Sionnach* the hungry Fox was on the hunt, he sniffed through the grasses smelling out all kinds of creatures that scuttled beneath his nose. Some he licked up and gulped down, more because he was bored than hungry. But he savoured the rich earthy bitterness of the soil covered beetles as he crunched their shells. His ears twitched and the grasses and tussocks rattled in the breeze. He looked up towards the moon Goddess who in full glory shone her silvery light across the moorland. Sionnach bathed in her energy for a moment, closing his eyes as the breeze cooled him and his nose twitched at the scent of something very interesting… very tempting. Sionnach put his head down and began to sniff the ground again.
Somewhere out on the moor, was Geàrr* the hare foraging about the long grasses, he had found a particularly good heather plant to nibble. And was just enjoying the last of the leaves when, his ears twitched. He stood on hind legs ears pricked up peeping out of the grasses. He twitched his nose but smelt nothing but the sweetness of the grass. He peered towards the moon Goddess his eyes squinting in her brightness. And sensing nothing simply dropped back down into the ground. Geàrr slowly hopped along to a nearby tussock in the shelter of a large tree. He began to paw at the ground brushing out the foliage until there was a small circle like shape which he shuffled into.
Sionnach shoved his nose into the tussocks sniffing at the earth, every so often he would find a hares form hidden in the grass. Sionnach nuzzled the ground sniffing up the earth which made him jump and jitter as it irritated his nose and made him sneeze the dirt back out. He pawed at the rocks littered amongst the grasses and licked up the creatures that scuttled across the cold refreshing stone. The smell was becoming stronger and his mouth drooled as he made his way across the moorland, tipping up rocks and unearthing forms as he went. The long grasses and hidden tussocks became slightly rocky as he made his leisurely way up hill. The moon lit the way as he made his way towards a large tree, the enchanting smell becoming stronger and drawing him closer with each step he took.
Sionnach sniffed at the nearest tussock and burrowed his nose into the ground, the smell seemed stronger. His snout knocked against 4 small bumps he sniffed at their shells as they slid slightly in the soil. Lapwing eggs, the smell was closer he took another sniff there was something slightly off about these eggs, as-though what had laid them was long gone. It was almost the smell but a hint of something was missing. Sionnach ran his tongue against the eggs lapping in the smooth texture, still they tasted slightly wrong, slightly off Sionnach moved on.
As he slowly staggered up the hill the wind blew a gentle breeze across the land, he lifted his head into the air, the fresh air cooled his nostrils and the smell seemed much stronger. Ever patient he dashed towards the hill top and began to sniff around the tussocks that surrounded the tree.
And still the moon Goddess shone brightly, she would not hide her wild children nature must be allowed to take its course however unpleasant. For Sionnach hunted by man for his good fortune and beautiful pelt had already been spared that day. Despite the hunters asking permission the Goddess had denied them the kill. Sionnach the totem fox was much too sacred to kill, for this one had a pearl of fortune within him, that should not yet be given to the hands of man.
The forms that Sionnach found around the tree had been filled with lapwing eggs, the smell was becoming ever stronger. He sniffed and licked each egg he found and began pawing at the ground impatiently the smell was driving him mad as it drew him ever nearer.
At the next tussock Sionnach’s mouth drooled thickly as he shoved his nose in and he pawed at the ground. He licked the eggs tasting their smooth shells, the smell seemed right. He suddenly froze his eyes wide and tongue paused mid-lick.
After bedding down for the night Geàrr had tried his best to hide from the fox, he had simply transformed into a lapwings egg to blend in with the sacred gifts he had been leaving for the moon Goddess. But as the fox had become closer, and closer Geàrr had begun to twitch in his egg form. Geàrr tried to stay as egg like as possible but when Sionnach’s drool had fallen on him and he could smell the hunters breath he began to tremble. Eyes screwed closed he tensed up and stayed as still as possible. But when a long wet and warm something had slid across his back, Geàrr had winced awake eyes wide and bulging both he and the fox had frozen.
