The Past and The Present

Unlocked Truth

Authors Note:

Hi everyone, sorry to keep you guys waiting for such a long time but mid-year exams are killing me. I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I did writing it. Please read and review.

Widow curiously watched the dogs and Vixey closing on her location as they ran side by side. What a peculiar sight, she thought to herself. Her eyes were swimming at the sight of hunters and the hunted running alongside each other without wanting to slaughter one another. Her gaze then fell upon Tod lying on the ground, whining in pain while an older fox lay beside him, in a soothing position. 

Almost as if Rose could feel the worried look that was set on her, she lifted her head and looked at Widow. She was obviously afraid of leaving Tod there, but with someone there, she changes her attention to the group of three as they reached her. They stared at the old lady as if waiting for a command. Before she could think of something, a defining bang filled the air. Everyone, including the laying foxes, turned to face where it came from.

After a second bang went off, Copper and Chief took off to the sound of the pump action shotgun. Shortly after a third shot was fired, a roar of pain and a heavy thud on the ground encouraged Widow to follow the hunting dogs and Vixey stayed as close to Widow as was physically possible, leaving Tod under Roses care. 

Copper reached the place where they heard the shots originated from with Chief arriving seconds later. A large figure slumped on a chopped tree stump lay motionlessly on its stomach. The two walked over to examine the lump of fur. A pool of blood lay around a body with a familiar scent. Its jagged teeth and scars with missing fur revealed the truth. The bear was the one that Tod saved Copper from.

The sound of a a shotgun being reloaded snapped them out of their investigation and fixed it on Amos Slade erratically reloading his gun while his stare fixed on the bear. Widow Tweed and Vixey rounded the corner and stopped shortly after when the sight of the bear shocked them. 

Widow gasped as she realized what was going on. She was only told about the bear and had never seen it until now. She then looked down at the vixen to see if she recognized it, only to find her walking with the hound dog circling the corpse. Her eyes then spotted movement by a nearby tree and walked over to it, expecting to find Amos in shock.

"Copper, is it the one Big Mama told me about?" Vixey asked as the hound dog stopped walking and turned his head to face the bears. He took a long look at the scars on the bear, allowing a flood of memories to wash over him. 

The way he pursued the fox couple with his mind hell bent on revenge, the way in which he mercilessly chased after his best friend for injuring his guardian and the way his best friend almost sacrificed himself to save the people trying to kill him. Copper took a while before he answered the vixen, "Yea, but by the look of things, he won't be much of a problem." He looked around after realizing Chief had become quiet.

Not thinking much about it, Copper turned around and was about to head off to Tod when he saw something which made his eyes water and his heart fill with pride. There Chief was, walking towards him with Rose next to him and Tod in the middle. The fox might have still been in pain, but only showed it with a slight limp. 

Dry tear lines and mud on his side remained from the fall earlier. The trio walked to where Copper and Vixey where standing. The vixen had not noticed them but Copper did. He was staggered at just how quickly Chief and Rose had let bygones be bygones, but was more surprised at how quick Tod had recovered.

Vixey turned around, now aware that Copper was no longer with her, and saw the group. She rushed towards them towards them with the hound dog following closely. They soon reached the trio and Vixey wasted no time in rubbing her body length along her mate's neck. Tod responded by lightly pressing against her back before slowly sitting down. 

Copper waited patiently for the pair's moment to pass, well aware that they had almost lost each other. Once they had finished, he walked up to his best friend, "Tod, I... I shoulda told yea this a while ago, but I'm sorry." Looking at Vixey as if to repeat his apology, he could tell no words were needed.

Rose stared blankly at Copper, not knowing what he was apologizing for. Although she was not particularly interested in what it was for, she assumed that it was for something major. She snapped to attention before anyone noticed her thoughtful stare. She shook her head as she started to realize that an awkward silence had formed around them.

 "Well," said Tod, "I think it's time we started heading home." His tired gaze shifted between his mother and his mate. They nodded in agreement when they saw the look in his eyes. Tod then shifted his sight to Copper and the wolfhound next to him, "Thank you guys. For helping me and checking up on me, but most importantly, thanks for reuniting me with my mother." 

He then stood up and began to walk home with Rose and Vixey by his side.