Rise of the Guardians

Lucky Rabbit

Chapter Sixteen: Lucky Memories

Princessa was peeking into her mother's face as she slept. She had no qualms about boundaries as she was a mere two inches from Faustine's sleeping face.

"Mommmmmmaaaa…" She whispered softly. "Mooommmmaaa.."

She frowned. "WAKE UP!"

Faustine jumped into the air about ten feet then landed on all four feet on the ground. She and the others had resided in the Cat Haven this time as Faustine had missed her home a bit.

"I'm up.. I'm up…" She said groggily.

"Hi, Mommy! Time to go out and learn the world!" Princessa danced around her mother with glee, bouncing out of the room as Faustine glared at her butt wiggling in the air.

"Grrr… I was having the most magical dream, flying on E's shoulders while he sang me a beautiful love song.."

"For the record," Bunny looked out, blinking the sleep of his eyes. "I can't sing."

"Nonsense! If I can, you can!"

"Kit, honey, you can't sing."

"Can too! I'm a cat so that's why!"

"That's why it's called yowling and why people throw things at you," Bunny muttered, digging back into the blankets only to look into very inquisitive eyes of Hitch and Axel.

"What are you doing?!"

He stood up as the two brothers tore out, singing off-key. "Mommy and Daddy sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S…"

Bunny rolled himself off the bed. "Bigger means having hidden presents in the bed," He grumbled. "What if they came in earlier last night?"

Faustine was dragged out by the excited Princessa. "We should eat…" Faustine protested.

"We can hunt!" Princessa's ears picked up on the telltale sounds of scurrying. "Oh, and it's close by!"

"Kit, you and the little Warrior take…" Bunny flushed green as Princessa looked up, her mouth full of a mouse. "Care while I go inside and pretend I never saw this."

Princessa ate neatly while Faustine snuck around only to growl in hunger. "Great. I can't catch this morning."

"Byyyyee, Mommy!" Princessa ran like a bull, forming a portal as Faustine shrieked and tore after her, shouting at her.

"Don't go without me! Your father will kill me!"

Princessa jumped around with glee, bounding here and there in the relatively good weather. Not many people were out this early in the morning, most preferring to travel by vehicle rather than by foot.

She finally came a halt as Faustine rubbed her empty stomach with some despair. "Well, honey? Feel anything yet?"

"I don't know," Princessa's ears turned in various directions. "People have to make their luck, right? That's why we touch them, to give them a boost to guide them in the right direction?"

"Yes, honey, that's right."

Faustine watched Princessa as she searched, very still. "Hmmm." Princessa stood up and started walking, slowly hurrying as she felt something pull to her.

She sniffed around a elderly old man, looking down, tired, and grumpy. He was tossing out bread crumbs but no birds would come.

"Huh. He's too grumpy! The birds don't like that!" Princessa studied him. "What's wrong with him? He's full of sadness, Mama."

"Sometimes people are that way."

"His mind is foggy.. He wants to remember."

"Remember what?"

Princessa settled next to the elderly man and gently tapped his hand tossing out the birds. It took a moment before his eyes brightened and he smiled, a truly happy smile. The birds, sensing the change in the manner of the elder, flew down to peck at the offering, bouncing and scurrying around the man's feet with no regards to him save for his throwing hand.

"Luck can come in old memories, right?" Princessa went to her mother's side. "In hopes that what you've experienced will continue, that the luck will still be there even as you get older and feebler."

"I see," Faustine patted her hair, pulling on a curl.

"Soooo…" She wiggled with excitement, jumping away from her mother. "I feel lucky! Let's go!"

Princessa was much how Axel had been, vicarious, all over the place, and soon ran down her mother as she panted, finally heading home. Faustine literally crashed in the Warren while Princessa went to brag about her escapades.

Faustine's stomach growled painfully as she lay on her front.

"I haven't eaten all day," She whined softly. "But I'm too tired to move! E, help me! I need inspiration!"

"For what?" He toed her in the shoulder as she glared at him from the side profile. "Awww, what's wrong with the itty bitty kit?"

"I'm starving."

"Didn't you eat this morning?"

"No because a certain kitten was running through a portal!"

"The children don't listen very well to you."

"They listen plenty!" Faustine was indignant, her pride pricked as she surged to her feet. She was wobbly as her stomach gurgled and she fell flat on her buttocks.

"I would so argue if I had the energy," She hissed as she fell backwards onto her back with a groan.

"Hey, kids! Can you go find something for your mother to eat? I'm asking in particular Axel and Princessa so the rest of you can get her some snacks from the gardens!"

"OKAY!"

He sat down next to her before settling on his back to look up at the domed ceiling. "How'd it go?"

"She specializes in the elderly and memories. To bring luck that tomorrow will be a better day because of all that they have endured."

"That's sweet."

"Yea… why is it that they find their specialty and I haven't had so much as a hint?"

"I thought it had to do with love and romance."

"No, I feel like.. Like it's something far more powerful yet singular. I don't know any more than that though. I mean, there have been others who have never discovered their source of luck, becoming instead the random movement of luck which.. Doesn't always turn out into the good luck you thought you were doing."

She paused. "Something I don't want."

Her stomach once more grumbled.

"Kids? How's the hunt going?"

"What hunt?" Came a shout.

"Did they forget to feed me?!" Faustine bristled. "After all feeding I do for them!"

"Moommmyyy! We're hungry!" Came the collective cry from somewhere behind her.

She was growling softly, claws out as she dug in.