Sionnach suddenly recoiled at the soft furry texture of the startled hare, Geàrr sat tensely flat against the ground his ears pinned down against his back. All of a sudden the hare twitched and shot off into the night. Sionnach gave a frustrated cry and pounced off after the hare following the rustling of the grass before him. The wind blew strongly against him and that ever tempting smell teased him as he ran.
The grasses shook as the two creatures darted through the land, the hare escaping and the fox chasing. The moon Goddess calmly shone across the land lighting the way for the two dancing creatures. Her sliver light caught their coats making them twinkle and sparkle as they darted in and out of the grasses. Every so often Sionnach gave an angry cry as he missed the hare and had to give chase again. Although Geàrr was faster than him, Sionnach remained on his tale.
The two creatures pounded the earth with their paws as they ran Geàrr knew that foxes normally gave up after a while. For hares were far too fast for them, But ever determined Sionnach would not give in. As both creatures tired Geàrr began to shape shift, to at very least catch his breath, if not to escape Sionnach. At first Geàrr chose the easiest forms which were that of the lapwing eggs. This only slowed Sionnach, who simply sniffed at the earth following the hares sent. When Sionnach got too close Geàrr simply shot out into the grasses again and the chase continued.
Geàrr began to transform into anything and everything to get Sionnach off his tale, he turned into a rock only to be licked and taste tested by the fox, he changed into a simple grass seed to only just escape the foxes jaws. Geàrr slithered beneath a rock where he stayed coiled and still in the form of a snake. Until Sionnach sniffed him out and upturned the rock he pressed his nose against the snake smelling the lingering hare’s scent, and opened his mouth. Geàrr hissed bearing his poison fangs and lunged at the Fox. Sionnach drew back as the adder whipped him with its tale and Geàrr transformed back into his natural form and shot through the grass.
Sionnach Un-hurt and ignoring the hares warning shot after the hare once again.
Geàrr doubled back circling around Sionnach and transformed himself into a tussock, he stayed still and quiet as the moon Goddess shone upon them. The night grew quiet as Sionnach continued to hunt. The once shaking tussock calmed as Geàrr finally caught his breath and calmed into sleep.
Sionnach on the other hand had begun to notice that the hares scent had disappeared from before him. Swivelling around he sniffed at the air, and after realising the smell was stronger behind slowly began to make his way back. He sniffed the ground as he dawdled his way back across the moor. In no rush and clearly tired from the chase Sionnach found himself a comfy resting place, hidden among some long grass and slowly flexed down to the ground where he stretched out and began to rest.
Sionnach woke from his nap his nose twitching slightly for he had caught the hares scent again, he laid still and flat against the earth sniffing at the air. He twitched his ears as a small breeze blew rattling the grasses. Geàrr’s scent wafted around him and although the breeze had stopped the grasses beside him still shook slightly. Sionnach watched from the corner of his eyes as the tussock he had been nestled against trembled lightly. Lying in wait Sionnach twitched his nose smelling the air quietly, no wonder he had dreamt of flesh for his target had been right under his nose the entire time he slept. Poor Geàrr trembled as he watched the resting fox ,his heart beating fast his breathing rapid.
Sionnach feigned sleep for a small while longer slowly he tensed his body readying for the kill, and then without warning pounced up and swivelled around taking a huge chunk of the tussock with him and ripping it out of the ground. Sionnach cringed almost dropping his catch as Geàrr let out a large cry. Although the hare thrashed around in the grip of Sionnach’s jaws, Sionnach had not expected the strangeness of the hares cry. It was not a simple animal grunt of fear or pain but the alarmed crying of a child, a human child. Hunted by man Sionnach had learned to stay away from them even the little ones.
“ Calm down, calm down little one” Sionnach told the hare as he followed the moon light “ I am not going to eat-“ . Geàrr cried even more “you, I am trying to help”.
“ GET OFF GET OFF” Geàrr commanded as he cried and swung at Sionnach
Sionnach gently dropped the hare onto a small collection of boulders that the moon Goddess shone down upon.
Geàrr stopped crying as soon as his paws touched the ground, rather than running he tuned to face Sionnach in a rather hysterical face off in which he stood on his hind legs and boxed at the few inches of air between them.
Although Sionnach felt the whoosh around his nostrils he didn't move, in-fact he didn't even blink.
