"And, and remember how old Mrs. Fillabuster would throw those gooey marshmallow thingies of hers at ya whenever ya got too close to her yard!" Todd said with a laugh. Andy laughed, "Yeah, I would'a almost preferred she throw sticks those things were so hard!". The two teens laughed some more. From where he sat in the middle of this little trip down memory lane between the two boys, Copper turned his attention from one to the other. The hound had been gauging this friend of Andy's and was already fond of this bright, upbeat Game Preserve Employee.
Copper's master, though, had a different view entirely. Over where he leaned against the wall, Amos Slade just stared at the little group, his eyes narrowed in either suspicion or just annoyance. The Widow Tweed smiled amused as she walked over to the old hunter who looked like a displeased two-year old who hadn't gotten his way. "Oh now come on!" the Widow said, "Just 'cause Andy's child-hood best friend that he's known since before the boy started kindergarten is a Game Preserve employee is no reason ta get all huffy, I mean really, what does it matter?".
"What does it matter? What does it matter!" Amos said, clearly upset, "It matter tremendously! My apprentice hunter has allegiances on the other side! He's friends with a game animal lovin' Preserve associate! I mean, sure, maybe that's useful sometimes in getting away with stuff, but it's just sick and wrong; wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!".
The widow sighed as she shook her head, "Amos, You're not even making sense". Amos just remained where he was, leaning against the wall and muttering. "And besides" Widow Tweed continued, "Even you have to admit the boy doesn't seem that bad, why look, even your dog Copper likes him". Amos muttered some more as his eyes narrowed further.
Widow Tweed sighed, Amos Slade hating the game preserve workers was like a force of nature that would never change, just like the game preserve workers always having to be on Amos' case to make sure he stayed within the boundaries of the law when hunting. "Well, come on" the widow said, "Let's get this stuff back so we can get that little fox cub back on his feet".
Amos shook his head, "Most useless mission ever". Widow Tweed turned and aimed a sharp look at the hunter, "Watch it...". As the two adults walked by, Andy turned and smiled at them, "Hey Mr. Amos, have you met Todd, he's my childhood best friend, he...". Amos plowed past him and out the door, hardly stopping, "yes" he muttered.
The Widow Tweed followed quickly on the hunter's tail, "Amos Slade you get back here and introduce yourself proper to Andy's friend!" Andy looked confused, "Mr. Amos? Hmm, what with him?" he asked. Todd sighed, "Mr. Amos Slade huh? Yeah, I've heard a lot about him". Andy smiled, "Oh Mr. Amos' reputation is half talk" he said as he and his friend exited the Game Preserve building with Copper following right behind.
"Mrs. Tweed, hold up!" Todd called and jogged ahead to catch up to the widow. "Since I'm coming along, why don't you let me help you carry some of that stuff" the teen offered. "Oh well, that's might kind of ya" the widow said as Todd took some of the stuff from up top even before the widow had answered to accept his help.
"I'll help too!" Andy called, rushing up and taking some more of the stuff. The Widow Tweed laughed, "Well don't you two just make the perfect little helping team together!" she declared with a smile. Todd and Andy glanced at each other and smiled. "Yeah I guess we do" Todd said. "You may not know this, Mrs. Tweed" Andy said, "but back when we were growing, me and Todd here were and unstoppable duo of helpfulness for the town".
Todd laughed, "Sure were, why when we were in the fourth grade we delivered an ice box up to Mr. Pitch once by pulling it on our bikes. His store was on top of the biggest hill in town". Widow Tweed looked shocked, "Gracious! That sounds awfully dangerous for you boys to have been attempting!". Todd and Andy shrugged, "Yeah".
"Our mothers chewed us out plenty for it when we got home" Todd said, "but it was really something!". Andy smiled and nodded, somewhat sadly, "Yep, our last big adventure". Todd's smile fell at this, and he smiled somewhat sadly himself, "Yep". The Widow looked confused, "Well I don't get it, what do you mean it was your last big adventure?".
