A RedTail Story Part 3..Remembering RedTail
I want to say a few things first. One this isn't a fiction story it's base on my real life from 2012 if your wondering why it's from that long ago? Because i'm at a point in my life where i can deal with my losses in life, and all will be told through "A Redtail story" that will have many parts to her and my life as fox and foxy, before i lost her...In time talking about her loss will be hard to talk about because what happened to her due to other people.. My last thing i want to say, im not the best writer in the world so please don't judge my poor writing skills lol.. if your wondering wtf? you got a photo of RedTail outside and it looks like summer? no it's not true.this photo was taken inside the outdoor fox den my dad made for RedTail. with rocks for her to climb on and fake bushes and trees for her to play with and lots of dirt for her to dig holes. After two months of owning my dream a pet fox, i thought life couldn't get any better little did i know life has a way of changing in a moment...Within that two months RedTail learned fast to not bite things or tear things up lol,she was almost like a small puppy. Foxes love being outdoors among the wild life, but for whatever reason RedTail wasn't that big into going outside, even after we made her an outdoor fox den and fence in area for her.She more enjoy being indoors, that is rare for a pet fox! But she loved going on walks! But one walk almost turned bad for us both..three weeks before i ended up losing her, i took RedTail on a walk, she was sniffing around and waging her tail omg she was so cute! then i heard someone across the street yell to me "hey what type of dog is that?" i reply back "shes not a dog, shes a fox" he replyed "a fox!? really? i didn't know foxes could be pets" So he walked over to us and looked RedTail over very well, asking how old she was and her name. He started telling me things about foxes, that only a fox lover could know! i thought to myself i can't ask for anymore in life than having RedTail but, he sounds like a fox lover and he's kinda cute as well. Could he be the "one" for me? just then i ask him "wow you know so much about foxes do you love them as much as i do?" he looked at me strange and replayed "no im a...im a hunter and i trap shoot them" My heart sank like a rock.Than he said "it's to bad your fox is so young got good fur on her to shame in the wild she'd be a prize to skin" A look of horror came over my face as i reply back "why would you say such a thing? she is my pet and just not her but all foxes how can you do that! it's clear i love foxes why would you say this to me?" he reply back with a laugh "little girl this thing here doesn't understand a thing you say, it has no feelings for you, you take off that leash and she would take off so fast and never come back, it doesn't love you back it's a wild animal" I reply back to him and said " i
can't believe people in this world can be so cruel whatever, common on RedTail we're leaving" the man step off to the side of the road, and said to me "hey it's the truth don't get all pissed off now,foxes shouldn't be pets they are target practice for hunters.You have no clue what damage foxes do to farms" i said back "i don't care now leave me alone!" With that the man looked down at RedTail and kicked snow and slush into her face. i said back "what the f*$# is wrong with you?!!!!" As i was trying to clear the slush off RedTail, i had my back to the man, i didn't see him coming back. Just than he grabbed RedTail by her tail, and through her into a near by snow bank...I didn't even reply to the man, because i couldn't believe what was happening it looked and felt like a bad dream.As the man was yelling out "run fox run" because i didn't have the leash in my hands, RedTail was running free..I chased after RedTail thankfully because she was still a kit and by now 8 months old, her legs were still small enough that she couldn't run super fast.When i got a hold of RedTail she was shaking in fear and terror in her eyes, coved in snow little did i know at the time something else had happen to her..As i cuddled her into my arms, i look back at the man who was walking off. I saw him reach into his pocket and pull out a beer bottle. Telling me he was drunk the whole time and not just some crazy guy.I carried RedTail home and once we got home i set her back down on the floor, but she just sat there not moving. I was thinking she was still in fear over what happen. My heart was still racing and hands were shaking, i have never been apart of anything like that in my life.I went up stairs to change, after i was done i looked down stairs and there was RedTail still sitting in the same spot. I felt so bad for her, so i carried her up to my room and set her on my bed. Still she didn't move.I got her all settled into my bed with blankets to keep her warm, as i had some online work to do. Little over an hour later RedTail let out a yapp yapp, i