Fox (creature)

Foxes are medium sized, dog-like omnivores that live in woodland and shrubland. They are one of the enemies of cats.
==Description==
:Foxes are larger than cats. They are typically thick-furred reddish-and-white creatures that resemble dogs, though they can be tawny, and russet-brown as well. Foxes are slender, with a heavy furred and bushy white-tipped tail and a long, narrow snout, large ears that are feather-soft, whiskers, a small black nose, sharp white or yellow teeth, a long pink tongue, and bright-berry yellow eyes. According to Graypaw, foxes behave similarly to cats. Foxes are also capable of barking, snarling, growling, and cubs are capable of yelping, yipping, and whimpering.
:Foxes are capable killers; Midnight the badger, who speaks fox, explained how foxes only speak of killing. Their dung is rancid, capable of overpowering other Clan's scent. Foxes also sleep in caverns in the ground called foxholes or fox dens. Male foxes are called dogs and female foxes are called vixens. Their young are called cubs and vixens can have up to three cubs in a litter. Fox cubs are often playful, however, even the sweetest cubs eventually grow into capable hunters. Foxes are typically solitary creatures with the exception of mothers caring for their cubs. However, at times they may hunt in pairs, such as a mated pair, or form large groups.
==Relation to cats==
:Foxes pose a threat to all the Clans, and they are notorious for breaking into camps to kill kits. Foxes are infamous for killing cats, though typically only to eat. They typically feast on similar prey that cats eat, including pigeons. They are highly territorial, attacking other animals that step on their territory on sight.
:Encountering a fox typically results in cats engaging in battle to drive them away. Even strong and healthy warriors can have difficulty chasing away a fox on their own, including a sick and weak one. In pairs, foxes are not daunted by approaching a large group of cats to attack. As such, Clan camps must be fortified to keep away curious foxes from approaching. Foxes are agile in battle, relying on their speed and strong jaws to attack. Their bites often cause infection. However, although it rarely happens in the series, a group of cats is also capable of killing a fox.
:Foxes play a major role in the Clan cats' life. Several cats are named after foxes, Foxleap, Foxwhisker, Foxheart, Foxclaw, Foxnose, and Vixenleap. Coincidentally, all five Fox- cats are some form of ginger in coloration with the exception of Vixenleap. The Clans have developed expressions pertaining to foxes, such as describing distances in relation to the size of a fox called fox-lengths. Foxes are also used in vain expressions: Leopardstar once equated Darkstripe as useless as a dead fox, Ashfur described a dark cavern as "dark as a fox's heart", Squirrelpaw characterized Longtail's seemingly endless appetite as a starving fox's, and Dustpelt compared his son Birchkit's rambunctious behavior as "more trouble than a fox in a fit." Foxes are also referenced in harsh insults, such as using the term fox-dung in reference to the creature's rancid feces, and fox-heart to describe someone as cruel hearted.
===Known deaths===
This is a list of cats, ordered chronologically, who were killed by foxes.
==Relation to Twolegs==
:In the series, foxes are troublesome creatures to Twolegs as well due to raiding their farms to kill their chickens. As a result, Twolegs installed traps designed to kill foxes in ThunderClan's territory near the ShadowClan border,the abandoned Twoleg nest, by the WindClan border, and in ShadowClan's territory. The Clan cats manage to spring the traps by carefully inserting a long stick into the loop, fastening the silver wire around it. These fox traps are successful in killing foxes. Cats can also become trapped in the fox traps, such as Berrykit losing his tail, and Firestar.
==History==
===In The Prophecies Begin arc===
====Into the Wild====
:When Rusty is exploring past the fence, he smells the scent of a predator, and he spots a red tail with a white tip in a bush and tries to see what the creature is. While hunting, Firepaw and Graypaw spot a fox nearby after detecting its scent, and Firepaw notes the fox he had seen prior. Graypaw takes the chance to educate ThunderClan's newest member about how dangerous foxes are and says that they should warn the Clan. The fox doesn't see them and walks away, and Bluestar later warns the queens about it.
