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Chapter 4: Family

Ellie, Jason, Edgar, and her parents spent Tuesday morning cleaning the house to

prepare for the arrival of her siblings and their families. Unlike Jason, and apparently Edgar,

though Ellie didn't know how much of it was for show, Ellie hated cleaning. She'd agreed to help

only because she felt guilty about being the only one not helping. She was sure the rest of them

had gotten more done, but she didn't care. If they loved pushing dirt around, why not let them do

most of the work?

With five of them working, the job didn't take long at all. By lunch time, they were

finished, and Ellie was able to relax as she ate her grass and clover salad and cucumber

sandwich, content in the knowledge that there would be no more forced labor today.

As her mother collected the dishes--it was her turn to wash--she stopped behind Ellie

and Jason. "You know, there's still plenty of time to wash the cars today," she declared lightly.

"We are not washing your car," Ellie grumbled. "Drive it through the carwash at the gas

station if you're so concerned about it."

"Er, actually, I was wondering if I could do your car, Ellie," Edgar responded

uncomfortably.

Ellie gave him an annoyed look, "I think the bullet holes are a more pressing issue than

the dirt and bugs. I'm definitely going to have to get the windshield replaced. I haven't even

looked at the one in the back yet."

"I, um, what I really wanted to do was clean up the, uh, Howard's blood," he murmured.

"Oh. Uh, yeah, I guess you can do that," Ellie replied awkwardly. "Let me get the keys."

Ellie retrieved the keys from on top of the dresser under her bed and delivered them to

Edgar. She watched him waddle out the front door with bucket and sponge, wondering if she

should keep an eye on him in case he decided to drive away. However, she didn't really want to

watch him scrub the blood out of the seat or smell its ferric tang again like she had in the

shower. Even though he'd been vile to her and Jason, Ellie didn't relish the memory of dragging

the white ferret's limp, blood-soaked body away from her car.

Ellie and Jason and her father moved to the living room, Jason and Ellie taking the light

blue loveseat and her father taking the dark brown armchair across the room. Ellie scooched

down to snuggle her head under Jason's right arm. It was good to be able to relax together

again without worrying about what the cruel vixen might put them through next. While in

captivity, their mutual affection had given them resilience to weather the vixen's torments and

intrusions. Now, they could get back to loving each other for love's sake, taking the other's

caresses and embraces not as a salve but purely as a source of joy and contentment.

"Jason, tell me something about your parents," her father requested. "Evelyn said they

are still in Maplesburg right now. They were staying safe when you talked to them, I hope."

"Mom said the cul-er-terrorists were leaving predators alone. I hope they're staying safe,

but Mom is needed at the hospital. She can't stay at home."

"I see. She works in medicine too?"

"She's a doctor."

"Well, even terrorists might need a doctor. I don't suppose they'll attack the hospital," her

father seemed like he was trying to reassure Jason, but he didn't sound completely convinced

himself.

Ellie reached across Jason's lap to clasp his hand. Even though Jason hadn't mentioned

it, he must be terribly worried about his parents. It wasn't safe to celebrate just yet; for the

moment, they were safe, but they had friends and family in danger. And who knew what the

terrorists' next move might be if the authorities didn't stop them? Ellie doubted Willowdale was

high on their list of targets, but she didn't know how large a group they were. The idea of an

army of murderous predators marching across Vulpineva was not a pleasant one.

"What does your father do?" her father queried, changing the subject.

"Computer animation."

"Interesting, anything I might have seen?"

"Do you play video games?"

Her father shook his head.

"Have you ever seen the cartoon with the fox who's constantly outwitting larger

predators and prey?"

"You'll have to be more specific," Ellie quipped.

"Er, the protagonists are a little red tod and his arctic vixen friend," Jason specified.

"Felix and Felicity? I used to watch that one!" Ellie piped.

"Yeah, he worked on that. Apparently, it was a bureaucratic nightmare. Every script and

episode had to be approved to make sure it was portraying foxes in the right light. After that, he

switched to video games."

"Those don't have to be approved then?" her father asked.

"Not to the same degree. As long as there's nothing overtly anti-vulpine, they let it slide."

"It's gross how the government can't keep its paws off of entertainment," Ellie grumbled.

"I hope people see through the propaganda. I'd like to see a Vulpinevan film with a rabbit as the

hero or even a cat. At least they don't restrict foreign films."

"Everyone I've talked to thinks it's annoying too," Jason stated. "Sometimes I wonder

whether it's supposed to be effective propaganda or whether they just like seeing flattering

depictions of themselves on screen."

"I guess we should have asked the Duchess when we had the chance," Ellie said dryly.

"But hearing how broken our political system is wasn't something that made me feel better

about my situation there."

"I still find it hard to believe that it's really as she said," her father remarked. "I can

believe there's corruption, but they can literally override any decision they want?"

"She certainly had the police on her side," Ellie grumbled. "If she was lying about

everything else, it's still pretty bad."

