The Furry Sneezing Archive
Sneeze Section => Writer's Den => Topic started by: Darkenedstar14 on September 19, 2017, 10:51:02 AM
-
HELLO EVERYBODY, GUESS WHO'S BACK!!!
So... I've had a LOT of personal issues happening to me in the past couple of years. So much that writing took a VERY back seat to literally everything else. The other day I was going through my files and found a bunch of stories I started before things got crazy. Now that things have cooled down, my goal is to finish these stories by the end of the year with this being the 1st of the pile.
This is essentially a fanfic inspired by Disney's 'The Fox and The Hound,' one of my favorite childhood films. This is supposed to act as a "missing scene" during one of the saddest parts in the movie. (Although the whole film is honestly just... really sad anyway.) If you have read my other stories, then you know it will take a bit before getting into the good part. ;) If you have seen this movie, then you may recognize this scene and know we have to get passed some angst first. :(
Any mistakes displayed are my own. Enjoy!
“Tod…Those days are over. I-I’m a hunting dog now.”
Tod withdrew back slightly as the hound turned away from him, eyes wide and mouth hung open. The young fox couldn’t believe his old friend had actually said that! It wasn’t like he didn’t know what Copper was, what he was supposed to be. Still, it was one thing to hear from Big Mama and another to hear it from the dog in question. Slowly his mouth closed and his ears flattened as he bent his head down in sorrow.
It certainly wasn’t easy for the hound either. Copper knew what he said was cruel, but it was also the harsh truth. They weren’t ignorant pups anymore. They couldn’t just ignore their true nature, no matter how much they wanted to. He looked at Tod one last time before sighing as he turned and walked away; he couldn’t bear to look at his… former friend anymore. He didn’t get very far before something bumped against his shoulder and a familiar scent invaded his nose. Opening his eyes revealed the fox had moved closer to him, his dark red paw held up in the air and his expression no better than before.
Tod opened his mouth, then closed it, then repeated those two actions several times. He tried to think of something, anything to make this situation better. Maybe even make Copper take back what he said. Yet deep down he knew it was unlikely. His friend was naturally honest to a fault and would not have said something he didn’t mean. The fox let his eyes wander as he slipped deeper and deeper in thought. Eventually, they wandered to the old house where something seemed just a little off... “Hey, I thought the hun - I mean your master- was usually in bed by now.”
Copper turned his eyes towards the house and saw what caught his… former friend’s attention. There was light pouring out of the window of the small room where the Master made his den. It was not unusual for the Master to wake up every now and then during the night. He was a light sleeper, much like Chief and even himself nowadays. A hunter must always be ready for anything, after all. Usually his master would be up and wander around the house for a few minutes before making his way back to his bed to get more rest. “He was and now he’s out of it.” The hound stressed his words, hoped his… former friend would take the hint and leave while he was still safe.
Judging by the mischievous gleam that developed in Tod’s bright eyes, he probably didn’t get the message. Or he did and just decided to ignore it; which was just as likely. A smile slowly started to grow on the young fox’s face. Copper had the sneaking suspicion whatever was about to happen next was not going to end for either of them. “Hey Copper,” Tod shifted slightly on his paws and his tail switched a bit, trying to curb his growing excitement. “What would say to maybe playing a game…for old time’s sake?”
“I don’t think now is a good time, Tod!” Copper whisper – yelled with narrowed eyes, already worried with his patience now tested by the fox’s wandering mind.
“I know – I know! Just real quick, alright? It won’t take long, I’m sure of it!” The suddenly restless fox began to sway and his tail switched a little faster.
The hound slowly took a deep breath before asking, “What sort of game?” Maybe the sooner he indulged... former friend, the sooner he would leave.
Tod tilted his head as his smile, if possible, grew wider as he explained, “Why our most favorite game of course!”
Copper’s eyes instinctively darted towards the soft bundle of fur that made up the other’s bushy tail. His nose twitched in protest of what was about to happen; it had a good scent of the fox already and didn’t need any part of the pelt touching it. The hound knew exactly what Tod was talking about and now knew for certain this was not going to end well for them. Copper also knew that his companion was not going to be talked out of this. Once Tod got an idea into his head, it was near impossible to redirect him elsewhere. Especially when there was a chance the results could be in his favor.