====Forest of Secrets====
:When Bluestar explains to Fireheart how she gave up her kits, Fireheart asks what she told the rest of the Clan, and the leader responds that she made it look like they had been taken from the nursery by a fox or badger.
===In The New Prophecy arc===
====Midnight====
:When the six questing cats confront Midnight, she mentions she can also speak fox, but all they talk about is killing.
====Moonrise====
:The six questing cats are about to be attacked by a group of territorial foxes, but Midnight convinces them to leave the cats alone. One fox says that he had tasted cat before, and he liked it.
====Starlight====
:Following the Great Journey, two foxes attack the temporary Gathering place, but the warriors chase them off.
====Twilight====
:Squirrelflight and Ashfur are attacked by a young dog fox but Brambleclaw helps them drive it off.
====Sunset====
:ThunderClan discovers several fox traps on their territory set up by Twolegs to kill foxes. In a Clan meeting, Daisy explains how Twolegs use fox traps to protect their chickens. While exploring, Berrykit is caught in one and loses half of his tail. Later, Hawkfrost traps ThunderClan's noble leader, Firestar, so that Brambleclaw could become leader. Brambleclaw saves his leader from almost losing a life and instead kills Hawkfrost with the fox trap.
===In the Power of Three arc===
====The Sight====
:A dead female fox is found on ThunderClan's territory and ThunderClan suspects there may be cubs nearby. Firestar sends out patrols to find them, but Hollykit, Lionkit, and Jaykit decide to find the fox cubs themselves. They end up getting chased, and Jaykit falls into the ThunderClan camp. A patrol later get rid of the fox cubs.
===In the Omen of the Stars arc===
====The Fourth Apprentice====
:Firestar loses a life defending his territory from a fox that had trespassed on ThunderClan territory.
====Night Whispers====
:After a fox is found in ThunderClan territory, four patrols fail to drive it away and Lionblaze decides to use his power to fight the fox alone. He goes to Firestar with this idea, but is ordered to take Dovepaw along with him, so she can run for help if he needs it. Lionblaze sends the fox running for its life, and Yellowfang later tells Jayfeather that it is a sign that ThunderClan must stand alone against the Dark Forest.
====The Forgotten Warrior====
:During a training session, Molepaw, Cherrypaw, Brightheart, Foxleap, and Rosepetal are attacked by a fox, and they fight it off. It comes back, but a mysterious cat scares it away. The cat was later revealed to be Hollyleaf, one of ThunderClan's former warriors, but Sol takes credit for saving the apprentices.
===In the A Vision of Shadows arc===
====The Apprentice's Quest====
:Alderpaw, Sparkpaw, Molewhisker, Cherryfall, and Sandstorm are sent to find SkyClan and they are attacked by a pair of foxes. The pointy-muzzled creatures puts up a tremendous fight, injuring many of the patrol's members and the cats only manage to fight the foxes off when Needlepaw arrives and joins in. In the bonus scene, Bramblestar and a pregnant Squirrelflight are attacked by a huge, starving fox. After a fierce fight, the two mates are able to drive the fox away.
===In the Super Editions===
====Moth Flight's Vision====
:During Micah's vigil, Wind Runner prompts they should bury his body soon upon hearing the sounds of nearby foxes. Later, Clear Sky and Star Flower's son Tiny Branch is killed by a fox bite. Clear Sky blames Wind Runner for his son's death.
====Bluestar's Prophecy====
:Bluepaw tries to go into an active fox den because of grief for Moonflower, her mother, and how cats are forgetting about her, but is stopped by Sunfall. Later, Snowpaw and Bluepaw are chased by a fox, but it is stopped by a falling branch that was on fire.
====Firestar's Quest====
:At a Gathering, Tallstar announces that Onewhisker and Mudclaw had chased off a fox and he warns Leopardstar to watch out for it, as it crossed into their territory near the river. After Firestar returns from the Moonstone, Graystripe tells him that the afternoon patrol thinks that the fox Tallstar had mentioned crossed into ThunderClan territory, as they scented strong, fox scent on the border, near the Twoleg bridge. 
