WHAT HAS TO BE DONE
How painful is it to watch a friend suffer?
I needn't answer this question for myself. That's because I know the answer all too well. I watched my best friend suffer for far too long before I decided to take action. My grandmother Tweed and I took him in when we found by chance near a lonesome fence post. We fed him, gave him milk, and nurtured him his whole life long. He was a sweet little thing. We named him Tod, which happens to be the scientific term for a male fox. So playful and friendly, he was. He helped me overcome the loss of my parents. I loved that four-legged ball of fire, and I still do. My friend was no human, but a red fox.
Amos Slade was the origin of all our problems from the start. He was a hunter, a profession that I was against. I made friends with a pup Amos had bought after I followed Copper over his house. The three of us became friends very quickly. I'll be darned if that fox and hound weren't the closest of friends. Then, one day, I spotted Tod running from Chief, Amos' only adult hunting dog. He nearly shot my grandma's head off! Amos and my grandma got into a big argument, which ended with Amos vowing blast Tod if he ever set foot on his property again. I refused to believe that Tod would attack chickens.
One day, Tod got lost, and we found him. He had narrowly escaped being killed. Amos tried to barge into our home, claiming Tod nearly killed Chief. I refused to believe such a thing. We were forced to take him to a nature reserve for his own good. I fell to pieces afterwards. I knew in my heart that Tod would have accepted Amos as a friend if only given the chance; however, I knew Slade would never listen. I couldn't eat or sleep no matter how hard I tried. The tears just kept welling up in my eyes after I dried them away. Ultimately, I made the decision to chop away at the root of my misery.
I knew Amos hadn't given up. I was appalled to see that he was taking the dog that Tod and I played with all those months ago. Amos called the dog Copper. I watched them from afar, eyeing them as often as possible without arousing suspicion. And so he left his house, and I waited until I felt he was far enough away. I took a can of gas from my grandma's shed and walked over to where Amos kept his furs. These grotesque trophies were the gruesome remains of the animals Amos had mercilessly slaughtered. I covered the entire shed with gas, then set it ablaze with a match. This was phase one of my revenge. I grabbed a nearby axe and headed for the nature preserve.
I followed their tracks closely enough so as not to draw attention. Amos and Copper were soon in sight. Amos and Copper had just laid bear traps along a forest path. This wasn't the right time; I just didn't feel it. I hid behind a tree and lay in wait. Before long, they were all set off, and I gave chase to Copper and Amos. To my surprise, I saw two foxes fleeing; Tod must have found a mate! I followed them until we reached their den. For a moment, I stood in the clearing, watching them cover both ends. I couldn't believe Copper was acting so savagely. Then, Amos set the back entrance on fire; He was trying to smoke them out! I was filled with rage. My only desire was to keep Tod and his mate safe. Just as I was about to attack, Amos and Copper bounded off; the Tod and his mate had escaped! I watched as they ran up a rocky ledge and across a log that spanned a waterfall.
Copper tried to sniff them out. Suddenly, before I knew it, a gargantuan bear had appeared form behind some bushes and sent Amos tumbling down the hill! One of his feet was caught in a bear trap. Served him right! Copper managed to protect him before he was disabled. Then Tod managed to fight the bear all the way to the top of the ledge and onto the log. The bear crushed the log, sending them both down in the watery tumult below!
I rushed down to the edge of the lake at the bottom of the waterfall. I saw Amos and Copper standing in front of and beside Tod, respectively. That Amos would dare to shoot such a helpless, precious creature?! With all the strength I had, I hurled the axe. It landed right in Amos' back, and he fell to the ground, dead as a doornail. Copper and Tod were stunned by what they had just witnessed. I explained to Copper and Tod the situation, believing they could understand me, then scolded Copper for nearly killing his friend. I walked over to the both of them, gave Copper a gentle pat on the head, and picked up Tod. I'll never know how long I held him close to me that day. I wasn't sure of what would happen next, but I did know that I would never, ever give up on my life.