"I'll have to bring it up with the Association," her father concluded. "We'll look into

whether and how often that kind of thing has happened. People ought to know if their votes or

those of their representatives don't matter."

"You and your band of anarchists aren't going to change anything, Eli," her mother's

annoyed voice came from the door.

"We're not anarchists," her father replied. "And it's better to try than to accept a rotten

system as is."

Her mother snorted dismissively. She tromped across the room to plop down on the dark

brown couch. Her father got up from the armchair and sat beside her, wrapping an arm around

the larger rabbit.

"Is something wrong, Honey?"

"No, I'm just tired of hearing about conspiracies and intrigue. Why can't predators

behave like civilized people and let things work how they're supposed to?" She gave Jason a

quick glance. "Some predators," she amended.

Ellie was trying to think of a new topic when Edgar trudged into the room, his

countenance melancholy.

"Um, would you mind meeting me out back? There's something I want to do," he

murmured cryptically.

Ellie and her parents glanced at one another curiously but then stood along with Jason

to follow the pine marten. He led the four of them out the front and around the house. The

orange bucket he'd used for cleaning was resting next to a shallow hole in the backyard a few

steps from the trunk of the towering sweetgum that occupied most of the yard between the back

of the teal house and the white picket fence. Ellie noticed dirt embedded under Edgar's long

front claws. He kept his eyes on the ground, facing the cat and rabbits but not looking at them.

He nudged a spiky seed pod with his foot.

"I, uh, I wanted to say a few words about Howard," Edgar began. "He, he wasn't the

nicest ferret, but I thought of him as a friend. And he was part of our family at the manor." He

picked up the bucket and poured the red-tinged water into the hole, transforming it into a

swirling mud puddle. He watched silently as the water soaked into the ground then bent down to

scoop the pile of dirt back into the hole. Standing, he spoke in a thick rasp, "Goodbye, Howard.

Wherever you are, I hope you're happier than you were here. You died trying to save me, and

I'll never ever forget you." Looking down at the pitiful grave, large tears welled in the corners of

his eyes then dropped onto the mud. His shoulders began to shake as he wept silently, more

tears adding to the saturated earth.

Ellie hopped up behind him and hugged him tightly around the middle. He didn't turn to

look but clasped his hand over her left. Jason stepped up beside them and put a hand on

Edgar's shoulder. They stood in awkward silence as the pine marten continued to cry. Finally,

after a few minutes, he sniffed wetly and wiped his right arm across his eyes.

He pulled Ellie's arms open and turned to address the four of them. "Thank you," he

murmured.

He walked back around the house, and Ellie heard the soft whump of the front door

shutting. Ellie looked back at the muddy indentation in the yard. She wondered if that was really

the only remembrance the ferret was going to get.

"I'm worried about him, Ellie," her mother murmured.

"I'll make sure he's okay," she replied.

"No, I mean, I'm worried about his lack of understanding of what happened to you and

Jason. You were tortured, kept prisoner, and from your story, he kept going along right up to the

end. The ferret you described sounded irredeemable, but he was Edgar's friend and family?"

"He knows what they did was wrong. I think he can be excused for feeling sad about

someone he lived with dying," Ellie defended him. She didn't like Edgar's attachment to the

Duchess or her more callous servants either. But the ferret was dead, and he had been trying to

help Edgar escape. It made sense for him to feel upset. Perhaps he even felt guilty.

"But how can he be friends with you and someone like that?" she pressed.

Ellie shook her head, "That's not important right now. It may take some time for him to

come to grips with the kind of people they were, but they were the people he lived with, I don't

know how long. Right now, he needs to know he has friends here too." Ellie didn't say it, but she

mentally finished, Or he might go back to her. Ellie believed Edgar had the instincts of a kind

and decent person; he'd simply been manipulated by the vixen, his desire for love and

belonging used against him. That's why he needed to feel he belonged here now. Ellie headed

back around the house, and the others followed her.

Edgar wasn't downstairs, so Ellie headed upstairs, assuming he had gone to his

bedroom. Jason followed, and she turned to regard him a moment before nodding. Edgar

should feel he had the support of more than her alone. Her parents remained downstairs, which

Ellie understood too; they hardly knew the pine marten, and her mother's concerns made sense.

As expected, Ellie and Jason found Edgar in his room, slumped on his bed. Ellie hopped across

the room and up onto the bed to sit next to him. Jason followed, standing beside the bed. Ellie

wrapped her right arm across Edgar's back.

"I'm sorry about your friend. We all are. Jason and I are available any time you need to

talk about it," Ellie murmured sympathetically.

Edgar sniffed wetly and turned his head to look at her, "Thanks, Ellie," he murmured.

Ellie reached her other arm around him to hug him, and he hugged her back.

"Thank you for giving me a place to stay," he continued. "I-I'd understand if, if you

wanted to be done with me."

"I don't want to be done with you, Edgar. Jason doesn't either. We don't blame you for

what happened. You were under the control of that, of the Duchess, same as we were."

