More Like Me II – Our Babies

The story continues

In a few days they all met back at the pole, and Sandy's camera was chalk full of the most precious pictures any of them had ever seen. He was planning an album for them for when they were older and wondered about the stories they were likely to tell. They were, after all, family.

"Bunny! How are the new babies." North smirked, thinking of Jack's response to that were he there.

"Still tiny, still cute, and growing way faster than natural born kits." He offered as he settled down on the floor by the fireplace which North had very intelligently baby-proofed with a heat-resistant metal grate around a buffer zone.

"How much faster?" North asked with much less energy as he sat down beside him. He surprised the rabbit with how gently and easily he sat on the floor beside him. Even as long as he'd known the man he still expected him to be much louder and clumsier than he was. He guessed it was something about the man's appearance, or the way he carried himself so much of the time. In any case there they were, looking down at two little fur-balls with big ears. Basically looking like cotton balls that grew ears and eyes and little noses.

They were sitting upright, like a garden variety bunny, instead of all sprawled out, which added to the fluffy look. North couldn't look more enthralled if he tried. His usually large eyes had somehow grown and he looked like he could squeal.

He wasn't about to admit that he had thought about it.

"They should've been newborns for at least a few weeks." Bunny offered.

"That is already fast!" He looked up, stunned that any species could grow that fast.

"That was the accelerated growth I thought they were gonna have." Bunny clarified. "They're already technically off milk, but that's still better for them until their little teeth come in." He mused.

"So, mostly still on the bottle?" North asked as he reached out to the two, letting them sniff him.

"Mostly, that and lettuce." He nodded, taking in the absolute sweetness that was that moment. Sandy floated back in fresh from a kitchen raid with snacks, coca, a bottle and a plate of lettuce. He waved happily at the pair as he entered.

"Sandy! I see you found breakfast." North chuckled and the gold man nodded, handing Bunny the lettuce and the bottles. By this point the babies were nuzzling North's hand and trying to climb his arm. Or, more accurately Jack was trying to climb his arm. Sky was cuddling his hand.

Sandy chuckled at the sight as he sat down. He flashed Tooth's symbol, she was the only one missing. Bunny shrugged.

"Dunnoe mate, probably caught up in her job, I'm sure she'll be here soon." He offered as he leaned in to scoop up a little white kit to feed him.

"Awww!" There was no question who that was as the sound of wings buzzing quickly approached behind them.

"Hi Tooth." Bunny chuckled. "I stand corrected."

"They got so fluffy!" A clearly excited Tooth squealed. Sky jumped off North's hand, hit the floor running and tried to hide under his leg and Jack went kicking against Bunny's chest and got nowhere. Both little ones had their ears pinned back and the result was devastatingly cute.

"Easy! Little one's ears are still sensitive." Bunny chided softly. "Still jumpy, too. Come on little sheila, it's okay." He knelt down so his chin was almost on the floor. North was smart enough to stay still. They couldn't see her at first, but slowly they watched a little golden-furred nose appear and nuzzle Bunny's in greeting.

Tooth suppressed an 'aww'.

Bunny motioned for Tooth to come closer. She did, slowly, and knelt beside him. He took her hand silently and placed it close to Sky. She let the little girl sniff her and once she had her scent she nuzzled her hand gently, slowly padding out of her hiding spot.

"There ya go, mate. It was just silly Tooth, you're okay." Bunny assured her. Sky's ears relaxed, pricking back up, and Jack peeked out over Bunny's arm. He decided, evidently, that he felt left out so he hopped.

Boing! There goes a tiny white bunny, flopping gracefully through the air! Will he stick the landing?! No! No he will not. The newcomer lands sideways, limbs flailing and letting out a surprised squeak! The judges will deduct points for that. If only they could be inside Sandy's head…

"Come back here ya little nutter. I'm gonna have ta start callin' you kangaroo." Bunny warned. Of course the baby bunny didn't understand, but Sandy had a video for later. He had caught the little guy's preparatory wiggling before the jump and caught it just in time.

By this point North was cuddling Sky, who was having a fun time trying to figure out what this white fur was and how to detangle herself from it.

"Mate careful, we might have to cut your beard if she gets too caught up in there." Bunny warned.

"Eh, needs cutting anyway." North dismissed easily, unconcerned.

"She looks confused." Tooth commented when she finally caught her breath.

"Well even her new natural instincts don't have anything to help her with this. As far as I know this is the first time a Pooka kit has ever seen or been near a beard before. Pookas don't grow 'em, and Pookas are deadly protective of their young." He explained.

"So…are we the first non-Pookas to ever see baby pooka?" North caught on quick.

"Yeah, actually." Bunny hadn't thought of that. It was…awe-inspiring.

Sandy started lighting up the room, pointing to Bunny and his little white-furred charge. They didn't know exactly what he was saying until Bunny offered the little cotton-ball the bottle. Tooth looked like she was gonna pop a blood vessel.

