CHAPTER 22: Return To Wild+ + + + + +
"Here," said Fluffy, removing his pendent and placing it in Andy's paw, his speech changing back to the natural language of rabbits. "I do not need this anymore."
Andy looked bewildered. "Fluffy, is something wrong?"
Fluffy shook his head. "Oh, no. I enjoyed being able to speak and hear your English--I did a great deal, but it is time I give this back to you. Aside from bringing me into the civilized toon world, it also served to remind me that I do not belong there."
Andy quickly protested. "Of course you do, Fluffy. Don't say that."
Fluffy shook his head. "Just as you yourself have strove to find your natural side, so must I keep mine. Your gift opened up a whole new, grander world to me, and I am forever grateful, but I also feel I may lose something special of myself if I do not do this. The temptation... will always be there, and I... am just a simple rabbit, and must remain so. I belong with simpler animals, and with those toons where you don't need to speak rabbit to know what they are saying to you. I belong where things are comfortable and make sense to me. The world is a grand place, my friend, but some of it I will never be a part of, nor wish to. I've had enough of trying to be something I am not, and I'm too old to try and change."
"Fluffy?" Andy asked slowly, sensing some odd feelings from the rabbit, "What sparked this?"
But Fluffy did not answer and simply looked back at the fox. "Please, take it back."
The fox looked down at the pendent, a wave of strange sadness he couldn't place washing over him. "What... what about Skippy?" he asked. Though the squirrel in question had moved out nearly five years earlier, he was still a very special friend and playmate to the rabbit. Andy looked into Fluffy's dark eyes and saw that the rabbit knew what he was really asking.
"Skippy will understand," Fluffy assured him. "Perhaps one day you will find another toon to give it to."
Andy frowned, his shoulders slumping. "Whatever you want, Fluffy." Hiding a tear and fighting a spark of helpless rage, he gritted his teeth and went over to the window. With one mighty swing of his arm, he hurled the pendent high into the sky, its gold case catching the light of the sun and flashing like a star one last time as it spun through the air. Then, as it's skyward journey crested, a bright white energy bolt shot from Andy's eyes, striking the pendent and smashing it into a million red and blue sparks of light.
"Oh, dear," Fluffy muttered, watching the apparent destruction of the special gift he had been given so many years ago. "Em... hope you didn't work too hard on it, old chap. I didn't mean to upset you."
The sparks slowly dwindled to nothingness, leaving behind only the blue of the sky. Andy turned, his right paw emerging from his pocket. He patted Fluffy. "No big deal."
Fluffy gazed back into Andy's green eyes, and saw that the fox, despite his confused feelings, had understood the true reason for his decision.
"You were right, of course," Fluffy offered kindly, trying to cheer the fox up. "I could always understand Skippy, even without the pendent."
"Yeah. You know... wait!" Andy snapped up suddenly, narrowing his eyes and turning to Fluffy. "Who told you that? I said that to Slappy once, but I don't believe I..."
"Em..." Fluffy stuttered. "I'm... I'm sure I've heard you say it at one time or another."
Andy eyed the large rabbit sternly. "You know, Fluffy, you seem to know a great deal more than you let on sometimes. I've kept quiet about it for many years, Fluffy. How about giving me the story now?"
"Excuse me?" Fluffy asked.
"You knew about me taking the rite before I told you. You've always seemed to know what was happening with me. You seem to have some sort of long history with the animals in the woods out there, though you've only been living here a few years, and I've checked your records. There seems to be no record whatsoever of your very first owner, Harold Brownfox."
"I... I don't know what you're talking about." Fluffy said, turning and facing himself away from Andy. "You must be mistaken."
Andy took a deep breath and walked over to stand next to the rabbit, who was pretending to find something interesting to look at outside the windows. "Fluffy," the fox said quietly, his arm wrapping around Fluffy's back warmly. He patted the rabbit's side.
Fluffy lowered his head. "I... am just a rabbit," he said to the floor, "here to rest and relax from a long life of warrens and guard duty, and to help a fox who had lost his way. He said that I would find someone here--someone who was lost and looking for answers."