Tod made no secret of his fascination with the hound’s nose and its capabilities during their youth. Hide and seek, chasing grasshoppers, and identifying different scents were games they frequently played to test him and his abilities. Their most frequent game they engaged in originally began as an accident. One day as he tried to pick up a trail of a bug they were following, Copper sniffed a little too close to the fox’s tail. His nose immediately began to itch as fur twitched against his nostrils. The itch became so great that he couldn’t focus on anything but his twitching nose. Tod noticed the wiggling nose and thinking quickly, swiped his tail all over his companion’s muzzle. The resulting sneeze cleared away the itch and any overwhelming scents that had built up inside. The sense of relief Copper felt must have been obvious because the fox cub had laughed and offered to do it again anytime. ‘Anytime’ came just a little bit later when the pair ran through a small dandelion patch and a few soft seeds burrowed inside Coppers nose. As Tod prepared to torment his nose, the puppy had a strange thought: what if he fought the sneeze for a while? When he felt the first brush of the tail, he did his best to hold back his sneeze. When it finally happened, Tod claimed it took about 30 seconds for him to give in. Copper protested and said it had to have been at least one minute.
After that it became a competition: Tod would tickle Copper’s nose and the latter would resist for as long as he could. If Copper sneezed then the fox won. If Tod got tired and gave up before a sneeze occurred, then the hound won. Well, if you could call having an irritated nose with the constant feeling of prickling all over the place ‘winning’. The puppy quickly figured out that no matter who lost, the fox always won. Not that it ever bothered him much. He rather enjoyed the sweet release of a great sneeze and the wonderful cleansing sensation it brought.
But now was not the time for this… Copper looked at the fox in front of him, hoping he would understand how much of a horrible idea this was. His must have been clear because Tod quickly and somewhat quietly explained, “I just wanted to see if you improved since.... I mean…it’s not like you can sneeze whenever you want to on a hunt. Maybe some of your training has helped you.” The large bushy tail continued to twist and twirl despite Tod’s best efforts to settle down. The young hound was many things, but he was not foolish. He knew what Tod’s actual intentions were and as much as he didn’t want to encourage him, he would never hear the end of it if he refused. He gave another glance towards the old house behind him before facing his former friend with determination.
“Alright I’ll pay this game one last time, but it’s going to be different this time! We’ll do this until my Master turns that light out. If I sneeze before that happens, then you win. If I do-,” A loud snore made both animals jump, and quick glace revealed Copper’s mentor, Chief, to be the source. After checking that the older dog was still sound asleep, Copper turned to the young fox with increased resolve, “If I don’t sneeze, than I win…and you have to promise that you won’t try to see me anymore.” It was even crueler than what he had said before, but if that was what finally got Tod to listen then so be it. Times have changed and even a short visit can will dangerous. The fox stilled for a short second before slowly nodding his head and resuming his excitement-induced trembling. Tod slowly walked closer to the large hound and turned until his tail could easily reach his friend’s face. He waited for Copper to straighten up and hold his head high before he lifted his tail and gently swiped it across the large nostrils.
Copper felt the first shivers travel down his spine as his fri – former friend took his time teasing the responsive rims. It had been a long time since he felt the great release a sneeze could give him. Before his hunting training began, he savored any tickling sensation his nose experienced because he knew what it eventually would lead to. The game preserve where the Master took the hunting dogs last the winter was filled with so many scents it always over whelmed him as a puppy. The first time he went on a hunt, it took all his self control to not wander off in search of something to irritate his nose enough to clear it. Sneezing in the middle of a hunt was forbidden and there was no way he was going to ask Chief for any help. He had no option but to learn to deal with it and press on despite the merciless tingling. And press on he did, until he was able to completely ignore his own desperation and focus on the desired target.