“ What you think you’re going” Geàrr cried bopping the fox on the nose
Sionnach simply raised his eyebrows showing his wisdom “ I have come to help”
“ Help” the hare pause mid punch “with what?”
“ The humans” Sionnach told.
Geàrr simply dropped to all fours his face falling slightly “ They will not hunt me for I am sacred to the moon Goddess, it is forbidden”.
“ For most” Sionnach raised his brow “ but tomorrow is Beltane, and some will hunt-especially around these parts”.
Geàrr sat for a moment and looked up at the Goddesses light “ But the goddess must give them permission, and she has not yet given it”.
Sionnach nodded “ yes little one, but one day is all it takes one moment of tiredness- and the man will have you”.
“ All right then” the hare spoke “ you are hunted everyday-what is it that you do?”
Sionnach smiled “ I hide, I run, I lay in wait, and… I have a pearl of fortune within”
“ Pearl of fortune” Geàrr disbelieved “ Foxes talk for fate”.
“ I came hear not to hunt, but to offer you a part of my fortune” Sionnach voiced “ a gift for the sacred one to stay safe during Beltane”.
Geàrr eyed the fox suspiciously
“ If this works it should be passed to all of you kind-eventually” Sionnach spoke
“ But why would you do this?” Geàrr asked
“ I hunt to survive” the fox said “said “but I do not like to be the hunted especially when it is for my pelt and fortune”.said “
“ For most it is forbidden to eat my flesh” Geàrr agreed “ But sometimes my fur is also taken-very well what must I do”.
Sionnach laughed “it is simple. You must box my head”.
Geàrr stood on hind legs dew back his paws and was readying to lunge “ What?”
“ Trust me” Sionnach reassured the hare “ it is rolling around in there somewhere along with the fortune, it just needs a good belt. Thats what you hares are good at right? giving a good-”
While Sionnach had been talking Geàrr gearing himself up and without warning launched his fists at the foxes snout. Poor Sionnach caught mid sentence had been take completely off guard, pummelled by the hares fists his head simply rebounded as he tried to stay upright.
A strange sensation began to vibrate inside Sionnach’s head as though something round was shooting around in there. The something soon turned into two somethings and as Sionnach tilted his head to the side and Geàrr attacked the opposite side as though trying to pat out something stuck a small broken sphere shot out of Sionnach’s ear and hit the hare squarely on the foot.
“ Owww-Uh-UH” Geàrr groaned hopping on his back paw as he held the other tightly “ how am I suppose to escape them now!”
Sionnach swayed on the spot slightly his eyes swivelling he shook his head although trying to find his balance and stood looking at the hare calmly.
“ You could have given me some warning” the fox resented “ But you have the fortune now my friend”.
“ What in a hurt back foot’ I don't even know if I can hop on it” Geàrr groaned tugging at his foot
“ You have a lucky Hares foot-that will be passed on to your kind” The fox told “ and you can stand on it, it only hurts for a second go on try…”
Geàrr looked up at the fox uncertain but seeing how he had not been led wrong so far, he slowly lowered his foot and wincing placed it back onto the ground. For a moment Geàrr flinched at the expected pain but as he put the weight upon his paw and no pain came. He grinned and began to jump around as happy as a hare.
“ Oh Mr fox-thank you Mr fox” Geàrr jumped running around Sionnach in big happy circles.
“ all right, all right” Sionnach winced “ just don't spray me”
The hare laughed and jumped in the air as he turned his body and shit off a stream of urine into the night “ I can’t help it”.
“ I know” Sionnach understood he looked up at the lightening sky “ you should go now little hare and get readying for escaping the hunt-for Beltane is near”.
The hare nodded and looked into the rising orange sun he turned to say one last thing to the fox but only managed a sharp intake of breath, Sionnach however had disappeared. Thankful for this fortune Geàrr turned back towards the rising of the new sun, and hoped into the moorland full of hope.
*Notes on the names:
Sionnach:
Irish Gaelic for Fox
Pronounced : / shun-ukh/
Geàrr :
Irish Gaelic for Hare
Pronounced : Gy-arr
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