"Who said?" Andy asked. Fluffy ignored the question, speaking aloud his thoughts as though he were looking through strange mists of time, to events from another place.
"Someone who would help me too, he said, and that when I found that someone I'd know it deep inside, right from the start, and that we would become the closest of friends, to protect and be with me in a strange world." Fluffy turned to look up at Andy. "I dare say he was spot on right. Back when I first caught sight of you coming towards me on the carousel, somehow I knew."
"Who told you, Fluffy?"
Fluffy's face took on a look of thoughtfulness as he mused aloud, his voice carrying a sense of odd discovery. "He told me you would have strange and great powers that you could use to read my mind, but he also told me that you would never do this. And... you haven't, have you? Even now as we speak."
Andy looked down. "No," he admitted. "I... it just didn't seem right to use them on you. Who... are you, Fluffy?" The rabbit shook his head and coughed awkwardly. As he did so he lifted a paw and half-gestured to a book stand in the corner of the room. He did it very casually, as if trying to purposely make the point that he weren't gesturing to it. Andy looked over to the stand. Normally devoid of books, it now held one solitary thick paperback, the head of a rabbit pictured on its cover.
Fluffy's voice was soft and oddly comforting. "You already know me, my friend."
Andy glanced at the book, titled "Watership Down", than back to Fluffy. He scowled slightly. Fluffy looked back up to Andy, one ear drooped down. "Let's just say that my fur has not always been white."
Andy stood for several seconds, his mind filling with a mix of confusion and uncertainty. Suddenly a cold grip of paralyses intensified over Andy as he realized the high presence he was in. He stepped back and stumbled against a table. Fluffy sniggered slightly.
"Oh Crimany!" Andy gasped. He felt a icy chill as he realized he had been riding on the back of a very ancient and wise being--a legendary rabbit from a far away place. He began to feel very nervous and self-conscious. "Crimany," he repeated, panic in his voice.
Fluffy seemed to sense the fox's thoughts and casually padded over to him. "Oh, come now," he said casually. "Right now, at this moment, I am a carousel rabbit, not to mention your friend, and I'm quite happy to be both."
"But... why?" Andy whispered. "Why a carousel animal?"
Fluffy waved a paw. "Wasn't exactly my choice, but what better way to be around children and young animal toons? Wonderful joy being around them--Skippy especially. I love little animal toons, you know. Well, most of them. It's when those spoiled little brats jumped on me, or when older or larger adult toons rode me that I tended to become bit annoyed." Fluffy sighed and added with a heavy voice, "And traded."
Andy nodded. "I remember you scowling at me when I came up to you that first time."
Fluffy coughed and fumbled with his words. "Yes, well... well for cryin' out loud you're a bloody full-sized fox!" He shrugged and smiled apologetically back at Andy. "You've become a great friend to me, though. Never forget that."
"You were always a unique carousel animal--particular about your riders," Andy nodded back. "I guess now I know why."
Fluffy gave an audible grunt of satisfaction. "Indeed. Now, are you going to take me out for my regular evening ride or what? It is nearly seven."
Another cold chill ran down Andy's spine. "Em... I don't think... I'm not sure..."
Fluffy scowled back at Andy. "Oh, come off of it and get over here. I'm the same old rabbit you've been riding for the past four years. You know bloody well I enjoy carrying you about, and I know you enjoy riding me."
Andy spoke distantly. "I see now why you don't let rabbits on your back."
Fluffy turned and looked away briefly. "Rabbits... must make their own way through life," he said gently, also sounding a bit distant. "It's all... I cannot allow them to ride me."
"It would have been... apocryphal?" Andy suggested.
"Well," Fluffy pondered. "I donno about that. More like... inappropriate I suppose. I'm not sure I understand it myself--just something inside me. As I said, I'm just a rabbit, no matter what may have been written about me." He turned back to Andy. "But there is one thing you don't know: I would let a rabbit on my back who needed my help, say, if he were injured or something. Now," he concluded, becoming alert and direct again with the fox, trying to clear the heaviness out of the room that had descended within the past several minutes, "are we going or not?"
"Are you sure?"
