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

A/N: So sorry for the long wait! I had a short-term writer's block, but I'm back now! But only to leave you for another week while I'm on vacation, mwahaha! Anyways, here's chapter five finally!

narfgirl: Thank you! Yeah, Buster is mean, but there's got to be bad guy somewhere, lol! Glad you like, keep reading!

Anonymous but Impressed: Thanks, I'm glad somebody said something about the building drama! I hope you like this next chappie, so keep reading!

Freddy Voorhees: Like the penname! Yes, I love this movie too, its my favorite Disney classic! I read a few rumors, in fact, that there is going to be a sequel to it sometime in 2006 subtitled "Friends Forever", but I have no details on it. Hopefully it's not one of those sucky direct-to-dvd things they've been putting out lately. Hm, I haven't thought about Tod reuniting with Widow Tweed, but I'll see what I can do! Keep reading!

The Fox and the Hound 2: Friends in Need

Chapter Five: Fighting

The next morning when the sun came shining through the trees, Copper was a little reluctant to get up. His conversation with Tod the previous night had seemed so much like a dream, yet it had really happened. He had been worrying about how he was going to pull off this hunt and helping Tod out at the same time. It seemed impossible!

He lifted himself up and stretched out in order to help wake himself up more and then shook the drowsy feeling he felt away from him. All around him, other dogs were doing the same thing, as well as their owners. Even Amos was up and ready, leaning against his truck and puffing on his freshly lit pipe.

The mustachioed man was set on beating his younger, less experienced brother in this challenge. There was no way some big-city fellow was going to put HIM to shame! Besides, he didn't want to lose his Copper dog to him. That would be a disgrace and an insult to the dog.

"You ready to go, ol' boy?" he asked with a smile at Copper.

Copper didn't have any idea what he just agreed to, but he answered with a deep "roof roof" anyway. Right now, he was wondering on about when he was going to have free time to help Tod out.

"Hm, who would know the schedule around here?" he asked himself mentally. Then, it hit him. Of course, why didn't he think of that earlier? "Hey, Chief?"

The old dog felt like stuffing cotton in his ears in order to escape the forever impending questions that came out of Copper's mouth, but was it his fault nature didn't give him opposable thumbs? So, naturally he had to answer,

"Yes?"

"Since you've been here before and everything, I was just wondering what the schedule was around here and all," he asked, trying to act as casually as possible. Any hint of suspicion, and he was done for.

"Oh, is that all? Well...let's see if I can remember...oh yeah, everybody goes out at the same time during the day (since we cover a large area of land) and then we all break at night time."

Okay, that seemed to work out for Copper. He could hunt during the day, then while everyone was sleeping he could sneak off to help Tod. Sounded good, except when was he going to get any sleep?

"You all right, sonny?"

Copper shook his head to clear it when he heard the question. "Huh?"

"Did you get enough sleep last night?" Chief asked, cocking his head to one side. "You look kinda out of it."

"No...I'm fine," he lied, adding a feigned grin for special effect. "Never been better."

Suddenly, a deep voice replied behind him, "Oh, I wouldn't say that..."

Copper turned around only to come nose-to-nose with a huge Rhodesian—Buster. The young hound felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. Something about this guy gave him the creeps.

"So, I understand this is your first time out here," Buster continued with a smirk. "Here's your first lesson, kid—stay out of my way. You see me coming, you go the other way. You don't do as I say, you will get in big trouble. And, one last thing...stay away from Belle. She's mine."

Copper heard himself growling deep in his throat. That last sentence made something snap in his head, and before he knew what he was doing, he had lunged forward and attached his jaws to Buster's thick neck. The huge dog gave a cry of shock, not having expected a challenge from the pup, but quickly rebounded and slapped Copper in the nose.

He yelped when he went flying off the larger dog, who then pounced on top of him and proceeded in the attempts of ripping his throat out. By this time, everybody that had been around the area had started watching, gathering around to see who'd win. Just when Copper thought Buster really was going to tear out his throat, a miracle occurred. Amos and Calvin pushed themselves towards their dogs and pulled them apart before they killed each other. Even with their hands tight on their collars, they still tried charging at each other.

Calvin glared at his brother as he held Buster back. "You need to do something about that crazy dog of yours, Amos!"

"My crazy dog? Yours is three times bigger than mine, he could have killed him!"

"Then yours shouldn't have jumped all over mine!"

They continued arguing over whose dog had started the fight or not, and everybody else started taking sides. Copper was breathing heavily. He couldn't believe he had just rushed that huge dog. Never had he done anything so irrational. He saw Belle in the audience, looking pretty confused as to what had happened. If he wasn't being held back by Amos, he would have told her what had gone on.

But he didn't get a chance to. When everybody finally broke up and scattered, he couldn't find her again. Besides, he wouldn't have been able to, because he was getting a good talking to himself.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Chief exclaimed when they had a chance to talk. "What on earth was going through your head when you did that?"

"I don't know, he just ticked me off is all."

"That's all? Copper, you just jumped a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Those guys are professional fighters! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"No. What is the big deal, since when do you care about what I do?"

Ouch, that stung. "Since when do I care? Copper, believe it or not, I care. Especially when you jump dogs three times your size! You just don't do that!"

"You said you did all the time when you were my age."

"I had brothers and sisters to pick on when I was your age," he explained. "And I usually tried to steer clear of things that could easily break my neck. Copper, I swear, sometimes I worry about you."

"Well, don't! I can take care of myself!" Copper snapped, getting agitated by the lecture. He hated it when people tried to tell him how to live. "Look, Buster's my problem and I can handle it. Just...back off, all right?"

He turned around to walk towards the truck, where he crawled underneath the shade. Chief could not believe Copper just got an attitude with him. He was never like that as a puppy. Maybe he was just having a "growing up" issue. Growing up...sigh, seemed like only yesterday, Copper was always needing his help. Now he didn't seem to want it. What was up with kids these days?

Wow, Copper totally went haywire on Buster there, huh? Aw, poor Chief can't play "daddy" anymore, his "little boy" grew up obviously. So, what was the point of this chappie? Trust me, it helps add to the drama. Which you'll have to read later, because I am going on vacation all this week starting August 1st! So, I'll try posting again when I get back. Catch ya'll later! And please review while I'm away, lol!