Ellie let Edgar go, and he turned to look at Jason, "You're not angry about what I did

either? Howard and I watched while Her Grace starved you. I could have let you out."

"You could have," Jason agreed. "I'd like to think that's what I would have done in your

situation, but I guess I can't really know. If you know now that it was wrong and you're truly

sorry, then I forgive you. At the very least, it wasn't your idea."

"I-I am sorry and for all of the other times I didn't try to stop Her Grace from killing

someone."

Jason nodded once in acknowledgement. "We can't change what we did in the past; we

can only change what we do in the future. Ellie believes you have the capacity to change, and I

trust her judgement. If you need help, I'm here."

Edgar slipped off of the bed and hugged the cat around the middle. Jason hugged him

back.

"C-can I call you a friend, Jason?" Edgar asked hopefully.

"Yes."

Edgar breathed a contented sigh. He reached his snout up to nose Jason's cheek.

Jason patted his back. After a couple seconds, they broke apart. Ellie thought Edgar looked a

little embarrassed, but he almost always looked that way.

"Do you want to come back downstairs now?" Ellie asked Edgar.

He nodded. They returned to the living room, and Ellie led Jason to the couch, stopping

by the bookshelf to grab The Fellowship of the Ring.

"Jason was reading this to me yesterday," she told Edgar. "You can listen too if you

want."

Jason took the book, and he and Ellie sat on the couch with Ellie snuggled against his

left side. Edgar hopped up next to them, but to Ellie's surprise, he sat on Jason's right instead of

next to her. She peered around Jason to see the pine marten scooted down with his head

tucked under Jason's arm. Ellie smirked; it seemed like Edgar was taking his newly declared

friendship with the cat to heart. Jason didn't seem to mind. Jason began to read, and Ellie sat

back, tucking her own head under Jason's other arm.

* * *

Jason read until it was time for him to fix his and Edgar's dinner. He waited until Eli and

Evelyn were done in the kitchen before he started cooking the pork filets. It meant the rabbits

would be mostly done eating by the time he joined them in the dining room, but it was the best

solution to avoid them suffering from the smell. Edgar watched him from the small table by the

window whilst Jason cooked. Jason didn't mind the company, but he did feel a bit awkward

about the affection the pine marten had been showing him since he'd told him he could call him

a friend. Jason would have been comfortable if they'd know each other better, but he still felt he

didn't know the pine marten well. He deferred to Ellie's judgement about him, and he did seem

sorry for his part in their captivity. However, aside from a few polite conversations with him, he

hadn't had that many interactions with him. Ellie did say she wants him to feel like he belongs

and has friends here.

"Is it almost done?" Edgar queried.

"Almost."

"Thank you for cooking for us. I, uh, I don't think I'd be much good at it."

"It's not hard. I'll show you sometime."

"Thank you for doing your best to make me feel welcome here."

Jason glanced back at him, "You are welcome here. You're Ellie's friend, and she

decided to bring you. Even if I had some doubts at the beginning, I'm glad she made that

decision."

"I'm not sure her parents would agree," Edgar mumbled.

Jason turned around to address him, "They probably just need a little time. It's

understandable if they're protective of their daughter, especially after what she went through."

Edgar looked down at the floor, "I guess you would know that better than anyone. I'm

sorry if anything I've done has made it harder for you."

"I doubt it has, but if so, then I forgive you." Jason turned back to the stove to continue

cooking.

Dinner was uneventful. Afterward, Jason helped Eli with the dishes, and then the rabbits

went upstairs to shower and get ready for bed; it was going to be a busy day tomorrow. Jason

smiled to himself as he thought about meeting Ellie's siblings and their families. There would be

so many bunnies; it would be like the time at the speed dating except they'd want to talk to him.

Jason proceeded to the couch to handle his own grooming. Edgar, who was waiting for his turn

in the shower, watched him from the loveseat.

"Don't you get hairballs from licking all of that fur?" Edgar queried.

"Sometimes," Jason answered perfunctorily.

"I, uh, there's something I want to tell you," Edgar murmured nervously.

Jason nodded for him to go on as he continued licking his leg.

"I, uh, I've been a little jealous of you and Ellie."

Jason paused in his licking to sit up. "Ellie told me you said you love her. I won't say it

doesn't bother me at all, but as long as you understand we're committed to each other, it's not a

problem."

Edgar nodded nervously, "I-I understand."

"Good." Jason bent back toward his leg.

"But what I wanted to say is I like you too!"

Jason stopped, his tongue part way out of his mouth to stare at the pine marten.

Edgar fidgeted in his seat. "I thought you were p-pretty the first time I saw you. I, I liked

Howard too, but he didn't feel the same. I understand that you're with Ellie, but I, um, I thought

you should know."

Jason noticed his tongue getting dry and pulled it back into his mouth. "Uh, okay, like

you said, I'm with Ellie, and I like women. Sorry," he finished embarrassedly.

"I understand if you don't want me to touch you after this," Edgar murmured sadly.

