Unlikely Friends

• Clara McInerney, Grade 2
• Poetry
• 2007

One cold, snowy day in the Arctic a young fox called Snowy played with the snow. When he noticed a frozen pond he scampered towards it. Snowy was so fast he did not realize that he was sliding into a cave. His whiskers felt the icicles in the cave and his ears immediately pricked up to hear any strange sounds. To his left he heard a snuffle and the hairs on his back pricked up with fright.
Snowy sniffed the air and the scent of blood and fear met his nose. The fox slowly crept towards the smell of blood and his sharp green eyes saw a husky pup shivering with terror in the dark cave. He was grey and white and very thin. Snowy felt sad for the little husky and tried to cheer him up by doing a flip in the air. The husky licked his wound as if to show he was hurt. Snowy was determined to befriend the pup and he asked,
“What is your name?”
“Speckles,” replied the pup.
Snowy was so happy that Speckles trusted him and he set to work. His first job was to clean the wound on Speckles leg. Snowy slowly approached Speckles and nuzzled into him to show that he was not going to hurt him. When they were used to each other Snowy licked Speckles wound. It was not a bad cut but it could get infected.
Snowy realized that he had to get food for the pup otherwise he would die of hunger. Again he set to work. Snowy was a clever hunter and he camouflaged himself into the snow. Soon he spotted a pheasant and he pounced on it. He dragged it to the cave, left it there and ran back to the tundra. From the corner of his eye he saw a small rabbit hiding behind a shrub. Luckily the wind was blowing onto Snowy’s face and so the rabbit could not smell him. He leapt onto the rabbit’s back and with the rabbit in his mouth he scampered back to the cave.
Viciously Snowy ripped the meat and gave pieces to Speckles. Snowy thought that would do it but the pup soon started whining. Aha! Thought Snowy, water! He rushed out of the cave and after searching for a particular rock he finally found the perfect one. He pushed it back to the cave and placed a chunk of ice in the bowl shaped rock. Soon the ice melted into water and the pup struggled down to it and drank it all up.
The season began to change and the pup was better. The long search started. Snowy and Speckles were the best of friends but Snowy realized that his friend had to go back home. Snowy was very sad but in no time at all he helped Speckles find his pack. It would not be the last time they would see each other.