The Trouble with Tribb--Bunnies? [April Prompt Event]
Apr 11, 2022 18:31:12 GMT -7
fleabittengray and ❅ Icy Dragon ✩ like this
Post by Welder on Apr 11, 2022 18:31:12 GMT -7
Gentleman Jack
The cold cloak of winter finally lifted from this place he was now calling home. Jack was getting used to the idea of no one wanting to hurt him, though his stutter would prove otherwise. His anxiety was still excessive but manageable since he had survived living with a herd these past few months. He couldn't remember most of the time that he had been here; it was all a blur as far as he could tell. Still, Jack was exceptionally grateful and yearned to prove himself as useful, even if his ghosts declared him a failure.
As Jack wandered from the borders of Jade Mire, he detected an odd scent and little scritches that could not be discerned. What in the world...? Jack forgot about his anxiety as his curiosity overwhelmed his default emotions. He could not understand what was going on.
As Jack neared, it seemed that the the scritching noises were becoming muffled, like muffled steps, and he wondered if he would be scaring whatever was making the noise. He was mildly disappointed; it was always his luck to scare anything off. But in his resolve to be useful, he would see this through and if it was important, he would have done something and maybe that something would propel him to doing more. That was the theory anyways.
Suddenly, there was a startling crunch! under his back hoof and in a startle, Jack heard more things crunching under him. Looking around himself, Jack noticed there were these ovoid things all around this patch he wandered into. Hidden in the grass, it looked like eggs, all different shapes, shades, and were those spots??? He had stepped on a number of eggs, each of them completely destroyed and oozing egg matter all over the place. Naturally, Jack was ashamed. They were so pretty, yet in such a weird spot. And what critters laid pink eggs with blue and green spots? The questions flooded his mind until he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head to the sight before him, Jack's jaw all but dropped.
In the meadow right before him, were scores of bunnies. White, fluffy, scritching across rocks and such were bunnies. And what were they eating? All the grazing grass!! They were everywhere! And a couple of them were looking at Jack with rather sour looks on their faces. Gulping and standing rock still, Jack was unable to do anything except smile nervously.
A large rabbit, probably one of the largest of the bunch, approached the stallion with purpose. Speaking in rabbit, he made little noises that made absolutely no sense to Jack. Watching the furball, Jack saw that the rabbit was upset Jack had broken some of the eggs. Jack was unaware that rabbits liked colored eggs??? So many questions, so many rabbits and too many eggs. This was not a lucky situation for the Jack and he figured he could at least say he was sorry.
I'm...s-s-sor-ry he said earnestly. I didn't... What do you say to a white fuzzball hoarding eggs and grass? Jack had really stepped in it this time. The large hare hopped back closer to Jack and seemed very displeased but interested in making some accord with the stallion. The communication barrier would be a hassle but it was not totally impossible. And with other horses in need of that luscious grass, the situation seemed almost hopeless for the nervous stallion with little more than a manageable stutter.
Is...there an-an-anyth-ing I c-c-c-can d-do? Jack stammered, not able to really justify not trying to communicate with the little bunnies. The giant hare seemed to sit and think for a minute, looking at the scores of bunnies and back at the eggs, before looking at Jack. He thumped his large foot and a couple of other bunnies approached, licking their little noses and lips free of strands of the sweet grass they were devouring. They seemed to meet in a huddle and the stallion became very nervous. How could he understand what help they would need if he couldn't understand them?
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the giant hare looked up at Jack and motioned for him to lower his head. Doing so, and inhaling the tantalizing scent of the grass, Jack discovered he could hear them, just their voices were very soft and almost inaudible.
If you can help us move the eggs, we will move on. Jack looked at the hare and back at the eggs. It didn't seem so bad, there weren't that many. The hare seemed to giggle and Jack turned his eye back on him. Oh no, not just these. All the eggs across the horse land. There are pockets of eggs all around and we can't move all of them without a little help. We got hungry and that's why we're here. But help us and we can find a more suitable place as we collect the eggs. Jack smiled weakly. Where are we taking them? he asked. The hare seemed to think and had an idea. These are for the foals and children of the forests, bunnies, horses, deer-alike. When it is time, they will become treats for the ones who find them. Jack raised an eyebrow.
So t-t-that's w-w-whhy they...c-c-cr-crunched? The rabbit nodded solemnly. Jack's expression gave the, oh, of course, look and he raised his head to look around him. If there were pockets of these eggs everywhere in Wild Equines, and scores more bunnies, how could one horse move all those eggs by his lonesome? But instead of an answer, he thought of his children and how they might have enjoyed a magical treat or two. Though, deep down, he thought this was a load of crock, since he could not recall finding a magical egg with magical goodies on a magical day. But then, his memories of being a young horse were gone with the traumas of his life and he could not fully say whether or not he got a special egg as a colt. With his resolve to help these little guys out and at least maybe attempt to do something nice, Jack obliged to helping the bunnies.
With a lot of trial and error, the rabbits and Jack teamed together to load some bunnies and secure the eggs onto Jack with vines, twigs and whatever else they could think of to load him down with these precious eggs. The pockets of eggs were protected by the scores of bunnies all throughout the neutral borders of the lands and with these pockets surrounded by grass, what really could be better? In the long run though and for several days, Jack carried hundreds of eggs and the rabbits conversed with each other to see about either moving along or co-existing with the herds and other animals that relied on the grass. There were some scuffles and awkward moments but overall, the scores of bunnies seemed to begin to move on. The ones that wanted to stay were the ones who unloaded the eggs off of Jack and moved the eggs to be found by unsuspecting young.
The though still nagged at Jack though. He could not remember ever having an egg as a foal. After several days of loading, moving, unloading, and bidding farewell to the many hares he hoped he would never see again, the big hare stayed with Jack up until it was finally time to call it quits. The stallion was exhausted but the fields that were covered in fuzzy, floppy eared critters now seemed to be green and mostly edible. The giant hare motioned for Jack to bring his head down and he whispered something in the tired stud's ear.
Look over there. Turning his head, Jack discovered he had made it back to where he started from, just outside of his home. And within some shrubs, there was a big red and black something hidden within the leaves. Despite his exhaustion, Jack wandered over and nosed around the shrub. Within the leaves, was a giant red egg with black stripes. Laughing to himself, he turned his head to discover that the big hare was gone. Upon looking down at the egg again, he discovered the egg had changed from the ovoid shape to a small pile of red apples. Taking a bite of a big, juicy treat, Jack wondered if in fact he had had such a moment as a foal, only to have it passed off as a fancy. With a small tear in his eye, he wondered if that's where his children had found a pile of carrots randomly.
He felt bad for admonishing them when he did, but he understood now. And he was grateful for that opportunity.
ooc;; It's a Hare-y situation with an eggscellent allusion! <3