Jason sat up, regarding the dejected pine marten concernedly. He felt guilty that his

short response had made Edgar feel rejected for his orientation, "You shouldn't feel ashamed of

who you're attracted to. I don't mind if you sit with me like you did earlier. I'm glad you told me

how you feel. If we're friends, then I don't want you to feel like you need to hide who you are

from me."

Edgar brightened up a little, "You don't mind if I want to sit with you?"

Jason shook his head, "Even, uh, even though I'm not attracted to him, I used to hold my

ferret friend Fitzie and wash his ears. There's nothing wrong with showing affection for your

friends as long as they're comfortable with it, and it's best to know where everyone's coming

from."

Edgar gave him an embarrassed smile, "I-I'd like it if you held me. You can lick my ears

too if you want."

"I need to finish washing myself first," Jason stated.

He went back to grooming himself, but he could feel Edgar watching him. When Jason

glanced up, Edgar smiled at him shyly. Jason felt a little shot of embarrassment and quickly

went back to washing. When he was done, he went to the kitchen to have a sip of water then

returned to the living room area. Edgar looked at him hopefully. Jason hopped up beside him on

the loveseat and wrapped his right arm around him. Turning his head, he nosed Edgar's velvety

crescent of an ear, smelling his sweet musk. The pine marten closed his eyes and pressed

himself closer to Jason, his warm, lithe body flush with Jason's own. Jason began to groom his

head and ears, and the intimate task brought forth a warm feeling of friendly affection for the

pine marten. His scent wasn't so different from Fitzie's; Jason missed Fitzie. He hoped he was

okay. Even though his inaction had condemned Jason and Ellie to torture and humiliation at the

hands of the cruel Duchess, Jason wanted to see him again. He wanted to tell him he forgave

him. Jason began to purr as he stretched his neck to reach Edgar's right ear. Edgar leaned his

head against Jason's neck and sighed contentedly. When Jason was done, he sat up and let go

of the pine marten.

"Thanks, Jason. I'm glad we're friends," Edgar breathed.

"Me too."

"Do, uh, do you miss Her Grace even a little bit?" Edgar asked nervously.

Jason frowned. "Part of me wants to know she's okay, but I wouldn't go back to that life if

that's what you're asking."

"N-no, I know you didn't like being, er, being her pet, but if it wasn't like that, if she

stopped, um, doing what she does, would you want to see her again?"

"Those are big ifs. I don't know. Do you miss her?"

"Yes," he murmured sadly.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you think that's wrong?"

Jason took a deep breath and held it a moment while he considered what he thought

and what he should say. He understood why Edgar cared for the Duchess. Unlike Ellie, Jason

wasn't convinced her affection was all cynical manipulation. Still, she was a torturer and a

murderer. Logically, no one should want anything to do with her. "I suppose it's not wrong to

miss someone you care for," Jason replied diplomatically. "Even if they've done terrible things."

"Do, do you think Ellie's parents will ever agree with that?"

Jason hesitated before answering, "No."

"What do you think I should do then?"

"I don't know. Maybe your feelings will change after you've been away from her for a

while. Even if you cared for each other in a way, that doesn't mean it was a healthy relationship.

I wouldn't go as far as Ellie, but I think you're better off away from her."

"I don't want my feelings to change!" Edgar protested, upset.

Jason frowned again. "I don't know what to tell you then. You wouldn't tell her where we

were if you did go back to her, would you?"

"No!"

"Then I guess it's up to you, but you're welcome to stay with us as long as you need to."

"Thanks, Jason."

Edgar leaned against him again, and Jason put an arm across his shoulders. Jason was

glad he'd had this conversation and moment with the pine marten; he felt that maybe they really

were friends, rather than friends as a matter of polite words only. They sat together in friendly

silence a few minutes before Ellie returned, her fur fluffed up from the blow dryer.

"I see you two are getting along," Ellie piped cheerfully. "The shower's available now,

Edgar. Hopefully, there's enough hot water for you."

Edgar slipped off of the loveseat and left the room. Ellie smirked at Jason.

"Did you have fun with Edgar while I was in the shower?" she teased good-humoredly.

"He, uh, he told me he's attracted to me," Jason admitted.

Ellie blinked. "Huh, I wouldn't have guessed he likes guys too." She paused. "Are you

attracted to him?"

"No! And if I were, it wouldn't matter because I love you!" Jason averred.

Ellie shrugged nonchalantly, "Okay. I'm glad the two of you are getting along. He's not a

bad guy when you get to know him. He'll realize he was wrong about that monster before long."

"I'm not so sure about that," Jason muttered. "He said he doesn't want his feelings to

change. I think he might go back to her."

"He can't go back to her! She's a murderer!"

"He didn't leave her because he realized that. He left because we took him with us. Even

if he knows we're his friends, he might prefer to be with her. They were, you know; it's not like

either of us are going to give him that."