Fluffy tossed his head and snorted somewhat irritably. "Oh, shut up and get on." He stomped his left hind foot against the floor in a sign of impatience. "Don't make me order you," he smirked, ever so slightly.
The fox did as he was bid. Taking hold of Fluffy's soft, blue leather collar he mounted on the rabbit's back, seating himself in the matching blue saddle. Fluffy shifted about in place, twitching his whiskers and pawing the floor gently as he felt the fox's weight settle upon him.
"I've never been able to explain why I felt so comfortable when I'm with you," Andy admitted, his feet brushing the rabbit's furry chest. "I guess... now we know." He patted the rabbit's hip, his other paw still on the collar. After several seconds he spoke up. "Rabscuttle?"
One of Fluffy's ears perked up slightly. He remained silent for several moments, then bowed his head, his voice carrying a heaviness like a truth he was uncomfortable with, but had to face nevertheless. "Yes," he said tiredly. But the fox said nothing more, and simply patted Fluffy's side.
"Come on," he finally said, his knees gently pressing against Fluffy's sides.
The two exited the mansion and Andy led Fluffy along the quiet, tree-lined suburban streets. It was a peaceful evening. In another hour the sun, currently casting yellow, sideways shadows upon the world, would be setting. The strong scent of charcoal drifted by on the air as the two passed a family barbecue in progress. Along the edge of a park lake, two small chipmunks sat on the bank, reed fishing poles in their hands, waiting for a bite from a sunfish or two. Fluffy silently padded along the sidewalks and grass, a peculiar carefree feeling filling himself and the fox upon his back. Playfully dodging in and out of the shrubbery and around the ash and palm trees along the roadside, past mailboxes, the two rode silently, working their way at a gently hop to the edge of town, and the expanses of open lands beyond.
Fluffy paused there, stretched each of his hind legs in turn, then silently stood and waited for his rider's command. He may have been a very mystical and legendary figure of rabbit folklore, but he was also still a rabbit, and a carousel rabbit at that, a whole other class of animal--more sophisticated and elegant than any common mount. And, he would always wait, nearly patiently, for his friend's commands.
As Fluffy gazed at the expanse of open land before them, he suddenly felt two strong kicks in his sides. He smiled, eyes lighting up with excitement, and shot off at a full run into the yellow scrub brush and green grasslands before them.
Fluffy's whole body became alive with energy and life as he bounded forward in terrific leaps, his paws barely seeming to touch the ground as he tore across the land with Andy leaning forward and clinging tightly to the his body. Feeling Andy's secure hold on him, Fluffy grinned and began taking liberties with his running, wildly bounding left and right in an unchecked display of wild freedom. He began zigzagging swiftly around bushes and taking terrific leaps over imaginary obstacles, propelling the two high into the air, each leap and each hop adding to his swelling joy as he ran on. Andy hugged Fluffy's flanks with his legs, his feet wrapped around the rabbit's middle as he held on to Fluffy's collar, his ears flat against his head from the strong wind as his friend showed off for him. He felt Fluffy's powerful muscles under him, flexing and shifting against his legs as they easily propelled the two forward with their strength. Andy gave the rabbit no commands, no cues, no suggestion of direction, but simply hung on for the ride, letting Fluffy take them wherever he wished, wildly leaping into the air and prancing as free as his spirit.
Eventually, after crossing miles and miles of fields, rocks, and scrub, the two ended up at the coast of the great Pacific Ocean. Andy rode Fluffy out upon the beach where the rabbit, his paws encountering the unfamiliar sensation of wet, cool sand, slowed of his own accord to a stop. His nostrils filled with the heavy scent of saltwater and seaweed. He twisted his head around and cocked his ears at the ceaseless crash of waves upon the shore.
"Good grief but that's a lot of water," he commented as he stepped up near the tide line. He dodged playfully in and out of the tiny ripples and tips of waves as they broke and rolled back along the tide line. To the north, as far as they could see, the beach stretched flat and oddly compelling to the large rabbit. He looked back at the friend on his back, the only toon he was able to share such great feelings of freedom with, and winked one large brown eye.
