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 soon began to shove 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 that 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 just 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 all ready 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 up 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 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 across the ground 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. 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 though exhaustion 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 human child. Hunted by man Sionnach had learned to stay away from them even the little ones.
Geàrr thrashed around his body weight pulling at his delicate ears as he cried and tried to escape the fox’s jaws. Ever hungry and mouth thick with drool Sionnach was just about to throw Geàrr up into the air and pin him to the ground with his paw so he could tuck in, when the hare swivelled around and began to kick Sionnach in the head. Sionnach tried to hold onto his catch but a lucky kick to Sionnach’s nose made him whimper. With the sharp pain he dropped the hare, unable to breathe Sionnach snapped back.
Knowing that the hunt was reaching the end Geàrr did not run, he simply turned to face the fox and stood tall on his hind legs, head high and paws at the ready. As the fox snapped Geàrr simply threw punches towards his head making him whimper and then growl. Sionnach snapped again and the hare boxed towards his head hitting him again and again, until finally the hare landed another punch to the fox’s nose.
Sionnach whimpered as his head span around, and without even so much as a glance at the hare turned tale and ran.
Geàrr stood panting into the night as he watched the fox run, he placed his feet back to the ground and began to wash himself. It was only after he began to lick his back paws he noticed a shiny pebble sticking from his foot. Geàrr tried to lick and even bite the stone off but it would not budge.
The moon Goddess shone upon both her children that night, pleased with them both for Sionnach the fox had given Geàrr the hare half of his pearl of fortune. Split in half and partly knocked from the fox’s head during the fight, Geàrr had now inherited the foxes good fortune. Not that he was aware of course as he sat trying to lick his back foot. But as the sky brightened and he looked towards the rising sun Geàrr simply turned on his heals and ran deeper into the land.
*Notes on the names:
Sionnach:
Irish Gaelic for Fox
Pronounced : / shun-ukh/
Geàrr :
Irish Gaelic for Hare
Pronounced : Gy-arr
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