Chapter 3

Two weeks later, the cleanup from the magog raid was completed. The bodies had been burned, the dead were grieved for, the huts were repaired, and the newly fallen snow had covered up the old red mush. The only evidence that there was ever a raid was the noticeably lower number of people in the camp and the more than normal lack of food. When the magog attacked, they destroyed most of the food that was in storage. Food that was grown and saved so that most of the camp could make it through the harsh northeastern winters. Food that was desperately needed. Food that was no longer there. Food that hung in thoughts of everyone, especially since winter had only just begun.

Seamus awoke to a growling stomach yet again. He was getting used to it by now. Rolling onto his back in his make-shift bed, the hungry boy snuggled into his rough thin blankets. The cold dirt floor directly below him managed to take away any heat that the blankets were keeping in. He gave up on trying to get warm and slowly got up. His body ached from sleeping on the hard ground, the cold air was whipping through his thin layers of clothing and his stomach felt like it was digesting it's self, but the boy's eyes still sparkled. The reason for that sparkle was one small, white, furry bunny. Ever since the magog attack, Seamus had gone to visit his pal every chance he got. Yesterday, he rushed through all his chores so he would be free today to visit his little buddy. The freshly risen boy yelled goodbye to this mother who was busily stitched up what little clothing they had. Then, he threw on his oversized boots and ran out the door. "That boy has more energy than the Energizer Bunny", Maggie muttered, as she finished up a knot.

Again, the boy rushed through the snow covered woods, but this time he was running to a furry creature instead of away from one. When he reached his hole, he dove in. The boy was gasping for air as he laid on his empty stomach. "Hey buddy, I'm back. Wanna come out for some attention?" Replying to the soft voice, whiskers popped out of the darkness. A little white head and big floppy ears followed. Last to come out was the round furry body. "Hello pal", Seamus said as he placed his hand in front of his thin body. The rabbit did a little hop with a twist in the air and ran up to the dirty cold hand. It forced it's head underneath the hand demanding to be petted. Seamus laughed. "My, ain't we bossy." As the boy began to pet the soft white fur, all of his worries and pain went away.

The little fur ball eventually started to lick the small hand. "Hey, that tickles little guy.....ya know, I can't just keep calling ya little guy, buddy and pal all the time. You need a name", he declared. "Hum... so what would be a good name for ya? Bugs maybe?" The white ball of fur stopped licking and looked up at Seamus with disgust written all over it's face. "So not Bugs huh. How 'bout Thumper?" Still no licking. "No huh? Well I'm all outta of cartoon rabbit names. Those are the only ones my Dad told me stories about." Seamus paused for a minute, thinking. "OH I know! Since you scared the shit out of me when we first meet...how 'bout Spooky?!!" With that, the rabbit started to lick the boy's hand ferociously. "Spooky is it then!"

After about two hours of petting and licking, both of the misfits were getting bored. Seamus looked around and saw a small loose twig laying on the ground of the burrow. He picked it up an placed it in front of Spooky. "Wanna play catch?" the boy asked in a gentle questioning voice. Spooky quickly picked up the twig in his mouth, turned his head to the side and threw the stick. The human retrieved the toy and place it back in front of his furry friend who threw it off to the other side this time. A giggle came out of the boy's mouth as they continued this game for hours. Getting tired of the game, they went back to comforting each other till the sun was quite low in the sky. "Oh man, I gotta go Spooks. My folks might get worried. I'll be back soon." Seamus got up, crawled out of their hole and ran back through the cold lonely forest to the camp.

Taking a sharp turn around a tree, he crashed into a larger person. "Shit man, watch where your going", grumbled an angry voice.

"Sorry", Seamus said looking down. He was trying to look as small as possible, hoping not to piss off whoever he had ran into.

"Seamus?" asked the same voice.

"Yah?" he replied as he cautiously looked up. A look of recognition came to his previously worried face. It was his older cousin Brendan. "Oh, hey Bren! Sorry I didn't see you. I'm kinda trying to get home before my folks get worried."

"Well your too late for that. They just sent me out to try to find you. Thanks for making my job easy", he said as he ruffled up his younger cousin's uncontrollable hair. "So, where are you running off to all the time now?" Brendan asked as he helped Seamus up off the wet snow.

"Oh, nowhere special, just, uh ...um... hanging around", the boy said as he wiggled around nervously.

"Uh huh, sure", Brendan said eyeing the twitching boy suspiciously.

"Ok, well thanks for finding me, I gotta go now, bye", Seamus spewed out as he broke into a run towards home. He didn't like Brendan interrogating him like that. He didn't want anyone to find out about Spooky. Spooky was his! His and his alone.

TBC.....