Fox

His slender, index finger extended from its white tipped paw to reveal a claw whose length and sharpness was shocking. He ran it languidly across the deeply etched fine scroll work forever forged into the high backs of the sturdy oak dining room chairs. In the other paw he held a steaming, delicate tea cup filled with the aromatic juice left from the loose leaf oolong blend. He pointed his slim, triangular muzzle down toward the brimming cup and took a lengthy breath in through his narrow snout. With eyes rolling sensuously back into his head an uncontrollable grin spread across his face, twitching his long, wiry whiskers and revealing his jagged, diminutive fox teeth. How delicious his devilishly clever plan had played out.

The sunbeams snuck in, with their dusty tails hanging in the air through dainty tea-towel curtains. Round stained glass windows on either side of Fox’s kitchen held up these curtains, filtered cobalt blue and forest green through tiny glass panes, and illuminated his home. The glow of these colors reflected the swampy, overgrown forest and permeated the hollowed hull of an enormous redwood Fox called home. Greeting the day, wisdom crackled along Fox’s brain synapses where they shown themselves as sparkles in his eyes. A half-grin, once again exposing dangerous teeth, Fox was positively beside himself; this time he had outdone even his most wicked trick.

Tramping with agile hind legs on soft paws he walked around the sturdy natural oak chair. Reaching the front he backed up to place himself in the seat. How lovely, the way the craftsman had carved the perfect curvature of the back support, flowing down right into the seat that cradled his fox bottom with its fine, enormous bristling tail! The extraordinary chiseled design decorated the backs of the four chairs, matching that of the vining, swooping, lazy flower pattern across the table top. Admiring both his wit and elegance of the fine furniture, he leaned back confidently.

Fox jerked, suddenly brought out of his mood, to turn his head toward the persistent rap of an axe head on his front door.