1Disclaimer: The Fox and the Hound is the property of Daniel P. Mannix and Walt Disney Studios, not mine.

The Next Political Dynasty: Aw, sorry I made you cry! Hope you keep reading anyways, although I can guess that you will, lol!

Anonymous but Impressed: Yeah, that was pretty neat, Tod's trick. Nobody can't say I never paid attention to those hunting education shows, lol!

Carmen Airstrup: I know what you're talking about, the weaving thing, but I haven't been really writing long enough to actually make it do right. One of these days I will somehow master that technique, but I am trying to do that for this story. Yeah, I have voices for the pups/cubs in my head too!

Cathy: Yes, I am sadly suggesting that, but you won't know the truth until the next chappie, mwahaha! Keep reading!

Sunrise19: We'll see if they become friends or not, and if it will stay that way, I promise! Keep reading!

Forever Young: I feel for Smoky too, but only b/c I based him on my very first dog I had as a child, so I kinda wanted him to be the main pup. Glad you like!

The Fox and the Hound 3: The Next Generation

Part One: The Younger Years

Chapter Nine: Taking Sides

The next morning came too early for the animals. Jeff and Marty been gone all night, and none of them had been fed. The baby animals especially were crying for food, and the puppies and fox cubs could have used some nutrition themselves.

"I wish Momma was here," Autumn whined. "I'm starving."

"I'm hungry, too," Beulah agreed. "Right about now, I'd be having some table scraps from the Master's house."

"Momma would be bringing home some quail or rabbit," Autumn mentioned.

"Will you two pipe down about food?" Swift pleaded. "I'm hungry enough as it is."

It was almost as if he had said the magic words. At that moment, Jeff and Marty came inside with a bagful of what smelled to be . . . food. They got out a little cup to scoop it out with and started dumping what appeared as dogfood or something out on the ground for the animals.

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you," Marty mumbled. "Stupid animals, only problem with them is you have to feed them."

"Well, the boss wants them alive, so we have no choice," Jeff told him, pouring some into the foxes' and puppies' pen. The two humans still hadn't noticed that they had accidentally poached some hunting dogs, so they continued with their feeding procedure before leaving.

When the food fell into their pen, the five youngsters dove into it. The pups recognized it as dog food, but the foxes had no idea what it was. Personally, they thought it was gross, but it was better than nothing. Smoky really wasn't that interested in food. He hadn't slept at all last night, and he was still quite sleepy. Ace noticed this.

"What's wrong with you, didn't you sleep?"

He didn't answer. He didn't feel like it. Swift got a little aggravated at this. Smoky's attitude was one that always made him upset. "Will you stop feeling sorry for yourself and eat already? Just because everybody's ticked off at you is no reason to starve yourself."

"Will you get off my back already?" the puppy snarled. "Maybe I'm just not hungry, is all."

"Please. You just don't want to eat because you know this whole thing is your fault," the fox continued to say. He gave a little laugh. "About time you realized that."

"Now see here, bushy tail, I've had about enough of your attitude. All you do is put me down, and I'm already put down enough as it is. You've been a grouch since we met."

"The same could be said to you, hunting dog."

"Hey!" Ace snapped, getting both of their attention. "Will you two please stop arguing? We need to figure out how to get out of here, not figure out how to kill each other."

"Too late," Smoky grumbled, laying down to where he was facing away from the group. "Who put you in charge anyway? I sure didn't vote for you."

Ace glared. "Somebody has to act mature around here, and it obviously isn't going to be you."

Beulah was looking a little fidgety, and Smoky cast a glance at her. "What? Are you agreeing with him or something?"

She looked hesitant, but she responded, "No offense, bro, but I'd rather listen to Ace's ideas than yours right about now."

"Oh? And why is that?" he asked, standing up now and getting up in her face. "You don't trust me or something? Scared I'm going to get you whacked in the head with a pipe too? I know that's what Ace thinks, so you might as well too."

Beulah started bawling when he started growling at her, and then Swift decided to input, "Man, you are pathetic. Your own siblings are going against you! At least I know my sister is with me, right, Autumn?" He looked back at the girl cub, who he found looked a little uncomfortable herself. "Autumn?"

"Actually . . . I kinda agree with Ace. If we're going to get out of here, we can't keep arguing like you two guys are now. Plus, it was your idea to run off from home . . . and now we're stuck in this prison and I want to go home!!" With that, she started bawling as well, so now they had two girls crying instead of just one. Ace thought he was going to go insane.

"See what you two have done now? You're bad tempers have gotten everybody upset, and now the girls are crying. I hope you're all proud of yourselves."

"You think I'm proud of what I've done?" Smoky demanded of him, tears starting to squirt out of his eyes and his throat getting tight. "You don't have to keep reminding me that it's all my fault, I think I know that by now, and I'm sorry!" He was really crying now. "If I could go back, I would change everything! I loved Uncle Chief, I didn't want anything to happen to him, it was an accident, so why don't you just leave me alone!!"

Smoky went in the corner, covered his face with his paws and started sobbing like a newborn baby, all while Beulah and Autumn were starting to get over their spells. Swift rolled his eyes at all of them, and went into his own little corner. Ace swept his eyes back and forth, first at Swift, then at the girls, then at Smoky. He let out a deep breath. What on earth were they going to do?

Okay, so it is Ace, Beulah, and Autumn versus Swift versus Smoky. And sorry, I keep making myself cry while writing this, so please review and keep reading!