:In a dream Firestar has about SkyClan, he sees an apprentice stray away from the main group and get picked off by a fox, and the apprentice squeals as the fox bounds away, outpacing the warriors that chase it. When Firestar wakes up, Graystripe says that he, Willowpelt, and Brackenfur will head to Fourtrees and see if they can spot the fox.
:Following a flood while on their journey to find SkyClan, Firestar spots a fox eating a pigeon. He flees, and expects the fox to follow him, but it doesn't. At the gorge, Sky shows Firestar and Sandstorm a dark hole in a gorge bush that used to be a fox den where two kits died. Firestar, Sandstorm, and Scratch chase away a fox to protect Clover and her kits.
:Later, during the meeting for the cats who will join SkyClan, Leaf recalls how she had found Scree, a rogue, trying to fight off a fox, and while the creature fled when it was her, Scree was badly wounded, and he died before the next morning.
====Crowfeather's Trial====
:While searching for Nightcloud, Crowfeather finds evidence suggesting his former mate died from a fox. However, after receiving a dream suggesting Nightcloud is alive, Crowfeather, Breezepelt, Heathertail, Gorsetail, and Hootpaw decide to revisit the area and noticed Nightcloud's scent in a different direction, suggesting she was being chased by foxes. While following the fox trail, they are attacked by three foxes. They manage to escape the foxes by climbing some trees. When they find Nightcloud, the black she-cat explains how she was chased by three foxes until she was found by a Twoleg and his two dogs who chased the foxes away.
====Tigerheart's Shadow====
:Upon finding the guardian cats, Tigerheart is dismayed to learn that his mate Dovewing had been attacked by a fox, though Spire is treating her injury. Fierce explains how the group has been struggling with a local fox. However, Tigerheart, Cinnamon, Ant, Fierce, and Cobweb realize that there are actually two foxes, a mated pair. Tigerheart realizes they must act quickly to drive away the foxes before their cubs arrive. Trigerheart brainstorms a plan to block up their den, successfully deterring the foxes from the guardian cats' herb patch.
:However, five foxes invade the rival group lead by Fog, who sets her sights on the guardian cats' territory. Tigerheart agrees to help them so they'll leave the guardian cats alone. Instead of fighting the foxes, the cats instead lead them to the Twoleg traps in hopes the Twolegs will send them away.
====Ivypool's Heart====
:
===In the Novellas===
====Hollyleaf's Story====
:While living in the tunnels, Hollyleaf notices a fox cub yipping. The fox jumps around, and hides behind Hollyleaf, trying to avoid a dog. Hollyleaf hears the fox cub whimpering, and gets annoyed by its wails. Hollyleaf goes to find the cub, and comforts it by licking the cub. When she wakes up, the fox cub bites her and yips. Hollyleaf decides to help the cub find their way home, and she leads the cub to an entrance with its mother standing outside.
: On her way during hunting, she sees the fox cub again, except it is older and more hostile. The fox leaps at her and fights her, crashing into a pine tree. Hollyleaf realizes that the fox has grown up and doesn't remember her.
====Tree's Roots====
:While out hunting, Tree and his father, Root, are attacked by a fox. During the fight, Tree becomes trapped in mud, paralyzed with fear and the fox lunges at him with its teeth. Root, however, jumps in the way and takes the blow instead before slashing at the fox's eyes, scaring it off. Unfortunately, the wound which the fox inflicted on Root proves fatal, leaving Tree alone once again.
:Eight moons later, Tree and a heavily pregnant Pebbleshine are stalked and attacked by another fox. Working together, the two cats are able to fight the fox and chase it away.
===In the Tigerstar and Sasha arc===
====Into the Woods====
:While hunting, Sasha is attacked by two foxes and Tigerstar comes to her aid though is wounded in the process.
