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If You See Something That Looks Like a Patch of Fur, Don’t Touch It. It Might Not Be Harmless at All.

We were just taking our usual afternoon walk through the park, the kids darting ahead while I trailed behind. That’s when I spotted it — a tiny tuft of golden-ginger fluff near the base of an oak tree. It looked so soft, like something you’d find on a cozy sweater or brushed from a long-haired cat. I almost bent down to pick it up, certain it had blown off someone’s jacket. My hand was halfway there when something in my gut made me stop. I leaned in closer, and that’s when I noticed…

I’ve walked that same path in our neighborhood park hundreds of times. It’s where the kids race ahead to the playground, where the air smells faintly of pine after it rains, and where I can usually relax and let my guard down.

But yesterday reminded me that sometimes the most harmless-looking things can be the most dangerous.

It started out like any other late afternoon. The sun was still warm but already starting to dip, throwing long shadows across the grass. My youngest was chasing a squirrel, my oldest was trying to balance on the low wooden fence that lines the trail. I was scanning the ground out of habit — we’ve got plenty of fallen twigs, acorns, and the occasional soda can left behind by careless picnickers.

That’s when I saw it.