The Fox and the Hound: Offspring - Ch 2

Now, we see that Tod and Vixey officially had their kits. Tod and Vixey made wonderful parents just as she wanted. Moving right along, let’s see what they’re up to next.

Every day, Vixey’s kits grew up big and strong, and thanks to her milk she provided. As they grew older, Tod and Vixey had Chief watch them one day and the next day, the fox couple had Copper– “Uncle Copper” to watch the kits.

In the midst of Chief babysitting them, he told them a story of how he met Copper, his encounter with Tod, his hunt with Copper and Amos, his next chase with their father, him being injured by a train, and having a broken leg. The cubs were listening, although they were disturbed, but Chief assured them that things turned out better just to improve their moods.

“Well said, Chief,” one kit commented.

In Copper’s time of babysitting Tod’s and Vixey’s cubs, he clarified the time he became friends with their father, although Copper’s owner, Amos Slade was disgusted and tied him up, and there became a time when he had to track down Tod as soon as Copper became a hunting dog. Again, the children were shocked, but Copper managed to soften the blow by convincing them that he became friends with Tod again after the fox risked his life to save his one true friend, Copper rescued Tod from a gunshot, and Amos Slade changing his mind to shoot Copper’s only friend.

“That was a great story, Uncle Copper,” one kit piped up.

“Yeah, and that was nice of you to save our dad from getting shot,” declared another.

“Uncle Copper, is it true that you were close friends with our father?” one kit named Precious asked.

Copper nodded. “Yes and I did everything I could to keep it that way, though we became enemies at one point. We’re friends now and nothing has changed since then, not even when you came along, which is a true blessing.”

“Thanks,” returned Precious, who asked him a question. She out of all the kits liked Copper.

“Anytime, Precious,” Copper said, winking at her.

“Children, we’re home!” Vixey called.

“Thanks for watching the kits, Copper,” Tod told him.

“Yepe, you’re very welcome, Tod,” Copper replied.

“Children, look what we’ve brought for you!” Vixey exclaimed excitedly.

“DINNER!” shouted the eager kits.

“Well, I’m gonna go,” Copper sighed.

“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Tod reminded him as Copper departed.

“Thanks, and I’ll see you then,” Copper said.

“See you tomorrow, Uncle Copper!” yelped the kits.

...

The next day when Copper came by to babysit, they were thrilled. Tod and Vixey also invited Dinky and Boomer to babysit their kits.

“Now, you be good to Dinky and Boomer,” Tod warned, “After all, we invited them.”

“We will!” his children promised.

“And you boys treat our kids nicely,” Vixey warned the birds.

“And Big Mama might come over to watch you, kids,” Tod finished his word.

“We’re going out for a walk,” Vixey announced.

“Mom, why can’t we go?” one of them asked.

“Oh, you will when you’re older,” Vixey assured.

“Unless it’s an emergency,” Tod added.

“Yeah, like going to the bathroom,” one kit named Rascal complained sarcastically.

“No, Rascal, I mean if something were to happen to me or your mother,” Tod corrected, “Uncle Copper may take you out for a walk.”

Vixey laughed. “He takes after you, Tod.”

“Oh, I misunderstood,” the kit who spoke to his father returned.

“Tod, ready to go?” Vixey, who waited outside, asked sweetly.

Tod turned to her and said, “Yeah, I’ll be right there.” To his cubs, he added, “You take care now. See ya when we get back.” Then, he left to follow Vixey.

As soon as the fox couple left, Dinky and Boomer landed in front of the offspring.

“Hi ya, kids,” Dinky greeted.

“How’re ya doing?” Boomer asked them.

“Great, Dinky and Boomer!” they answered simultaneously.

“Good,” Dinky said.

“How are you?” one kit inquired.

“We’re doing good, too,” Boomer answered, “We just had breakfast.”

“What did you have for breakfast?” asked one of the kits.

“Worms,” Dinky and Boomer answered.

“EW!” they gagged.

“Disgusting,” Copper gagged, “But that’s what birds eat.”

“Can you tell us a story?” one kit asked.

“PLEASE?” the rest asked in unison.

“Yeah, sure, why not?” Dinky replied.

“YAY!” they cheered.

The two birds took turns telling the story. Boomer told them about how they first met their father by the fence where his mother dropped him off. Dinky accentuated their encounter with Squeaks, the caterpillar, thinking he was a worm that needed to be eaten. Boomer went into detail regarding his argument with his best friend, Dinky, after Dinky accused him of losing Squeaks as their breakfast. “I really didn’t cause us our breakfast,” Boomer pointed out.

“Oh sure,” Dinky said, sarcastically.

“But let’s not argue in front of the kids, alright?” Boomer scolded.

Dinky let out an angry sigh, “Fine.”

“Anyway, we taught your father the basics about how to be careful and avoid trouble with the hunter and his dog, Chief and Copper would someday be a killer,” Boomer stated, “We proved it to him by showing him skins.”

