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“Hey, Priscilla. I’m at the Diamond R checking on Bud’s calves. I let Clay know before I headed over here so there would be coverage at the center.” There was an urgency to Priscilla’s voice that was unsettling.

“Clay is out checking the fences,” Priscilla quickly explained. “He forgot to mention you’d headed over to the ranch.”

There had recently been an issue when one of the animals had managed to slip through a gap in the fence. She had spent the better part of a day out in the van trying to locate the heifer. They were now regularly making the rounds to ensure no more animals got loose.

“What’s going on?” Honor asked. “Is something wrong?”

“We just got a call from Gunther. He spotted a small arctic fox over by Nottingham Woods not too far from the entrance. Gunther said it’s been there since yesterday and it may be hurt or abandoned since it hasn’t moved. He’s not sure how old it is.”

Honor made a clucking sound. “Gunther probably thought the mama fox was nearby at first, but if it’s still by itself something may have happened to the mother. She may not be alive or she’s rejected the baby fox for some reason.”

“Can you ride out there?” Priscilla asked. “There’s a few preschool kids who are coming for a tour today so I’d like to stay put. And I can’t reach Clay. There’s probably no service where he is.”

“Sure thing,” Honor said, not wanting to leave the children in the lurch.

Although she hated to miss the visit by the small group of children, locating the arctic fox and making sure it was safe and sound was important. A young fox who was on its own and possibly injured was a pressing matter.

“I’ll head right over there and check it out,” Honor said.

When she hung up, Joshua shot her a questioning look.

“There’s an arctic fox out in the wild. It might be hurt or abandoned. We’re not sure how old it is. I need to head out to Nottingham Woods to check on it,” she explained.

Joshua’s eyes widened. “How are you going to do that without a vehicle?”

Honor sighed. She had completely forgotten that she’d ridden Lola over to the Diamond R. It would take her forever to ride all the way to the Nottingham Woods on her horse. And if the arctic fox needed medical attention, Honor wouldn’t be able to transport it to the wildlife center.

“I’d be happy to drive you over there,” Joshua offered. “It’s been a while since I’ve been to Nottingham Woods.”

Honor shook her head. “I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not asking me. I’m offering,” he said in a firm voice. “I can also have one of the ranch hands bring Lola back to the wildlife center for you.”

“Thank you, Joshua,” Honor said. “I accept. Do you mind if we leave right now?” she asked, anxious to find the fox.

Joshua laughed. “No problem. I just need to let Winnie know I’m going to be out for a while so she can watch Violet. I’ll be right back,” he said, beating a fast path out of the barn and heading toward the main house.

After grabbing her belongings, Honor walked toward Bud’s truck. She only had to wait a few moments before Joshua came back outside and met her by the vehicle. He opened the door for her and she stepped up into the truck. Joshua got behind the wheel and headed off toward Nottingham Woods. It was roughly a fifteen-minute drive from the ranch. As Joshua drove, they passed moose crossing signs and a desolate patch of road with nothing more than snow-covered trees decorating the landscape. The view of the mountains became even more magnificent the closer they drove toward the woods.

As they approached Nottingham Woods, Honor made a mental note to come back up here soon to do some hiking. As a kid, Jasper had taken her and her brothers spelunking in one of the nearby caves. As a teenager, Honor had brought Joshua to the caves. In a wildly romantic gesture, Joshua had carved their initials in the stone wall. J.R. loves H.P. forever. To this day, no man had ever made Honor feel the way Joshua had in that moment. Adored. Treasured. Well loved.

Once they arrived, a large cedar sign welcomed them to Nottingham Woods. Joshua turned the truck into the entrance and put it in Park. Honor opened her door and stepped down. She immediately began scouring the area. She knew from experience that arctic foxes could easily blend into the scenery due to their white coats. Honor began walking toward the trail and searching the area for any trace of the animal. Joshua walked a few feet behind her. It was nice to have another set of eyes and ears.

Frustration and worry set in after a half hour. Trying to look on the bright side, Honor reckoned the fox could have been reunited with its mother or found its way back to the den.

All of a sudden, a slight sound caused her to stop in her tracks. “Did you hear that?” she asked Joshua. He nodded instead of speaking. Clearly, he was trying not to spook any animals.

She turned her head to a patch of trees twenty feet away from the trail. As she moved closer, the sounds became more distinct. Honor picked up her pace. She gasped as she came face-to-face with a pure white arctic fox. It was curled up and emitting whimpering sounds. Although it wasn’t a baby, it appeared to be under a year old.

Honor saw its weakened condition and the signs that the fox hadn’t been eating. It was clear to her that the fox had been injured, which explained why it appeared malnourished. It hadn’t been able to forage for food. It meant Honor needed to transport it back to the center. Getting the arctic fox proper nourishment and shelter was crucial for its long-term survival.

She reached out and touched the fox. It was shaking like a leaf. “I’m not going to hurt you, sweet pea.” Honor tried to make her voice reassuring and tender. With the utmost gentleness, she lifted it up on its legs. Joshua knelt beside her, allowing her to take t

he lead but staying close for support. Almost immediately, the fox collapsed. Honor could see there was something going on with its legs.

“She can’t walk on her own,” she said to Joshua. “I’m going to take her to the center for rehabilitation.”

“Why don’t you head to the truck and open up the back for me? I’ll carry her,” Joshua said.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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