Bedtime - A Short Story Anthology

The Fox and the Goat

The Fox and the Goat

By WaddleDees 

Today was a special day in the forest. 

It was the annual friendship celebration, and every animal was here.

It was a celebration of friendship between other animals, and everyone was excited to spend the day with their best friend.

Everyone except Ray.

Ray was a fox, and because of that, not many animals wanted to be around him.

He didn't understand why, he was a friendly animal and enjoyed talking with others.

However, try as he might, no one stuck around long enough to figure him out.

His ears drooped as he watched the other woodland creatures meet up with their buddies.

Oh, how he wished for a friend.

Turning, he padded away sadly, his heart aching.

Ray wandered around the woods, his eyes downcast.

"Help!"

He lifted his head in surprise, looking around in confusion.

"Hello?" He called, thinking he had misheard.

"Help me please! Anyone!"

Ray quickly began to sniff the ground, trying to find who needed help.

"Hang on! I'm coming to help you!" He shouted, quickly turning to follow the sound.

"Please hurry!" The voice cried again.

As Ray ran, he began to pick up the faint scent of fear.

"I'm almost there!"

Ray stopped in front of a Well, pausing to catch his breath.

"Hello? Where are you?" He asked, spinning in a small circle.

"I'm down here! Please help me!"

Ray turned to the Well, carefully raising onto his back paws to look in.

He caught a glimpse of a young goat, shivering in the water.

His big brown eyes glistened with tears as it looked up at Ray fearfully.

"Please don't hurt me, Mr. Fox."

Ray flattened his ears sadly, before taking a deep breath.

"I won't, I'm here to help you."

He looked around, trying to find anything that could help him get down there.

Ray's eyes lit up as he noticed a rope nearby with a bucket tied to it.

Quickly running to grab it, he dragged it back towards the Well.

Carefully, he lodged the rope between two stones and tossed the other end of the rope down.

"Climb up the rope!" He called down the Well.

The goat looked at the rope fearfully and tried to climb up.

However, the slick walls made it impossible for him to get a good grip, and he was sent crashing down.

"I can't!" The goat cried fearfully.

Ray paused, thinking for a second.

He nervously looked at the bucket before taking a deep breath.

"Hang on! I'm coming down to help!"

He carefully slid down the walls, flinching at the freezing waters.

The goat edged away from him and he landed looking at the goat with a glint of determination.

"Ok, now you climb up the rope and I'll push you from down here." Ray carefully made his way behind the goat, getting ready to push.

"Ok." The goat nodded fearfully as he began to try to climb again.

Ray pushed him as hard as he could, hearing the goat's hooves scramble against the wall.

Then, suddenly the weight was gone and the goat was free.

"Yay!" He heard the goat cheer from above.

Ray smiled, before feeling a sharp stab of fear.

It was silent for a moment, and Ray began to fear that the goat had left him.

"Aren't you coming up?" The goat asked, poking its head over the Well.

"I might need some help though." Ray spoke, feeling relief flood through him.

"Don't worry Mr. Fox, I'll pull you up! I'm big and strong! Just grab on!"

The goat disappeared, and Ray carefully clamped down his jaws on the rope.

He quickly felt his paws leave the cold water, as he was pulled out of the Well.

Ray managed to pull himself out the rest of the way, flopping onto the ground with a soft pant.

The goat stood over him, his eyes gleaming happily.

To Ray's surprise, the goat sat down and waited for Ray to recover.

"So what's your name Mr. Fox?" He asked curiously.

"My name is Max!" The goat smiled.

"My name is Ray but....why aren't you running away?" Ray asked, sitting up.

"Why would I? You didn't hurt me so you must be pretty nice! And you helped me out of the big scary hole!" Max replied, flicking his ears back.

"But... I'm a fox.." Ray replied hesitantly.

"So? You seem nice." Max blinked at him, confused as to why Ray seemed so surprised.

Ray had never felt as much joy as he had at that moment.

They weren't running away from him!

His tail began to wag softly as he contemplated his next words.

However, Max beat him to it.

"Say...why aren't you at the Friendship Celebration?" Max questioned, tilting his head.

Ray's ears drooped as he lowered his gaze sadly.

"I uh, I don't have anyone to go with."

"You don't have any friends? That's so sad!" Max replied, in surprise.

Ray lowered his gaze even further.

Max thought for a moment before a smile spread across his face.

"I'll be your friend!" He exclaimed, surprising Ray.

"Really? But..are you sure?" He asked again.

"Sure I'm sure! No one deserves to be lonely! I'll be your bestest friend ever!" Max sprang onto his feet, prancing around excitedly.

"We're going to have so much fun! I'll make sure of it!"

Ray stared at Max in wonder, surprise filling his eyes.

Ray felt a smile spread across his face as he grinned.

"Right!"

That day was the day that Ray met his best friend.

Through a simple act of kindness, he had found the one thing he yearned for the most.

A friend.

As Ray spoke his farewells to Max, with promises of meeting again tomorrow, he decided that perhaps the festival wasn't such a bad place after all.

What a wonderful end to a bad day.

Ray decided that today had been the best day ever.