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> The humans call us "foxes", close enough for them, since they have trouble pronouncing our proper name at the moment. We met these small, squishy, beings when we answered a distress call. Given our thick fur, our planet's pretty cold, and the pictures they showed us of their earth creature called the grey fox, we suppose, in their eyes, we do somewhat look like that. Still, at least these strangers are friendly. -- Anon Guest

Humans are great at misnomers. Just look at the red onion. They took one look at the bear-sized cogniscents who rescued them and named them "Foxes" without any other similarity but the muzzle shape and markings. This was their introduction to the "Walks Like a Duck" Principal[1].

"We are the--" Rrirru gave the trilling yip of a howl that their people named themselves. "Not... 'fox'."

"We understand," said the rescued Human, ze was still wrapped in a foil blanket. "We just cannot say that word. Vocal limitations. On the other hand, your people _really_ look like Gray Foxes." Ze had been tapping on their datareader and now brought the screen around to show them. "See?"

It looked... like a reconstruction of an ancient ancestor. Replete with the snowy environment which was necessary for the evolution of intelligence[2]. Only the surrounding foliage betrayed the fact that this was a creature on another world.

Rrirru felt their hackles raise in dissociative terror. The realisation that life had its mirrors on other planets was a vertiginous one. "These are the size of us, right? Big, fearsome predators?"

"Apologies, but no. They are smaller size predators. So high at the shoulder." The Human gestured. Then felt the need to soothe Rrirru's feelings. "For what it's worth, they're very _efficient_ predators. Weight for weight, they're almost up there with cats for deadliness."

Rrirru boggled, glancing at the orange feline being babied by several of the Humans fellow crew. "_That_... is a deadly predator?"

"One of the few fellow Earthlings who kill for fun," chirped the Human. "Don't sneer, cats claim the lives of _thousands_ inside a _week_."

The cat had claws, true, but it was using them to express comfort. Apparently. These Deathworlders seemed to enjoy the fact that the flexing claws were digging into their hides.

"You Humans are very strange," Rrirru allowed.

"Thank you," said the Human.

[1] For an example of this, examine how many Australian birds were called "Robins" by the homesick settlers/exiles from British shores. If something has a passing similarity to a known thing, it will be grouped under the same name.

[2] Humans aren't the only species to be egocentric.

[Image <a href="https://www.canstockphoto.com">(c) Can Stock Photo / visceralimage</a>]

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