“Not anymore,” Copper reminded him, not wanting to upset the kits just like the day before.

“We’re not finished yet, though,” Dinky informed, waving a wing to show emphasis, “Before we headed south for the winter, we had to try to catch Squeaks yet again, but he went inside Mrs. Tweed’s house to make himself comfortable and boy were we jealous!”

“We nearly froze our beaks off!” Boomer explained.

“But I told Boomer that sitting there talking and shivering wouldn’t do us any good. So, I promised that we’ll get Squeaks in the springtime. On our way, we said goodbye to Big Mama and she wished us luck as we flew away.”

In the middle of the story, they cut to the chase when by the time they reoccurred, Tod was all full-grown and endeavored on their pursuit on Squeaks, but this time, above the pipes and onto the powerlines. The birds had failed again.

“That night, we overheard the hunter yell at Mrs. Tweed, accusing your father of causing Chief to almost die,” Dinky went on.

“Now, we’ll come to the point when your father met your mother,” Boomer put in, “He tried to impress her by trying to catch a fish.”

“But that didn’t go well,” Dinky said, “And we couldn’t help but laugh until he got mad and called her a name.”

Suddenly, a huge owl swooped down in between the birds. “Hello, boys.”

“Hello, Big Mama,” they said nervously as if they were scolded.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” she told them, then to the kits, she said, “Your father called your mother a ‘silly, empty-headed female’.”

They gasped.

“But don’t tell your mother and father that. Now, he tried to impress her again, but this time, by giving her a flower; however, it made them sneeze. That didn’t matter as long as they had each other and gave each other the love they deserved.”

“How romantic!” a female fox kit mused, thoughtfully.

“You’re absolutely right, child,” Big Mama told her, drawing a finger under the fox’s chin, “It is romantic.”

“We were just too interested in those foxes being together,” said Boomer with a laugh.

“We couldn’t control the feeling,” Dinky added, “But Big Mama shooed us away just so your parents can have some alone time.”

“They needed privacy,” Big Mama agreed.

“The next day, we discovered that Squeaks became a butterfly,” Boomer returned.

“All this time, he was a caterpillar,” Dinky said, dejectedly.

“It’s alright, boys,” Big Mama soothed, draping her wings around them, “At least you’ve got worms to fed on. Real worms.”

“Oh, Big Mama,” Dinky blushed.

“It’s true, Dinky,” Boomer declared and giggled.

...

At noon, Vixey said, “Tod, I hope our kids are on their best behavior.”

“Oh, I’ll bet they are, Vixey,” Tod responded, “I’m sure of it.”

Changing direction, they went their separate ways, searching for food for themselves and their kits.

...

The bear rose out to the surface and entered land. On his feet, he scrambled toward his den, vowing revenge on Tod and Copper, the two who had bitten him just to save Amos Slade from becoming bear chow.

Presently, he had a new obsession greater than revenge: Vixey! Once inside, the vengeful bear dug out dirt and spread it on the cave walls to highlight his unhealthy obsession with Vixey. “I shall display my revenge on that despicable hound dog and that treacherous fox for raking into my worthy fur. Oh, does it burn me, but though I am against foxes, the girl fox is just an exception! She’s an angel! I’ll lure her inside my depth myself!” With that being said, he broke into fiendish cackles.

...

“Hey, Boomer, wanna go out and get some worms?” Dinky asked.

“Sure,” Boomer replied and started to follow.

In that moment, they made loud noises, loud enough to scare the worms.

“Oh, you make such wonderful babysitters,” Copper rolled his eyes in annoyance, then called, “Hey, guys, you know you’re gonna scare away the worms and starve to death!”

“SORRY!” Dinky and Boomer apologized, but continued on their way.

The hound watched them go, then focused on the terrorized progenies. “Are you kids okay?”

They nodded.

“That’s good,” Copper said.

...

Tod found some squirrels he and his family can have for dinner. “Vixey, I found dinner!” he called, but to his dismay, Vixey was nowhere in sight. “Vixey!” the fox shouted. Panting from exertion, he muttered to himself, “How can she be gone?” Tod looked for clues. That was when his long-time friend showed up with Tod’s descendants right behind him.
“Tod, what’s wrong?” Copper asked.

“Copper, it’s Vixey! I don’t see her anywhere!” Tod replied, urgently, but managing to catch his breath, “It’s not like her to disappear on a time like this.”

Copper regarded the circumstance very seriously until an idea popped into his head. “I know who will help us.”

“Who?” Tod inquired, inquisitively.

“Dinky and Boomer–that’s who!” Copper confirmed, “Now let’s go, we don’t have time to lose.”

Into the clearing, they went.

To be continued…

AN: Well, the beginning of this chapter was fun to write. In the meantime, I’ll have the next chapter up and ready.

*A song that matches near the end of the chapter is “Hellfire” from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.