Lost & Found

In Maxie’s book, the two run away from a fox and get a bit turned around before finding each other with great relief. As you now know (assuming you have read my earlier journal entries) I take Maxie and Indie on bush walks not only for exercise, but also so that they get used to the sounds of the bush, navigating sticks, stones and long grasses. When they were younger it was Maxie that would take off until he was just out of sight and then spin around and come back while Indie patiently waited and watched. Once they were both a year old, Indie found her braver side and stopped minding the taller grasses so much and the two of them would race round, trying to out do each other.

This video is an example of Indie realising she has lost Maxie. She’s not terribly scared as she knows exactly where I am, but she does get a bit concerned about where Maxie disappeared to. The second time she goes around, if you listen closely you can hear a little kangaroo call/grunt and you can see the flash of Maxie on the other side. But he is faster, so by the time she gets back to my feet . . .

Watching them racing around in the bush hopping over things with such confidence was one of my favourite parts of the day.

But there was a time when they were both about 16 months old when Indie disappeared. I don’t now how they got separated or why, but Maxie came home one afternoon and Indie did not. I wasn’t the only one beside myself with worry, Maxie wasn’t happy about it either. He moped around during the day around the veranda rather than going out into the bush. In the evenings when the mob would come out, he would wander out to introduce himself, and I was sure he was asking if any of them had seen Indie.

10 days later (what felt like an eternity), Indie found her way home. I’m convinced she had gotten lost in the 100 acres of bushland that lines our property. What spooked them for them to get separated in that way I will never know, but what a relief it was to see her again. Not only for me, but Maxie as well. She had hurt her nose (it looked like she had got it caught in some fencing somewhere), she was very dehydrated, and tired. Even now my heart hurts to see the photos and think of her out there struggling to survive. She was very happy to have her comfy bed on the patio, some warm milk, some cuddles from mumma and some quality time with her BFF Maxie Roo.

She made a full recovery, but for a long time they stuck very close together after that! When I would look out and see one, the other was two hops away.

I’ve always wondered if it was a fox that frightened her. I have seen them on our property but I don’t know if she had.