Chapter 2: The Farmer
"Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything. In a gun fight... you need to take your time in a hurry" ~Wyatt Earp
The Farm – Outside of Bull Run
RUN!
I won't leave you!
Run, Judy! Get out of here!
NO! Please, NO!
The gunshot noise echoed through her mind and Judy shot her eyes open. She was greeted with a paw on her shoulder, shaking her awake. The bunny groaned, rubbed her eyes and turned her attention towards the one who did the shaking.
Standing next to her was an obese hen, her once luscious brown feathers slowly turning grey with age. But despite the fact that she was getting in her years, her dark brown eyes glowed brightly and displayed wit in the light of the candle, she held in her wing. She clucked nervously and leaned down, "Judy? Are you okay, my dear?"
The bunny nodded and sat up on her bed, scooching until her back was touching the wall. "Just another bad dream."
The hen nodded with understanding. "Well," she spoke softly, "You stay right here. I'll get you a cup of water."
"Thanks, Henny."
As the hen turned around and started to exit the room, darkness crept in, joyfully capturing the spaces where the candle light once occupied. Judy watched as the candlelight disappeared past the door, moved her attention to the left side and shifted her body until her feet was hanging off the bed. She stretched and stood up, body protesting from old injuries, took a couple of steps until she was at the window. With a pull of the curtains, the silver glow of the moonlight shone on her face, making her purple eyes illuminate. The bunny sighed as she reached up and touched her cheek, slightly flinching as she felt a scar inflicted by a bullet wound. That scar was a bad memory for her, and she wished that she would never have to look at it or feel it.
I wish you were here… She thought to herself, I can't afford this farm anymore.
At that thought, the bunny moved her attention from the moonlight down to the fields in front of her. The crops were dying, a sign of a lack of water, harsh desert sands and the scorching sun. When she first moved there with her husband, the dirt was fertile, but now…. It seems the fertility was a thing of the past.
A creaking noise was heard and Judy turned around, expecting to see Henny with the candlelight and a cup of water. Instead, she was greeted with two young bunnies, both males peering around the door frame, dressed in nightgowns.
The oldest bunny, a spitting image of his father cleared his throat nervously and took a step forward, his white fur shining in the candle. "Mom? Are you okay?"
"Morgan. What are you doing out of bed?
"You were talking again." The youngest one spoke, holding his brother's paw.
Judy sighed and kneeled down, spreading her arms apart. Morgan put the candle on the nightstand that was next to Judy's bed and embraced his mother, making room for his brother. After a couple of seconds had passed, Judy looked at the youngest rabbit and spoke, "Samuel, everything is fine. You know how you have dreams in the middle of the night?" After the bunny nodded, Judy continued, "Well, I had a bad one."
"Was it about Virgil?"
At the sound of his name, Judy could feel the tears swelling up in her eyes. It had been two years since Virgil passed away, due to complications during childbirth. Judy had escaped death herself, but it was a miracle she left the birthing process alive. It was thanks to Henny, and Doctor Murphy who lived on a different farm, closer to Bull Run, that helped Judy stay alive. Suppressing her tears, she shook her head.
"Was it…. Dad?"
"Alright, that's enough, you two. You need to go back to bed, before your mama gets upset. Don't forget you have to get up early." Henny spoke up, relieving Judy from having to answer, as she rounded the door and entered the room.
Judy nodded. She kissed both of her sons on the cheek and smacked them lightly on their bottoms and both bunnies looked back, giving her a slight smile. Within couple of seconds, after grabbing their candle from the nightstand, both of her sons left the room. After they disappeared, Judy gratefully looked at the hen. "Thanks for that."
Henny nodded. "You're welcome. Here… some water and some medicine to help you sleep."
Judy smiled and took the medicine. After swallowing it and washing it away with the water, the bunny smacked her lips and looked at the hen. "I don't know what I would do without you."
Henny chuckled. "You'd be lost. You have the farm to look after and your rascals to keep up with."
