Red Mushroom Feilds

Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky. Rabbit came out from his burrow to play cards with Badger. Badger had a gambling problem, but Rabbit didn’t care. She wished she could play, but mother fox had warned her not to play any games with Rabbit or at least any games with money. He was a town hustler but was loved non the less. He had a certain charm that couldn’t be simply ignored. He fully used his silky black fur and long ears to their advantage. (I had once witnessed Mayor Lassie’s Mrs. talk off her pearl collar just to put it around his neck.) The sky began to fade into a midnight blue, so Baby Fox knew it was time to crawl back into her home underneath the roots of the willow tree. Mother Fox was sweeping the dirt with the tip of her tail while she cooked dinner on the stove.

“Baby Fox, where have you been dear?” She asked concerned.

“By the river playing with the Baby Deer,” She replied.

Father Fox looked up from his newspaper. “Look at me Baby Fox, you can play with the deer, but don’t go to the other side. Alright? Do you hear me? Foxes don’t go to the other side of the river”.

“Why? Baby Deer says he goes there all the time.” Baby Fox muttered

But all Father Fox does is look over the lenses of his glasses and shake his head and goes back to reading the paper.

After dinner and Mother Fox and Father Fox had gone to bed Baby Fox slowly made her way down the spiraling staircase in the willow tree. Careful not to wake them. She walked out the door and into the night air. Lighting Bugs quietly danced around her. She heard whispers of sweet nothings from the lovers.

She placed her paws in the water and waited for Bullfrog. He crept up from the surface quietly waiting for a visitor.

“Good evening Ms. Fox.” a snarl spread across his green face.

Baby Fox reached inside her bag and extended her paw with 2 acorns back out to Bullfrog. Bullfrog quickly snapped his long slimy tongue out and took the 2 acorns. You never stay too talk long Ms. Frog. Next time if you don’t have time for conversation it will cost you more to cross the river” he croaked.

Baby Fox sighed. She didn’t know how much longer she could use this passage across the river. “Of course Bullfrog, I’m just in a rush tonight.” She smiled.

Bullfrog let out a croak and winked as jumped under the water.

Babyfox watched eagerly as the Lily Pads began coming up from the bottom of the water making a bridge to the other side of the river. She trouted across quickly not to waste a single second of the cool breezy night.

She ran through the forest until she was in the red mushroom fields. The Owls sang music from the soul and the Bats banged their tambourines to the beat.

Black cat was purring when Baby Fox made her way to his side. He looked at her and purred deeper. “I thought you weren’t coming”

“Bullfrog was giving me difficulty tonight,” she said as she panted from running.

Black Cat ran his tail over her to calm her down. “It’s okay baby doll, you’re here now.”

Baby Fox looked up at him in awe. She found him to be so interesting.

“You know, you could just stay on this side of the river.” He whispered in her ear.

They had talked about this before… Her leaving her home and living here, but it was whimsical it was never serious and she felt a serioususness tone in his voice tonight.

“We could wake up every day together here. It would be perfect” He purred

Baby Fox looked up at his dark eyes. Her red fur seemed to be glowing in the moonlight tonight. “I have to think about it. Mother and Father would be so disappointed.” She added

“You have to officially become Ms. Fox at some point. He said

“Would you ever consider coming to my side of the river?” She asked

Black Cat rolled his eyes. “You know how I feel about the Pine Forrest. It’s boring. It’s not like it is here.”

Possum strolled over to the couple and handed a bag to Black Cat. He winked and then waddled back into the crowd.

“What’s that?” asked baby fox

Black Cat reached his paws into the sack and pulled out 2 blue strawberries. He grinned at Baby Fox. “Wanna try tonight? You keep saying your gonna try them and never do.”

Baby Fox’s heart beat fast. “I’ve heard you can get lost in the forest if you eat those and never come back. You’ll forget where you have been.”

Black Cat took one and rolled it around with his paw. “Yeah but that’s kinda the fun isn’t it?”

“Some say these are magic and you’ll see something new you couldn’t see before. Look, I really wanted to try them with you, but if you don’t want to do this with me. I’m doing this on my own.” He picked up a strawberry and threw it into his mouth.

Baby Fox in a moment did the same. It tasted like metal and squished in-between her teeth. It wasn’t like she had expected.

Black Cat put on the red coat he had been carrying. "Let’s go back to my home before our journey takes effect. You’ll need to stay here tonight."

Baby Fox worried about what she had just done. “Mother and Father expect me to be home in my bed in the morning. I can’t stay here.”

“Oh Baby Fox don’t worry, it will be fine for one night. It wouldn't be safe for you to lollygag through the forest right now.” He said as he walked ahead of her.

“Before Father Fox lived in Pine Forest he used to stay over here with Father Black Cat in the Red Mushroom Feilds. My father told me stories. They even ate blue strawberries too.”

“Yeah, but Father said he didn't like the blue strawberries.” She explained

“That’s because he only ate half of one.” Black Cat chuckled

Baby Foxx felt her feet become lighter and the sounds of the Owls become even more beautiful. She had never felt this type of wonder. She suddenly wanted to see the forest. She wanted to climb the trees and see the moon. She felt like she had wings.

Black Cat was standing in front of his burrow where he lived with Groundhog.

"Come on Baby Foxx, Come in the burrow, it's not safe to wander" Black Cat pleated

But Baby Foxx didn't care as she scampered up a tree.