"He can find someone else to fuck! He shouldn't have to settle for a murderer who's only

trying to manipulate him! Without us there, she might not even bother!"

"I don't believe it was pure manipulation, Ellie. I'm sure that was part of it, but I got the

feeling she really did care for him in a way. Didn't you?"

Ellie grumbled, "Maybe," she conceded. "But that doesn't make it all okay. She was still

manipulating him, and she's still a murderer. Like I told him, it's one thing to try to get her help;

it's another to keep serving her while she murders people."

"You don't have to tell me that."

Ellie crossed her arms and scowled at the floor, "Do you really think he'll go back to

her?" she muttered.

Jason jumped off of the chair and put his hands on her shoulders. "All we can do is show

him he's welcome to stay with us. If we do that and he still chooses her, there's nothing more

we could have done. I know you feel like we saved him, but not everyone wants to be saved."

Ellie sighed in reluctant acceptance, "I still hope he realizes we're right. I'll feel like we

failed him if he goes back, even if we did all we could."

"I know, Ellie. I hope he makes the right choice too," Jason soothed.

Ellie stood contemplatively a couple minutes before speaking again in a more cheerful

tone, "I guess we should go to bed. I hope my nieces and nephews won't run you ragged trying

to play with you tomorrow," she teased. "I might suggest a game of 'catch the kitty by the tail'."

Jason frowned, "You wouldn't."

Ellie smirked, "Wouldn't I? I guess we'll find out tomorrow." She stepped forward to hug

him but then ran her hand down his back and snagged the base of his tail. She pulled his tail

through her hand until she had enough to pull it around in front of her. "Looks like I already

caught the kitty." She gave his tail a tug, "Come on, let's go to bed."

* * *

After they'd finished their breakfast the next morning, Ellie began helping her parents

prepare lunch for the visiting rabbits. Jason would prepare lunch for himself and Edgar, but

feeding two people was much less of a hassle than feeding over twenty.

"Chop some celery for the salad, Ellie," her mother instructed.

Ellie retrieved the cutting board and chef's knife from the left end of the white counter

where her father had left them after chopping turnips, potatoes, and beets for a vegetable pot

pie, which was one of the five main courses. She briefly rinsed both under the sink then

collected the celery from the fridge.

"How many stalks?"

"Five should do."

Ellie pulled the stalks off of the bunch and rinsed them as well before beginning to chop

them. For rabbits, salad was also a main course, and the hearty salad already contained

carrots, spinach, red leaf lettuce, clover, and dandelions.

Jason poked his head in from the hall. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he meowed.

"Do you know how to make lasagna?" her mother asked.

Jason hesitated. "Uh, if you tell me what to put in it, I can."

"Eli will tell you. The noodles are cooling on the stove."

Jason collected the pot of noodles, and her father directed him towards the spinach,

eggplant, and tomato sauce.

Her mother turned to her. "I think everything is coming together," she stated, satisfied.

Ellie glanced at the large slices of cauliflower waiting to be braised and the vegetable

skewers with tomato, bell pepper, carrot, beet, and broccoli waiting to be grilled. "It's going to be

wild with everyone here," she remarked. "It's like Saturnalia but in summer."

"It's nice to have the whole family together, but it is getting to be a lot of you with your

siblings' spouses and children. Hopefully, it stays nice so that we can overflow into the

backyard."

"Right, it'll get pretty crowded in here otherwise."

"Um, speaking of children," her mother murmured awkwardly, her voice low so that only

Ellie could hear. "You said the other day that you could adopt. Is, is that something you and

Jason have thought about?"

Ellie frowned, "Not really. I mean, we've been through a lot together, but discussing that

hasn't really been on the top of the agenda in the past couple weeks. I'm not ready for a family

yet anyway."

"Do you even know if he wants them?"

"He mentioned it once, but he wasn't well then. I don't know whether he really wants

them."

"That's something you ought to discuss before it gets too serious. You wouldn't want to

be stuck with someone who doesn't want children when you do or vice versa."

'Before it gets too serious.' Ellie was annoyed by the insinuation that their relationship

wasn't already serious, but she let it slide. Her mother was right, at least in that it was an

important thing to discuss.

The lasagna and pie were in the oven by the time the first car arrived. Ellie spotted the

silver minivan stopping out front.

"Someone's here!" she alerted everyone.

Her younger brother Henry climbed out followed by his wife Delilah and their four

children. Henry was similar in size and markings to Ellie and her father though his chocolate

splotches were differently placed and, like the rest of her siblings, he lacked the 'mustache'

spot. His wife was a larger brown rabbit, and two of their children were colored like her while the

others were like him. While Henry wore a red t-shirt and the children wore nothing, Delilah was

dressed in a dour long-sleeve, black dress that extended to her knees.

Ellie and her parents hurried to the door. Jason followed closely behind them. Apparently

having heard her from the living room, Edgar also emerged but hung back. Ellie opened the

door, revealing Henry about to ring the doorbell.