Andy smirked back. He jerked on Fluffy's collar and thumped his feet against the large rabbit's sides, rearing Fluffy up on his powerful hind legs. Fluffy tossed his head fervently, his forelimbs regally pawing the air as his body filled with a surge of spirit and power. He felt like the master of the world, in command of all, fearing none, and with his best friend astride his back to protect and battle for him no beast could ever stop him--ever.
One of the fox's paws dropped to Fluffy's shoulder where it rested comfortingly. Fluffy puffed out his chest proudly and tucked his head down, striking a gallant pose. Silhouetted against the backdrop of sun and sea, staying locked in that pose for several moments, the two figures relished the moment--the feeling of companionship and wild freedom, a bond between then a thousand times stronger than anything so common as a faithful steed and his rider.
Then, Andy slackened his pull on Fluffy's collar and gave him one more kick, and Fluffy, tossing his head and uttering a phrase of joy known only to rabbits, shot forward through the air in one large hop. Landing gently, he broke into a full run, paws softly pounding upon the moist sand as he and Andy rode along the west coast sound. The rabbit bounded effortlessly along in giant, ten-foot strides--a graceful, shimmering white beast and his passenger against the brown, damp sand and the crashing ocean beyond.
Sunset eventually found the two friends sitting quietly upon an outcropping of large rocks that jutted roughly fifty feet into the sound, watching the sun dip slowly below the horizon of the water. They sat in silence as the gold rays of the sun turned the sky and clouds deep shades of crimson and purple as it disappeared on the horizon. Filling the air around them, the incessant crashing waves of the sea blotted out all else, secluding the two in their own mutual, welcoming company.
The years that followed were happy ones for Andy and Slappy. While she never did acquire a taste for meat herself, Slappy did prepare carnivorous dinners for the fox. Andy had taken his toon heritage to heart and spent his time being the best fox he could be for Slappy and Skippy.
Time passed for the happy fox and squirrel. Skippy grew into a fine adult squirrel, moving out of his uncle's mansion to take up roots in Slappy's old oak tree. There, he lived comfortably for many years, marrying a squirrel by the name of Sandy: a lovely figure of a female draped in gold and tan fur.
Andy and Slappy, however, were not alone without Skippy. Aside from Fluffy the rabbit, another young toon had appeared to fill the happy couple's lives. It scampered playfully throughout the mansion, climbing up the walls and swinging from chandeliers. The toon was a squirrel: a spunky ball of fluff and cuteness that Slappy had insisted did not come from her side of the family, yet loved with all her heart despite it. The squirrel had bright red fur, with white belly and cheeks. The tips of his feet were also white, along with the tip of his tail, which seemed to be colored more like a fox's than a squirrel's. He also had, slowly emerging from his innocent smile and cute face, a very definite set of sharp, carnivorous teeth.
His presence changed Andy's life forever.
"Here," said Fluffy, removing his pendent and placing it in Andy's paw, his speech changing back to the natural language of rabbits. "I do not need this anymore."
Andy looked bewildered. "Fluffy, is something wrong?"
Fluffy shook his head. "Oh, no. I enjoyed being able to speak and hear your English--I did a great deal, but it is time I give this back to you. Aside from bringing me into the civilized toon world, it also served to remind me that I do not belong there."
Andy quickly protested. "Of course you do, Fluffy. Don't say that."
Fluffy shook his head. "Just as you yourself have strove to find your natural side, so must I keep mine. Your gift opened up a whole new, grander world to me, and I am forever grateful, but I also feel I may lose something special of myself if I do not do this. The temptation... will always be there, and I... am just a simple rabbit, and must remain so. I belong with simpler animals, and with those toons where you don't need to speak rabbit to know what they are saying to you. I belong where things are comfortable and make sense to me. The world is a grand place, my friend, but some of it I will never be a part of, nor wish to. I've had enough of trying to be something I am not, and I'm too old to try and change."
"Fluffy?" Andy asked slowly, sensing some odd feelings from the rabbit, "What sparked this?"
But Fluffy did not answer and simply looked back at the fox. "Please, take it back."
The fox looked down at the pendent, a wave of strange sadness he couldn't place washing over him. "What... what about Skippy?" he asked. Though the squirrel in question had moved out nearly five years earlier, he was still a very special friend and playmate to the rabbit. Andy looked into Fluffy's dark eyes and saw that the rabbit knew what he was really asking.