However, that was days ago. Now he was welcoming an assault on his sensitive nose by soft fox fur. Copper tried his hardest not to think too hard about the enticing tingles provided by the long red fuzz while his muzzle scrunched in futile effort to protect the otherwise defenseless nose. A few quick sniffles allowed some of his fri – former friend’s coat to attack the susceptible nerves head-on as loose fur was sucked inside. A small whine escaped from the hound dog’s throat as his front paws pressed deeper into the earth, resisting the urge to lift them up to rub at his nose. Copper attempted to keep his breathing shallow so the fur wouldn’t brush against the inside passages so often. Still the tail, and its owner, were persistent in their goal of teasing the convulsing nostrils and somehow continued rubbing the pulsing walls despite the canine’s efforts. The shuddering, powerful nose became wetter and soon began to drip as the game continued and the tingling slowly progressed to the back of his nose.
Oh how good a sneeze would feel right now… Shaking his head slightly Copper banished that thought as soon as it appeared. His tail began to wag in distress as the rest of his body shuddered. Large nostrils flared wider and wider, inviting more strands of fur to agitated the inflamed nasal nerves. Now was not the time to dwell on that! The hunting dog detected a small, but strong hint of strange spices deep in his tormentor's pelt, most likely from his old woman’s den where she made their food. The scent only served to increase the torturous prickling inside Copper’s nose, causing the prickles to travel deeper into the back as the spices clung to the helpless nerves that the tail couldn't reach itself. A shaky sigh escaped as his scrunched muzzle continued to be caressed from all sides by the red feather-like tail. No matter how amazing the result will be…
“Sssnooorrgggaakkk!”
The young hound almost jumped out of his fur (and lost control before catching himself) when he heard that sound. He glanced at the forgotten elder hunting dog lying nearby. Even asleep, Chief was still on high alert and anything could cause him to wake up. Even a simple sneeze would have him awake and on high alert! Copper knew that if he gave into his desperation, there would be consequences for both of them. He could see through his tear-filled eyes that the older hound had continued on sleeping as if nothing was amiss. However, there was no telling how long he would continue to do so. I can’t sneeze or Chief will wake up! Copper thought as more fox fur brushed against the sensitive walls like a feather’s bristles within his wriggling nose. But I don’t know how much more of this I can take! The young hound felt his eyes flutter as the nerves along the nasal passages were lit ablaze by itchy tickles. He looked towards the house and saw his Master’s movements were slowing down and he seemed to be getting closer and closer to his bed. Copper hoped this madness was coming to an end soon. Tears were starting to travel down his cheeks and darken the dirt below while his breath began to quietly hitch. While the canine fought to control his sudden hitching, Tod slowed the pace of his tail slightly so his could get a better look at his friend’s face.
It had been such a long time since Tod last saw the young hound sneeze; he had almost forgotten how fascinating the sight was. Copper’s jaw was slack and his chest repeatedly swelled and deflated as he grew increasingly breathless. Tears rolled down the hound’s face, some catching onto the fox’s bushy tail as he drew-out the hunting dog’s (enjoyable) misery. The normally large nostrils were now massive and glistening with a hint of running mucus. Tod noticed the toes on the huge paws cling to the grass below and the anxious tail wagged so hard and fast he wondered if it was possible for it to fall off. He could hear the constant sniffling and occasional soft whines as Copper tried his best to keep it together. The fox couldn’t help but feel nostalgic at the beautiful image before him.
As his fri - former friend took a minute to examined him, Copper took another peek back at the house in time to see his Master stretch and yawn before climbing into his bed. Time seemed to stand still as the young dog waited for the light in the room to switch off. Yet the tail never stopped its delicate teasing on the writhing nose and the hound rolled his tearing eyes as the temptation to give in became even more apparent. Just a little longer… A strong flare of blissfully agonizing tickles erupted when both flaring nostrils were suddenly filled deeply with soft fur caressing all sides of the inside nasal passages. Copper’s long whine was almost too silent to be heard, almost. Just a little bit longer…
All too soon but somehow not soon enough, the Master climbed into his bed and the light gave way to darkness within seconds. Upon seeing this, Copper turned his attention to his fri - former friend to alert him of this change. He quickly found that his hitching breaths made the task almost impossible. “Toha-tah-Tod! The-heh-heh wih-sniff -hah- WINDOW!” The fox must have understood because the fluffy tail disappeared after one final slow brush against the quivering nostrils. His body continued to shiver as his nose slowly calmed down, although the tingling didn’t truly leave. Realizing Tod's scent could still tease his senses, Copper turned his head to the side. The ticklish nerves had yet to adjust to the lack of stimuli and he knew from experience that they wouldn’t for a long time. As he gained control of his hitching breaths, he could see the fox’s smile slowly fade away and his ears flatten out of the corner of his eye. It must have hit his fri - former friend just what the young canine's victory means for him. The hound’s heart weighed down on him as he continued to look, but he knew what needed to be done now. Fighting against the remaining prickles he warned, “You - you better get out of here before old Chief wakes up!”
