A yellow butterfly zigzagged down the winding trail. Russet pounced after it—crunch, crunch, crunch!
The butterfly fluttered away. Russet looked behind the mossy log. No parents waited there.
Russet trotted along the first trail and called for Mama and Papa. Tap-tap-tap answered from a tall oak.
Russet raced to the tapping tree. A woodpecker was much too busy pecking to notice.
Russet tried a second trail past ferny puddles. The cozy den was not beside any puddle.
Russet squeezed under scratchy brambles and scrambled over a bumpy log. Plop! Acorns rolled like tiny brown marbles.
Russet climbed the mossy log and called as loudly as possible. “Mama! Papa!”
From beneath the log came a muffled “Achoo!” Leaves wiggled on the wrong side.
Two fox parents popped out, sprinkled with leaves. “There you are!” they said.
Russet leaped into Mama and Papa’s paws. Leaves flew as they squeezed together.
Russet walked between Mama and Papa along the winding trail. Their cozy den waited under a rooty hill.
Dry leaves rustled in the nest. Russet curled beside Mama and Papa while a yellow butterfly rested on the den door.
