OOC: Ok, so I saw the Fox and the Hound 2 and it surpassed my expectations. Sure I've still got some questions about certain things here and there and how they work, and stuff like that, but all in all, I liked it a lot! And in inspiration after writing that, I just had to have my little characters experience a fair for themselves. Now you may want to know if the Singin' Strays from the movie will make an appearance...I haven't decided yet :D
Chapter 1
"A fair?" Binx asked, wrinkling his nose a bit as his head tilted in a confused look, "what in the name of hominy grits is a fair?". Midnight the raccoon looked about as confused as his friend as the two of them stared at their other best friend, Chipi the little brown spaniel puppy, who was fidgeting excitedly and grinning at them. At her two best friend's question, Chipi laughed happily, "A fair is this thing that comes around every so often and it's accompanied by huge tents of all different kinds of stuff. The humans, and especially human kids, go to them all the time".
"And these tents being there is fun?" Midnight asked, evoking another laugh from Chipi. "It's not just the tents, it's what the tents have with them" she explained. "There's rides and games and sticky candy that millions of kids drop, oh it's a kid's dream, whether their human kids or just little animal cubs and pups like us. Oh you guys have to come!". From where he was in the back, Scuff the badger rolled his eyes and stalked off, "Count me out, if our parent's didn't mention this human gathering before, they probably had a good reason".
"Well I think that was the reason, the humans" Chipi admitted, "Oh but we can assure your parents that they have nothing to worry about, Mr. Copper's gonna escort us, since he already knows about you guys, and make sure nothing happens...just as soon as I ask him" she finished with a hesitant grin, "but I'm sure he'll say yes, him and Chief and their Master's already gonna be there since they're going with my Master, and even Clover and his Master will be there".
Binx made a face at this, he was aware of Chipi's new Irish Setter puppy friend she had made due to his Master and her Master being reunited childhood best friends or something, and the fox kit had just recently gotten over the slightly jealous feelings he'd had to work through when Chipi had first wanted the pup, who's name was Clover, to hang out with them; yet the fox kit was still not quite at ease with him.
Chipi caught the look though, "Aw Binx come on, please. I mean, you've gotta know there's nothing to be jealous of if I'm asking you and Midnight to come when Clover's already gonna be there. Come on I would love to have all three of you be there. Clover's a good friend, but it's not gonna be fun without my two best friends along as well, please!". At the pleading look that Chipi gave at this, Binx sighed, if it would make her happy he supposed he could deal with Clover; and this fair was beginning to sound fun.
"Oh alright" Binx said. Chipi grinned, "Great! and you're coming too right Midnight?" she continued, turning to the raccoon. Midnight laughed, "Of course" he answered, "this is starting to really sound fun!". Chipi nodded, "Oh it is! Ok, I'll make sure I have Mr. Copper's permission to help walk us around and then I'll come let you know". Binx and Midnight nodded. "Great!" Chipi said again, "Oh it is gonna be a blast! You guys'll see".
From inside the Widow Tweed's house, where Andy was still staying as he learned to hunt from Amos Slade, the teen grinned to himself as he packed two lunches of peanut butter and jelly and then glanced around the kitchen briefly for whatever else his teenaged mind could pick out as good food to take along on a day trip.
Leaning against the door frame of the same widow's house was the young park ranger, and Andy's childhood best friend, Todd (and yes the boy's had already laughed extensively over the weird fact that Widow Tweed had apparently named a pet fox the same thing). This was also the master of little Clover, that the puppy Chipi had mentioned earlier. Currently Todd (whom you'll know from here on out by his double D spelling) was staring at a pamphlet for the fair that the young animals had been talking about earlier.
The eighteen year old park ranger was no doubt remembering the last time both him and Andy had been to the fair together, back when they were both eleven it probably would have been, back before the next year hit and Andy's father decided, after his wife's death was too much for him to handle, that him and his son would make the move to where Andy's father's side of the family lived. Andy hadn't returned until recently and Todd was looking forward to dragging back up a few fun things.
