Black Fox, Black Coyote... what was that critter?

Nighttime purrs, Holiday-spritely and shimmery KitKats... chillier on the tame prairie and depressingly gray... still, the land is so beautiful on this first full day of winter... and this Big Cat is grateful. Remember to stay warm and stock up whenever you can, since bad weather is likely to continue. And, yes, this Big Cat loves ya!
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Black Fox, Black Coyote... what was that critter? Picture it, the Kougaress is returning from her mailbox, slowly driving down her long drive... when! All of a sudden a dark-coated animal dashes in front of her minivan and into the field. This occurs about thirty feet away. The problem, moi has NO IDEA what this critter is... it’s way too tall-legged to be a domestic cat, probably about thirty inches at the shoulder... however, the body build is slim and sleek [no, not like a whippet or a greyhound]... and the tail is relatively long, but not that bushy. In fact, Critter wasn’t bushy coated. A thick coat, yes. No, it wasn’t a domestic dog or a feral dog. Dogs don’t move like this animal did, nor do they have that kind of body build. [Note: the Kougaress is an expert when it comes to the body build and the confirmation of dogs]

The more moi thought about it, the animal reminded her of a miniature cheetah, only black-coated, and with a head that was more fox-like. Since Critter didn’t look like the red foxes moi has seen before, she wondered what other types of foxes there were in her area... that lead to an internet search for a Black Fox... apparently, they exist, however as a recessive gene of the red fox, and they are rare.

Okay, this Big Cat had never heard of a Black Coyote... however, during at least two hours of research on the web, she discovered there are black coyotes. They are rare, as well, and some of them could be, and likely are, coyote-dogs... and, apparently some hunters like to shoot them. Yeah, so lovely seeing dead black coyotes. Of course, coyotes are considered vermin by some and are shot on sight.

Coyotes will breed with dogs. Heck, coyotes will breed with wolves if given the chance. As evidenced by recent genetic research done on coyotes in the northeast. Some believed the larger coyotes simply became larger in size because they filled the predator-spot that once belonged to wolves. However, it was discovered these coyotes had wolf blood, the same wolves who had occupied the area.

This trailcam pic does resemble what the Kougaress saw, only her Critter was moving darn fast! ~ blogs.roanoke.com/wildlife/2010/10/21/trailcam-shot-of-an-all-black-coyote ~

Since there is a coyote population here, this is Kougaress’s best guess as to what she witnessed today, around four-ish in the afternoon.

For an utterly fascinating site that features articles on canine genetics, domestic and wild, like The wolf hybrids of Teotihuacan, go to ~ retrieverman.wordpress.com ~
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The tail-switching holiday moment: It arrived today, the inexpensive, but new sewing machine... after all, the Kougaress’s old sewing machine, the one she hasn’t been able to use for about ten years now, due to circumstances beyond her control... well, it’s about 35 years old. Course, in these times, a treadle sewing machine as a backup would be nice, too.
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Big Cat by-the-numbers ~

2:22 am... 12:12 pm... 2:22 pm... Have the Very Merriest of Holidays
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Authoress news and mews ~

Featured at SHAPESHIFTER SEDUCTIONS ~

Happy Festivus Eve!
by Rebecca Murray

Hi and welcome to your Wednesday fix of ShapeShifter Seductions! Happy Festivus Eve! For those of you who either didn't get into Sienfeld or have never had the joy of a close friendship with someone who was/is, Festivus is a non-commercialized secular holiday that was featured in a Seinfeld episode way back in 1997. I, a woman who seldom watches TV, adored the show. And I can't help but think that Fesivus would probably a big hit with the secrecy-loving shape shifters of the world. In honor of that, I bring you some Festivus themed entertainment.
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Featured at HAPPILY EVER AFTER ~

Christmas Craziness!
by Courtney Breazile

I love this time of year. All the festivities in life and in virtual life. There are always so many promotional events, parties, baking, blogging and of course the regular writing tweeting working and eating we do. Its insane and fun, takes my mind off the dreaded winter and snow that is also a part of this time of year.
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Featured at ROMANCE WRITERS BEHAVING BADLY ~

That Was My Mistake
by Kayelle Allen

A friend once confessed she had more ups and downs than a merry-go-round. Doesn't that fit the universe itself? It goes in cycles. Birth, life, death. Even stars and galaxies are born, live, and die.

Why should people be any different?

Success also has its ups and downs, but true success isn't determined by "not failing," but by trying again one more time than you fail. Sometimes, that simply takes experience.
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Now ~ FIRST! just for the big cool cats ~ from the Flash Cat...

Happy Courtship on another Earth

X-Serial Flash in Two Hundred ~ Sylva and Zeke’s story continues...

Part 724 ~

Sylva glanced at all three of them in turn. “The family knows,” Marina quietly offered, “we just have to keep it among ourselves.” Sylva nodded. “Are you ‘feeling’ anything else?” Nevada asked. His gaze remained intent, yet Sylva witnessed his careful way with her. She expelled a breath she didn’t know she held. “I don’t think ‘they’ plan to quit anytime soon. I think ‘they’ have a series of tests lined up... depending, of course, on the results they get.” Sylva closed her eyes, the urge overwhelming. Before her mind’s eye she saw a man with blonde hair, an Adonis type.

Zeke scrutinized Wayne and Wes’s faces. “You’re saying it was one of those dart missiles that exploded the front of your auto?” Wes gave a careful nod. “The missiles are designed to operate differently dependin’ on what’s being targeted.” Wayne shifted, closely eyeing Zeke. “If we hadn’t bailed out, we would’ve been only so much smoke and ash.” He paused, his gaze penetrating. “They’re not only designing them damn killers to hunt a human scent, but...” Wayne jumped in,”The missiles can be programmed to seek out an individual using their DNA.” Zeke chilled like another ice age hit him.
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TO BE CONTINUED...
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Part 1 - 15 ~ see blog ~ January 15th Cometh, then Part 15... and before...
Part 16 ~ 723 ~ see the Kougar’s prior bloggies... or the Passionate Ink forum, the FREE READS page ~ passionateink.org/forum ~ OR! Now available on The Romance Studio Forum, JANUARY 2009 through JUNE 2010 flashes ~ theromancestudio.com ~ Click on the FORUMS, then Savanna Kougar ~ the Fantasy Lair ~
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The most powerful weapon is the human soul on fire.

~ HAPPY HOLIDAYS ~ MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH ~

May your most romantic dreams come true...

The Very Merriest of kisses from the Kougar...