She curled up on top of the largest pumpkin in the shed. Unable to sleep, the young fox stared at the loose board in the floor. Underneath was a tunnel leading to the outside world. She yawned, then began to wash her left front paw.
The sound of the human voices just outside seemed different. Usually friendly and comfortable, today they made her restless.
"But Pa, she's not hurting anything. She never bothers the chickens, and I'll wager she's a better mouser than old Fuzzy ever was. I've not seen a single mouse on the whole farm in ages."
"I know, Dan. But she's not a cat. I told you, eventually you'd have to let her go live like a fox is meant to."
Dan rubbed his eyes. "Rose can leave any time she wants. There's no reason to take her away, she'll go when she's ready."
Pa shook his head. "We talked about this when you found her and brought her home. I let you take care of her because her ma was caught dragging off Mrs. Carson's prize hen. That wasn't any of her doing."
Dan sighed. "I thought she'd want to leave, on her own. I wouldn't mind that..."
Pa rubbed the graying stubble on his chin. "I thought so too. But she's nearly grown, and as you pointed out, a great hunter. I've thought about letting her stay, but she'll be having kits of her own come spring. A farm is no place for a family of foxes."
Dan glanced at the shed. "We can make her go in the spring, before she can have them. She'll be older. And winter is hard around here, even for animals. Please?"
Pa frowned. "I wouldn't mind that. But you and Rose are going to be mighty attached to each other by then. It just wouldn't be fair to either of you."
Dan strode over to the well, and picked up the heavy wooden bucket. "It won't be any harder than doing it now. And I'll feel better knowing she has a good chance at making it. You know most animals don't survive their first winter, Pa."
Pa sighed. "It's against my better judgment, but I'll agree on one condition."
Dan grinned, and almost dropped the bucket in his excitement. "Thank you, Pa!"
Pa's solemn expression almost wiped the smile from the child's face. "The condition is that when I say it's time for her to go, you don't argue. And you accept my decision like a man."
Dan nodded. "Yes, Sir."
After he finished his chores, he went into the shed. "Hey, Rose. Pa said you can stay for the winter. He still won't let you stay here forever, though."
Rose got up, stretching while still balanced on the pumpkin.
Dan walked over and rubbed behind her ears. "You're better than any cat or dog. I just wish Pa would let you stay. Your kits would leave home after a few months. Maybe you wouldn't even have any..."
The happy fox rolled over, making Dan giggle.
One morning, Rose heard the nickering of strange horses in the yard. She went out to investigate.
Dan grinned. "Happy Thanksgiving, Rose! Come meet my cousins."
Rose followed at his heels into the barn. Inside was a boy around Dan's age, playing with a toddler.
She pinned back her ears, and ducked between Dan's legs.
Dan laughed. "Don't be afraid, this is Luke. We spent all our time together, until his parents moved to the city. And this is his little brother, Isaac."
With Dan's gentle encouragement, Rose was soon romping with the two kids.
"Breakfast!" called a female voice, from the house.
The three children were gone before she knew it. She went outside, to find the strange horses already far out in the pasture with the two old plowhorses. She went back to the shed, and curled up on the pumpkin.
She awoke to the sound of screaming. The young fox went to investigate the noise, and found Isaac in the pigpen. He had been cornered by the huge sow, who was alternating between rushing him and checking on her piglets.
Rose pinned back her ears, and leaped in front of the toddler. He whimpered, holding his arm tightly. She bared her teeth. The sow charged, and she grabbed the sensitive snout. She held on until the sow was away from the child, then resumed her position between Isaac and the angry mother.
A few seconds later she heard shouting. Rose was too focused on the danger to pay attention, until she found herself being scooped into Dan's arms.
"My baby!" shrieked a woman.
A man climbed out of the pigpen carrying Isaac, while Pa stood between him and the sow.
The two strange adults huddled around the toddler. The man looked up. "He's got a cut on his arm, but it's not too deep. Dan, that little dog of yours probably saved his life."
Dan grinned, and held Rose up. "She's not exactly a dog."
The man gasped. "Is that a fox?"
Pa walked over and gently stroked her head. "Sure is. My son needs to get busy building a pen before spring. If she ends up having kits, I'll not be letting them run around killing our chickens at night."