Disclaimer: "The Fox and the Hound" is property of Daniel P. Mannix and Walt Disney Company, not mine...unfortunately.

The Next Political Dynasty: Thanks for reading! Hope you stay with me!

Narfgirl: Yeah, I figured they should have kids, since Vixey obviously wanted some in the movie and all. Glad you like, keep reading!

Lone Wolfdog: Glad you're reading this! When I started writing this, I thought that nobody liked this movie and that no one would read it! So keep reading!

The Fox and the Hound 2: Friends in Need

Chapter Three: Love at First Sight

While Amos was roughing things up with his long-lost brother Calvin, the dogs decided they would wander around the site to cure them of boredom–not to mention help them forget about that terribly bumpy ride they had to take to get there.

"I wonder who that man is the Master's talking to," Copper thought out loud as he looked around where he was.

"Don't ask me, I've never seen him before," Chief replied. "Last time we were here I don't remember seeing him."

"Wait, you two have been here before?" Copper asked, turning to around to ask.

"Heck yeah, we came every year...except last year since we were too busy with you to come."

He was referring to the previous winter when he and Amos had taken young Copper out in the wilderness to teach him how to hunt. Copper had extremely enjoyed chasing the wildlife through the snow, although at first he managed to screw things up.

"So...what's the point of this thing?" the young dog asked as he sat down to scratch one of his long brown ears. "It's not like a contest or something is it?"

"Actually, it is," Chief replied, getting exasperated by all the questions. Copper was pretty good at asking those. "Whoever gets the most game by the end of the three-day limit gets a prize. But don't ask what it is, because I don't think we've ever won."

Copper glanced back at his owner, who was still angrily talking with the strange brown-haired man. "I bet that guy wants to beat the Master at this thing. Maybe that's why he looks mad."

"Who looks mad?" he heard a female voice reply from behind. He jerked his head around to face forwards and came eye to eye with the most gorgeous creature he'd ever laid eyes on.
"Sorry, I couldn't help overhearing," the girl, a Blue-Tick Coonhound about Copper's age, apologized. But Copper didn't hear a word she said–he was too busy staring to hear. "I'm Belle, what's your name?"

When Copper remained speechless for a split-second, Chief nudged him to snap him out of his dream state. "Huh? Oh, uh, I'm-I'm Copper," he finally spat out, getting embarrassed. He'd never seen a female dog before, and this one was a very pretty one. He looked over for some help from Chief, but the older dog gave him this look that said, "Sorry, sonny, you're on your own in this department."

Deciding it would be better for Copper to handle this alone, he whispered, "I'm gonna check on the Master while you, you know."

Copper didn't know whether to feel relieved or more distressed when his mentor left. He turned his head back towards the girl and grinned a little sheepishly. What on earth was he supposed to say?

Copper cleared his throat, more out of nervousness than anything. "So, uh, you ever been to one of these before?"

"No, it's my first year," Belle answered, shaking her head for emphasis.

"Really?" Copper asked. "Mine too."

"Oh, then I guess we can learn everything together, huh?" the Blue- Tick laughed. She seemed friendly enough, Copper was rather enjoying talking with her. He was about to say something else, when he was prevented from doing so by another dog–a tough looking Rhodesian Ridgeback who ambled up to them beside Belle.

"And who do we have here?" he asked with a look that seemed to be judgmental and perhaps a bit self-centered. The huge dog appeared around the age of three, with a shining red-gold coat and blazing brown eyes. Copper instantly felt challenged by this dog, whoever he was, and felt the hair along the back of his neck rise.

"Buster," Belle said with a hint of disgust and annoyance. "Uh, this is Copper. Copper, this is Buster. We live on the same farm together."

"That's right, and we are going to win that prize if it kills me," the Rhodesian sneered. He could tell Copper was a half-bred mutt, not purebred like HE was, and Buster absolutely despised mongrels.

"Buster, please," Belle sighed, rolling her eyes at his arrogance. "We'd better go. It was nice meeting you, Copper."

"Yeah, nice meetin' you, too," the young dog replied as he turned to walk back to the jeep. Ugh, first girl he ever meets and he has to deal with a stuck-up snob like Buster. Wonderful.

When he returned to the jeep, he turned around to watch the two dogs walking off. He noticed them heading towards the man that Amos had been talking to earlier [Calvin]. Even more wonderful. Not only did Belle have a bullying partner, she was owned by that guy the Master obviously disapproved of.

"What else can go wrong?" he muttered to himself.

Belle glanced behind her shoulder to watch Copper rejoin his owner and friend at their jeep. Buster noticed that she had fallen back in pace and looked at her intensely.

"Don't even think about getting mixed up with that trash," he growled, causing her to snap her head towards him. "He's a half-breed, I could tell. You have a pedigree, like me, so stop chasing after worthless junk."

Belle glared at him coldly. "You have no business in telling me who I can be friends with. And I don't care if he doesn't have a pedigree, he's seems nice to me. I wish I could say the same for you."

"You dumb woman," he snarled. "Everyone knows the nice guys finish last. And I don't intend to be last at ANYTHING. This world is too cruel to be friendly in it. Only the tough guys win in the end." He leaned down to her ear. "And if I see you getting nice with that mongrel, you'll be sorry indeed."

Wow, Buster's mean! But Belle seems friendly enough. Sorry for the absence of Tod, but this chapter was necessary for the plot. So keep on reading to find out what happens and please review!