The young ranger opened his mouth and went to say something when just then the Widow Tweed entered the kitchen and had to push past Todd. "Oh excuse me honey" she apologized. She then turned to Andy, although what she said next was addressed to both boys, "I thought you boys might like to also take along some of my special spinach medley" the old widow said, handing over two mason jars of some suspicious looking green mush to Andy to put in the two lunch bags.
Todd looked intrigued and walked over next to Andy, peering in the jars himself. As the two teens' eyes met they could tell they were both thinking the same thing, although they kept their faces neutral for the widow's sake. "Uh Mrs. Tweed...what all exactly is in this?" Andy asked, turning to the old widow.
Widow Tweed turned from where she had begun to wash dishes in the sink, "Oh, well spinach as you could probably guess". Todd nodded, "Of course" he muttered, somewhat disappointed as well as anxious about the rest of the answer. "...and then there's also some squash, carrots, turnip greens and, oh bless me a whole mix of stuff", the old woman laughed, turning back to the sink, "you could almost say I have a whole garden in there!" she chuckled.
Since her back was turned, Andy allowed himself to grimace as he imagined what the incompatible mix of all those different kinds of vegetables in this weird semi-hard state probably tasted like. Todd had a similar expression on his own face. "Oh, well thanks Mrs. Tweed" Andy said, turning to put the two jars in the bags, "We'll...uh, do something with them" he told Todd with a smile and shrug. The park ranger smiled back, "Yeah...maybe some flowers need fertilizin'" he then whispered over to Andy. Both boys struggled to keep in their laughs, Widow Tweed was super nice and just trying to help after all.
The Widow Tweed, meanwhile bent to pull what she was sure was this years award winning pie from the oven.
"And so I told them that I would ask if you would do that Mr. Copper, escort us around just to make sure Binx and Midnight stay safe and such" Chipi continued, smiling at Copper as she gave her plea up to her mentor and, truth be told, dog she viewed like an older brother she'd never had. Chipi was fond of Chief as well, since the older hound was also helping teach her to hunt as Amos taught her master to hunt, but there was just something special about Copper. That "specialness" had also grown since the young hound had found out about Chipi's own associations with forest animals and been helping her out in anyway he could on that, thought it didn't amount to much.
This, he supposed, counted. Copper sighed and smiled down at Chipi, "and here I thought you might make my first hunting dog competition at the fair easy" he said rhetorically. It almost seemed this would happen, Copper pondered, that the first time the fair came around since everything with his winter training from pup to full grown hunting dog, would come with complications. He'd been looking forward to getting a ribbon like Chief's since pup hood and now...
Yet Copper knew he just couldn't deny this cute little spaniel puppy before him, who he did view like an adorable little sister, anything in the world she wanted. Especially not a shot at just frolicking and running around the fair grounds with Clover and her forest animal friends, something that if Copper remembered correctly he just might be able to relate to.
With a small laugh and shake of the head, communicating his resignation to his fate, Copper grinned down at Chipi, "Of course I'll help, Chipi" he said. "Oh Mr. Copper, thanks!" Chipi exclaimed, rushing up and hugging Copper's front leg. Copper smiled, "How many times am I going to have ta tell ya not to call me Mister?" he asked with another smile. Chipi giggled and grinned up at him, before stepping back. "and don't worry" she said, "I'll make sure this doesn't get in the way of your getting ribbon for best hunter or anything. I'll just keep Binx and Midnight out of trouble".
From where he sat next to them, having been just happily watching the conversation, Clover raised an eyebrow Chipi's way, "You're gonna keep Binx out of trouble?" he asked, "I think I've been around the fox enough to know how hard that will be" he shook his head. "Oh I'm sure it won't be that hard" Chipi said optimistically, as her own smile showed her doubts though.