"But what about you? Why didn't you leave?"
The hen sighed and shrugged. "After your husband rescued me, I felt an obligation to you and your farm. I was going to leave after he passed away because he was a kind, kind man. The memories that we all carry here was going to be hard. But after I saw how hard you took his death, I'd thought I'd stay and help around. You're a good animal, Judy, and I want to see everything you'd work for succeed."
The hen moved closer and placed her wing on Judy's cheek. "You gave me everything. You and your husband. That's a debt I would never be able to repay." The bunny sniffed and wiped a tear that escaped her eye. She nodded and thanked the hen again for everything. Henny placed her candle on the nightstand and turned around. "Now, will that be everything?"
Judy nodded. "That will be everything. Thank you, Henny."
The hen nodded and smiled. "I'd better go and check on your rascals. Make sure they are sleeping. If they aren't, they will get a good whipping by a wooden spoon!"
Judy chuckled and nodded. The hen turned around and left the room. Once the pitter-patter of her feet disappeared, Judy turned around, slowly walked to her bed, threw her blankets open and laid down on her back. Folding her arms, the bunny closed her eyes, awaiting sleep to take over and praying she wouldn't have another dream.
The sun peeked its head above the horizon, casting its orangey glow across the plains. Darkness ran away at the sight of the light, and within an hour, the illustrious luminosity of the sun entered her room, and Judy woke up with a start. The bunny groaned again and stood up, making her way towards her dresser, located on the far wall in the front of her bed.
After finding the clothes she needed, she threw them on and turned around, seeing the chest at the foot of her bed. Hesitating for a minute, she shook her head, turned around and left the bedroom. Outfitted in worn blue pants, a light blue button downed shirt and a red bandanna tied around her neck, the bunny looked to her right and saw that the door was open at the end of the hall, and she smiled to herself. The boys actually woke up on time and before me.
Across from her, was another door, also opened and inside the room was a single bed, with a chest at the foot of it and a dresser. Some feathers littered the floor and the bunny shook her head. Henny needs to clean her room soon, she thought, But I won't bother. She has enough as it is already.
After that thought, Judy turned around and with a couple of steps, found herself in a large living room. To her left, on the far wall, a backdoor stood, leading to the outside. Next to the door, a fireplace existed, with stonework acting as its chimney, leading the smoke to the outside. In front of the fireplace, a single couch and two wooden chairs sat. Behind the couch, a single brown desk with several pictures adorning the furniture.
She heard voices talking from across her and Judy moved, following the noises. Within a couple of seconds, she was in a different room, this one with a square table and four chairs. Behind the table was a long counter, with different fruits and vegetables laid upon it. At the counter, Henny worked, cutting and slicing fruits and placing them on a wooden plate. After she was done, she turned around, nodded her acknowledgement to Judy and placed the plate on the table. "Morgan, Samuel… eat up," she ordered.
The boys, with their backs to Judy did what they were told. Judy walked and kissed both of her sons on the top of their head, went around the table and gave the maid a quick hug. She grabbed an apple, and started munching on it. After a couple of minutes, Judy spoke up, directing her attention to her boys. "I'm going to take you, Samuel. We're going out riding and we need to bring our horses back. Might take us half a day, seeing as the ground is dry and the horses are far enough to get grass. When we get there, I'm going to teach you how to herd the horses."
The youngest, Samuel, nodded wordlessly.
"And you, Morgan," Judy continued, "Keep working on the ground. Make sure it's ready for the new crops."
"Yes, Mom."
Judy smiled and nodded. "How'd I get such obedient boys?" She mused to herself. Both boys smiled at the comment and continued eating. After a couple of minutes of silent eating, Morgan stood up from the table, gave his mother a hug, nodded to Henny and left the room. The back door squeaked open and close, confirming that the oldest bunny left the house.
Judy sighed and hit the table with her paw. "Alright, Samuel. We'd better get goin'. Daylight's burning here."
