Rise of the Guardians

Lucky Rabbit

Chapter Six: Lucky Heart

She stirred, confused, dazed, and starving. She felt as if she had dragged herself, or rather, someone else had dragged her out of a dark and empty hole that she had been furiously digging at, terror at her heels and pain, so much pain, in her chest.

Faustine cracked an eye open, feeling the tightness of grit in her eyes. She rubbed at them with irritation. She yawned and stretched, arching her back as her claws extended and she kneaded lightly.

"OW!"

She jumped ten feet in the air and fell off her cat bed with a shriek.

"Oh, god, am I bleeding?" Bunny hurriedly patted his chest where she's been unknowingly kneading at. "Phew."

He looked up to see her big eyes peering over the edge. Her eyes were so big, that they were all he could see, not even her nose or ears, which had fallen to the sides as she looked absolutely stunned.

"Hey there, Kit."

"What.. Are you doing… in my BED?!" Her voice was hoarse. "Did we…?"

"NO!"

She ducked away from his yell.

"I mean, you were sick. Don't you remember?" He hovered over the edge. "Very sick. Your bell went gray."

Faustine jumped into the air. "IT TURNED GRAY! How could.. Oh… right.." She huddled, her paws in between her legs. "You rejected me."

"It wasn't rejection! I just needed a day off from.."

Her eyes peered up, tears glimmering.

"I was a dumb bunny," Bunny corrected himself. "You.. Don't take no very well."

"Yea, it's kind of a cat thing. People usually like how I am."

"I like how you are!" He protested.

"No, you don't. You told me to go away!"

"I.."

"And now.. You're in my bed and I don't know why!"

"Because you were sick and ill and I didn't want you to hurt and you seemed better when I was holding you and.."

Her hand was rubbing her nose gingerly, distracted. "I feel teeth marks.."

Her eyes went huge, her pupils shrinking sharply. "You bit me! You.. You bit me! I REMEMBER!"

She bounded high and purposely landed on him. "Aw, you're so sweet!"

Bunny rolled his eyes. "The mood swings I can do without," He muttered as she nuzzled against him, purring loudly.

Bunny tried to get up but he was held down by her tightened grip.

"Not letting you go." She told him with a deep purr in her voice. "Not ever!"

Bunny grunted and dragged himself out of bed, taking her with him.

"When you're determined, you're determined."

"I love you, you know."

"Ay, crikey. Yea, you've been making that very clear."

"I don't expect you to say it back." She said pointedly. "But I had to let you know."

"Again, you've made it very clear."

There was a moment of silence, broken by the loud rumbling of a certain feline's stomach.

"You've been out of it for at least two weeks. I'm surprised you have the strength to hold onto me.. So tightly…" He pushed at her at this point, really unable to get her to let go. "Sheesh." He stopped, grumpy.

"Let's go eat!" She tore out of the room, dragging him with her.

"Hey, wait… Oh.. No, not down the…"

She pushed him down the stairs on the banister, both of them sliding down to touch off at the bottom floor. She bounded with glee into the kitchen and began to search excitedly in the fridge.

"Yea! Mom's casserole!"

Bunny didn't know what was in it but it did look good.

"Umm…" She pulled it away. "It's made with chicken. You're a vegetarian, right?"

"Right, right.." He searched the fridge, finding the vegetable drawer with carrots, snap peas, various lettuces. "How is it that you have so much food?"

"Smells like Mom stocked it. But Dad did the vegetables. I guess he thought you'd be staying longer."

"Your mother is very intense," He closed the door with his free hand. "Where's your utensils?"

"Right on the left side, top drawer." She was placing the casserole in the oven. "Now for a snack to tide me over.."

She went through her cabinets. "She really stocked up… oh, look, tuna!"

She opened the can with glee and took a spoon.

"Just.. Like that?"

"I usually like tuna salad but eating it like this is fine. It's still cooked by the way."

He nodded, turning away to chop at the carrots. He made himself a large salad and pulled out some vinaigrette.

"I have salad dressing?!" Faustine asked in surprise.

"I guess you do," Bunny smirked as she peeked around him, sniffing furiously.

"It smells so sharp.. Tangy. Is it good?"

Bunny took a large bite, crunching. "Very good."

There was a ding. Faustine threw up her hands. "Yea!"

She ate the large casserole in one setting. Bunny had long since finished off his salad and watched, impressed, by how much she could fill herself.

"Sure you won't be sick?" He asked with a slight smile.

She stretched, licking her lips. "Nope! I could actually eat two of those if I really wanted to. I burn up a lot of energy sometimes and we need serious sustenance."

"Faustine?!"

The daughter tried to hightail out of it only to feel her scruff grasped by Bunny as he put her to the entrance of the kitchen. Her mother barged in, wrapping around her with a very loud and happy purr.

"That's my…" Her eyes turned to slits at the sight of Bunny. "How did you get here?!"

"Honey, we knew he was here, remember?" Came the tired voice of Erik. "Hello, Mr. Bunny," Erik said politely.

"G'day, mate."

"Well, let's just.." Her mother spun, still holding onto her now wiggling daughter. "Get away for.."

"Daddy!"

Erik sighed loudly. He tapped his bell, the ring sounding off as Faustine was teleported a few feet away from her mother. Her mother crossed her arms and glared at her mate.

"Honey, why is it that everything we've talked about flies out of your head?" He tapped her head pointedly. "We came to see how Faustine is doing. Mr. Bunny did an excellent job taking care of her."

"Well, really, I…" Bunny mumbled, embarrassed.

