A/N: So technically, the original Fox and the Hound take place around 1967, and supposedly in the author's state of Pennsylvania. However, I'm moving the year of the movies setting to the year it released: 1981. In this prologue, Tod is around 1 year old, so it takes place a couple months after the end of the movie.

Prologue

May 1982

A cool wind blows through the forest. It's silent. All the animals are fast asleep, including the small family of red foxes, burrowed inside a log. There's four of them! A young male, a young female, and two newborns, one a boy, the other a girl.

The young male is stirring in his sleep. He's dreaming of times past, many months before. He's dreaming of an unlikely friend, and their constant struggles of their nature. His friend is a hound dog, whose kind is bred to kill. To kill his kind. But he's different. He has no intention of harming his friend. They owe their lives to each other. After parting ways, they rarely come in contact, merely passing in the background of the other's life. They do know, however, the possibility that they meet again, would be a negative scenario.

Copper is the hound's name. Tod is the fox's. They promised to be friends forever, even though they realize they will never go back to their childhood ways. There would be no playing in the pond. There would be no playing hide and seek. The reality is, Tod would be endangered by the hound's hunters, and Copper wouldn't act to save his friend a second time.

This is how things are supposed to be. It's how nature intended it. One can't rebel against nature, Tod tried it. Nature punished him. Nature is the master of everything, like a hound dog to their master.

The forest where the foxes reside, is a mile away from a nature reserve. One that would keep the couple safe. The Winter was, however, cruel to them. They had to leave their safety haven, to scavenge for food, for the arrival of their new born cubs were imminent. It would come to be a big mistake though, as leaving the reserve would expose them to the large group of regional hunters, who wanted nothing more than to kill every living thing in the area.

…

…

A gunshot rang out, the forest echoing the explosion. "Sounds like it's about half a mile away," said Tod. "Whatever it is," his mate whispered, "we have to make it back to the safety of the reserve". The only problem with that plan, was that the gunshot came from the direction of the game reserve. "Vixey, I'm gonna go check it out," said Tod. "I'm going with you then," Vixey replied. Todd didn't want her to come with, but he didn't want to argue, "Okay, fine. The kids should be safe here until we get back".

The pair of foxes ran swiftly toward the direction of the sound, making sure to not be seen by any of their adversaries. As they neared the site, they took to the trees, as they were more hidden and safe than the ground below. They could make out a couple voices from below.

"You see anything yet?"

"Nope".

"Blast it, I thought for sure we'd kill something by now".

"Just keep searching. One of those dumb animals is bound to appear nearby."

A couple minutes passed. The furry duo thought that they were safe, and dropped to the ground. Only to be met by the snarling growl of an angered hound dog!

"At last! Some prey for me to slay!" snarled the predator. Tod and Vixey were both pinned to the forest floor. Escape was impossible. "Unfortunately for you two, hounds never let their catch go!" continued the hound. Tod had to figure out how to escape, and fast. "Th- That's not true! I knew a hound who wasn't such a bully! As a matter of fact, we were friends!". "Hahaha," the beast laughed, "that's impossible! No hound would hang out with a filthy animal like you! Who was this hound? Might as well have some fun with my prize!". Todd whimpered, "his name was… Copper". This took the hound by surprise. "Copper is the name of the best darn hunting dog in the region. Are you seriously making this up? You expect me to have pity on you, for saying you know a vicious hound?".

The hound paused. "What does this hound look like, freak of nature?". Trying his best to remember his old friends most prominent features, Tod replied, "Well, he was yellowish I guess. With brown spots. Also, his collar was blue and he was kind of soft-spoken. His idol, Chief was— "

"Okay, that's enough!" Shouted the hound. "Maybe you do know Copper. However, since this was so entertaining, I've decided to let you two go! But if we cross paths, I'll make sure to end your lives!

"Uhh… thanks," Vixey said. "Yeah, that hound isn't too bright," whispered Tod. The pair ran back toward their log. When they arrived at their log however, there was nothing except smoke and fire.

"Oh no! No!" Tod cried, "the hunters got to our kids! This is all my fault!" Vixey did her best to comfort him, putting her paw on Tod's back, "No, it was my fault! I should have stayed with the kids while you surveyed the area!"

"But then, you'd be dead too… I don't know which scenario is worse," Todd said. "This is how mother nature treats us. There's nothing we can do Vixey." A tear streamed down Vixey's cheek. "It's like how me and Copper lost connection. It wasn't the way nature wanted things", he sobbed. "But for once in my life, I was happy. And now, the world has taken that moment away…".