This is comic #1 of a set of three comic stories I'm writing about some safe preds. The fox in this story (they/them) has already shown up in:
- Tall Grass:
- imminent_pain
- Hiding Spot:
:3
They're a responsible doggo that gets roped into a lot of chores/jobs for prey animals.
This comic isn't really about them, but I did want to use the comic to show off more of their body language and how they interact with prey.
Most prey and preds in the forest can understand each other reasonably well, including via speech. However this takes a little bit of effort. Animals of different species have to be paying attention to do it, and while a prey/pred can understand speech while concentrating, having something approximating a 2-way fully verbal conversation is difficult - it requires one of the participants to be able to focus on both understanding and communicating at the same time. You'll notice that most of the time in my comics about the forest, only one species is speaking, and the other species communicate non-verbally.
Different animals are better or worse at this. Prey tend to be good at understanding predator language because they pay a lot of attention to predators, but that's not universal.
The point is that what this fox is doing here where they're able to not only understand the bunny's actual words but talk back clearly enough that the bunny can also understand them verbally - is difficult. :3
This fox is very good at reading prey and controlling their own body language :3 A lot of their motions and behaviors in this comic are specifically intended to put the bunny at ease:
- not moving too much when they wake up.
- staying close to the ground initially so that the bun is taller than them.
- yawning into their elbow and blocking the view so they don't give the bun an accidental mawshot.
- even the grooming is purposeful, they're keeping their eyes closed and trying to look unconcerned and somewhat apathetic to the bun's presence.
This comic is mostly just exposition and talking, but I'm still really happy with how the bun warms up over the course of the next 2 pages and how this fox gets to show off a little just how good they are with prey <3
I've got a followup for this written (with the bunny/Swallow, not with Sam (the fox here)) but I need to sit down and find the time to lay out the panels and draw it >w<
Thanks! <3 I've got a followup for this written (with the bunny/Swallow, not with Sam (the fox here
