“You thought that I was insulting your home when I said, ‘a place like this’! Is that it?” he asked.

“At last, the slowest bird finally crosses the finish line.” she answered, crossing her arms across her chest. But, when the man began to laugh, heartily, she unfolded her arms ad balled her fists at her sides.

In an act of peace, or surrender, or both, Tennessee threw his hands up before him and smiled. “I’m sorry.” he said. “That wasn’t meant as an insult. When I said, ‘a place like this’, I meant that literally, as I was surprised to see a pretty little vixen like you living so far south of home.”

“Haven’t we already figured out that I’m not a vixen?”

“Yes, but at the time, I thought that you were.” he pointed out.

“Whatever. And what do you mean, ‘south of home’?

“Home for me is up north, in Adohi.”

“So? That’s your home. Why would you think that I’d be living there?”

“Because, if you were a vixen, you almost certainly would be.”

Plum furrowed her brow in confusion and irritation, then shook her head. He smiled, his expression a bit warmer than before, then continued.

“The reason a vixen would probably call Adohi home, is the same reason most other foxes call it home. …because we were born there. And, if you were a vixen, you would have as well, because you’d be just like me, except, female.”

“Just like…” Plum started to say, but paused as she processed the entirety of the dialogue and felt moderately sheepish when she realized that the source of her offense, was a genuine case of mistaken identity. She sighed, wearily, “A girl fox.” she whispered. “A vixen is a girl fox, isn’t it?” she said, quietly, as she turned away from him in embarrassment.

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