Chipi smiled as Midnight was finally able to loosen the length of rope Chipi still had tied around her neck enough for her to slip it off. "Thanks" Chipi said as she shook the rope over her head. "Come on!" Scruff called, "if we're gonna do this we can't be dilly dallying!". Chipi and the others sighed and began following after the young badger.
"So why are we going over to the ground on the other side of the pointy fence again?" Chipi asked. "It's where we grew-up" Binx told her, "and we're gonna go visit some of the cool places we use to be able to play at before we moved". Chipi nodded. "Yeah!" Midnight continued, "They got big slopes that hold water all the time and make great splashing puddles and--".
"and the trees with leaves low enough to swing off of!" Binx said. Midnight nodded excitedly at this remembrance. "and don't forget the sliding branches!" he reminded Binx. "Well I personally am only on this little escapade to make sure no one's been trampling all over my grandfather's territory" Scuff said "that plots gonna go to me later on ya know".
Binx and Midnight looked at each other and then over at Chipi, who just looked confused. "Uh, Scuff" Binx said, "My dad says none of us are gonna be livin' there anymore, and that your family's developing a new territory where you're currently living". Scuff frowned, "Well then your dad's wrong!" he said, "I know I'm gettin' that land! My granddad promised me!". Binx and Midnight just bit their tongues, knowing this wasn't going to happen.
"Hey Look!" Midnight suddenly pointed out, the others all turned in the direction he was pointing and there in front of them was the wire barrier in front of the game preserve that was meant to keep out the hunters. Three broad smiles met this sight and Chipi tiled her head as she stared at it. She'd never explored the forest out far enough to come across this.
"Come on!" Binx said, as they began rushing off towards the game preserve with Chipi quickly following after. The young animals had to duck and make sure to avoid the sharp parts of the wire fence as they crawled on through, but they were all able to make it through pretty easily. Chipi was the last to crawl under and as soon as the little puppy made her way over to the other side of the fence, Binx smiled. "Don't worry, Chipi, we'll show you all the neat stuff around here!" he said.
Chipi smiled at Binx's offer of guidance, and was genuinely excited as they began to make their way deeper into the game preserve. Unfortunately though, fate had many twists planned that day and the youngsters didn't even get very far from the fence before a voice that Binx knew all to well rang out. "Binx, you freeze right there!". Binx cringed in annoyance as the owner of the voice, his mother, Vixey, appeared out of the bushes followed by his father, Tod.
"Binx, what have I told you about coming over here and trampling all over other animal's property!" Vixey asked. Tod was about to offer support on Binx's lecture, when he noticed Chipi out of the corner of his eyes. At first he just gave her a quizzical look as to why she would be out here with Binx and his friends in the first place, but then his looked turned to one of disbelief as he recognized the puppy from the quail incident!
Binx sighed at his mom's lecture, "But mom, we use to live here!" he complained. Vixey's look softened slightly, "I know that Binx" she said, "and as much as I understand why you would be attracted to come over here, you just can't anymore" she explained, "and I don't know how to get that through to you!". Binx was about to reply, when suddenly Vixey noticed Chipi as well.
"Oh my!" she exclaimed, stepping back slightly. The mother fox then frowned as she stepped forward and got between Chipi and the other young animals. "Now, now see here, you!" she said, shooing the puppy with her paw slightly as she hunkered down more in front of the others, "you just get on out of here and leave them alone!".
Chipi backed up, "Wha--huh?" she asked, completely confused. "Mom!" Binx exclaimed, coming out from behind where Vixey was shielding him and his other two friends, "Stop it! What are you doing?" he asked. "Now Binx" Vixey said, "You just get back there, I've got this".
Binx shook his head, "Got what!" he asked. Just then though, footsteps could be heard approaching. The children all turned in the direction the sound was coming from and Tod and Vixey looked startled. Tod rushed forward and got in front of where Vixey was shielding the children as two men stepped out into the clearing.
"Why Joe, look what we got here!" one of the men exclaimed as he walked out into the clearing. His friend followed behind him, "Well I'll be!" he said. The animals all just stared up at the two men who were dressed in green uniforms, the one called Joe held a net. The first of these men continued shaking his head as he knelt down and reached out a hand.
Tod instinctively began snarling, trying to ward the two men away as Vixey huddled closer to the children she had behind her. But the man's reach went past them and he gently reached out and grabbed Chipi by the collar, standing up with the spaniel puppy in his grasp. Binx leapt out and tried to make his way over to the men, but Vixey didn't let him get very far from behind her.
Chipi wiggled and kicked to get down. "Easy girl, easy" the man said, bringing her closer so he could cradle her comfortably yet still holding her collar. He released his grip on the collar just enough to pet the puppy. "Well now, little one, where's your owner?" the man asked with extreme interest as he and his friend glanced around briefly. "That is the question" Joe mumbled to himself.
Joe then glanced down at the collar Chipi wore, "Well now lets see" he said. As his friend held Chipi still, Joe bent down and examined the tag. "Ah" he said, "Yeah, I know this name, this puppy here belongs to that kid, Andy, that arrived a while back. Amos Slade's been teaching him hunting tricks I believe".
The other man nodded, "Yeah, I'm aware of Mr. Slade" he said, "Our scout dogs caught his scent lingering around the preserve a while back. The scent was cold and I didn't catch him red handed at anything, but still--". Joe shook his head, "Well then, looks like we best pay Andy a visit, making sure Mr. Slade's there, and have a little talk about illegal hunting".