"Ellie!" he exclaimed happily. He grabbed her in a tight hug. "You look great for being

dead two weeks!" he joked. They broke apart, and Henry stepped by her to hug their parents.

Delilah gave Ellie a curt nod, "You look well," she stated tersely.

"So do you. But didn't Henry tell you I'm alive?" Ellie queried good-humoredly.

"You forced me to go out and buy this, I wasn't not going to wear it," she returned

peevishly.

Ellie resisted rolling her eyes. She didn't know what her brother saw in this petulant doe.

"I'm sorry we inconvenienced you," she replied sarcastically.

"This is Jason," her mother was saying. "Ellie's partner at her practice."

Ellie turned around to see Henry shaking Jason's hand politely. "And my boyfriend; don't

forget that," Ellie added jovially.

Henry's eyes widened, and he eyed Jason with newfound interest. He let go of Jason's

hand and turned to Ellie, grinning, "I should have known hooking up with a rabbit would be too

boring for you," he declared amusedly.

Delilah sniffed disdainfully, "Too normal, you mean. I'm surprised it isn't a raptor. I'd

imagine she'd like being carried off in a pair of nice sharp talons."

Ellie shot her a dirty look. Henry gave his wife a pleading look, silently begging her to be

nice; she didn't seem to take any notice. Pushing past the rest of them, Delilah herded her

children inside. She didn't even make eye contact with Jason. Henry looked at Ellie

apologetically, and she shook her head to tell him not to worry about it. She'd realized she

couldn't get along with the conservative Delilah a long time ago.

A few minutes later, two cars--a bright blue compact car and a silver sedan--pulled up

behind the minivan. Her younger sister Farida and her littermate Claire hopped out of the two

cars respectively. Claire took after their mother in size and was white with a dark brown belly

and ears while Farida took after their father and had dark brown fur on her hands, feet, scut,

and ears and an oval-shaped black spot in the middle of her back. Claire bounded across the

yard when Ellie opened the door and swept Ellie up in a hug, lifting her off her feet. Ellie hugged

the larger rabbit around her neck.

"Ellie! You're alive! When, when Mom told me," she hugged Ellie tighter. "Never scare

me like that again."

"I'm sorry I worried you," Ellie murmured.

Claire set her down. As she did, her eyes fell on Jason. "Who's this, Ellie?" she asked, a

bit nervously Ellie thought.

"That's Jason. He's my business partner and, more recently, my kitty sweetheart."

Ellie's use of the term 'kitty sweetheart' had the intended effect as Jason's ears

pinkened.

He flipped his tail embarrassedly as he smiled shyly at Claire, "Hi."

"You do it with a cat!?" Farida gasped, having made her way to the door more slowly.

She lowered her voice to a still all too audible hiss, "What's it like?!"

"Farida!" their mother scolded.

"Later," Ellie whispered to Farida under her breath.

"Hi, I don't think we've met before," someone spoke from the front step.

Ellie turned to see an albino buck, similar in size to Claire. "Uh, hi, I'm Ellie," she

extended her hand.

The buck shook it, "So I've gathered."

"Sorry!" Claire exclaimed. "This is my fiancé, Seth."

"Pleased to meet you," he said amusedly. They broke apart and he followed Claire in.

He and Claire greeted her parents and Jason. Claire looked nervous as she shook

Jason's hand. Farida eyed Jason from the side of the entry; she slowly ran her eyes from his

ears down to the tip of his tail. Ellie stepped in front of her to give her a hug and to stop her from

molesting Jason with her gaze.

Farida grinned at her, "You lucky doe," she whispered. "I thought rising from the dead

was going to be your big trick, but landing a hunk like that? Tell me he has brothers."

"He has one."

Farida grinned wider.

"I believe he's married."

"Damn!" She pushed Ellie away but held her by her shoulders at arm's length.

"Seriously, what was your trick?! Cats just walk away when I flirt with them! If I'm lucky, they

don't laugh!"

"Go into business with one and don't even realize you're into him until he tells you he

wants to live together five years later," Ellie instructed.

Farida scowled, "Helpful," she replied sarcastically. She pushed around Ellie and

stepped up to Jason to shake his hand. She narrowed her eyes and smiled slyly, "I'm Farida."

Jason shook her hand, "Nice to meet you, Farida."

She smiled at him a second longer before letting him go. She turned her head to eye his

back side as she passed, and her left leg 'inadvertently' brushed his along his tail. Jason looked

at Ellie embarrassedly. Ellie wasn't sure whether to be amused or irritated.

Ellie's other littermate Daisy was the next to arrive. She anxiously herded her three sons

out of their tan SUV as her husband Raul approached the door. Raul was a black Dutch rabbit,

and one of their children took after him. Another of their sons was white and dark brown, and

the third was albino. Daisy herself was almost entirely chocolate brown with a white tail, left foot

and left ear; like Ellie, she took after their father in size. Raul was also below average size

though slightly larger than Daisy. Raul briefly shook Ellie's hand before proceeding inside. Daisy

kept an eye on the children as she hugged Ellie.