Anabella did a haughty sniff. "Well, I will never believe that. Honey, I'm glad you're all right but don't you see now where your problem is?" Her mother held her by the shoulders.

"Dad…." Faustine dragged out that single syllable with big eyes.

Erik took his mate by the collar and began to walk to the door. "We'll check in on you later or if you want to, come visit. Our door is always open, sweetheart. Say goodbye, dear."

"Keep your hands off my daughter!" Was the final hiss of Anabella before they disappeared out of the house. "I WILL BE WATCHING!" She could be heard shouting.

"I take that back. She's not intense. She's freaking terrifying."

He led to the back. "Let's go back to Jack's pond. We've been having some long conversations about the idiot trolls."

"But I don't think I can help."

Bunny frowned. "Of course you can! There's nothing you can't do. Remember? You got me to like you?"

"I did.." She was still uncertain as she followed him out of the home. Bunny took a discreet look around, seeing everything as it should be. He felt better as they disappeared into his rabbit hole.

Jack was at the edge of town. He had been by other cities and soon picked up the putrid smells of trolls, even close to well-populated cities, not just small towns. The trolls were still targeting animals at this time, and not yet daring to traverse into the cities. But they've been causing vehicle accidents and several people had been injured, and a small amount killed.

North was trying to find out where exactly the trolls were leaving at. There shouldn't have been any openings. All those who had malevolence had been bound to a significant place where they would do as little damage as possible.

"How are they getting out? What do they want?"

Phil came barging into North's study.

"Don't you ever knock?" North bit out, startled from his thinking. Phil spoke in garbled tongue. "Ah! She is better now? Good! We must convene with Jack as well. Send them here."

Phil left with a nod and gathered a few snow globes. He then disappeared into a made portal.

"Jack!" Bunny bounded close the pond. No longer frozen, it was still and quiet, in fact, still and quiet all over. "He's not been here for a while."

"We can find him in town, maybe?" Faustine offered.

They went into Bergess where the two kept low and out of sight from children.

"Why am I hiding? They can't see me!" Faustine whispered to Bunny. She nuzzled closer to him, already having been as close as she could get while 'hiding'.

Bunny carefully scruffed her and pulled her down slightly. "I don't know but I need you to stop rubbing on me."

"Do you like it?" She asked impishly.

He stared her down pointedly.

"Fine. I'll stop."

He took a few steps forward before the glare formed upon his face. He looked to his backside to see her playing with his tail. "DO YOU MIND?!"

"Geez, I can't do anything!"

He grabbed her by the collar and started to drag her. "You're such a kitten!"

They searched the whole town and didn't find a hint of him.

"Maybe he went somewhere cold?"

"No, I don't think that's it. He's been doing some searching in various towns. He must've gone far. Let's go back to the pond and wait there. He'll return by nightfall."

"Yea!" She bounded off, running on all four limbs. He tore off after her as it became a race to see who was faster.

He was bigger and stronger but she was smaller and lighter. She blazed off as she called out to Bunny. "See you at the winning circle!"

She danced around the pond when she got there, gloating with glee and pride. "I beat the bunny! I beat the bunny!"

He came up, holding his side. "Phew…"

"That was unintentional luck! Thanks for making me some!" She landed at his feet before straightening. "Do we really have to wait?"

"It won't be long, it's.." He eyed the skies. "Early afternoon."

He sat down at the edge of the pond, dipping a foot into the still cold water. "Summer's almost upon us," He rubbed at his fur. "It'll be getting hot, I hate that."

He glanced at her. She had placed herself a distance away, eyeing the pond with distrust. He smirked and kicked up water, splashing her.

She flipped into the air with a cry and then spun around in circles to get the droplets off her. "Don't do that!"

She stopped only to repeat the event as he kicked even more water on her.

He did this a third time before she got angry and she jumped against him, though this sent both of them into the water. He came out partially drenched but she had fallen fully in.

He was snickering. "You look like a drowned cat!"

"That's not funny," She hissed. "I hate water! Absolutely hate it!"

She shook herself off violently. "Augh! I will get you back, you know! Just you wait!"

"Let's see what you can do, huh?" Bunny smirked as he scratched an ear lazily. "You won't be able to surprise me."

She glowered at him as she started to clean herself. He watched with growing interest as she stretched out her various limbs in contortions he didn't think anyone could do. But then, cats were very versatile in how they moved.

She eventually felt his stare on her when she had her leg lifted up, foot high in the air and her nose a little close to her private parts. "Do you mind? I'm trying to give myself a bath!"

She glared at him. He set himself away and pretended to study a tree. Once she started, he kept watching.

Her eyes were slits. "E!"

"How long can you keep stretched out like that?" He couldn't help but tease. "That is really impressive!"

"Oh, stop staring!" She turned her back and tried to continue cleaning herself. "I'll never dry off! My poor fur!"

She set herself on her haunches. "You! You got me wet!"

"I'd do it again, by the way," Bunny said with a droll look.

"Do it against and I'll bite your tail." Faustine said with ears back. "I do not like water!"

He burst out laughing at the indignant look upon her face.

"What's so…?" Jack halted at the wet cat. "You look like a drowned cat."

She burst into sobs. "My beautiful fur!"

She stomped away. "Bunny! I will get you back!"

She disappeared to settle elsewhere to clean.

"Did you want something?" Jack asked Bunny, slightly confused.

"We should wait until she's done. We were going to talk about the troll problem."

"That's going to take a while."

"Talking about the trolls?"

"No, her cleaning her fur. Maybe if I frosted her…"

"That's only going to make her into icicles! She's just gotten better!"

"Awwww… so you DO care!"

"SHUT UP!"