XII: End Chapter

"Cash!" Todd yelled, running toward Cash and Floyd.

"huh?" Cash turned and looked at him "what is it?"

"Cash! Dixie, Granny Rose and Waylon are in trouble!" Todd said in a worried tone

"What?! Where are they!" Cash asked

"Follow me!" Todd yelled and ran, Cash and Floyd following close behind him.

They ran along a dirt road until they reached a small clearing in the middle of the forest.

"Ok, where are they, kid?" Cash said, trying to catch his breath

"Oh they'll be along" Todd said, causing Cash to look at him suspiciously.

The bushes near them rustled a bit. Copper, Dixie, Granny Rose and Waylon all darted out at once.

"Cash! Are you ok?!" Dixie yelled.

"Wha…I…I'm fine, I thought you were in trouble" Cash said, very confused

"I'm fine, Copper told me that you…"

Dixie and Cash both looked at Todd and Copper.

"Why exactly did you bring us all together?" Cash said

"'Cause…'cause that's how it outta be" Copper said

"What do you mean?" Dixie said

"I was thinking we could all mate, and be best friends again" Copper said.

All of them looked at him with shock.

"Copper!" Todd said "that wasn't the plan!"

"yeah but…I mean…I thought that would work…kinda like how me and Cash mated and became best friends."

Dixie looked at Cash "you mated with Copper?" she said.

Just then, Todd had another great idea,

"he mated with me too" Todd said to Dixie.

Dixie stared at Cash "wait…you like matin' with pups too?"

Cash lowered his head slightly and nodded, feeling a bit ashamed.

Dixie couldn't believe it, she thought that she was the only one who felt like that. Seeing Cash so shy about it made her smile. She leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Oh Cash, why didn't you tell me this earlier?" Dixie said

"I…I don't know…" Cash replied.

Granny Rose was happy to see that they may actually have a relationship together, instead of with pups. She let off a warm smile.

Floyd walked up to Waylon with his head low

"I'm sorry, Waylon" Floyd said

"It's ok Floyd, I shoulda been more open minded" Waylon said, both of them smiling at each other.

"See! We're all together" Copper said "Like the words in the song…like the sun…and blue skies…um…"

"Like summer nights, and fire flies" Granny Rose chimed in

"Like an itch" Waylon said

"And a scratch" Floyd added.

Every one became silent.

"Well, aint somebody gonna sing?" Granny Rose said.

"We're the perfect match" Dixie sang and rubbed her head beneath Cash's chin.

"'Cause we're in harmony" Cash and Dixie sang together

"Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

Ooh-ooh-ooh" the whole band sang

"Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

Ooh-ooh-hoo

Like a rhyme and a song, we all belong

Like a bird in a tree, we're meant to be

Like a nose and tail, like a horse and a trail

Like a bass and a fiddle, like a laugh and a riddle

Like a pond and a frog, like a bump on a log"

Everyone gasped for air and breathed heavily from saying all these words so fast. Luckily Dixie was able to catch her breath.

"We're a hand and a glove an example of" she sang and the band joined in.

Dixie followed up with the word 'of' again, using great vocalizing.

Cash looked at her lovingly, "Gosh I missed you"

"Pure-bread, down-home, true sweet harmony

Every crowd we face

Every squirrel we chase,

Any time any place,

We're in harmony.

Every tune we howl,

Every line we growl.

Every song, every vowel,

We're in harmony,

We're in harmony

'Cause we're in harmony"

"Yeah!" Copper yelled in excitement.

"Come on guys, we have an audition to go to" Cash said happily and they all ran off back toward the carnival.

________________________________________________________________________

"Ok hounds, we're gonna have to ace this one if we wanna have a chance at the Grand ol' Oprey" Cash said and walked back and fourth in front of them, stopping in front of Copper.

"Ready kid?"

Copper smiled and nodded happily.

Cash then walked up to Dixie

"you ready, Dixie?"

"when you are" Dixie replied and winked, looking at him seductively.

Cash blushed and started to stutter a bit "uh…um…"

All of a sudden the host announced the band "ladies and gentlemen! The Singin' Strays!"

The curtains swung back and Cash immediately sat down next to Dixie.

A drum beat started in the background and Lyle plaid the guitar.

"We go together like beggin' at suppertime,

Driving down the county line, ears flappin' overtime.

We go together like a fiddle and bow

Diggin' and a hoe, a biscuit and a bone.

I don't care if the cold wind blows,

I don't care if the stars don't show,

You can say it now, or you can say it never

But as long as we're goin' somewhere,

We go together, together

Ooh-ooh-ooh

Together, together

Ooh-ooh-ooh

We go together like wet dog and smelly,

Peanut-butter Jelly, flees on my belly,

We go together like fireflies and jars,

Chasin' after cars

Barkin' at a shootin' star

I don't care if the cold wind blows

I don't care if the stars don't show

You can say it now, or you can say it never

But as long as we're goin' somewhere

We go together, together

Ooh-ooh-ooh

Together, together

Ooh-ooh-ooh

Come on!"

Lyle plaid an instrumental while the band rocked back and forth to the beat.

"We go together like a song in the air

Like a once in a life time memory you share.

We go together like dreams and prayers,

Like a little bit of heaven, now we're already there.

You can say it now, or say it forever,

But as long as we're goin' somewhere

We go together, together

Ooh-ooh-ooh

Together, together

Ooh-ooh-ooh

Together, together

Ooh-ooh-ooh

Together, together

Ooh-ooh-ooh

Ooooh-oooh-ooooooh

Ooooh-oooh-ooooooh

Ooooh-oooh-ooooooh

Ooooooooooh-oooooh

Come on!"

The whole audience cheered and clapped, completely amazed at the spectacular performance.

Todd smiled at the band, but it slowly faded into more of a grin as he started to walk away from the barn. His ears were lowered and his tail dragging against the ground. He was sad because he knew that after this, Copper would want to stay with the band.

Todd got up the hill, the one he had to climb over in order to get back to his home, when he heard a voice call from behind him.

"Todd!" the voice called.

Todd's ears perked up and he looked behind him, but saw nothing. He thought he had imagined it, and kept walking

"Todd!" Copper yelled, running up the hill toward Todd

"Todd!" he called again and ran up then sat in front of Todd.

"Copper?" Todd said "but…what about the band?"

"I can't, cause me and you, we've got crickets to chase" Copper said and grinned, looking at Todd playfully.

Todd laughed and smiled.

"And if I ever forget that again, you just kick me in my walkin' away end" Copper said.

Todd grinned "So…wanna go mate again?"

"Yeah!" Copper laughed, looking excited as he started to chase Todd into the forest.

End of Part 1