"Skippy will understand," Fluffy assured him. "Perhaps one day you will find another toon to give it to."
Andy frowned, his shoulders slumping. "Whatever you want, Fluffy." Hiding a tear and fighting a spark of helpless rage, he gritted his teeth and went over to the window. With one mighty swing of his arm, he hurled the pendent high into the sky, its gold case catching the light of the sun and flashing like a star one last time as it spun through the air. Then, as it's skyward journey crested, a bright white energy bolt shot from Andy's eyes, striking the pendent and smashing it into a million red and blue sparks of light.
"Oh, dear," Fluffy muttered, watching the apparent destruction of the special gift he had been given so many years ago. "Em... hope you didn't work too hard on it, old chap. I didn't mean to upset you."
The sparks slowly dwindled to nothingness, leaving behind only the blue of the sky. Andy turned, his right paw emerging from his pocket. He patted Fluffy. "No big deal."
Fluffy gazed back into Andy's green eyes, and saw that the fox, despite his confused feelings, had understood the true reason for his decision.
"You were right, of course," Fluffy offered kindly, trying to cheer the fox up. "I could always understand Skippy, even without the pendent."
"Yeah. You know... wait!" Andy snapped up suddenly, narrowing his eyes and turning to Fluffy. "Who told you that? I said that to Slappy once, but I don't believe I..."
"Em..." Fluffy stuttered. "I'm... I'm sure I've heard you say it at one time or another."
Andy eyed the large rabbit sternly. "You know, Fluffy, you seem to know a great deal more than you let on sometimes. I've kept quiet about it for many years, Fluffy. How about giving me the story now?"
"Excuse me?" Fluffy asked.
"You knew about me taking the rite before I told you. You've always seemed to know what was happening with me. You seem to have some sort of long history with the animals in the woods out there, though you've only been living here a few years, and I've checked your records. There seems to be no record whatsoever of your very first owner, Harold Brownfox."
"I... I don't know what you're talking about." Fluffy said, turning and facing himself away from Andy. "You must be mistaken."
Andy took a deep breath and walked over to stand next to the rabbit, who was pretending to find something interesting to look at outside the windows. "Fluffy," the fox said quietly, his arm wrapping around Fluffy's back warmly. He patted the rabbit's side.
Fluffy lowered his head. "I... am just a rabbit," he said to the floor, "here to rest and relax from a long life of warrens and guard duty, and to help a fox who had lost his way. He said that I would find someone here--someone who was lost and looking for answers."
"Who said?" Andy asked. Fluffy ignored the question, speaking aloud his thoughts as though he were looking through strange mists of time, to events from another place.
"Someone who would help me too, he said, and that when I found that someone I'd know it deep inside, right from the start, and that we would become the closest of friends, to protect and be with me in a strange world." Fluffy turned to look up at Andy. "I dare say he was spot on right. Back when I first caught sight of you coming towards me on the carousel, somehow I knew."
"Who told you, Fluffy?"
Fluffy's face took on a look of thoughtfulness as he mused aloud, his voice carrying a sense of odd discovery. "He told me you would have strange and great powers that you could use to read my mind, but he also told me that you would never do this. And... you haven't, have you? Even now as we speak."
Andy looked down. "No," he admitted. "I... it just didn't seem right to use them on you. Who... are you, Fluffy?" The rabbit shook his head and coughed awkwardly. As he did so he lifted a paw and half-gestured to a book stand in the corner of the room. He did it very casually, as if trying to purposely make the point that he weren't gesturing to it. Andy looked over to the stand. Normally devoid of books, it now held one solitary thick paperback, the head of a rabbit pictured on its cover.
Fluffy's voice was soft and oddly comforting. "You already know me, my friend."
Andy glanced at the book, titled "Watership Down", than back to Fluffy. He scowled slightly. Fluffy looked back up to Andy, one ear drooped down. "Let's just say that my fur has not always been white."
Andy stood for several seconds, his mind filling with a mix of confusion and uncertainty. Suddenly a cold grip of paralyses intensified over Andy as he realized the high presence he was in. He stepped back and stumbled against a table. Fluffy sniggered slightly.
