A/N: Sorry for the long vacation away from here! I never got to finish my "Summer's Blossoming" fic, for which I apologize. If anyone even remembers me, feel free to email if you'd like me to finish it. Meanwhile, the arrival of "The Fox and the Hound 2" (which I just recently watched) has somewhat prompted me to perhaps come back and start writing again for the Disney section. I was disappointed that the movie didn't broaden the idea that Copper and Chief share a father-son relationship (the writers only had them speak to each other ONCE!), so I decided to conjure up a little write-in that takes place after Copper is fired from the band and is taken home.

Bad Dog

The rain was drizzling down on Copper as he sat curled up in the Master's lap as he drove home. He shook his head a little bit to keep the water from getting in his eyes. The ride home was taking too long. The unbearable silence suggested that he was in big trouble for having wandered off all night. Copper sighed heavily, his heart sinking. Tod was right---he was good at getting in trouble.

The truck unexpectedly jerked to a halt in the driveway, causing the puppy to slightly dig his claws into the Master's leg to keep him from sliding off. He felt a hand go underneath his chest and knew the Master was gonna carry him to his barrell to tie him up. It wouldn't have surprised him any if he were to be tied up for the rest of his life.

"Don't know what got into ya, boy," the Master muttered as he sat Copper down on the wet ground to tie the rope around his neck. "Ya gonna have to quit that runnin' off, ya hear? That's a bad dog, Copper, bad dog."

The words stung him, causing him to shrink up into a tiny ball as if to try and disappear from the Master's line of sight. It didn't work. The Master stood there glaring at the puppy in a mix of anger and disappointment before finally turning around to go inside his cabin. Copper hung his head to where his nose was almost touching the ground and he trudged slowly into his dry but not necessarily warm barrell.

Bad dog. The words repeated themselves in his head. He couldn't do anything right. He failed at his hunting lessons, he failed at being a good friend, and everybody in the whole world was mad at him for one reason or another---be it running away or disappointing Cash when he discovered he was not a stray after all. His chances at being a big star or a champion hunting dog had seemed his only two options at making something of himself and now those two options seemed to have gone down the drain. He felt a lump rising in his throat and a tear fell from one of his eyes. He wiped it away and shook his head to try and keep himself from crying but he couldn't help it. He covered his face with his front paws and whimpered.

"Copper?" he heard from behind near the barrell opening.

"I know I'm in trouble, just leave me alone," the puppy replied, not turning around to face Chief. He didn't want the old dog getting onto him too.

There was silence for a while and Copper thought maybe Chief had gone back to his own barrell until he heard, "Copper, I'm not gonna get onto ya, just come over here for a minute."

Copper heard a hiccup escape his throat. He hadn't think he'd been crying that hard. "I don't...feel like it...," he muttered, pausing in the middle of his sentence for another hiccup.

"All right...all right, sonny. You wanna talk about it?"

"About what?" He wished Chief would get to the point already.

"Y'know...why ya ran off like ya did. Ya had us pretty worried."

"Yeah right...like anyone would...miss me." Darned hiccups. "I can't do anything right."

"Aww, don't talk that way, Copper."

"It's true, though, isn't it?" the puppy asked, finally turning his head to meet Chief's eyes. "I'm always in...trouble and gettin'...yelled at and..."

"All pups go through that sorta thing, you're not the only one."

"Even you?"

"Even me," Chief smiled. "Is that why ya ran off?"

"I thought I'd find something I was good at," he murmured, resting his head on his front paws. He realized his hiccups had disappeared. "Thought I'd be appreciated."

"This ain't about you messin' up that rabbit chase yesterday is it?"

Copper didn't answer. He just stared at the back of his barrell.

"Sonny, I've screwed up a practice run more times than you could count when I was your age. That ain't nothin' to be ashamed about. It sure ain't no reason to quit and switch professions. You'll get it, ya just have to do it a few more times and actually get out in the field where the real game's at. You'll make a hunting dog yet. Don't be so hard on yourself, you're too young for that."

Copper sighed. "I guess you're right. Thanks, Chief."

The older dog smiled a little at the puppy, deciding the conversation was over and turned to head over to his own barrell when he heard, "Chief? Were y'all really worried about me?"

Chief glanced over and saw Copper's eyes peeking out from the side of the barrell. "You kiddin'? We were up all night lookin' for ya. Thought ya done got killed by some wild animal or somethin'."

"Oh. Sorry I scared ya. Umm, goodnight, Chief."

"Goodnight, Copper," he said, stepping one foot inside the barrell.

"Chief?"

He took his paw back out and looked at the puppy. "Yeah?"

"I'm glad I'm home. I kinda missed it."

Chief smiled. "Yeah, it's nice havin' ya back. Go on to sleep now."

"Okay...Chief?"

"Yeah?" the older dog asked, wondering if he was ever going to get any sleep.

"Ya think you could help me practice my huntin' some more?"

"Sure, kid, anytime. Hey, Copper?"

"Yeah?"

"You're not a bad dog."