Ha! Ham radio fox hunt in a furry world is such a pun! I couldn't keep from smiling.

Oh, and there is nothing more sexier than a slink fox geek in a camo suit and boots, running wild with a hand-made radio transmitter. Rusty's traits are very identifiable, universally if not personally. Regular, everyday furs who actually do their homework without emotional drama are rare in the furry writings. It's comforting to know that an author can make a boring kind of character truly exciting.

There are however some shortcomings in this short story. First itch is the undefined, slow beginning, where the time slowly passes between cafeteria meetings. Some backstory wouldn't hurt. Between long lectures and sleepless study nights there could be a short innuendo of pass-by flirt, or at least some inner dialogue. But don't worry, omitting the juicy details somehow further emphasizes Rusty's subtle sexuality.

Second shortcoming is the Rusty-Jeff relationship. There's no development until the very end. I saw it coming, yes, but still it's a little abrupt.

Lastly, it's a shame for both ham teams to have no skills in Morse code. Hooray for the fox. Morse should be the gospel for ham amateurs.

Thanks for posting such a wonderful story!

Author's Response:

Thanks! I'm glad you liked it and I appreciate the feedback. This was written for a potential publication that constrained the length somewhat, and I've meant to go back and expand it a bit as you suggest. Even so, you caught the feeling I was after. Calling Rusty and Jeff's agreement on a first date a "relationship" might be a bit of a stretch, but it may well be trending in that direction. And, I might well write some more about them some time. Alas, declining code skills are typical over most of the world now that many countries have dropped a code testing requirement from the license exams.