Lately, I've been watching 2 tiny chipmunks play in the the rock wall outside my dining window. They try to climb stalks of grass to get to the seedheads and fall over backward when the stems can't hold them.
They make me laugh.
A few days ago, one of the foxes that come through the property regularly trotted past the window. Suddenly, it stopped, jumped straight up in the air, and pounced downward. Then it began trotting away - with a small chipmunk dangling from its jaws. I know that it's survival of the fittest in Nature.
But - my chipmunk!
The fox stopped where I could still see it - I assumed the chipmunk was going to be lunch. But, suddenly the chipmunk was free, and the fox was chasing it. Both chipmunks and foxes are super-fast. In a few seconds, the fox was again carrying the chipmunk. This happened several more times. I finally realized the fox was playing with the chipmunk (though I'm sure for chippy it was torture).
Suddenly, the fox rushed to the base of a nearby tree. The chipmunk was free and climbing. The fox jumped against the trunk but couldn't reach it. After waiting a few minutes, the fox meandered off into the meadow. I couldn't see the chipmunk in the tree, but I assume its tiny heart was beating fast.
My heart rate was also up.
Chippy 1 - Foxy 0
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