(Authors note: Hi all. As we near the end of this story, I draw closer to finishing a piece of art. I may have been slow about it, but the best things take time to perfect. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to all my fav/follows and reviews on this story. PS: there may not be much happening in this chapter due to a bit of a writer's block, but this will all be sorted out in due time.)


You have to get lost before you can be found.

Jeff Rasley


The blank expropriation on Copper's face was a true testament to the shock he had. His tear-filled eyes, never pausing, continued to flow down the young hounds cheeks as his eyes took in the sight of his presumably deceased friend. The once slick coat the fox he had come to know seemed in recovery of the last time he had seen the fox.

Tod stood there, his legs paralyzed as his mind seemed to allow him to do less than nothing. His eyes fixed on the adult friend he had last trusted when he was only a kit. The feeling of uncertainty overtook the fox as the flood of memories seemed to flow back into his mind, seeking to comfort and confuse him. The truth behind Copper's motives was one he would only understand once his lips had formed the words needed to question the hound himself.

Copper, however, had more than enough time to allow his curiosity to take over. How was it possible? His one true friend, whom he had seen drop from a bridge after being in contact with a train, now stood in front of him.

"T-Tod?" Copper asked in disbelief. His mind still trying to process the event.

"It's me, Copper," Tod said softly as his legs became free from their frozen state as he began to walk towards his old best friend. As the young fox drew closer, his limp became more profound as the pain shot up with each step. His body evidently showed the ordeal he had gone through.

Copper instantly noticed this and began running toward the fox, preventing him from having to walk more than he should. However, in his haste, he had not been as vigilant as he should have been.

Just before he could step close enough to his friend to nuzzle him, his body was dealt a massive blow as his side was hit by a female fox. He may have been strong, but once Rose was able to pin him down, Copper was resigned to his fate.

Chief, who was standing a few feet away, only realized what was happening after Copper was pinned. He turned to face the duo. He recognized the fox from earlier on and had unfinished business to attend to. Believing that Tod would be unable to do much, he raced toward Rose and knocked her off Copper, sending her crashing to the ground as he got on top of her for what would be the final time.

This was it, the moment he had been waiting for. He would finally catch the one who got away from him. Before his head could lower and clamp down on his prey, his body was hit by another force. A force from someone he was not counting on.

Once the Wolfhound found his feet, he looked at the source of his pain, only to realize that he was taken down by Tod. The young fox had fallen shortly after the impact and was struggling to get up. Chief walked forward to try to get back at Rose, only to be stopped by Copper, who made a barrier between him and his targets.

Rose was the first to recover, her instincts telling her to look at Tod only to find him lying on the ground struggling to get his paws under him. She rushed to his aid and shifted her body under his, trying to lever him up.

Once the young fox was on his feet, he instantly sat down as his injuries surged from his charge at Chief. The atmosphere was heavy with the feeling of tension and anticipation to find out who would make the first move.

The group sat there, time slipped past as they all stared at each other with the intent of finding out what would happen next. However, as the time slipped away, it was clear that the energy died down enough for them to calm down. The two families sat facing each other, waiting for the other to make the first remark.

Nevertheless, it would not happen like that.

Big Mama had ushered off Dinky and Boomer to try to relieve the farm of potentially unwanted remarks. She, however, had not taken her eyes of the group. She waited on the roof, waiting for the moment to come. It would be there, but without wanting to disrupt the group, she reluctantly turned tail and flew off.


(Authors note: So, as I have said earlier, this chapter is not much, but it is everything I could do for now. This is one of the final chapters. I am still deciding whether I should do one or two more, I will see next time. Please leave a review and fav/follow.)