The Fox and the Hound

The Lazy Day

It was a wonderful springtime morning. A layer of fog had covered the forest overnight, but with the sun steadily rising, its orange light pushed through the mist and sent it away. The cool air slowly began to warm up and the birds awoke from their nests and began singing a morning tune. It was a day like any other, and that meant that a certain fox and hound would meet up and use this wonderful day to play away without a care in the world. That's what it seemed…

Having met up as usual, Tod and Copper strolled through the woods together, pondering about what fun activity they would partake it. But the trouble was, neither of them could think of anything, be it a new game idea or one they'd played before. After strolling for what seemed like ages for them, Tod and Copper stopped at a large open patch full of fallen leaves. "I just can't think of what game to play" said Tod, scratching his head in thought; he was usually able to come up with a fun activity that brought joy to he and Copper's day. "Neither can I" said Copper "I feel like we might've finally ran out of ideas". The pair thought and thought, but no ideas popped into their heads. "I don't really wanna play a game we've done many times before" Copper said, "Me neither" agreed Tod. The two eventually gave up and they both let out a sigh; it seemed as though their days of fun were coming to an end…

Just then, a light breeze of wind brushed passed Tod, he felt his fur blow against it. He looked up at the towering trees that were blocking out some of the natural sunlight, but the leaves were still nicely spread to make the forest bright enough. Then he moved his paws around in the patch of fallen leaves; they felt very soft and comfortable. These natural sensations of the forest were finally able to give Tod an idea. "Hey, I know!" Tod said, his face lighting up as though the idea light bulb had brightened it. "Yeah?" Copper asked, eager to know what Tod had in mind, "Maybe we don't have to play a game today, Copper" said Tod enthusiastically, "We can still enjoy each other's company without the energy. So how about this? Why don't we have a lazy day?" Copper was surprised, he never expected Tod to come up with an activity that wasn't full of beans. "A lazy day?" Copper questioned in curiosity and slight eagerness "A lazy day!" Tod reiterated "Where we just lay down, gaze up at the trees and do absolutely nothing all day long!" Copper liked the sound of this idea; he thought it would be nice to just relax with his best friend while taking in the peaceful atmosphere and talking about all sorts of things. Copper looked at Tod, who tilted his head and raised his eyebrows, hoping that Copper would agree and go with his idea. Copper pretended to think but quickly gave his answer straight away, "Hmm…Ok Tod!" said Copper "Let's do it, let's have the best lazy day ever!" Tod laughed in amusement at his best friend's reply "That's that then!" he said, "A lazy day it is!" Copper smiled, he could tell Tod was looking forward to the day, and he was too, who knew what they would get up to, even if they weren't actually doing anything at all! "So, how do we start our lazy day?" Copper asked, a little tongue-in-cheek remark to get a rise of Tod. Tod giggled, knowing that Copper was eager to begin, "Well, to start our lazy day" Tod said "We just find a comfy spot" and he gestured to the leaves on the ground in the spot where they were standing. "Sit down" Tod said as he did so "Then we just flop backwards and relax!" and Tod fell onto his back in the leaves. "Then what?" Copper asked, still playfully joking around with Tod "That's it!" replied Tod "That's how we start our lazy day! You wanna join in on the fun?" Copper walked over to where Tod was laying, he sat down and flopped onto his back next to Tod; it was time to start the lazy day!