"Yes, Mama."
The boy left the kitchen, in search for his boots. Judy turned and looked at Henny. "You'll be alright here?"
The hen nodded, smiling. "I've got enough going on here to keep me busy. You worry about the farm and those horses of yours."
"Thanks, Henny."
Judy turned around and left the kitchen. She strode into the main room, grabbed her bag full of fruit and supplies. Hoisting it around her shoulder, she stood, waiting for her youngest son. Within a couple of minutes, she heard the clip-clopping of the boots hitting the wooden floors, as Samuel walked into view. Placing her paws on her son's shoulders, Judy turned and left the house through the back door.
The sun blinded her for a second, and once her eyes got used to the light, Judy moved towards the barn that was located in the front of the farmhouse. Arriving at the barn, Judy pulled the doors open, and went inside, instructing Samuel to wait outside. Eight stalls greeted her, and two horses occupied the stalls. Judy moved towards one of them, reaching up, she patted him on the nose. "Who's a good boy?"
The horse moved his head, and searched her hand. Did you bring me an apple? It seemed to be saying.
Judy sighed, and reached in her pocket. She pulled out the fruit and the horse grabbed it, munching on it happily. She grabbed a saddle off the wall of the stall and saddled the horse. The bunny turned around and did the same to the white horse across from her. She grabbed the ropes and led both animals outside. Giving the ropes to her son, the bunny turned around and went back inside the barn. Immediately on the wall to her right was a rifle, which she grabbed. Judy strapped the rifle around her back, grabbed her hat that was hanging on the hook on the wall, turned around and left the barn. After closing the door, and saying her goodbyes to her oldest son, Judy climbed on her horse, turned around and urged the animal into a trot. After a couple of seconds, both Judy and her son was on the top of a hill, overlooking the valley, where the farm was located.
The valley served as a natural fertilizer as the rain from the mountains in the east brought the water down below by a series of creeks and rivers. But now, several months had passed, and no water had come, and it was starting to concern Judy. They didn't have enough money as it is, and couldn't afford exploring other ways to bring fresh water to her crops. Instead, she turned her focus to the horses, breeding them and selling them, hoping the money would be enough to feed her family. But as the days passed, different farms in the area surrounding her started to sell their lands to the railroad company, for vast amounts of money.
When the representative of the company, an aardvark, approached her about selling her land, Judy was adamant. She didn't want to sell her farm, the place where she and her husband put in the blood, sweat and tears into making it work. The place where she experienced joy, and sorrow. But with her finances getting depleted with each passing day, her strong will started becoming weaker and weaker.
"Mom?" Samuel spoke up, snapping Judy out of her stupor. He was pointing in a direction. "Didn't we release our horses that way?"
Judy raised her hand, shielding her eyes from the sun that managed to sneak past the brim of her hat and nodded slowly, observing the hilly land in the west. "There's a river that cuts across those hills over there, giving water to Bull Run. Any luck, we'll find our horses at the end of our property, over there."
Samuel nodded without saying a word. Both mother and son wheeled their horses around, urged them into a trot and finally a gallop. They rode up and down the hills, past dried bushes and some cactuses. Despite the sun in their eyes, Judy gave a silent prayer of thanks, that the cool breeze existed to combat the heat of the giant star. Mother and son rode, without saying a word, their ears upright and searching for the slightest sound.
Next to her, Samuel stopped suddenly. "Do you hear that?"
Judy listened carefully, as she didn't hear anything. Within a couple of seconds, the familiar nickering of the horses reached her ears and the bunny smiled. "Good ears, Samuel!" she praised, causing her son to redden a little. Both mother and son urged their horses again, rounded a hill and was greeted with running water and a field of grass. Six horses laid their heads down, munching on the sweet grass, satisfying their hunger.
