The Fox and the thought of Hobbits

  September had come and was already passing, but the meadows looked like they had not lost a single day from the summer. Even the leaves on branches were green and bright, and the birds sitting on them hadn't lost their excitement to make songs. It was the perfect time to warm your bones under the sun, and perhaps that's what the fox of the field thinking too, if he had put any thought on it. Nevertheless, on one of such days he was lying on the grass while watching the clouds to glide in and out of his view. The image of three hobbits sleeping under the trees was still clear in his mind since last evening. By no means he was as old as his grandsire, but he had seen a few seasons, and never had witnessed such a thing. Maybe the elder fox would know better. He let out a sigh. These thoughts wouldn't let him enjoy anything as his heart pleased, so it would be better to go find small preys for his kits. He was just a fox and did not want anything to do with hobbits, other than stealing food from them.
  Only when he entered the shade of trees he noticed it was the opposite way of his den. Upon looking around, he noticed it was close to where he had encountered the hobbits. "I might as well go check their sleeping place," he thought, knowing that he wouldn't find peace without quenching his curiosity. He jumped over a small stream and went straight to where he had seen the hobbits, only to nibble on the berries glowing bright on bushes.
  The campsite was not changed much since the since yesterday. Bread and cheese crumbs were all around, and the footprints could be clearly seen. After hesitating for a few seconds the fox decided to follow them. "Curiosity killed the cat, and good thing I am not a cat," he thought while smirking.
  The air started to change the deeper he followed the tracks into the forest. More than once he stopped to look around and find out why his fur was standing up like a hedgehog's spines. He would relax upon seeing or smelling nothing unusual, only to feel bothered disturbed shortly after. It reached to a point that he started to feel like leaving the hobbits to themselves and returning back. But he kept going, because he was as much as stubborn as he was curious. He reached to a road while fighting the urge of fleeing and his paws refused to move forwards. His legs started to tremble and he felt nauseous. "Shouldn't have stolen that darn fish from that hobbit. Who knows why he had left it there," he thought while wrinkling his nose...and that moment he caught a scent. It was faint and was going towards the road. 
  He carefully passed by the bushes bordering the road and stood in the middle of it. The faint scent had become a heavy stench in the air and was almost stifling. The fox looked around and noticed hoofprints on the ground. They were bigger than any hoofprint he had seen around the Shire, but also somehow scared him. He approached to one of the prints and smelled it. Fear and dread filled his entire heart in a whim and he let out a yelp before turning and running to the direction he had come with all his strength. He passed the camping place without even noticing, left the forest and did not stop until he reached the entrance of his den, then he passed the threshold and threw himself to the furthest corner of the den. Wrapped his long tail around himself and lied there trembling until the mother of the den returned from playing with their cubs.
  She reached the fox in two long leaps, although the den was not that tall. "What is it troubling you, my moon?" she asked and pressed her body to her mate's. The fox could not answer, but his posture looked relaxed and his trembling ceased to slight shaking. It took some time for him to be able to talk.
  "The-there is something w-wrong in th-the forest," he stuttered. "I d-d-don't know w-what it i-is or co-could be, b-but it s-smelled like a-anger, t-too much anger." His trembling came and he could not talk anymore.The mother of the den nested her head against his neck and started to sing a lullaby. Without knowing what was happening the fox sank into sleep.
  When he woke up the rays of the sun were caressing the ceiling of the den. It was already a new day. Had he slept the whole night, or it was two or more day later? It didn't matter. What mattered was fear in h8is heart being completely gone. "What kind of spell did my starlight cast on me?" he wandered. Upon looking around he saw her sleeping while snuggling their kits. He smiled and left the den. There was a lot to do before the weather had turned to bad. He shook his head to the thoughts about hobbits. "I am just a fox and I have nothing, nor I want to have, to do with the hobbits." It was already brighter outside and by the look of it, it was going to a be great day.