Tod and Copper felt the soft leaves gently pressing into their backs as they gazed up at the wonderful green trees beaming in the rays of yellow sunlight and a cool wind breezed over them. The pair valued their connection, and they realised how great it was to just enjoy each other's company; they both held their paws together, taking in the calming relaxation of their lazy day that they were sharing together. "We sure are lazy!" Copper said, poking fun at he and Tod's laidback attitudes "Yep!" agreed Tod "We're as lazy as you can get!" They carried on their friendly banter by still teasing themselves about their laziness "I guess we should probably do something!" Copper said "We should" began Tod "But I'm just too lazy!" The two giggled together and kept on gazing up at the trees while keeping their paws firmly held together. After a brief silence, Copper decided to keep the joke going about he and Tod being too lazy to do anything. "Hey Tod, we could try stepping on the stones across the river" suggested Copper but Tod shook his head in response "Uh-uh!" said Tod "Too lazy!" Copper smiled, knowing that Tod was still in on the jokes and enjoying it. "How about we go running through the logs?" asked Copper, offering another suggestion but Tod merely shook his head again "Nuh-uh!" said Tod "Too lazy!" he reiterated. Copper decided to ask one more suggestion; surely Tod would be up for this one! "What about a slide down through the daisy hill?" asked Copper. This time Tod did not shake his head or give a reply; instead he just looked over to Copper with a blank look on his face. Copper could tell Tod was wanting him to be the one to instigate the joke. "Too lazy?" asked Copper with a smirk "Too lazy!" Tod said and the two shared another giggle. They weren't doing anything at all; but they were still having so much fun!

Tod and Copper laid in silence again, taking in the wonderful atmosphere of the day; they were loving the feeling of just being around each other without needing to be active and energetic. Tod decided to start the next topic of conversation "Hey Copper, how big do you think you'll get when you grow up?" asked Tod "I'm not sure" replied Copper "Why? What do you think?" Tod smiled and turned to Copper "Well, I think you're gonna be big!" he said "And strong! And handsome!" he added. Copper blushed at Tod's comments; feeling rather flattered "Really?" asked Copper "Sure!" replied Tod "You'll be a big guy, I reckon!" Copper felt very proud; Tod had really been so kind with his comments. "Thanks, Tod!" said Copper "I'm sure you'll grow big and strong too!" Tod laughed, "Ha ha, I don't think so!" he said in amusement "Sure I'll grow, but I won't be anywhere near as big you!" Copper smiled at Tod's great sense of humour "Well how big will you be?" Copper asked "Me? "I'll be tiny compared to you! Tod laughed "Trust me, Copper, you're gonna be much, much bigger than me!" Copper giggled, still loving Tod's fantastic ability to joke about himself "Well, you might end up being smaller than me, but you'll still have that big confidence!" said Copper, "Small and charismatic!" Tod playfully boasted and the pair shared another laugh together.

The cool wind breezed through the trees and Tod and Copper snuggled in the soft leaves, still holding their paws together. "I like your sense of humour, Tod" began Copper "You have some really funny jokes! I wish I could be as funny as you". Tod smiled, "Of course you can be funny as me, Copper!" he said brightly "Ya just gotta find your own style!" Copper was curious at Tod's comments, so he turned his head and looked at his friend "Oh yeah?" asked Copper "Yeah!" replied Tod "If you can find your own way of telling jokes, you could be so funny!" "Hmm I'm not sure what my style could be" Copper said "Well" began Tod "I'm over-the-top with my jokes. You could say I'm a bit ham-and-cheese!" Copper giggled, finding humour in Tod's comparisons; "Oh, you're definitely ham-and-cheese!" he agreed, "You're the master of goofy comedy!" Tod blushed a little; also feeling flattered by his best friend's compliments "So, Copper" said Tod "I think you could be funny if you were the complete opposite! If you told the cheesiest and silliest jokes in the most deadpan way possible! You say the jokes in a boring tone and don't smile, you'll have me in stitches!" These comments made Copper beam bright "You really think so?" he asked "Sure!" replied Tod confidently "Just don't think too much. Let the jokes come naturally!" "I'll keep that in mind, Tod!" said Copper "You'll probably nail it first time, you won't even think about it. From then on, you'll be the master of deadpan jokes!" replied Tod. The two smiled at each other again.

Tod and Copper kept on lazing the day away, they hadn't moved an inch from when they first laid down, yet they were having a blast! After a period of peace, Tod suddenly began giggling to himself; this piqued Copper's interest. "What's so funny?" asked Copper "Oh I'm just thinking about the time when you fell into that patch of daffodils and ended up with a mouthful of them!" laughed Tod, teasing Copper about an embarrassing mishap he'd had. "Well, I didn't think that was very funny!" retorted Copper "But what I did find funny was when you tripped over after bragging about me being the one who was gonna trip over!" he added, throwing some teasing of his own right back at Tod. The pair loved teasing each other about their embarrassing moments, especially since one had had just as many as the other, meaning neither would ever get one over! Tod and Copper giggled again, finding humour in both of their mishaps as they continued to hold their paws together.

