Farthing-Wood.net

A Hero’s Welcome

A gathered group of White Deer Park animals, led by the Great White Stag, welcome the Farthing animals to their new home. Not everyone is happy about their arrival though. Two blue foxes, Scarface and Lady Blue, eye the animals suspiciously from their hiding place in the bushes. Whistler meets a female heron, Speedy, who quickly whisks him off to show him the pond. Weasel meanwhile is chased through the woods by an infatuated male weasel, Measly. The Squirrels try to make friends with the park’s red squirrels, but find them quite threatening. As the gathering breaks up, Mr Vole gets a fright when he comes face to face with the fearsome Scarface.

Badger and Mole find an unused set to rest in, but are warned off by Lady Blue, who informs them this is Blue Fox territory and they must apply to her mate if they want to stay there. You can’t miss him, she says, he’s the one with the scar. In another part of the park, Kestrel has a nasty incident when she mistakenly kills one of the Farthing Wood mice.

Whistler, Speed, Toad and Adder are down by the pond. Adder is very interested in the edible frogs, and Toad is cross when she eats one. The Squirrels suddenly arrive, chased by the red squirrels throwing nuts at them. Badger brings the news that the blue foxes have warned them off their land. The animals vote to find Fox. Weasel is threatened by Scarface who pins her up against a tree, but she manages to escape when Measly creates a diversion.

Fox and Vixen are enjoying the peace of their new earth, when they are disturbed by the commotion outside. The White Deer Park animals just won’t share! complains Squirrel. After listening to the animals’ complaints, Fox, Badger, Kestrel and Owl pay a visit to the Great Stag, who comes up with a solution. He suggests designating an area of the park for the Farthing animals to live on. Scarface will not like having to give up part of his territory, but in return the Farthing animals will agree not to hunt on his land. Kestrel spreads the news of the new ‘Farthing Land’. The Hares decide they are happy where they have settled, away from the others, and do not want to move.

With winter fast approaching, the animals make preparations. The Mice, Shrews and Voles choose a place for their nests near Fox’s and the Squirrels begin to store their nuts. Adder goes into hibernation without even saying goodbye. That evening Fox and Vixen head off to hunt. Fox remarks that there is a frost coming.