Judy stopped her horse, and with a quiet movement, got off. Noticing that his mother was doing so, Samuel followed her lead. She tied the lead rope around the horn and gave her animal a small smack of her hand. The horse moved and joined the others at the field. Because Samuel was still too short to do the proper tying, Judy grabbed the rope and did it for him. After she was done, her son did the same, and the horse joined his friends.
"We'll let them eat, drink and rest for a few minutes." Judy spoke. She pointed to a tree that was next to the river, its low branches almost touching the water. "I reckon we'd do the same."
Both bunnies moved to the shore of the river. Kneeling down, Judy cupped her hands together, making a bowl, submerged it below the water and splashed her face, enjoying the sensation it made as it washed the dirt away. Then she did the same, but this time, taking a drink of the water, feeling the freshness run down her dry throat.
Samuel had already sat down underneath the shade of the tree. He was already fast asleep, his hat resting over his eyes. Judy stood up and measured the position of the sun. She nodded, pleased with their progress. Normally, it took two hours of riding to get to the field, but because of their efficiency, they had gotten there half an hour earlier. Judy wiped her hands dry on her clothes and moved towards the tree, where her son was sitting. She swung her rifle around her body until it was in front of her. With a groan, the bunny sat down, and moved her body until it her back was touching the bark.
After a couple of minutes of silence, Samuel spoke up. "Are you sure, you're okay, Mama?"
Judy gave a smile. "I'm fine."
Silence reigned the area. Sensing that her son wanted to ask another question and guessing what it was, Judy spoke, "It was just a bad dream."
"How did he die?"
The mother looked at her son, knowing who he was talking about. Thinking for a minute, Judy decided not to answer the question. Only she and Henny knew the true nature of his death, not her sons. She wasn't ready to revisit her past life, and if her sons knew about it, she was afraid that they would follow her in her pawsteps. Instead, Judy spoke, "Take a small nap. We have some work to do soon."
Samuel sighed, and obeyed. He knew that it was no use trying to pry information out of his mother. Instead, he moved his hat over his eyes again, and closed it, awaiting slumber. Judy smiled at her son and leaned back against the tree, and did the same.
Judy! Leave, now!
But…
Just do what I say… Just know, I love you.
Let me help. I can help!
I know you can… but this time you can't. This is something I have to do on my own. Take care of our sons.
The gunshot noise shattered her dreams and she woke up with a start. The bunny groaned and looked at her side. Samuel was still fast asleep, and Judy stood up, taking care to not disturb him. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a pocket watch. Marking that only twenty minutes had passed, the bunny put the watch back, leaned down and shook her son. "Time to go. It'll take us a lot longer herding the horses, rather than just riding them."
Samuel nodded, and stood up. Following his mother to the field, the boy searched for his white horse. Spotting it, he walked to the horse, who was munching the grass contentedly. He placed his paw on the horse's body. The horse responded by turning and looking at him, his brown eyes quizzically searching the boy, Time to go?
The young rabbit nodded, and the horse swallowed the grass that he was chewing on. He climbed up into the saddle and moved towards his mother, at the back of the pack. Joining at his mother's side, Samuel looked at her for further instructions.
"Now, to herd these horses and send them back to our farm is a very easy process, but time consuming. You may notice that when we talk to them… they seem to…" Judy hesitated.
"Talk back?" Samuel finished.
His mother nodded. "That's right," she smiled. "When your father and I, or Morgan and I herd 'em back, we just tell them to go home. Then they will be on their way. But we have to be careful of the stragglers. We…" she chuckled softly, "Have a lot of stragglers with this herd."
"Now you stay here." Judy spoke, as she moved and positioned herself to the side of the herd. "Just call out, go home."
"Go home?" Samuel repeated.
Judy nodded. "Weird, I know, but it works."
The young boy looked back at the herd. "Go home," he called out. He was greeted with six horses, lazily raising their heads and looking at him.
"Louder," his mother encouraged.
Samuel cleared his throat and tried again. "Go home!"
