I would walk far enough away so that I couldn't hear the noise anymore, but there's this pesky fence.  I told the noise something instead.

"Shut up."

The fox quit whining and began to snap its jaws at me.  The snare strained.

"Quit that.  It won't do you any favours."

"How about you do me a favour and get me out of here, huh?  I'll quit then."

I walked away.

"You chicken?" it said.  I puffed up my chest.

"In the morning, that man that lives in there is going to shoot you right between the eyes."

It narrowed its eyes.  It said, "He'll do it to you too."

I didn't squawk at that though it thought I would.  I blinked slowly, and said, "Not today."

"Not today, no," it said, still thrashing.  The wire was fastened even more now. "One day.  You'll stop laying eggs--"

"That's a relief."

"--And when you stop laying eggs, that man in there will have no use in keeping you alive."

"Well, sure.  And he'll kill me, and I'll have no say, and it'll be miserable, sure."

"Yeah.  It will be.  You're alright with that?" It pawed at the anchor of the snare.  Its bloody snout and gnarled teeth gleamed in the dark.   

"You're as alright with killing me as he is."

"And I'm the bad one between the two.  Which one of us forces you into a pen?"

"You're in a snare inside the pen."

"I'm working on it.  At least I bother."    

"You bother, all right."  I was close enough it could bite me if it cared. 

"I'm not going to kill you, not now."  The fox hissed in pain.  It hadn't made progress, and the moon was bidding her farewells.  "I ate already.  You can see that.  Best case scenario if you leave me here?  Both of us die."

"If I let you go, I die."  I frowned.  She’d live.

"I told you -- I'm full.  Come closer," it said.  It was still.  I cocked my head and stepped back.  "I'll show you."  

I looked at its dirtied jaws and its sharp teeth and its forward-facing eyes, and I supposed I would be dead regardless; I stepped toward her.  The wet grass squelched and sank a little under my weight.  "How?" I said.  A cold shock washed over me.  Her teeth were on my neck.  

"Feel it?" she said, muffled.  Her breath was warm.  The blood on her mouth was hot.  It would be really easy, if she were to just shut her trap.  She squeezed my neck a little.  I cooed.  "Hey," she stepped back.  "Set me free now, okay?"  I bent to pry the stake out of the soil.  "I can show you where to escape," she said.  I bit down hard on the stake.  I felt warm, and then the rooster crowed.

"Hurry up," she said.  I couldn't say anything.  The backyard door opened.  The man's shadow stood over us.  I backed away.  The fox yipped at me, and then it shut up.  

Created 31 March 2025
Last updated 31 March 2025
Written 18 September 2025