, one elderly – each with shotguns. The dog instantly set off after the foxes carrying the chickens. These animals were badly hampered by their heavy loads and the dog gained on them quickly. But the two men were taking aim with their guns. One called the dog, which checked its headlong rush, and then two more shots rang out. The two foxes dropped like stones and rolled over in the snow, the maimed chickens flapping helplessly in the gutter.

The men went to examine the fox carcasses, and seemed satisfied with their work. The younger one put the injured chickens out of their misery, and picked them up by their feet. The dog pranced around him, tongue lolling and tail wagging.

From their hiding-place under a parked car, Badger and Fox watched the men and their dog trudge back to the garden, their hearts beating wildly. Only when the gate in the fence had once again been fastened after them did they dare to move.

‘Phew!’ gasped Fox who really had felt in fear of his life. ‘That was a little
too
close for my liking.’

‘Yes,’ Badger agreed. ‘It’s certainly a good thing we hadn’t reached that garden first.’

‘But I don’t know if I should have tried what those poor devils did anyway,’ Fox confessed. ‘I’ve never been one for taking such prey.’

‘Maybe they were desperate like us,’ Badger suggested pointedly.’

Fox ignored him. ‘Where are the birds?’ he asked.

Tawny Owl was the first to find them. ‘So much for your ideas of invading gardens,’ he said to Badger crossly. ‘Could have had us all killed.’

‘
You
were the one to tell us about the chickens,’ said Badger. ‘We still haven’t investigated my suggestion.’

‘I don’t think I could go back in there again,’ Fox said. ‘Is the coast clear now, Owl?’

‘No,’ he replied. ‘Those foxes turned the coop over and the stupid hens are running all over the place. The men will have their work cut out collecting them together again.’

‘Give them time,’ said Badger. ‘After coming all this way we can’t go back with nothing.’

‘Will you keep us informed please, Owl?’ Fox asked. ‘Badger and I will wait here.’

‘Can’t see the point,’ muttered Tawny Owl. ‘Badger can’t get into the garden anyway.’

Badger looked at Fox. ‘This garden is our only chance,’ he said. ‘It’s the only one with a fence. Are you sure you couldn’t make just one more jump?’

Fox wavered. It seemed as if he was fated always to be the one on whom everyone else depended.

‘You know I would gladly go if I could get in,’ Badger added. ‘But I’ve looked all round for a hole and there’s just nothing.’

Fox smiled a little smile of resignation. ‘It looks as if I have no choice really, doesn’t it?’ he said.

So Tawny Owl flew back to watch the proceedings, and Fox and Badger huddled together under the car again to wait. Some time passed and they heard nothing. Badger was restless. ‘I think I’ll just wander a little further along this road just in case there’s anything of interest,’ he told his companion.

He had not been gone long when Fox heard a familiar whistle in the air, and then saw the long thin legs of Whistler standing by the car. He emerged from his hideaway.

‘Ah, there you are,’ said the heron. ‘I’ve some excellent news for you. The men have hung the dead chickens up in a shed and I think, if you really make yourself as flat as possible you could get under the door. There’s a gap just about wide enough for you.’