Kai Fagerström's Image

A litter of ten raccoon dog puppies had been born in the woods that year.

One pup soon began to explore the garden, foraging under the berry bushes and apple trees. A creature of habit, it dropped by at the same time every night. Then it began visiting the house. 'At night, the light can be beautiful, and on this particular evening, it was perfect.' Here the raccoon dog pauses by the half-open door, sniffing the air. A moment later, he melted back into the night. In autumn, the raccoon dog stopped coming. Maybe, like most raccoon dog pups, it didn't survive. Or maybe it settled into a den in the woods and lives close by.