"It's good to see you again," Daisy greeted.

"You too. It looks like you're keeping busy," Ellie noted.

"They're a handful."

"If they get to be too much trouble, send them Jason's way," Ellie suggested playfully.

"I'm sure they'd have fun chasing him around."

"Jason?" Daisy asked confusedly.

She looked up, spotting the cat, who was shaking Raul's hand, and her eyes shot wide.

Jason gave her a disarming smile, but it didn't seem to have the intended effect. Her eyes

darted down to her sons who were already hopping around the cat's legs, the albino crouched

down and poking at the sharp claws on his feet. Daisy broke away from Ellie and quickly shooed

her children away from the cat.

She looked up at him nervously, "I-I'm sorry, Sir. I didn't mean to let them annoy you!"

Jason extended his hand calmly, "It's Jason. They weren't hurting anything. As long as

no one tries to dangle from my tail, it's okay."

"I-I'll make sure I tell them to leave your tail alone!" she promised nervously.

Jason dropped his hand, realizing she wasn't going to take it. She looked at his hand as

if she hadn't noticed before.

"Sorry!" she extended her own hand, and Jason took it, shaking it gently. She eyed the

razor-sharp claws adorning the hand engulfing her own.

"Nice to meet you," Jason said.

She jerked her gaze away from his claws to make eye contact with the cat, "Y-yes, nice

to meet you too."

Jason let her hand go, and she gave him a nervous smile before darting off to pursue

her children who were making their way to the great room. Edgar was standing just outside of

the great room, and Daisy stopped short with a start as she saw the pine marten. Edgar waved

awkwardly, and she turned to eye Ellie worriedly before ushering her children into the great

room, peering inside--possibly to check for more predators--before proceeding through the

door.

Ellie waited by the door with Jason whilst her parents went to attend to the family that

had already arrived. Edgar also disappeared into the great room.

Ellie smirked at Jason, "Having trouble remembering everyone's name yet?"

"I think I'm okay so far."

"Just don't forget Farida's name. She'd be heartbroken," she jested.

"She did seem more interested than the rest," Jason noted embarrassedly.

"If you want her to really like you, give her some tips on how to catch the interest of her

own kitty," Ellie teased.

"She could try rolling in catnip. It might attract the wrong kind of attention though."

"I'll suggest it."

It was several minutes before the next car arrived; this time her older brother Aaron, his

wife and kids, and her younger sister Gwendolen exited the red SUV. Aaron and Gwendolen

were both intermediate in size between their mother and father. Aaron was white with dark

brown splotches on his body but none on his head; his scut was also dark brown. Aaron's wife

Julia was heather gray with white hands, feet, and belly; she was larger at roughly their mother's

size. Two of their three children were colored like Julia, and the other was like Aaron.

Gwendolen was mostly chocolate with a white belly and chin and a tapering white line that ran

from her chin up her nose, coming to a point on her forehead. Spotting Ellie, Gwendolen raced

ahead of the family.

Stopping just short of Ellie, she beamed at her proudly, "I knew some stupid serial killer

couldn't stop my big sis!" she proclaimed. She grabbed her 'big sis', who was half a head

shorter than her, and hugged Ellie close. Ellie hugged her back.

"I never would have made it without Jason," Ellie told her, turning her head to look at him

affectionately.

Still holding Ellie with one arm, Gwendolen held out her hand to the cat, "Pleased to

finally meet you, Jason. Ellie's mentioned you before. I've been interested to meet her feline

partner."

"It's nice to meet you too," Jason replied.

"He's not just my partner anymore, Gwen. He's also my boyfriend!" Ellie put in jocularly.

"Really?" Gwendolen gasped. She stared at Jason, still holding his hand.

Jason smiled at her shyly. Gwendolen dropped his hand and put her hands on Ellie's

shoulders, staring into her eyes in wonder as they stood chest-to-chest. Even though she was

her sister, it made Ellie a little uncomfortable.

"You're so brave, Ellie," she breathed.

Ellie laughed embarrassedly "Heheh, you don't need to be brave to handle this goofball.

Spend some time chatting with him; you'll like him."

Gwendolen nodded solemnly, taking Ellie's suggestion as edict. She finally let Ellie go.

Heading toward the great room, she bobbed her head to Jason, "We'll talk later."

Ellie turned back to Aaron and his family, who were waiting patiently.

"Sorry, how are you, Aaron?"

"Well. We're all doing well. Interesting to see you found a new boyfriend. He looks a lot

smarter than Cliff or whatever his name was," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Cliff was back in high school! I've had boyfriends since then!" Ellie shot back.

Aaron grinned, amused that his teasing had elicited a reaction. He stepped forward and

hugged her, "It's good to see you, Ellie."

Ellie was annoyed that she'd let him annoy her with such stale material, but she hugged

him back. Aaron broke away to shake hands with Jason, and Julia hugged Ellie next.

