Dimpy

By Saxifrage

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In the middle of a forest, and in the middle of a fairly warm night, a mother fox gave birth to a litter of kittens. She loved her baby foxes very much and wanted what was best for them, so she asked her friend, who was a very wise squirrel, to watch out for her young, and to always make sure that they were well cared for. Being a good and loving friend, the squirrel promised to do whatever was in his own power to help her kittens.

The kits grew up quickly: playfully chasing each other and tackling one another, practicing the hunting skills that would be vital in their adult lives; but one pup, the smallest of the litter, the runt, always stayed out of the way of the others. His mother had lovingly named him Dimpy, but his brothers and sisters used it as one more excuse to tease him ruthlessly. “You’ll never make it in the real world, Dimpy! You’re too small and stupid to do anything!” They would yell, laugh and pounce away, on to play their happy little games. Whenever his siblings would yell at him, Dimpy would start to cry.

One day, after some particularly harsh words from his largest brother, Dimpy’s cries came to the ears of the squirrel. After all the other pups had left for their pointless games, Dimpy noticed an old, grey, and very large squirrel running towards him. Cowering down with fear, Dimpy said, “W-who are you?” The squirrel ignored his question and hoped his way slowly around Dimpy, examining him in every direction.

“Well, I don’t understand.” He muttered, “You look like a healthy little fox kit.” He sniffed Dimpy next, their twitching noses almost touching. “You smell like a healthy little fox kit.” He scrambled back a few feet and looked around the corner at all the other kittens, then back at the little kit. “Yet you cower and tremble like a small rabbit facing a hawk; that doesn’t seem too healthy to me.”

Poor little Dimpy felt more tears well up in his eyes, as well as anger. It was too much already for him to handle with his siblings torturing him night and day, but now a total stranger was pointing out his faults right in front of him! “I can’t help the way I am!” Dimpy barked at the squirrel. “It’s not my fault I’m so little and weak!”

The squirrel looked at him with a little glint in his eye. “I need someone to help me stay strong and healthy.” He started, completely changing the subject and startling Dimpy. “Since you’re somewhat pathetic yourself, I won’t mind telling you that I’ve started falling out of trees. It’s rather embarrassing. Why don’t you help me out a bit?” He asked, sitting on his hind legs and scratching an ear while talking. “You could chase me around, like a game of tag, to help me work my legs. If you pounce and try to capture me and maybe even try to find me when I hide, it could greatly improve the odds of me surviving this winter, instead of being some hungry beast’s lunch. Will you do this for me?”

A little confused, Dimpy looked around for his mother. She would know what to do about this old bushy squirrel, he thought. Seeing his mother was not there, he turned his mind to the question. Should he help this stranger?

Numbly, Dimpy nodded his small red head. After all, why not? What else did he have to do? Sit around and wait to be teased? “When do we start?”

The next day, Dimpy woke earlier than usual and trotted out of his den to meet up with the squirrel. He hadn’t told anyone about his little chat with the chubby animal, since he didn’t think they would care. Allowing his eyes to adjust to the light, Dimpy looked around. He immediately saw the squirrel and walked towards him

“Catch me!” The squirrel yelled, and bounded away. Shocked but willing, Dimpy stretched his small legs and started chasing the grey squirrel. After a minute, he had caught the squirrel with a small pounce. The squirrel panted and gasped for breath. “I must be really out of shape if you could catch me.” The squirrel informed the little fox kit.

Dimpy’s forehead wrinkled into a scowl. I’ll show him, Dimpy thought; I’ll beat him at everything! “Now, why don’t you hide?” Dimpy challenged. “I’ll find you in no time.” But Dimpy found this game little harder. It seemed he just couldn’t get his nose to work out the grey animal’s scent. But, after what seemed liked hours, Dimpy found him under a bush.

“I’ll get you sooner tomorrow.” Dimpy promised as he heard his mother calling her children in.

“I wouldn’t count on it.” The squirrel challenged.

The next day followed in similar suit: Dimpy chased his old friend (though it took a little longer this time) and searcher for him while he hide (this time taking a little less time). The day would end with a friendly threat and challenge. Dimpy found himself enjoying helping the squirrel, and even looking forward to it. His brothers and sisters seemed to notice a change in him, but only teased him more for being absent from their little games.

“He’s such a little dimpy chicken that he might start growing feathers!” they would cry. But Dimpy didn’t seem to be bother by the insults anymore.

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Soon, winter came, and Dimpy found himself old enough to leave home. He knew the he still didn’t look much, but the squirrel (who he had nick-named “Puffy” since the squirrel refused to tell him his real name) was no longer old-looking and fat. He was a fast critter who never fell out of trees, and Dimpy was certain that he couldn’t be found in his hiding spots if twenty blood-hound dogs were searching for him. Puffy had of course complimented himself countless times, and said he couldn’t help but notice that Dimpy was keeping up with him. “But I’m really just going easy on you.” Puffy would tell him.

On the first day away from his den, Dimpy stalked around slyly, looking for a quick and easy meal. He lowered his nose to the ground and sniffed. He was surprised that he had found the scene of a wounded animal so quickly. It must be my luck, Dimpy decided. He followed the scent trail, his bright red, fluffy tail twitching in anticipation. Then, Dimpy heard a noise, and his head shot up, ears perched high. What he had heard was the cry of his older brother, the same one who had led the torturing taunts of his childhood. Hurriedly, Dimpy rushed towards the noise to the scene.

Poor Dimpy was crushed when he saw what was before him. His brother was cowering on the ground in front of a large pink thing who was standing on its hind legs and had strange fur while a pointy grey thing was biting his leg. It seemed that he was hurt really bad. The pink thing reached over and pulled apart the creature chewing on his brother’s leg, and used his paws to capture his brother.

Without thinking, Dimpy rushed in and pounced on his brother, pushing him out of the way of the pink thing’s horrible clutches, just as if he had been pushing Puffy in one of their games. Knowing he had to save his brother and himself from harm, Dimpy rushed around the thing’s legs (hastily avoiding the pointy thing whose open mouth begged to be fed), successfully confusing it. The strange creature stepped onto its companion who snapped its mouth closed on its foot.

When Dimpy and his brother, were a safe distance away, his brother thanked him. “I never knew you could do that.” His brother confessed. “I always thought you were just stupid and small.”

Dimpy smiled his foxy smile and yipped, “I didn’t think I could do it either until my friend Puffy the Squirrel started playing with me.”

And now that he thought of it, Dimpy realized that by helping Puffy, he also helped himself and that had been Puffy’s plan all along. As he parted ways with his brother (who now held him in great awe for his agility, strength, and bravery), he mused on how ironic it was sometimes, how you could set out on one path thinking that you’ll end up in a valley, and tread on a path you never expected to see and ended up flying above the mountains.

Moral of the Story: Don’t ever limit yourself or others: instead, do your best to extend their boundaries.

A/N: What do you think? What is lame? What is cute? What is well written? Please R&R!