===In the SkyClan and the Stranger arc===
====Beyond the Code====
:Leafstar and Sharpclaw discuss how changing their hunting patterns has put them in competition with badgers and foxes, and the next day, they announce to the Clan that patrols with have eight cats for protection.
:When Sol's hunting patrol returns with lots of prey, Leafstar goes with them the next day to find out how they caught so much food. However, she is displeased to learn the patrol steals prey from a fox den. At the top of the gorge, Sol explains to Leafstar that if the foxes want to hunt at dusk, they can hunt for SkyClan too. Leafstar yowls that they just left a trail for the foxes all the way to their camp, and says that they might attack the Clan. She tells him that Clan cats use skills to hunt, and when Sol protests that it is a skill, she says that he is stealing from foxes. Sharpclaw climbs up to the ravine and asks how they caught all the prey upon seeing it, and Leafstar announces that a fox caught it, causing Sharpclaw to be infuriated with Sol.
:The next night, Leafstar wakes to two adult foxes entering the gorge. She jumps down from her den and announces to the Clan that there is a fox attack, and Sharpclaw gives battle orders. The Clan cats fight the foxes, and though Leafstar knows that Sharpclaw would suggest against it, she fights the foxes too. However, as she fights, her kits start climbing down from her den, and Leafstar begs Sol to fight the fox she is attacking, to save her kits. When Sol doesn't respond, Lichenfur jumps down and stops the kits, and Leafstar bites that fox hard. The foxes run up the gorge, yipping, with the SkyClan cats caterwauling behind them. After the fight, Sol comes to Leafstar's den and apologizes, and he asks if she will tell the rest of the Clan that it is his fault that the foxes blame, but Leafstar says that she won't.
====After the Flood====
:Leafstar thinks about how the flood left the camp open to attacks from foxes, rats, rogues, and Twolegs, and she imagines a fox approaching a group of bristling cats. Later, when rogue cats come to attack the gorge and Leafstar tells SkyClan that they are under attack, Patchfoot asks what they are facing, and guesses that it is foxes, although Leafstar corrects him that it is rogues.
===In the Stand-Alone Graphic Novels===
====Exile from ShadowClan====
:When hunting, Poolcloud exclaims that she has found fox scent. Nightpelt notes that any foxes in these woods are going to be hungry, and that foxes only attack full-gown cats when they have too. They spot the fox, and Nightpelt orders the others to get ready. Nightpelt narrates that they don't need to beat it, just drive it off. The fox throaws Ashfur off and corners Poolcloud, and Nightpelt tells Poolcloud to run. The fox leaps at Poolcloud and kills her. Nightpelt and Ashfur leap on the fox. Nightpelt rips a tuft of fur of its pelt, the fox flees after that.
====A Shadow in RiverClan====
: In leaf-bare, RiverClan is attacked by an extremely large fox, which is apparently starving and desperately looking for a meal. Despite being half-starved and outnumbered, the fox has the upper hand over the feline warriors and nearly kills Feathertail, but is ultimately scared into retreat when Hawkpaw slashes its eyes.
:Later, Leopardstar, Feathertail, Stormfur and Hawkpaw track the fox to its den, a large hole in the snow-covered ground. They find it empty, but the fox returns moments later and furiously attacks them. Although the fox initially has the upper hand and very nearly kills Leopardstar, the bushy-tailed beast is ultimately killed when Feathertail and Hawkpaw tear its throat open, causing it to bleed to death.
====Winds of Change====
:During a Gathering, two foxes attack but Mudclaw, Dustpelt, and Hawkfrost drive them off. Later, Mudclaw spots a fox preparing to kill Onewhisker, but stops himself from warning his leader. Tornear notices the fox and sounds the alarm. He questions his brother's ambition for leadership clouding his judgment by not informing the Clan about the fox.
==Official art==
==See also==
*Badger, another forest-dwelling enemy
*Foxclaw
*Foxheart
*Foxleap
*Foxnose
*Foxwhisker
*Vixenleap
==External links==
*Red fox
==Notes and references==
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Category:Creatures