AUTHOR'S NOTE: No, "Kovu's Path" is not cancelled (not that anyone cares but little termite Arika) - I just thought it'd be fun to try writing for some other stuff I'm into for a change. Funnily enough, I grew up obsessively rewatching "Fox and the Hound" and didn't see Lion King until I was older, so that might be reflected in my writing here lol. (and yeah, this is a bit of a shameless self insert.)
One warm, cloudy day somewhere in the mountainous, forested region of the Pacific Northwest, a few small houses were nestled in the shade of the pine trees just outside of a rural village. In one lived a small family - mother, father and three small children, with one on the way. In another lived a kind, widowed older lady named Millicent, who just so happened to have recently rescued an orphaned baby fox. Millicent was friendly with the small family, and their oldest daughter, Elizabeth, often would come over to visit her cow and horse - and, of course, the baby fox, who had been given the name "Tod". On this particular morning, Elle was laying peacefully in the grass just outside of Millicent's house, gently petting Tod as he cuddled up to her for warmth. Their friends - a motherly owl, a crazy woodpecker, and a scheming chickadee - were keeping an eye on the two of them closely from up in a treebranch. But just then, the five of them heard a loud BANG! that made them all sit up straight and look abruptly over at the third of the small houses in the near distance as a familiar, infamous pickup truck made its way slowly up the gravel road.
"Wh-what was that?!" Tod stammered, curling closer to Elle for protection.
"Just Mr. Slade's truck - I think he's back from hunting," Elle soothed her friend, stroking him. "Don't worry about him. He's grumpy, and he has a big, scary dog who looks like a wolf, but they're actually pretty nice once you get to know them."
Tod glanced up at the girl, then out across the road towards the hunter's house, not looking convinced in the slightest.
"Is that true, Big Mama?" Todd asked, looking up at the owl perched in the tree above them with his head cocked.
"Well, sugar, I..." the owl looked from the girl to the little fox at her side uncertainly, folding her wings over each other repetitively. "For our human friend, maybe - but you're so little, I'd stay as far away from that hunter's nasty old dog as you can."
Tod shivered, sticking close to Elle's side. "I-I sure will..."
-
Meanwhile, in the hunter's backyard, Chief the wolfhound was napping in the shade of an old barrel that served as his doghouse. He twitched and gnashed his teeth in his dreams, as though chomping at the bit to get at a rabbit. Suddenly, he heard the same loud engine BANG that the birds, fox and girl had heard moments before, perking up an ear to see his master's truck coming up the hill and parking in the driveway.
Chief sighed, giving his elderly limbs a quick stretch. He was getting on in years at the ripe age of 9, but it hadn't yet stopped him from being the best hunting dog in the region, possibly in the world - the thought of which made him arrogant, aggressive, and dangerous to any prey animal that dared to cross his line of sight.
He yawned lazily as the hunter approached, looking more cheerful than he usually did and carrying a bag in one hand.
"I've got a surprise for you, Chief old boy!" Amos Slade greeted his dog, holding up the bag for him to sniff.
The old dog's eyes lit up, and he leapt to his paws, barking excitedly and trying to get at the sack. A treat? For me? Shucks, Master, you shouldnt've!
"Easy now, boy," Slade chuckled, opening the sack and pulling out...another dog.
A bloodhound puppy, to be exact - squishy, wriggly little thing that kept letting out excited yips and barks.
Chief's eyes boggled, his jaw dropping. What in the blazes-?! What the heck's this thing for?!
"He might not look like much," the hunter remarked, holding the puppy up and letting him lick his face, "but he'll grow."
Chief rolled his eyes, irritated at having to face the prospect of a new puppy running around let alone realizing he wasn't getting a treat. He let out a low growl as Slade dangled the puppy close to his muzzle.
"He's gonna need trainin' up," the hunter declared. "He's your responsibility now, Chief."
The puppy gave Chief a big, sloppy lick, making the old dog bare his teeth and jerk back. He grumbled to himself, stalking back into his barrel. That little runt can't bother me in my dreams, he thought to himself, closing his eyes.
The hunter set the puppy down close to Chief's barrel and walked away. The little one looked around for a bit, then crawled into Chief's barrel, curious about this big, angry furball his new human had left him with.
The old wolfhound gasped as he felt something warm and furry wriggle up to him, backing out of his den and gaping down with surprise as the puppy crawled out after him, getting down and wagging his tail like he wanted to play.
Nothin' doin', kiddo. Chief shook his head irritably and padding back into the den to lay back down, pushing the little furball away.
The bloodhound pup landed in a squishy heap on the grassy ground, then got up, unperturbed, and crawled back over to Chief to snuggle between his paws.
The old wolfhound stared blankly, not knowing what to think as the runt yawned and lay down to take a nap right between the paws of the larger, more dangerous dog. Chief finally let up, rolling his eyes and resting his head beside the puppy, too exhausted to argue.
A smirk crossed his muzzle in spite of himself as he watched his new little brother fall asleep, finally closing his eyes and resting with him.
Maybe having an apprentice to boss around wouldn't be half bad.