1Disclaimer: "The Fox and the Hound" is the property of Daniel P. Mannix and Walt Disney.
The Next Political Dynasty: Be prepared to fall off the edge of your seat! Or not. Depends on how you take this chapter, so keep reading!
Sunrise19: Yeah, it did sound kinda Lion King-ish, huh? To me, every story involving death and revenge reminds me of that movie, strange huh? Keep reading!
Anonymous but Impressed: Yes the Real World does get in the way doesn't it? But it does sometimes inspire my writing, so I suppose it's okay if it exists, lol. More drama on the way, keep reading!
Lone Wolfdog: Don't worry, he gets help in this chapter! Oooh, The Plague Dogs! I think I'm getting that for Christmas! I haven't read it yet, obviously, but it sounds great. I would watch the movie, but I can't find itanywhere. Yeah, I'm sure I'll cry through it too! Keep reading!
Forever Young: Yes, you did rhyme, lol! Yeah, I feel sorry for him too, but in my own twisted mind, I love dramatic dog stories.But then, to me, Old Yeller was dramatic, so maybe I'm not so twisted. Keep reading!
The Fox and the Hound 3: The Next Generation
Chapter Thirty-Two: Guiding Light
He will give His angels charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. Psalms 91:11
Smoky felt an amazing pain surge through his body as he tried to lift himself to his legs. Dust covered most of his vision but he was well assured that he was at the bottom of a pit. Great. His own little Pit of Despair.
He coughed a few times before trying to move amongst the rubble, but his front leg got twisted on a log and he collapsed. Squinting his eyes open, he could tell that he was pretty deep in the ground. Almost like a grave. That comparison wasn't helping the matters out. The last place Smoky wanted to be was inside a grave. A cold, lonely, hole in the ground.
He perked one of his long ears up, hoping to hear approaching footsteps perhaps. But who on earth would know he was down there? There was no since crying for help. Who would hear? Swift for sure was long gone by now, and there was no way on God's green earth that he was going to help him out. Not after what he'd been through.
A low whimper escaped his throat as he looked up at the trees above him. The day was closing to an end. Soon it would be dark. And this hole was dark enough as it was in the daylight. A chill passed through, sending a shiver down Smoky's back. He hoped it wouldn't rain on him.
He jumped when he heard a bullfrog croaking somewhere nearby, and was still shaking when he realized what it was. He watched the little amphibian burrow itself under a pile of twigs, and he never saw it after that. The hound tried to lie down as comfortably as possible, but it was hard to do with all the branches in his way.
A lone tear passed from the corner of his eye as he began to talk to himself. "Why? Why is all this happening? I didn't ask for it. I'm just trying to do what's right. Now I'm stuck in this pit, and I'll never see my family again. I failed. I'm so sorry Uncle Chief. I'm sorry Ace. I don't know what I'm doing anymore."
Smoky was so indulged in self-pity and misery, that he didn't notice that a bright light had appeared above him. The magnificent ball of radiance inched its way closer and closer to the despairing dog. It wasn't long before Smoky finally realized that he was enveloped with a white light, and he raised his head to see what was going on.
"Um, hello? Anybody there?" he asked nervously, a little frightened of a mysterious light suddenly beaming down on him.
"Hello, Smoky."
"WHOA!" Smoky yelped, not having expected a personal salutation. "How did you know my name? Who are you?"
"Come on, sonny," the voice seemed to echo. "Don't tell me you don't recognize me."
The confused pup squinted a little bit when the light died down a little bit so that he could see who he was conversing with. His brown eyes widened when he saw the stranger's face.
"U-U-Uncle Ch-Chief?" he stuttered, in shock and in fright. "B-but I thought you were d-dead!"
"Not really. When dogs die, sure they go to heaven and all, but they also get the task of becoming guardian angels. And it looked like you had turned this mess of yours into an even bigger mess, so I'm here to straighten you out."
Chief sat down, well not really sat down it was more like floating while on his haunches, and faced his nephew.