"Oh Crimany!" Andy gasped. He felt a icy chill as he realized he had been riding on the back of a very ancient and wise being--a legendary rabbit from a far away place. He began to feel very nervous and self-conscious. "Crimany," he repeated, panic in his voice.
Fluffy seemed to sense the fox's thoughts and casually padded over to him. "Oh, come now," he said casually. "Right now, at this moment, I am a carousel rabbit, not to mention your friend, and I'm quite happy to be both."
"But... why?" Andy whispered. "Why a carousel animal?"
Fluffy waved a paw. "Wasn't exactly my choice, but what better way to be around children and young animal toons? Wonderful joy being around them--Skippy especially. I love little animal toons, you know. Well, most of them. It's when those spoiled little brats jumped on me, or when older or larger adult toons rode me that I tended to become bit annoyed." Fluffy sighed and added with a heavy voice, "And traded."
Andy nodded. "I remember you scowling at me when I came up to you that first time."
Fluffy coughed and fumbled with his words. "Yes, well... well for cryin' out loud you're a bloody full-sized fox!" He shrugged and smiled apologetically back at Andy. "You've become a great friend to me, though. Never forget that."
"You were always a unique carousel animal--particular about your riders," Andy nodded back. "I guess now I know why."
Fluffy gave an audible grunt of satisfaction. "Indeed. Now, are you going to take me out for my regular evening ride or what? It is nearly seven."
Another cold chill ran down Andy's spine. "Em... I don't think... I'm not sure..."
Fluffy scowled back at Andy. "Oh, come off of it and get over here. I'm the same old rabbit you've been riding for the past four years. You know bloody well I enjoy carrying you about, and I know you enjoy riding me."
Andy spoke distantly. "I see now why you don't let rabbits on your back."
Fluffy turned and looked away briefly. "Rabbits... must make their own way through life," he said gently, also sounding a bit distant. "It's all... I cannot allow them to ride me."
"It would have been... apocryphal?" Andy suggested.
"Well," Fluffy pondered. "I donno about that. More like... inappropriate I suppose. I'm not sure I understand it myself--just something inside me. As I said, I'm just a rabbit, no matter what may have been written about me." He turned back to Andy. "But there is one thing you don't know: I would let a rabbit on my back who needed my help, say, if he were injured or something. Now," he concluded, becoming alert and direct again with the fox, trying to clear the heaviness out of the room that had descended within the past several minutes, "are we going or not?"
"Are you sure?"
Fluffy tossed his head and snorted somewhat irritably. "Oh, shut up and get on." He stomped his left hind foot against the floor in a sign of impatience. "Don't make me order you," he smirked, ever so slightly.
The fox did as he was bid. Taking hold of Fluffy's soft, blue leather collar he mounted on the rabbit's back, seating himself in the matching blue saddle. Fluffy shifted about in place, twitching his whiskers and pawing the floor gently as he felt the fox's weight settle upon him.
"I've never been able to explain why I felt so comfortable when I'm with you," Andy admitted, his feet brushing the rabbit's furry chest. "I guess... now we know." He patted the rabbit's hip, his other paw still on the collar. After several seconds he spoke up. "Rabscuttle?"
One of Fluffy's ears perked up slightly. He remained silent for several moments, then bowed his head, his voice carrying a heaviness like a truth he was uncomfortable with, but had to face nevertheless. "Yes," he said tiredly. But the fox said nothing more, and simply patted Fluffy's side.
"Come on," he finally said, his knees gently pressing against Fluffy's sides.
The two exited the mansion and Andy led Fluffy along the quiet, tree-lined suburban streets. It was a peaceful evening. In another hour the sun, currently casting yellow, sideways shadows upon the world, would be setting. The strong scent of charcoal drifted by on the air as the two passed a family barbecue in progress. Along the edge of a park lake, two small chipmunks sat on the bank, reed fishing poles in their hands, waiting for a bite from a sunfish or two. Fluffy silently padded along the sidewalks and grass, a peculiar carefree feeling filling himself and the fox upon his back. Playfully dodging in and out of the shrubbery and around the ash and palm trees along the roadside, past mailboxes, the two rode silently, working their way at a gently hop to the edge of town, and the expanses of open lands beyond.
