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

A/N: YAY, CHAPTER THIRTY! This is officially the longest story I have written so far. The second longest was 29 chapters, Against the Odds (Disney's Recess), so I'm glad I beat that record! And woo-hoo, 140 reviews, that's another record! The second most reviewed fic of mine was a Kim Possible fic (A December to Remember) with 115 reviews. So thank you all for reviewing this, although it is taking me an eternity to finish, and hope you all keep reading!

SunRise19: I like the name too! And thanks, I'm gonna need some help on those finals . . .

The Next Political Dynasty: Thank you, and now your wondering is over, b/c here is chapter 30!

Forever Young: Nah, she's not that bad, just had a rough life. As you'll see in this chappie, hopefully.

narfgirl: I'd freak out too, I hate it when people do that! Thanks, and I ALWAYS have fun writing! I just wish I had more time to do it.

Anonymous but Impressed: Thank you kindly, although I really am a little embarrassed about this chappie for some reason. Maybe cuz it's short . . .

Cathy: OOPS! I didn't know that, I'm not familiar with all those gods and goddesses from ancient culture or anything. I really just know the ones from Disney's Hercules! Oh well, I doubt foxes know any of that, lol, but thanks for telling me anyway, that's kinda cool. bent on destroying the world, huh?

The Fox and the Hound 3: The Next Generation

Part Two: The Older Years

Chapter Thirty: Loki's Story

"Are you hungry?" Loki asked when she heard Swift's stomach slightly growl.

"Yeah, sorta," he replied embarrassedly, having forgotten that it had been a while since he had eaten.

"You like fish?" she wanted to know, pointing one of her front paws at the creek. "There's plenty of it."

"Sure," he smiled, thankful at her offer. A good fish sounded pretty good about now. "Except . . . I don't know how to catch one."

Loki stared at him for a brief second then giggled. "Yeah right, that's a good one."

"No really, I don't know how to fish."

When she heard the serious tone in his voice, she stopped and let it register in her mind. "Are you serious? You've never fished?"

"Well, no. Not by myself anyway. My parents always helped out." Great, now she's gonna think I'm some kind of loon that has to depend on mommy and daddy all the time.

"Oh. Sorry, I forget, I didn't have parents the whole time I was growing up. I had to learn on my own, so of course you haven't had any practice on your own."

Swift was a little shocked at the way she took it. "Yeah . . ." He suddenly wondered what had happened to her parents while she was young to force herself to be on her own, but he didn't dare ask. But he was shocked again when she turned around and said,

"Hunters got them."

FLASHBACK

Winter. Cold barren winter. Our family was running short of food, and with me being a but a few months old, I wasn't expected to go out and find any for myself. Dad went out first and Mom stayed with me. A few minutes crept by and suddenly I heard a loud noise. I looked up at Mom and asked her what was wrong. She told me to be quiet and then we both heard Dad yelling for us to stay put and not to move. Mom got worried at this point, so she went out to find Dad. She told me to stay in the den and not to move no matter what.

Later I heard more loud noises and both my parents yelling at each other on what to do. And then . . . I didn't hear anything. All got so quiet, eerily so, and I didn't dare breathe. I eventually poked my head out of the den's opening to see if my parents were nearby. What I saw scared me to near death. I saw two strange looking creatures, whom I reasoned were the "humans" that I had heard my Dad talk about before, and they were examining my parents' two lifeless bodies on the ground. They exchanged words, but I didn't recognize any of it. Then I saw them hoist them both off the ground and head off from whence they came. I was frightened, I didn't know what to think. These guys were dragging off my murdered parents. How was I going to survive the winter without them? I didn't even get to say good-bye . . .

END FLASHBACK

Swift was silent through the whole story, a little disturbed by it. He remembered when he was a cub, that time he was kidnapped by poachers, and he thought he would never see his parents again. He was lucky. Loki obviously had a rough time making it through, but it was also apparent that she did a good job taking care of herself.

"So, how about that fish, huh?" she said, trying to change the subject and break the melancholy mood that she had made.

Don't ask why I wrote that in, I just did. Sorry so short!Anyways, upcoming events include a fight, an accident, an interesting visit from the supernatural, and more! Please review, and I'll try to post a little sooner!