This time the horses looked at each other, turned around and started to move slowly in the direction of the farm house. Judy beamed and nodded with pride. "Now go to the other side of the herd. We need to keep them squeezed in, so we can keep track of them."
Samuel nodded and did his mother's bidding, moving his horse to the other side of the herd. After riding for a couple of minutes, he was surprised to see how easy managing the herd was. But the first challenge appeared when a hill they had to cross showed up. With great difficulty, Samuel navigated his horse around the loose rocks and bushes, while making sure that the herd was still in formation. After fifteen minutes, the mother and son duo was able to encourage their herd across the rocky slope of the hill.
After riding in silence for a few minutes, Samuel spoke up, "Mama?"
"Yes, dear?"
"These horses are like us… right?"
Judy nodded, not sure what Samuel was getting at. "Then… why are they not like us? You know, walking and talking?"
The mother was silent for a couple of minutes. Finally, she shook her head. "Honestly, I don't know. Maybe horses didn't like how everyone else evolved, so they just stayed where they're at. They're content that way."
"But…. They talk."
Judy nodded again, "In their own way. But if you really know them, you can tell what they are saying.
"Oh…" Samuel spoke, looking down at the horse. He patted the mane with his hand and smiled. "Well, I like you."
The horse nickered and tossed his head, surprising the young bunny. I like you too.
An hour had passed, and the passed its zenith and started to move westward. Some stragglers had left the herd, and with some encouragement, Judy had sent Samuel to gather them while she waited with the rest. After the young boy had gathered all the horses, he turned around and moved back to where his mother was standing. "Now, since we are almost home, this last hill will be the easiest. It's downhill, but it can be hard to keep the herd together. So I want you at the base of the herd, encouraging them. Okay?"
"Yes, Mama."
"You're doing great."
"Thanks, Mama."
Samuel wheeled his horse around, to the back of the herd. The mother and son rode for twenty more minutes, and as Judy kept her eyes on the herd, Samuel spoke up. "There's smoke… where is that coming from?"
Judy looked up at her son and saw where he was pointing. She gasped, "That's the farm! Stay with the horses, and do not move! I'll be right back."
"But…"
"Stay here!" Judy commanded with steel in her voice.
Not listening to her son's words of obedience, Judy spun her horse around and raced towards the smoke. She spun her rifle off her back to her front and smoothly stood up in her stirrups. When her farm came into view, she gasped with shock. Her barn was on fire, but there was no one to be seen. Instead, four animals, dressed in all black, with brown bandanas around their necks were shooting into the farmhouse, oblivious to the fact that Judy was thundering towards them.
She expertly balanced herself in the stirrups of the fast moving horse, took a deep breath, and raised her rifle. She was about to do something she swore she would never do anymore.
Take a deep breath, aim and see your target, and shoot.
A gunshot was heard in her mind.
That's my Judy! Her late husband spoke in her mind. You're a good shot! With some practice, you'll be better than even me.
Pushing her thoughts out of her mind Judy squeezed the trigger, feeling the familiar motion of her ancient rifle kick against her shoulder. The bullet flew through the air and slammed itself through the throat of the bandit. He fell forward on his horse with a silent cry, his left paw, holding the gun, moved suddenly. While the bandit fell, his left paw inadvertently squeezed the trigger, discharging his gun and slaying his comrade that was sitting next to him.
Seeing that two of his own men fall in quick succession, the leader looked behind her, to find a bunny standing in the stirrups of her galloping horse, racing down the hill, her face a mask of determination. The bandit wheeled his horse around, and moved his pistol. A gunshot was heard and the bullet, with precision accuracy that was shown through years of practice, entered through his left eye, piercing his brain, and the criminal fell without a word.
The remaining bandit saw his leader fall, turned around and saw Judy thundering towards him. She had put her rifle away, and now was holding a lasso. She whirled it above her head, closed one eye and took aim. Losing his courage, the bandit spun his horse and rode away, past the farmhouse, in a desperate attempt to escape.