Fluffy paused there, stretched each of his hind legs in turn, then silently stood and waited for his rider's command. He may have been a very mystical and legendary figure of rabbit folklore, but he was also still a rabbit, and a carousel rabbit at that, a whole other class of animal--more sophisticated and elegant than any common mount. And, he would always wait, nearly patiently, for his friend's commands.
As Fluffy gazed at the expanse of open land before them, he suddenly felt two strong kicks in his sides. He smiled, eyes lighting up with excitement, and shot off at a full run into the yellow scrub brush and green grasslands before them.
Fluffy's whole body became alive with energy and life as he bounded forward in terrific leaps, his paws barely seeming to touch the ground as he tore across the land with Andy leaning forward and clinging tightly to the his body. Feeling Andy's secure hold on him, Fluffy grinned and began taking liberties with his running, wildly bounding left and right in an unchecked display of wild freedom. He began zigzagging swiftly around bushes and taking terrific leaps over imaginary obstacles, propelling the two high into the air, each leap and each hop adding to his swelling joy as he ran on. Andy hugged Fluffy's flanks with his legs, his feet wrapped around the rabbit's middle as he held on to Fluffy's collar, his ears flat against his head from the strong wind as his friend showed off for him. He felt Fluffy's powerful muscles under him, flexing and shifting against his legs as they easily propelled the two forward with their strength. Andy gave the rabbit no commands, no cues, no suggestion of direction, but simply hung on for the ride, letting Fluffy take them wherever he wished, wildly leaping into the air and prancing as free as his spirit.
Eventually, after crossing miles and miles of fields, rocks, and scrub, the two ended up at the coast of the great Pacific Ocean. Andy rode Fluffy out upon the beach where the rabbit, his paws encountering the unfamiliar sensation of wet, cool sand, slowed of his own accord to a stop. His nostrils filled with the heavy scent of saltwater and seaweed. He twisted his head around and cocked his ears at the ceaseless crash of waves upon the shore.
"Good grief but that's a lot of water," he commented as he stepped up near the tide line. He dodged playfully in and out of the tiny ripples and tips of waves as they broke and rolled back along the tide line. To the north, as far as they could see, the beach stretched flat and oddly compelling to the large rabbit. He looked back at the friend on his back, the only toon he was able to share such great feelings of freedom with, and winked one large brown eye.
Andy smirked back. He jerked on Fluffy's collar and thumped his feet against the large rabbit's sides, rearing Fluffy up on his powerful hind legs. Fluffy tossed his head fervently, his forelimbs regally pawing the air as his body filled with a surge of spirit and power. He felt like the master of the world, in command of all, fearing none, and with his best friend astride his back to protect and battle for him no beast could ever stop him--ever.
One of the fox's paws dropped to Fluffy's shoulder where it rested comfortingly. Fluffy puffed out his chest proudly and tucked his head down, striking a gallant pose. Silhouetted against the backdrop of sun and sea, staying locked in that pose for several moments, the two figures relished the moment--the feeling of companionship and wild freedom, a bond between then a thousand times stronger than anything so common as a faithful steed and his rider.
Then, Andy slackened his pull on Fluffy's collar and gave him one more kick, and Fluffy, tossing his head and uttering a phrase of joy known only to rabbits, shot forward through the air in one large hop. Landing gently, he broke into a full run, paws softly pounding upon the moist sand as he and Andy rode along the west coast sound. The rabbit bounded effortlessly along in giant, ten-foot strides--a graceful, shimmering white beast and his passenger against the brown, damp sand and the crashing ocean beyond.
Sunset eventually found the two friends sitting quietly upon an outcropping of large rocks that jutted roughly fifty feet into the sound, watching the sun dip slowly below the horizon of the water. They sat in silence as the gold rays of the sun turned the sky and clouds deep shades of crimson and purple as it disappeared on the horizon. Filling the air around them, the incessant crashing waves of the sea blotted out all else, secluding the two in their own mutual, welcoming company.