Alexia and Mutt came back into the forest. Whatever their father might have said and despite the danger of Fang, they had to warn the two foxes. A promise to do what one felt was wrong that one was forced to make was one that HAD to be broken to do what was right. After all, it would be the greater wrong not to tell their friends and the only way they could tell their friends was to make that promise. It wasn't like Copper wouldn't have done the very same for Tod.

"Cato! Valarie!" said Alexia. "What is it?" said Cato. They explained about the hunters. "What are we going to do?" said Valarie.

"I suggest we leave! We'll go to another part of the forest. And you can't see Alexia and Mutt anymore." They all turned. It was Tod.

"You're wrong!" said Alexia. "No, Alexia. Don't make the same mistake as Copper! Go back to your home. To your life. Our paths continuing to cross can never end well. We cannot coexist." said Tod.

'Yes we can! We're going with you!" said Mutt. "But you have a family." said Vixie. "We're not very proud of our father right now. He won't man up and be friends with you. He should have done what we're going to do." said Alexia.

Tod said nothing. Copper running away! Why hadn't he thought of it? Yet, Copper was too established now. It was too late.

"All right. But I doubt this will last. I'm too cynical to believe anymore." said Tod. Cato said nothing. His father may have saved Copper, but Cato thought that, deep down, he was rather weak and conforming. "Don't you miss Copper?" said Cato.

"Not a day goes by that I don't think of him. However, there are some things you just can't change." said Tod. "None of us can't or just YOU can't?" snapped Cato. "Don't talk to your father like that!" said Vixie.

Tod said nothing. Was Cato right? Maybe I am a coward. Tod thought. But Copper hasn't tried. If he won't, then I'm not. Tod thought.

Tod wanted to tell Copper about where his two children were going. Yet going back there seemed out of the question. The hounds would go back. He doubted they could take life in the wild.

Meanwhile, Copper and Daisy went looking for Alexia and Mutt. They couldn't find them. Eventually, they realized what had happened. "Stay here! I'm going in after them!" said Copper. He went toward the forest. However, as he got slightly into it, a big figure stood before him. It was Fang.

"Well, well. It's Copper isn't it?" said the alpha male wolf. "Yes. Who are you supposed to be?" said Copper, bearing his teeth. "Careful hound. I have my pack nearby. One wrong move..." warned Fang. "Where are my kids? Does Tod know?" said Copper.

"Ahhh, now we get to it." smiled Fang. "What's he done?" said Copper. "Oh, he's done nothing. Your kids hated your hunting ways so much that they went off into the forest to join Tod and ditched you!" said Fang, smiling.

"What?!" said Copper. "Amazing isn't it. But, then again, your kids know that if it weren't for Tod, Daddy wouldn't be here." laughed the wolf. "I never told them..." said Copper. "Oh, Tod and I are such friends. You must know we talk a lot. I saved Vixie from your lot." said the wolf. "I want my kids back!" said Copper.

"And I'd like every last one of your kind to drop dead! But, we don't get what we want always, now do we? Surely you and Tod know that." laughed Fang. "Anyway, as long as your kids be our way, I'll be nice. But if they try and end up like Daddy, they're going to wish they'd never been born." said Fang. Copper growled.

"Going to try me hound boy?" laughed Fang. It seemed that tensions would run high. But then...POW! POW! POW! The hunters fired shots at Fang and his pack. They took off. "Remember hound boy, this is our home! Come in and you'll be sorry!" said Fang.

Copper returned home. He told his wife what had happened. She was devastated.

Copper said nothing. Once more he doubted Tod. How could his old friend be friends with such a fiend as Fang? Had the Tod he'd known changed? As he drifted off to sleep, he knew that his friendship with Tod, already long distance, was now drifting off toward enmity again.