"You realize they're doing that on purpose?" Bunny poked at her tail. "They like seeing you riled. You then chase them and that's what they want."

"I don't care.." She fell to the ground. "Make me a salad." She begged, eyes big on her face. "I'm so hungry!"

One of her ears swiveled as the familiar look of a hunter appeared on her face.

"Wait until I'm…" Bunny winced as she disappeared in seconds, several loud chomps heard. "You'd think the mice would learn to stay out of my Warren. Apparently, they DO have small brains."

He continued to wince as he heard a series of crunches, perforated with moments of loud purring. "I really wish you didn't enjoy that."

She walked out on all fours, stretching before she settled to clean herself. "Thank god it was close by. Then the others ran off and I couldn't help it. They're so sweet and tasty and crunchy, because they eat all of your delightful grass."

"They're not the only ones. You do it when your stomach's upset."

"It helps."

"I use this grass for the baskets!"

"Oh, you have a selected area for that. I don't eat from it…" She smiled nervously under his pointed stare. "Much.. Anymore.. I'll stop."

"You're a terrible liar, Kit."

"But you love me for it, right?"

"I wouldn't love you for lying!"

"For five beautiful children?" Her ear swiveled to the side. "Who I think are trashing about in your gardens."

"My what? Get out of there, you rascals! I told you to not go in there unless you wanted to get something to eat!"

It took some time to get the children to sleep as Bunny finally staggered away from the bed. He followed his nose to where Faustine was, resting against a Warrior egg as she stroked a little egg gently.

"What's wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, hey E. I was just thinking."

"About Hop's first time out and about?"

"No, not that…" Her ears went down as she peered up at him. "You've been keeping something from me. It's been bothering me more and more that you talk to our son about it but you won't mention it to me."

"Did Hitch…."

"No, I heard you talking the other day about why Hitch didn't want to come. I knew that was going to happen, instinct told me but hearing about your fears.. I know this all happened fast, with the children and we didn't have as much time as we should've to really gotten to know each other.."

"You're talking about me only, aren't you?"

"I figured I already knew everything about you.. But I was wrong," She conceded. "There are some things I'm afraid to ask you about too."

"Like my family."

"I.. don't want comparisons or to feel like I can't measure up or maybe this was all some stupid…"

He dropped down to her level, covering her mouth to stop her surging panic attack. "I chose to be with you because you are what I want and love. You inspire hope in me and make me happy and warm and loved. I had been alone for so long that for me to fall for someone was like a rock hitting me in the head. I knew it all along but it took longer to admit it. I don't compare you because there is nothing to compare. What is in the past is in the past and what is now is now. There is no links, there is no competition, and maybe, if you're really curious, I would tell you about myself from that long ago. I was much younger and stupider."

He smirked. "Kind of like you are."

"I am not stupid!"

"Fine, careless."

"I am not careless!"

He was grinning at her as she glared at him, arms crossed.

"Ah, Kit. You're way too easy to tease."

"I'll show you tease!" She glowered as she stood up.

She then threw up her hands. "No! Let's get back to the topic at hand! About you worrying about me growing old and gray."

"How long does your kind live?"

She eyed him, as she felt his worry underneath his words.

"I know my great-great grandmother is still around. Not youthful but my grandparents are considered youngish… I'm not sure, really. I think we can live maybe three hundred? Four hundred years tops.

"And how long have you been around?"

"Ummm… I'm not sure. I never really counted and we don't really celebrate birthdays. I'm definitely young compared to others of my kind. I'm still small and cute and kittenish…"

"Yea, I noticed."

"I'm fully grown though! I just happen to be small."

"Petite."

"Yes!" She licked a shoulder. "Well, compared to your massive height."

He took a few obvious steps forward, towering over her with a small smile.

"Yes, Captain Obvious."

She watched him from the sides of her eyes. "So you're afraid of me dying?"

"Our children will become like me. Stop aging in order to remain here, to protect this area and children and hope but I won't have you forever."

"I'm sure there's something we can do about that."

Bunny's eyebrow twitched. "Sure, and what would be your idea?"

"Why not ask the Man in the Moon?"

"No."

"But.."

"Look, I don't know if he can help in this type of situation. Maybe we can find a Elemental or something, ask around."

There was a long, heavy pause.

"Still think my idea is better."

"Look, kit, can we drop the subject? I'm getting rather depressed here."

She snuggled against him. "Fine. We'll think more on it. And now, I will pass out and expect Hop to wake me up at the crack of dawn because that's what they've all been doing!"

"Fine." Bunny dragged her away from the bed to find themselves in a secluded area of the Warren, another cat bed available.

"Your Dad stopped by and I asked if he could help me get another one. So that we don't have to constantly share with the children."

"I thought you liked sleeping with them!"

"There are a few things I miss and I'm going to get it."

"Really? With that attitude?"

His ears went back, apologetic. "Sorry."

"No, you're not! You!" She poked him in the chest. "Are a bad bunny." She stalked off and jumped into the cat bed before peering out under the blankets with a challenging stare.

"You really like pushing my buttons, don't you?"

"You make it easy!"

"I'll show you easy," He muttered as he climbed in. He grinned as she disappeared, the blankets trembling at her frantic wiggling. "I can't take you serious if you act like a kitten!"'

"I'm a good little kitty," She stuck her head out and stuck her tongue out. "Bad bunny! Bad bunny!"

He disappeared under the blankets, making her shriek and laugh. It took some time before the movements in the blankets stilled.