The Fox And The Owl Ch 02

The Vixen's Den

Over the next few days, I return to the Japanese garden and stroll into the bamboo forest. Stopping just before the small clearing, I veer off the well-worn path. I purposely vary my route, checking and backtracking to ensure that no curious passer-byes had followed. Confident that I'm alone, I strip down naked, fold my clothes and pack them along with my camera into my backpack. Using the jute rope, I secure my backpack high off the ground then lightly camouflage my cache site. I stand still and close my eyes for a couple minutes. Four deep breaths in and out.

Project my senses outward.

Listen.

Scan.

Gently sniff the air.

Slight breeze on my skin. The sounds of forest, the creak of bamboo slightly swapping from the wind higher up, the sudden flap of wings, the quiet rustle of leaves as a nearby mouse searches the littering of leaves on the forest's floor. My nostrils flare slightly as I turn into the breeze. Hmmm, the faint musk of my vixen!

Air, light and space shimmer and bend... the strong, sure flaps of my wings take me up into the forest's leafy canopy.

I hunt again. Ten minutes later, another pair of squirrels fall prey to my sharp talons. I eat first. Squirrels are a favorite of mine and it's nigh impossible to resist when the kill is fresh and the coppery, savory scent of blood hits my feral sense of smell.

Swooping quietly between the thick clusters of bamboo, I fly deep into the forest. Finding the vixen's den, I circle a couple. Scouting for a suitable perch. I land just outside of her den within easy eyesight yet high enough, out of her reach, just in case. The stir of her shadow just inside the entrance draws my round eyes. She disappears into the depths.

I wait.

The tall grass off to my left bends and shifts. A soft gentle rustle of stalks parting around her sleek body breaks the quiet still silence of the forest around her den. She peeks her muzzle tentatively out into the tiny bare space in front of her den's entrance. I already know about the back exit from previous visits. Smart of her to have a well-hidden exit. Her nose quivers; sniffing softly. Her pink tongue licks her lips and sharp teeth. She's hungry... and in heat!

I've been bringing her a kill once or twice every day. Either in the early morning and/or in the late evening just before dusk. Placing it at her entrance, then perching high up in the deep shadows of the canopy and watching her eat the kill. She needs nourishment. She's a bit underweight for her size, and she seems to be a bit depressed. Not hunting enough, it seems to me.

Something about this vixen though. Something *different*. Her smell, her behavior, the way she moves. She feels familiar to me somehow. I feel drawn to her, protective of her and... more.

I usually only hunt and kill enough to replenish my energies. I'm skilled at providing for my needs. I enjoy my hunts and I'm more than happy to share with this other captivating forest creature.

Today, though, I decided something different. I've been patient. Never approaching her directly. Now I want her attention. I want her to know that it's

me

who's been providing extra meat for her. So, I decided on a new tactic to lure her out of her den. I've been curious to get a better look at her, up close. It's a risky action, I know. She could easily maim me. When she was hunting more often in the weeks past, I've watched her as she stalked and killed her prey with an efficient, deadly grace. She knows how to feed herself. Something's off. Her hungry pangs must be painful, gnawing at her gut. I know; I've felt these same pangs before.

Daring fate, my wings unfold, flexing outward to their full breadth. I glide smoothly down, landing just before her hiding place in the grass. I release the kill, pushing it towards her with a strong flick of my talons.

She watches me intently. Waiting. I stare back. Nod downwards. Encouraging her to take it.

Feast.

Her eyes locked on me; she sneaks forward. Snatches the squirrel quickly and backs up a couple feet. Her eyes are still watching me as she consumes the meal.

I look back, still and calm.

Licking her lips and muzzle, she finishes. Then cleans her fur diligently. Her wary eyes are still on me. I sense a difference in my vixen. She stretches her limbs then does something completely unexpected. A quiet yip then...

The air pressure drops. The light and space around her simmers like heat rising from the ground. An almost imperceptible

pop!

of an air vacuum even for my keen ears... a beautiful naked human woman stands before me.

Surprised by this sudden transformation, I alight. My strong wings soar into the canopy high above her. Finding a perch in front of her, yet well out of reach, I blink and stare back. My large round eyes drink in this beautiful vision of a human woman. I shift sideways slightly. A deep stirring softly throbs.

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