Andy sighed, "Well you see Mrs. Tweed, it was just a little bit after that that my poor mother passed away. Poor Pa just couldn't handle the stress of livin' in that town where everyone just kept talking about her anymore, so that winter we moved to a cabin out in the woods nearer where Pa's side of the family lived. Pa was goin' ta teach me to hunt when I was older, but I never learned much, him still bein' so depressed about Ma and all...that's why after he passed away I came ta see if Mr. Amos would teach me, he'd promised Pa once before we left that if I ever needed any huntin' training all Pa had to do was bring me down out of town to his cabin and Mr. Amos would show me everything".
Widow Tweed looked thoughtful, "Oh, well golly, I heard about some nice, kind woman within town whom everyone loved passing away, but I never heard nothin' on her family or nothin'...I'm sorry Andy" she said. The teen smiled and waved his hand dismissively, "Oh that's alright Mrs. Tweed". The widow shook her head again, "Tarnation, but it must a been hard for you two when you found out what each other's job had become!".
Andy and Todd both looked confused, "What'dya mean?" Andy asked. "Well I mean that...well, Todd here you are trying to protect these critters and...ta heard that Andy's job includes killin' critters, I mean I know not the animals in the preserve, but still, well...it must a been hard". Andy and Todd both chuckled a bit.
"Well Mrs. Tweed, I'll tell ya" Todd said, "I weren't exactly none to thrilled ta hear that Andy's father's side of the family had pulled him into accepting the hunting life style, but I'm not all that surprised and after the first initial bad feelin' bout it, I'm now completely fine with it. I mean I know Andy and I know that he aint gonna ruthlessly kill animals for no reason. Plus I know he'll keep any hunting dogs a his outside the Game Preserve fence".
The widow looked seriously thoughtful after this. Andy smirked at the last bit of Todd's sentence, "Boy I hope they don't write down offenses at the Game Preserve Office" he muttered to himself.
As the little group finally reached the Widow Tweed's house, Amos broke off with Copper following and began walking back towards his home to check up on Chief. The boys followed the widow inside with the boxes of stuff for Binx. The widow told Todd to just go on ahead into the room where Binx was with the stuff and she and Andy would be there shortly. "Alrighty" Todd answered and then walked into the room. Andy turned to regard the widow over his small pile, "Yes Mrs. Tweed?" he asked.
The widow sighed, "Andy, your friend really brought into perspective some stuff about this business of your hunting and all". Andy frowned slightly, afraid of where the widow was heading with this. Was she going to be even harsher about his hunting? The widow sighed again, "Andy, I...I still don't understand what you men see in this sport, but...I want you to know that, if you decide to do this...I'll still stand behind you and support you".
Andy just stood there for a moment to let the widow's words register, then a pleasantly surprised smile spread across his face, "Ya...ya mean you don't mind if I hunt!...and if I teach Chipi to be a hunting dog!". The widow smiled, "Not if that's what you want dear" she said. "Oh Mrs. Tweed!" Andy exclaimed, letting go of the boxes he was holding in his attempt to go and hug the old woman.
Todd rushed forward from the room and caught the boxes. "Andy! For goodness sakes watch it, a little foxes health depends upon those boxes" he said, not sounding angry, just jokingly annoyed. Andy smiled, "right, sorry" he said. He then turned back to the widow, "I'll tell Mr. Amos the good news tomorrow" he said giving her a grateful smile, "and thanks".
The widow smiled, "You're welcome honey" she said as they entered the room, "now lets go make sure Tod's little cub is doing alright". Andy's friend, Todd, raised his head up with a confused look on his face, "My what?". Andy laughed, "Not you, Mrs. Tweed named the fox Tod" he explained with a grin as he pointed to the couch which the fox, Tod, was currently hiding under due to the presence of this intruder. The teen glanced under the couch at the fox, "Oh" he said.
The widow chuckled, "Sorry dear, didn't mean to confused you" she said, she then noticed the small little animal foot prints all over her polished wood floor. "What in tarnation!" she said, putting her hands on her hips as she studied the mess. Widow Tweed bent down a bit to glance at Tod, "Did you have friends over?" she asked; and had the old woman not know any better, she could have sworn she saw her fox shake his head and point to the table where his son, Binx and the puppy Chipi were.