When he was done he put the little boy down in Tooth's hands where she was instantly enthralled by the baby, petting and snuggling and cleaning off his fur for what felt like hours.

Once he was out and Sky had been fed, by North, they had what passed for an impromptu meeting that was really just 'let's play with the babies' and when they called it a night they ended up at the warren. Over the next several weeks they watched the baby bunnies turn into full-blown pookan kits. They were like little furry toddlers.

It was beyond precious to watch them bounce around and snuggle with anyone and everyone that would hold still long enough but it was odd.

'What's with all the cuddliness?' Sandy asked in symbols. Sadly way he was asking was lost on them. If only they could read his mind! He was going to have to up his research on that, he was sure there was a way. It didn't bother him so much that he was mute, just that they missed out on all his sass. Thanks to Jack, he had begun to realize the depth of his thinking that went largely unknown.

"Oh it's just instinct." Bunny chuckled. "Pooka kits have a hard time with light and sound, even smells. It helps them keep their senses in check so they don't get overwhelmed." He explained as Sky hopped up into his lap and settled in, melting under his calming petting. Jack, on the other hand…

"Jack!" North blurted in his worry, causing the little baby bunny's ears to pin themselves back and flatten against his head. Bunny looked up rather calmly for the sound North made and saw the boy halfway up a tree. He sighed heavily and chuckled.

"He's fine, mate. Leave him be." Bunny chastised lightly. North looked at him like he'd just been instructed to step on a puppy.

"He is halfway up tree!" North argued.

"But he can climb, and he has claws. It's normal, just be ready to catch the little ankle biter if he falls." Bunny assured, trying to contain his mirth at the way his friend was reacting. It was so first-time-parent and it was actually…not that he'd admit it…precious. The concept of applying the idea to North was in itself laughable, but he had to admit it was accurate.

North didn't look convinced. Because he wasn't. He was less than convinced. He was more worried.

"Buuuuunnyyyyyy…?" He drew his name out.

"Nooooooorth…?" He mimicked.

"Stop bickering, you two. What are you married?" Tooth teased, channeling Jack a little.

"Oh come on! We did not need that image." Bunny scoffed. North looked even more uncomfortable, which they hadn't thought possible. Sandy was waiting for him to have an aneurism and he was sure he captured the exact second he was about to feint when Jack plopped down in his arms from the treetop.

Luckily he was on it. He scooped the baby up a moment before North hit the deck, the deck being a cloud of his sand. Face-first. Tooth fell out of the air laughing.

"He's too jumpy, and he's human." Tooth was laughing too hard but Sandy got it and rolled his eyes, giving Jack's ears an appreciative pat. He had to have known what he was doing. Jack had always been smart for his age…

"Right? Moon help us if he had been a kit. Come on, cuddly little nutter, naptime." Bunny teased, standing with Sky. She gave him the cutest little pouty look and meowled once in protest, though quietly. "I know, but it's naptime and if you don't sleep you'll be up all night and you won't be able to have sweets with us later." Bunny explained sweetly. Sky huffed and cuddled up to his shoulder in resignation. Bunny chuckled. "You too, nutter!" He called Jack who hopped eagerly after the grown pooka.

"Where do you want us to put North?" Tooth asked for Sandy who was too busy snickering.

"Anywhere really, you've got your sand, he'll be fine." Bunny assured over his shoulder which was currently being scaled by a little golden kit. Sky's little green eyes poked over Bunny's fur and Tooth waved at her.

"Bye bye, naptime!" Tooth teased. Sky meowled again in protest, squeaking when Bunny pulled her back down.

"We discussed this." He teased, giving her a nuggie. After he had put both of them down for a nap he met Tooth and Sandy out in the fields, where the snoring of a still unconscious North was echoing. They sat there for a moment laughing at North in the friendliest way possible until a crazed screaming sound came from his burrow where Sky and Jack had been asleep. They didn't get a chance to move because two little bunnies slammed into them seconds later.

Sky and Jack bowled Bunny over with the force they hit him with. He pulled them close under his chin and started trying to soothe them while Sandy and Tooth stood ready to fight.

"What's wrong, mates? What happened?" He asked as calmly as he could.

"Nightmare." Jack whimpered, Sky nodded.

"Okay mates, it's okay, I'v gotcha. You're okay, you're okay." Sometime during all the chaos North had snapped out of his snoring stupor and jumped into the fray. Between the three of them they kicked out four nightmares and destroyed another three. North came back and took Sky, scooping up the little fur-ball and tucking her into his coat.

When they were separated the babies both squirmed, but North quickly sat back down close enough to Bunny that she and Jack could touch noses. They settled and knocked back out, and the guardians settled around them. This was their job, and these were their babies. Nothing was going to get to them, not while they drew breath.

I'm willing to kick this one off the island and re-start it as it's own story if you'd like, just let me know! Sorry this one's getting drawn out, but I wanted the cute to get its time. ^.^