Chapter 10: Bunny's Past

When I woke the following morning, the first thing I did was turn to look at Jack who was already awake. He didn't make eye-contact with me. He kept his distance from me that day. I looked towards North. He was eyeing us both. He seemed to have suspicions about us both. I got to my feet, pulled on my cloak and decided to go for a walk.

I walked through the warren. What was I supposed to do about Jack? It seemed he was feeling immense embarrassment over what he had done. Not that I felt anything against him, but since last night my innards seemed to have been thrown into turmoil. I didn't know what to do. Should I do anything?

I was rudely roused from my thoughts because of a rock. 'Ouch!' I yelled grabbing my foot. After using some of my choicest (and I should add most violent) cusses, I turned to look at the offending stone. It was quite a jagged outcrop poking through the ground. I looked up and saw a carving.

It was the Brotherhood of the Pooka's.

I felt a massive pang of guilt in the depths of my stomach. I saw families of bunnies living in harmony together, but this was a civilisation long since lost. I couldn't stand it any longer. I was going to have to tell the Guardians.

Bunny was fiddling with some of his painted eggs when I found him. He was messing with some new patterns. I walked up to him. 'Bunny?' I said. He looked up. 'What?' he asked a little sharply, he was obviously still a little prejudice against me. 'I think we need to tell the others,' I said. Bunny's expression turned from stern to apprehensive. Tears slowly began to fill them. I knew why. He closed his eyes, opened them again... and nodded.

The Guardians were sitting around last night's campsite cleaning up. I cleared my throat and they all looked up except for Jack. 'It's time we told you about what happened between me and Bunnymund.' Even Jack turned to face me at this.

I sat down in front of the Guardians and Bunny sat down next to me and, together, we began to tell the story.

It was another perfect day in paradise. E. Aster Bunnymund was sitting by the lake, gazing up at the sun. He loved this kind of weather. Not that it ever wasn't this kind of weather in the heart of all Pooka civilisation. It was a shining hub of wonder and beauty. The Pooka's were masters of time and a wise and powerful race.

Bunny smiled contently. He had a good reason to love his existence. He had a good job, a loving wife and three wonderful children. Not to mention a very beautiful egg collection in the cellar.

He lay back in the sunlight and fell asleep.

When he woke, he received the shock of his life. All the world around him was in flames.

He leapt to his feet and sprinted off, past Pooka's that were trying to run in the opposite direction, but were quickly being overcome by the heat and smoke. Bunny refused to stop though. His wife and children were in the family home.

He heard a cackling. Pitch the Nightmare King was riding high above them on his Nightmare-Galleon. Fire leapt from its cannons, roasting everything below.

He reached the village and stopped dead. His home was in flames. Without giving a second's thought for his own safety, he burst into the house.

The heat was overpowering but Bunny couldn't let himself be stopped. If he didn't do this his family might die unless of course they were already... NO. He refused to accept that option. He charged through the house calling for his family. Every breath he took was suffocating as he drew in smoke.

He collapsed to his knees but still tried to force himself to go further. He couldn't stop. He pulled himself up, but the energy it took was exhausting. He further he tried to walk, the heavier his limbs became. He couldn't walk freely anymore, he had to pull himself along the wall.

Suddenly one of the walls gave way and he collapsed to the ground. He tried to pull himself across the burning floor, but this last ditch attempt was so draining that he just flopped down.

Then he heard a sound that made his heart stop dead. A scream rent the air. His wife! She and the children were still inside.

His energy refilled and he pulled himself up. His head pierced a cloud of smoke at the same time he took another breath. He fell back down but his determination to save his family was too great to stop him. He pulled himself forward.

The floorboard gave way and he fell into the cellar.

Hours and hours later Bunny awoke surprised that he had. He got to his feet, surprised at how light his limbs felt. He ran to the stairs that led up from the basement. He reached the hall. The floor and walls were blackened and burned. There was still heat radiating off them. He turned into the living room... and collapsed to his knees.

In the corner of the room, a large, charred bundle lay. It seemed to be clutching something. He recognised the outline. It was... it was. And if that was her, then in her arms would be...

'NOOOOO!' Bunny screamed falling to his knees sobbing in hysterics. He had never felt pain like this in his entire existence. 'NOOOOOO!' he sobbed again. He had failed. His entire family... was dead.

A creaking made him look up. A tall cloaked figure carrying a scythe was walking towards the remains of his family. 'STAY AWAY FROM THEM!' he roared, tears still pouring down his fur. The figure turned to face him. 'I'm sorry,' it said not sounding sorry at all 'but I do have to complete the job.' 'I don't care!' Bunny yelled 'You just stay... wait... complete the job?' Bunny (hating himself for leaving his family behind) sprinted out of the house.

The village was gone. His was the only house left standing. Piles of debris and ash were the only signs that a village had stood in that location. Dotted around the village... were corpses. Bunny fell to his knees again. Some were little more than piles of ash. Others were more complete. Bunny walked past them and stared across the world of the Pookan Brotherhood.

All life had been destroyed. There was nothing left.

'How can I have survived?' Bunny said out loud. 'You seemed to have been lucky in your choice of obsession,' came a voice. Bunny turned. The cloaked figure was standing behind him. 'And what does that mean?' Bunny said threateningly. 'Eggshells aren't particularly flameable and smoke rises upwards. Good thing you put all those eggs in the cellar .'

Bunny turned away as the figure continued to speak, 'The Pooka species is now extinct. You are the only one left.' Bunny stood there. His mind was blank. He had survived this terrible ordeal because of a fluke? He whipped around hoping to kill the figure that had brought him this horrible news. But he had gone.

Bunny fell back to his knees and began to weep.

The Guardians sat around them as the tale drew to its conclusion. Tooth's eyes were filled with tears. Sandy looked as though he had never known anything so terrible. North felt sorry for the Pooka for saying that Christmas was more important than Easter. Even Jack, whom had disagreed with the Rabbit on many occasions, felt sorrier than he had ever been for the spirit of Hope.

'Well' I said 'There you have it. Bunny buried his fellow Pooka's and became the spirit of Easter, bringing hope to those who need it most.' Bunny looked down. His eyes were closed. A tear was running down his cheek. He got up and walked away. Though his face was hidden, we could hear his sniffling. North and Sandy got to their feet and went over to comfort him. Tooth was too distressed to do anything, she just sat there crying into her hands.

Jack stood and walked away. I followed him. 'Jack,' I said. A tear slid down Jack's cheek. 'If I had known...' he said. 'I know,' I said. He turned to me. I smiled and hugged him. Jack momentarily looked stunned and then embraced me back. We looked at each other and kissed.

Everything was alright.