“Ah Chief,” Tod gave a short, soft huff of a laugh before shaking head, ears still flat as he thought about their future. “He doesn’t worry me.”
Nose wriggling, Copper all but begged the fox as he insisted, “Tod, I’m serious! You’re fair game as far as he’s concerned.”
Tod barely opened his mouth to replay when a new sound filled the air: Chief’s loud barking as he tried to lunge at Tod with only the barrel’s rope to hold him back. Both the fox and hound reared back in horror as their worst fear became a reality. The following events seemed like a blur to Copper as the night wore on. Chief’s barking predicatively alerted the master, who rushed out with a shotgun in hand. He released the two dogs from their barrels and they quickly gave chase through the woods. Copper stuck close to his master sniffing out the trail while Chief ran ahead in an attempt to catch up to their target. He didn’t know how much time had passed before he came upon a pile of wood, heavy with Tod’s scent. Seeing a slight hole underneath, he looked through and saw the frightened fox stare back at him. His Master’s voice called his name while he stood there quickly thinking. He knew what would happen if Tod was caught, he saw it near everyday on the preserve after the hunting team caught their prey.
But this wasn’t just a simple prey animal. This was his…friend.
“I’ll – I’ll let you go this one time!”The hound turned around and prepared to run in a different direction. His muzzle scrunched as a small gust of wind teased his nose hairs into tingling again; reminding him of the game they had played only a short time ago. A game where they both lost in the end.
“Wait!” The dog paused and quickly turned back to the wood pile. Before he could reply, a blur of red obscured his vision and he felt the familiar sensation of too much fur deep inside his nose. Having calmed down to simply vibrating, the large muzzle quickly escalated to convulsing as the feather-soft tail furiously tickled his unprepared nasal passages. Copper let his teary eyes roll back as he sniffed deeply to encourage the merciless tease before turning away again.
He didn’t have to wait long for the explosive sneeze he had hoping for.
“Haaah...HAAAAAH…HAAAAARRRRAAAAATCHOOOOO!!!” Copper dropped his head and released a long sigh as his body shuddered from the aftershocks. Just like multiple times before, his nose felt completely clear of all irritants. The leftover tingles quickly faded away from his muzzle. The canine’s whole body from his ears to his tail seemed to relax all at once in an effort to recover from the colossal sneeze. He took a slow breath so that all the forest scents didn’t come rushing in at once and overwhelm his exhausted senses. He turned back towards Tod with a relieved smile to thank him as he had done in the past.
The sound of footsteps brought him back into reality before he got a chance; reminding him of their current situation. Not is not the time for this…and there may never be a time again. As he heard his Master run closer he lifted his head and bayed towards the sky. He then took off to lead the hunter deeper into the forest, away from his old friend. He knew it was stupid, but it was the only thing he could do. He knew there was a chance of him paying for this treachery later, from both Chief and his Master. Yet in that moment he didn’t care as long as Tod had a chance of making out of this alive. He ran ahead as the fox’s scent became weaker, eager for this night to be over soon.
-
Nice story, a bit sad, but the desperation was good.
-
I'll admit it's a bit sad, but I didn't want this moment of indugance to feel too out of place here. I'll just have to make my next story less sad. ;)
Thanks for reading, Chikara!
-
Have always loved your stories, and this is no exception!! It excellently written and I loved every seocnd of reading this!! I look forward very much to reading more of your work! :)