Prompt: Mourning
Rating: K
Thousands of rabbits mourned Lord Captain Helmer the Brave. No sooner had the world realized what a hero and leader the last lord captain was, then they had lost him.
But none mourned more than Airen Cove and Picket Longtreader. Airen had lost a brother and Picket had lost a mentor. Helmer had been an enormous part in both of their lives and they missed him, probably more than any other rabbit. Even Weezie, though she loved her uncle immediately, was not so tied to him as Airen and Picket were.
Airen had lost her only brother and her best friend. Helmer was the one she did everything with when she was young, and as she got older he became the one she could talk to about everything. He gave her advice and help and his customary dry humor. He gave her something to lean on. He helped steady her when she needed it. He gave her direction and something to steer towards.
She understood what Picket felt, too. He'd had a similar relationship with her brother. Helmer had trained him to be more than he ever could have been on his own. Helemr had helped through the darkest part of his life. Helmer had helped him grow and change. Helmer had been a rock, something Picket had known he could come back to.
She understood.
Often, following Picket's awakening, she would come sit with Picket for hours and the two of them would cry together or talk about the buck they loved so much. As a helmer steers a ship, Helmer had steered them both and guided them.
The one Airen and Picket had loved so much was dead, but instead of mourning alone in her grief and absorbing herself in it, this time Airen made herself become absorbed in others' lives, specifically Picket and Weezie. It was what Helmer would have wanted. He would not have wanted her to mourn alone, like she did for so many years; he would have wanted her to mourn with her son-in-law.
Reply to Ann: Yeah! I'm glad that worked!
XD Yeah. Completely agree.