"Listen, kid. I know you mean well, going after the guy you think killed your brother, but the fact is, nobody killed Ace. He died nobly for a good cause." He held up a paw when Smoky moved to comment. "I'm not done yet. Now, I'm not fond of foxes myself, but you don't go after a critter that you ain't gonna eat for supper. Now, that little story that Swift told you a few days ago about Ace running out in front of that train to save his little brother was true. Ace's leg got caught and he got hit. Nobody killed anybody.
"Furthermore, here's some personal advice. Stop carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. It's not your responsibility to have to deal with all this emotional stress on your own. You don't have to avenge your brother's death, mainly because there is nothing to avenge, but just because it isn't your job to take care of it. Forgive and forget.
Smoky hung his head down. There's nothing worse than getting a morality lesson from a ghostly relative. In fact, it's down-right eerie. Chief knew the little pup felt bad, and was probably confused over the whole incident, but there was still more of his speech to go.
"And Smoky. I know that you think you're responsible for my own death . . . but you're not. My days were numbered long before you were ever born. Heh, actually I'm most responsible for my own death."
Smoky stared at him in disbelief. "What do you mean, you're responsible? You didn't kill yourself."
The angel dog chuckled a little. "No, but I was being mean and heartless and chasing a fox down the railroad tracks and nearly killed myself by running into a train. Yeah, I know, same thing with your brother, only I managed to live a few more years. No, Smoky, I died from the effects of that night, I had some bad kidneys after that, and I just finally died from it."
Smoky couldn't believe this. He was finally hearing the truth, and he realized he'd spent most of his life feeling guilty for stuff that wasn't even his fault. And he just wasted almost a week of his life on a wild-goose chase after Swift.
"But . . . why are you just now telling me this, Uncle Chief? Why didn't you tell me all of this sooner?"
"To tell you the truth, I was kinda hoping you would figure it out on your own. But you're so stubborn and thick-headed, and you wouldn't listen to anybody, so I figured that I may as well tell you while you're stuck in one spot for a while." He wrapped a front leg around his nephew and gave him a hug. "You're a good kid, Smoky, you just get yourself into the biggest tangles I ever saw."
Smoky smiled. Yeah, he was a bit of a handful, wasn't he? He hugged his uncle back, knowing it would definitely be the last time he would ever get a chance to.
"All right, that's enough love," the angel kidded, slightly pushing the pup off him. "Hug me any harder, my wings will get all bent."
"But you don't have any wings."
Chief glared at him. "They're invisible, smarty pants." Then on a lighter note, "And I have a nice little halo to go with them, too. Now, stop getting me off the subject, we gotta get you out of this death trap." He thought about that for a minute. Sighing, he said, "Well, I guess I'm just gonna have to float you out. Close your eyes for a split second, I know you don't like heights."
Heights? He was down at the bottom of a pit, and he was talking about heights? What on earth did he mean float you out? Smoky didn't care, and frankly didn't want to argue with his uncle, so he did as he was told, and before he knew it, the whole thing was over.
He cracked one eye open. "Am I out yet?"
"Sure you are. Go on and open your eyes, son, there's nothing to worry about anymore. Well, except there's a bobcat running around in the woods somewhere. Them little demons are bad news, so I'd watch my back if I were you."
"All right, I will," Smoky promised. "Uh, Uncle Chief? How's . . . how's Ace doing?"
Chief chuckled. "Your brother's doing fine. He's enjoying himself immensely. He likes bouncing around on them clouds, and he's still taking his flying lessons, and he does miss everybody, but he'll get used to it all fairly quick. Now, you take care of yourself, Smoky, and watch out for the family. My time is up."
As he spoke these words, he seemed to be getting further and further away. The light around him was growing dimmer by the second. And before Smoky could say another word to him, the angel was gone.
Wow! Super cool, a visit from your own guardian angel! Will Smoky start turn to the path of righteousness, and go home? Will things ever be smooth between him and Swift? What does the future lie for Swift and Loki? All this coming up soon! Please review!!