Disclaimer: The Fox and the Hound is the property of Daniel P. Mannix and Walt Disney Studios, not mine.
The Next Political Dynasty: Hm, do you need some sleeping pills to help you out? Gotta love spookiness, I watched "The Grudge" in theatres last weekend, and was like "ooh, ghostly appearance!" Keep reading!
Anonymous but Impressed: Yeah, Halloween is tomorrow!! Or today, depending on what day you read this chappie! I love this holiday, I love ghosts and monsters and supernatural stuff!
SunRise19: You got it, he was leading him to shelter, isn't that sweet? Keep reading!
narfgirl: Glad you liked, and yes, ghostly appearances will be made, I can promise that!!
The Fox and the Hound 3: The Next Generation
Part Two: The Older Years
Chapter Twenty-Seven: An Old Friend
The morning seemed to come all too early to Tod. He felt he had only gotten a few hours of sleep when his inner clock went off and told him it was time to arise. But he couldn't get up, he was still sore from his minor surgery. Nevertheless, his brown eyes cracked open and welcomed the sight of the all-too familiar homestead of Widow Tweed.
Smiling to himself, he snuggled down deeper into his wicker basket bed, but perked his ears up when he thought he heard his name being called. Curious, he lifted his head and glanced around, yet saw nothing. Thinking that perhaps he was only hearing things, he shrugged and snuggled down again. Then he heard it again.
This time, he half-way raised himself from the basket to give himself a better view of the house. That's when he saw the flash of brown and white by the windowsill. At first, he had to ponder upon who it was, but when he recognized the kindly face of an old friend, he grinned.
"Big Mama?" he said raspily, his throat still sore from the incident.
"Tod, honey!" the motherly owl called from a half-opened window. "It's been such a long time since I've seen you, I was beginning to wonder if you were still alive!"
"I know, it has been a while, huh?" he answered, grimacing at the pain he felt as he spoke. "Say, where's Dinky and Boomer?"
Big Mama waved her wing in dismissal. "Aw, those boys flew south for the winter . . . two months early. I suppose they got bored around here without you to pick on anymore."
"Yeah," Tod replied, remembering those days as a cub when he had the three of them for playmates and personal advisors.
Big Mama glanced at him curiously, tipping her head over to the side. "You sound different, Tod, you don't sound like yourself. I know you're not growing old on me."
"No, I had a little . . . accident," he said slowly, a little reluctant to tell her the truth—that Copper's son had tore his throat apart and was now after his son. But then again, Big Mama had always done him good in the past, always being the motherly type, so he figured "why not?" and went head-first into the story, starting from the time the five children were kidnaped so very long ago up to the point when Tod last saw Smoky.
Big Mama stayed quiet through the entire tale, absolutely stunned at all the things that had been going on in her absence. To her, it sounded like history repeating itself—another Copper going after another Tod in another case of revenge and redemption. When Tod had finished his story, he took a deep breath and laid back down, worn out from the task. The owl shook her head slowly in shock.
"Well . . . that is quite an interesting situation, indeed," she finally managed to say. "So, Swift and Smoky both are running deeper into the woods all over a misunderstanding of events? Sounds to me like Copper's boy needs to get the story straight."
"I already tried talking to him, but he didn't believe me."
"Huh. Well, let's see, what can I do?" she thought out loud, squinting one eye shut and looking up at the sky with her opened one. "I got it! How would you like it if I found Swift and kept a look out for him. He's probably not used to being on his own in the forest, so maybe I should help him out a little."
Tod smiled warmly at the idea. "Would you really, Big Mama? That would mean a lot to me, I wouldn't have to worry about him."
"That's right, and the only thing you need worry about is getting better so you can get back to that growing family of yours."
"This means a lot to me, you know," Tod told her before she turned to fly away.
"Tod, you don't know this, but since the day I found you by that fencepost as a baby . . . I made a promise to keep you from harm, and that includes your family. Of course, I am going to keep an eye on your child. What kind of a mama would I be if I didn't?"
Awwww, that was a sweet (yet short) chappie, don't you think? I originally had not planned on putting Big Mama in the story, but after some thought I figured that Swift needed some help since I was going to have Smoky get some. I must be fair! Anyhow, hope you like and please review and keep reading!