It was a jubilant day. The sun shone bright and the wind was whispering good grace. A Blue Jay was sitting proudly on a branch preening and thinking himself quite wonderful, for a blue jay is always thinking quite highly of them self. A small fawn followed closely behind his mother on the ground. Mother Deer had her ears perked for the slightest movement and she had her eyes on her fawn most of the time to make sure he was safe. The fawn of course being young and foolish had other ideas for his day. First, he would run through the forest faster then the wild Gray Wolf. Then, he would butt heads with the other fawns and show that he, Little Fawn was the greatest and strongest deer in the forest. And finally, he would give his mother the slip and have some real fun! He had already completed the first two items on his list now all that was left was to slip away … The Blue Jay sat and watched as Little Fawn quietly slipped farther and farther behind his mother who was doing her duty and watching vigilantly for danger. She didn’t notice however, that Little Fawn had slipped away. Blue Jay seeing this was his chance to see something much more interesting than the usual situations around the forest spread his splendid wings, took to the sky, and followed after the fawn who was now laughing to himself and thinking he was quite clever. Little Fawn stopped in a clearing where the sun beat down its brightest during the day. He lifted his small nose to the sky and closed his eyes, relishing the feeling of freedom and the feeling of the warm sun. Blue Jay sat and watched silently and a little bored. All of a sudden a small rustle sounded from the bushes below. Little Fawn was too busy being proud of himself to notice the sound or the smell. A lithe and dangerous predator stretched out of the bush. His teeth gleamed and his claws dug into the ground. The pale gray fur of Gray Wolf shined almost harshly in the green of the forest. Blue Jay sat up excitedly and watched as Gray Wolf stalked up still unnoticed.


“Hmmm..” Gray Wolf murmured. Little Fawn opened his eyes immediately and jumped fiercely. Fear raced through is heart making it beat faster and faster. He could do nothing but stand completely still and hope that Gray Wolf was not hungry. Gray Wolf stepped closer and closer … he jumped in one swift movement and grasped Little Fawns throat in his jaws. Scarlet blood fell to the ground and stained the long soft grass that all young animals loved to play in. Little Fawn stopped trying to struggle as his last breaths left his young body. Blue Jay, being conceited and careless laughed his hardest. Gray Wolf looked back on him with a look of disapproval because even he disliked taking the life of an animal to young to defend itself. Blue Jay was laughing so hard he fell off his branch and not being able to compose himself quickly enough fell to the ground. Blue Jay tried to sit up and shake himself off but when he tried a piercing pain shot through his right wing and he gasped and sunk to the ground.


Red Fox, who was sitting close by watching the whole scenario of life and death before her trotted into the clearing. At first she pretended to ignore the Blue Jay and sniffed the ground instead. Red Fox was young but she was wise. Blue Jay called out for help because he knew that if he could not fly he would surely die … Red Fox smiled softly and slowly picked her way through the grass towards the injury imprisoned Blue Jay.


“Yes Blue Jay?” She asked in a kind and thoughtful voice. Blue Jay was already tired and his voice was dulling with the effort of keeping himself upright.


“H-help m-me…” He stuttered. Red fox smiled again.

“I don’t think so Blue Jay.” - Blue Jay stared at her in disbelief. Red Fox smiled with no look of regret upon her beautiful face as she carried out Blue Jays sentence.