Copper wanted to keep the friendly teasing going, so he decided to throw in a cheeky comment to get under Tod's fur a little. "Hey Tod, why is your tail so bushy?" giggled Copper. Tod gave a confused look, wondering where Copper's comment had come from but knowing that he was just trying to wind him up a little in a way that friends do. "It's just part of my natural foxy charm!" said Tod, countering Copper's teasing by feeling proud and embracing his tail; he knew Copper was just playing of course! "You love to brag, don't ya?" said Copper "Is that part of your foxy charm too? I think your tail gets bigger and bushier every time you boast!" Copper was always able to stand his ground against Tod's playfully cockiness; he would never let Tod get the advantage over himself! "Hey, when you're as smart as me, you have a right to show off a little!" replied Tod "And anyway, how come your ears are so long, Copper?" Tod wanted to pay Copper back with a comment similar to his that started this teasing battle! "Hey, these ears can listen up to a mile away!" retorted Copper "I can hear you giggling away when you're hiding in our hide and seek games, that's why I always find ya! It's not just my nose!" Tod giggled at the comments; he loved that Copper always had a counter for anything he said, ensuring the pair were constantly on level playing fields and keeping each other in their places!

Another bout of relaxing silence came, but it was suddenly interrupted by a rumbling sound, it was Copper's tummy growling rather loud! Tod burst into laughter at the sound "Is that your tummy rumbling?" he asked rather amused. Copper put his free paw on his belly as he looked up in embarrassment, but he replied in a rather accepting tone "Yep!" Copper said, not trying to hide his grumbles "I'm a little hungry!" Tod giggled again, amused at Copper accepting the moment "Remember the first time your tummy growled in front of me? Your cheeks went as pink as a rose!" he said. Copper rolled his eyes in agreement and giggled, he was definitely embarrassed about his rumbling tummy beforehand, but now he'd learned to embrace the silly moment. "Good to see you taking these moments in good spirits" said Tod.

Then there was another rumbling sound, a much louder and deeper one. Tod thought it was Copper's tummy again "Gosh I didn't think you were THAT hungry, Copper!" teased Tod "That wasn't me!" replied Copper "Look!" He pointed up to the sky, which was now turning a very dark grey colour, then raindrops began lightly falling, a thunderstorm was on its way! "Oh no, it's a storm!" cried Tod "Come on, we better get out of here and head off home!" "Yeah! Let's go!" replied Copper and the two friends sprung up from their laying down positions; their lazy day was about to end! Tod and Copper left the lazy spot behind and raced through the forest, trying to get to the shelter of their homes before the downpour came. The sky got even darker, the raindrops got heavier and the thunder began booming louder, but Tod and Copper kept on sprinting as fast as they could; they didn't want to be stuck in the forest in the darkness of the storm! The pair ran and ran until they finally reached the fence where their houses were separated. The thunder roared louder, the heavy rain was about to come! "Well, looks like our lazy day ended earlier than we planned!" said Tod "Yeah, but it was fun while it lasted. I had a really fun time!" replied Copper. "Wanna do it again sometime?" asked Tod, hoping Copper would feel the same way "Definitely!" smiled Copper "We can enjoy each other's company without the energetic games!" The downpour finally arrived, the rain suddenly pelted down, Tod and Copper knew they had to go now. The pair shared one quick hug and smile; they wouldn't miss that out no matter what! "So, I'll see you tomorrow" Tod said as he began to sprint home "Yeah you will" Copper called back, sprinting home himself "Get home safe and dry!" he added "You too!" Tod shouted back. Tod and Copper managed to get back in, they were a little bit wet, but they'd dry off soon enough and had avoided getting soaked! Their lazy day may have been cut short by the storm, but they had had a lot of fun, because Tod and Copper were best friends and could have a good time while being the laziest they could be!

The End