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

The Next Political Dynasty: It is scary, I know I would be petrified! Keep reading!

Cathy: If you've seen then movie, then yes I hope you can see where this is going. You'll find out what happens in this chappie, so keep reading!!

SunRise19: Man, you are a mind-reader, lol! Keep reading to see if you're right!

Anonymous but Impressed: Thank you, and it gets even more dynamic as you'll see in this chappie!!!

The Fox and the Hound 3: The Next Generation

Part Two: The Older Years

Chapter Twenty-One: Another Tragedy Strikes

"Help!" Blaze screamed as the train got closer and closer. "Help, Swift, my paw's stuck, help!"

"Oh my gosh, Blaze!" Swift yelled, taking off down the hill with Ace right behind him. But Swift was in such a hurry to get there on time that he didn't see the pointed rock in front of him, so he tripped on it and cut his paw, stumbling to the ground.

Ace didn't bother to help him. If that cub died before he got there, he would never be able to forgive himself. Racing against the huge engine, who was now about five minutes away, Ace finally made it to the tracks where Blaze was still trying to get his paw unstuck. Ace wrapped his jaws around his little body and gently but firmly tugged on him. At long last, Blaze came a-loose and hurriedly scampered away to safety.

Ace moved to follow him, but noticed that something was dreadfully wrong. When he had moved forward, his back leg became wedged in the same hole that he had just freed Blaze from. He pulled and tugged to get himself out, but he just couldn't. He looked up just in time to see the huge train engine come over him and then . . .

Smoky heard his brother howling from miles away, but knew that it wasn't the howl that he gave when he had found a rabbit or something. This howl had . . . pain etched into. Like he was in trouble. Smoky's heart leapt to his throat when he heard the train whistle blow. Oh no, please tell me Ace didn't . . .

The black-and-tan hound wasted no time in racing through the trees to try and locate where he had heard the howl coming from. He panted heavily as he searched all along the underside of the bridge until coming across the small stream. And that's when he saw it.

Ace was lying in the stream on his side, and he wasn't moving. Not a breath seemed to pass from his body, not a hair moved on him. Smoky stood dead still for a minute in shock but then found himself running to him and screaming his name.

"Ace! Ace, are you okay! Ace, please wake up! Don't leave me, Ace, don't you leave me too!" But he knew that his brother was dead. He was gone from the earth, just like Uncle Chief was. Now he had two loved ones that he admired and respected gone from his life. But how? How? Ace wasn't stupid, he would never go near the tracks unless it was for a good reason.

He felt the hot tears running down his face. "Ace, oh gosh, Ace, why you? Why do you have to leave me too?" He nudged his nose against Ace's heavy head, but of course he didn't get a response.

Smoky was still frazzled and confused about how the incident had happened in the first place, when he heard something moving up above him. Confused, he stepped back a little ways and looked up. What he saw blew his mind.

"Swift?" he whispered softly as he saw the shape of a fox up on top of the bridge. He couldn't believe it. He hadn't seen Swift since he was a pup. Smoky nearly fainted. No. No, Swift wouldn't do anything like this. He wouldn't kill Ace, why would he? But still . . .

Smoky slowly glared his eyes and growled. "Swift! I know that's you, Swift! And I know you remember me! And this isn't the last time you'll see me Swift! Because I'm going to hunt you down, and you will pay for this!"

Belle was eagerly waiting for the return of her children, along with Copper who was standing next to her. She still had worries about them being on their own, and it drove her crazy that Copper didn't feel the same way. But he did feel the same way. He was just as worried about them as she was, he just didn't want to admit it.

Finally the jeep came slowly rolling down the driveway. Belle let out a sigh of relief as Copper gave her a "Told You So" look. She saw Smoky and Beulah quietly and slowly getting out of the truck, and got confused when she didn't see Ace doing the same.

"Kids? Where's your brother?" Copper asked for her, confused himself. "Why the long faces? Kids?"

"Oh, Mom! Daddy!" Beulah bawled upon reaching them. "Ace is dead! He was hit by a train and he died!"

It was like a knife stabbing through their hearts to hear that. Belle blanked out. "No. No." She saw Amos carrying her lifeless son and taking him to the house. "No. NO!!!!"

She ran into her doghouse barrel and bawled her eyes out, only repeating the words "NO, my baby! MY BABY!" Beulah fell down and started crying as well. No more pretend, she was devastated over losing an uncle and a brother all in one week. Smoky tried hard not to cry and hid himself in his barrel to prevent himself from doing so. Copper . . . didn't say a word. First Chief gets hit, then Ace. But Ace died instantly from it while Chief had died later on from it. But the kids didn't need to know that that was the cause of Chief's death, or they would be traumatized of trains forever.

Dun dun dun, history just repeats itself doesn't it? Well, except when Copper did the same thing with Tod, Chief wasn't dead just injured, but you get what I mean. Will Smoky go after Swift in revenge all because of a misunderstanding? Will Swift have to "flee the country" or at least that certain forest? How on earth are the parents going to react to all of this? If you'll review, I'll continue the story, and then you'll be able to find out!