Gideon Grey Sr. put his steaming coffee back on the table with a clink, and smacked the newspaper he was reading.
"Ya see this Clementine? 'Paid migrations!' Who do these flat-tooths think they are?"
"Oh my lord..." she replied jadedly.
"Exactly," the tod said, adjusting his glasses and putting his hand back on the right side of his paper. "They think I'm their goddamn daddy."
Gideon Grey Jr. listened absent mindedly, chewing on his bowl of corn-flakes. It was hardly a rarity to hear his father's early morning bluster, though Gideon Jr. did not know anything about politics. Usually it was something about prey animals, who comprised the overwhelming majority of their hometown.
On that subject, today was "Carrots Day." It was a tradition unique to Bunny Burrow, or maybe it was just a bunny thing. Gideon did not know, and did not care. It was when all the carrot farmers sold their harvest for subsequent Unification Day feast, mostly to out of towners. Gideon Grey hated Carrots Day, save for the half-day he got at school. He hated Unification Day worse.
Both were reminders he had to live among lame bunnies. Lame prey.
There were only a smattering of other predators in his town.
Gideon had the soul of a predator through and through. He often fantasized about being a lion in King Jakande's Shadow Legion, or a wolf in General Kesser's 8th Regiment. Learning about predator history was the one time Gideon actually liked to learn. Not the guilt-ridden sop he was fed in Woodlands Elementary, but the real history.
Unification Day was the day his mighty ancestors went soft, and welcomed prey into their society.
Worse, Gideon's whole family always came over for Unification Day dinner. Hearing his parents coo about the accomplishments of his cousins, whether it was straight-laced, primmed-up Nate's volunteering at his church or nerdy, dumb-glasses Connor getting more As. Listening to his parents opine was torture. It was bad enough his sister had got into Albersten, making her the first in Gideon's gene-line to attend college. She would be coming home for the holiday too. The fox felt sick just thinking about his sister babbling about her classes while her parents swooned.
He took another spoonful of cornflakes.
At least today would be a half-day, and they were having the "Carrots Day Talent Show." Nothing about the show had to do with carrots, they had simply moved the date and given it a new name. Gideon hated talent shows themselves, but he planned on making the most of it by sitting with Travis and mocking the acts.
Gideon swallowed.
There was, of course, a fair afterwards, but those were always lame. No rides, cheap games, and nothing but carrot-based snacks...More than anything, it was a stinging reminder he had to live among lame bunnies.
Travis would probably want to stay for the fair, though. And Gideon would take as much of his company as he could get. He was the only other mammal Gideon liked to be around. His other friends had moved on, one of the many draw-backs of being held back.
The young fox finished up the last of his cereal, then brought the bowl to his lips and tilted it back to get the rest of the milk.
He could not say today would be enjoyed, but at least he would make the most of it.