turned around and she was standing on my bed, she looked so cute. So i called her over "come here RedTail" As she went to take a step, her front right leg gave out and she fell off the bed hitting her head hard. I let out "OMG RedTail are you ok??" She tried to stand up again and same thing, it's when i understood when she hit the snow bank she must have hurt her legs and paws. It didn't feel broken but she couldn't walk at all. I was so angry at the man who did this. Shes only a kit! how could someone do such a thing to her? But i always remember what my mom told me when i was young "Ashley in life not everyone is going to like or love you, in life there will come a time when someone may wrong you,or even break your heart. Don't bring yourself down to there level over come whatever comes your way, don't change who you are, just for any type of pay back it
makes you no better than them" So i let what the man did go and i would keep a smile on my face.This part is very hard for me to talk about, but i need to open up and set myself free.Three weeks after that happen RedTail was much much better! and we had been on many walks since that one bad time. This one day we went on a long walk, we even went into the woods looking for fox dens, as RedTail was sniffing around and digging holes in the snow, we did in fact come across a fox den! but it look to be in bad shape so we moved on. Later on we found another fox den and this one looked good! I peek my head in to see of foxes were inside. And it was empty! So i looked at RedTail and said "go inside check it out" i let go of her leash for she could go inside, knowing she couldn't run away, she didn't have the leg power for that yet! As i sat down on an old tree stump i heard it..I heard RedTail let out a yappppp. I got up and said RedTail you ok honey? she came out half way and her leg was stuck in a trap made by hunters. We have so many hunters down here, where i live and i hate it! I wasn't to worried about it until i couldn't get the trap off her leg,everytime i pulled it felt like i was going to break something on her..With that i got scared and not being that far into the woods i knew the road was very close to us, i held RedTail face in my hands and said "don't worry honey i will get help" As i ran to the road trying to flag down anyone to help me, i stood there maybe 10 minutes and got nothing.So i ran back to RedTail, thinking she went back into the fox den. Then i saw her...she was laying on her side with an arrow right through her belly.with foot prints coming and leaving all around her..I dropped down and started crying so much i went to hold her in my arms and she already felt like she wasn't alive anymore..Her body felt hard and lifeless. i held her in my arms and fell back on the cold ground crying out her name..As i looked down at her lifeless body..my dream my bestfriend something i loved more than life itself. Was gone after only two months...Weeks later my family ask me if i wanted another pet fox? I said no never..i hate foxes! i never want to see another one again! that night i cried myself to sleep. Everyone tells me im crazy about this part and it wasn't real, but i know in my heart it was here it is..After falling alseep, i had a dream i woke up in bed and sat up, and there was RedTail!! in my dream i knew she was gone, but here she was alive and not hurt! tears fell down my face. As i cuddled with her once again and she nuzzled my face, i said "RedTail i miss you so much honey i can't go on without you..i just want to die and be with you again" With that she lowered her head and rased it back up. With a card in her mouth that said, "RedTail's Foxes" After that she licked my face and i woke up. In tears i prayed to RedTail and told her i understand and i will carry on your name..
The next day i told my family i was going to start my own fox breeding business and call it "RedTail's Foxes" they loved the idea..As of today "RedTail's Foxes" have breeded and sold 14 loving and caring foxes, to fox lovers, sharing the same love and care. RedTail and me shared for maybe two months..But that two months will live inside my heart for a life time. In losing RedTail i could've ended my life, or even felt sorry for myself.But RedTail wouldn't want that for me,and i owe it to her, to share her name and this story with the world.Life can be cruel and take away everything you have. But it who you become after losing it all, is what makes you who you are, strong willed, dreamers and fighters. You got to be willing to do all three to over come the odds, stay true to you never sell out. Life may test you at times, or even make you feel you have nothing left. Stand up and take control, life owes you nothing but it can control you, you got to be willing to take control back and no longer place the blame on anyone else. On why you may not be where you wanna be right now. Right now? it's your chance and fight back whats yours, control your life..don't let it control you.