Silvery flakes drifted down, glittering in the bright light of the harvest moon. The blackbird sat on the branches of the giant, frosty oak tree, watching the snow covered valley below with keen, black eyes. It had been a bitter day for the blackbird. He had been able to find no food, no warmth, and no shelter from the harsh winter winds.
A fox crept out of the darkness into the moonlight, leaving the shelter of the pine trees and winter shrubs. He cunningly scanned the valley, looking for any danger or food. Suddenly, the white light of the moon was blotted out by a dark cloud, instantly snuffing out the fox’s vision, but not before he spotted a white rabbit in the bowl of the valley.
The blackbird looked up at the stars, brightly sprinkled across the velvety depths of the night sky. The cloud slowly rolled across the surface of the moon, once again illuminating the world below. The fox was at the fringe of the tall evergreens, holding a now lifeless rabbit in its mouth. He patiently looked into the darkness of the forest and abruptly let out a short yelp, then another.
Three fox cubs came clumsily bounding out into the open air, playfully jostling one another about as their mother calmly pranced over to her mate. The mother and cubs gratefully began to eat as the male fox sat with his chest out proudly. The female playfully nudged her mate with her snout as a gentle breeze swept through the valley, sending the snow whirling through the crisp air.
The hungry bird looked on enviously, and the wind became stronger, turning the trees into a cacophony of sound. The lonely blackbird disappeared, his obsidian feathers perfectly blending in the night sky.
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