Suddenly, he felt his body fly backwards off the horse and crash against the ground, his arms tightly pinned against his body. His breath was driven from his lungs as the rope tightly tied around him. Whimpering with fear, the bandit stayed still on the ground as Judy moved towards the criminal. Kicking him over, the bunny hog-tied the criminal and with a grunt, dragged him towards the porch in the front of the farm house.
"I ought to throw you in there," she growled dangerously. She turned around and opened the doors to the house.
"Henny, Morgan! It's me! You here?"
Within a couple of minutes, a creaking noise from the kitchen was heard and the bunny and hen popped their heads around the door. Seeing his mother, Morgan whooped and ran towards her and wrapped her tightly. Judy smiled, returning the hug.
"I'm so sorry, Mom. I tried to fight them off…. I…"
"Shhh… It's okay."
Morgan pushed his mom away, with frustration evident on his face. "But it's not!" he argued. "If I wasn't caught by surprise, I would have gotten them. We wouldn't have lost the building. You know I'm a good shot!"
Judy nodded, knowing that Morgan spent every Saturday afternoon at his makeshift range, practicing. "You may be a good shot, but it's hard to take a life."
"Mama?" Samuel's voice called from outside.
Judy cursed under her breath. "Coming!" She looked at Henny, "I'm gunna Samuel in here. Take care of him."
Henny nodded with understanding. Samuel was too young to know what was happening. Judy turned her attention back to Morgan. "I'll need your help."
"I understand."
Judy spun around and headed outside. Samuel was off his horse and he was staring, wide eyed at the scene of death that was around him. The barn, with nothing left to burn, flames slowed down to a small crackle. "Samuel, come here!" Judy spoke.
Samuel nodded and moved quickly towards his mother. She turned and ushered him towards the farmhouse. Henny took the young son and pushed him inside, closing the door. With a sigh, Judy looked at Morgan, and spoke, "Put the fire out now. I'm going to clean up."
Morgan nodded and moved around to the back of the farmhouse to where they stored emergency water for situations like this. After several hours passed, scene of chaos never existed, aside from the burnt down farm building. Judy sat down in the shade of the porch, watching the sun slowly disappear behind the hill. She took a drink of water from her cup and as she dead, she heard a pitiful cry emit from the stoat.
"May… May I have water, please, ma'am?" the stoat bandit moaned.
Judy smiled, drank the rest of the cup, and slammed the base of the cup against the side of his jaw. The bandit groaned with pain from the action and looked back at her, with fury in his eyes. "You'll pay for that!" he cried, his voice quivering.
Judy chuckled, and leaned in closely. "Do you even know who you are messing with?" She asked. "I'm going to make sure you wish that you'd never had come here!"
The bandit shook his head, clearly not knowing who the seemingly gentle bunny was before him. "Who are…"
"Judy?" a voice called from across of them.
Judy turned and looked towards the direction of the voice. Sitting upon two horses was a buffalo and an obese cheetah. The two animals slowly got off the horses and strode towards them.
Sheriff Bogo looked at the bunny and at the bandit. He took a step back and saw the burned down barn. He put the two and two together and pointed at the stoat, a quizzical look on his face. "Yup." Judy affirmed.
"And the others?"
"Away at the Great Beyond."
Bogo nodded, smiling and sat down on the porch next to the bandit. He took a toothpick out of his mouth and chuckled. "You chose the wrong farm to mess with, boyo!" The buffalo chortled, smacking the stoat's head. "You see… this here farm…" he looked at the bunny, who was leaning against the pole, her arms folded. "Belongs to Judy Hopps."
At the sound of the familiar last name, the stoat moaned with fear, understanding what was in store for him. The west was full of stories about the legendary Sheriff, who cleaned up towns, and kept the gangs locked up. But when they escaped, he would travel with his best bounty hunter and tracker, his wife, Judy Hopps!