"Glad to see you're still alive!" Julia piped.

"Good to see you too," Ellie replied cheerfully. Julia was the sister-in-law she actually

liked.

Julia smiled at Jason amicably as she shook his hand and then followed Aaron inside.

Their children followed them. The gray buck stared up at Jason as he passed, and Jason gave

him a friendly smile. The buck hastened after his mother.

Last to arrive was Ellie's older brother Beau. He and his husband Jack climbed out of

their black convertible with their two adopted children, both brown hares with black-tipped ears.

Beau was the largest Bennett and completely white but with brown eyes. Jack was small, a little

smaller than Ellie even, and completely black with hazel eyes. The colossal Beau carried one

leverate in each arm as he approached the door. Setting them down, he hugged Ellie to his

chest. He stayed silent a few seconds as he held her with one arm across her back and the

other hand on her head.

Finally, he looked down at her sternly, "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"Next time I'm planning to let a psycho catch me, I'll let you know ahead," Ellie jested.

He frowned.

"Sorry. I'm sorry I worried you, Beau," she said sincerely.

He nodded once in acceptance.

"Let me introduce you to my boyfriend and partner. Beau, this is Jason."

Beau eyed Jason grimly. Letting go of Ellie, he stepped in front of Jason, sizing him up.

Beau was almost as tall as the cat and probably at least three-quarters of his weight. He looked

at Jason sternly a few seconds. Jason looked back nervously.

Finally, Beau grinned amiably, "Nice to meet you, Jason!" He held out his hand then

shook Jason's heartily.

"Nice to meet you too," Jason replied, relieved.

Beau ushered the children inside, and Ellie turned back to Jack, who wrapped her in a

tight hug.

"Ellie! Always a pleasure to see my favorite sister-in-law!" he declared.

"And you. Everything's going well with you, Beau, and the little hares, I hope."

"Very well. Come visit us sometime. We'd love to have you." He smiled at Jason, "And

the pretty kitty too."

* * *

After Jack shook his hand, Jason and Ellie followed the black rabbit back to the great

room; the living room area was crammed with rabbits. The couch and loveseat were packed.

Only the armchair had a single occupant, and this was probably because it was Edgar. Had a

rabbit sat there, they likely would have soon been joined by another trying to squeeze in. Henry

and Delilah occupied the light blue loveseat while the dark brown couch held Claire, Raul,

Gwendolen, Aaron, Julia, and Beau. Beau gave up his seat to Jack to stand by the arm of the

couch as the black rabbit entered. The others, Julia in particular, seemed relieved to have more

space while sharing with the smaller rabbit. In the middle, Eli was down on the tan carpet

playing with his grandchildren. Evelyn was watching him fondly a couple paces away. Daisy was

up trying to keep an eye on her sons; the black and white one was sparring with the lanky male

hare while the others joined in the game with Eli. Eli was trying to pounce on the diminutive

rabbits as they darted around him, squealing in laughter. The female hare seemed reluctant to

join in, hanging back by the couch, until Beau crouched next to her and put a hand on her head,

speaking too softly for Jason to hear over the other voices. She gave a small nod before

creeping forward to join the others; soon, she was running and squealing too. Farida was by the

side of the armchair, apparently flirting with Edgar; the pine marten seemed very embarrassed

by whatever she was saying.

Ellie made her way over to the left side of the couch where Claire was seated. Jason

followed her, but he was intercepted by Gwendolen, who hopped off of the couch. She quickly

lost her seat as Beau squeezed back in.

"Jason! Ellie said I should talk to you," she reminded.

Jason glanced at Ellie leaned against the arm of the couch next to Claire before

responding, "Sure, what did you want to discuss?"

She blinked, "I don't know."

The conversation was off to a great start. "Uh, what do you do? For work, I mean," Jason

queried.

"I'm in medical school at UNV. Farida is too."

"You didn't come together," Jason noted.

"You've never ridden with her! Her driving is horrific! Aaron offered, and I took it! I don't

know how many times I've thought I was going to die in her car!"

Jason gave her a sympathetic look, "Ellie is a scary driver too. I'm certain she goes out

of her way to terrify me."

Gwendolen's eyes widened in surprise, "You get scared? Now I don't feel so bad. I didn't

think cats were afraid of anything."

Jason wasn't sure how she'd come by such a misconception. Amongst predators, cats

were often regarded as particularly skittish. Maybe any predator seemed fearless to some prey.

"We're not immune to head-on collisions," Jason pointed out. "Besides, everyone is afraid of

something. I get nervous around big groups of dogs, for example."

Gwendolen nodded, "I guess so. What about a big group of rabbits? Does this make you

nervous?" she glanced around the room.

"Only about making a good first impression with Ellie's family," he admitted.

"You're doing fine so far." She paused a couple seconds. Jason was unsure what else to

say. "Sooo, how long have you and Ellie been together?"

"We've been working together a little over five years," Jason answered. He knew what

she meant, but he wasn't sure he wanted to discuss their relationship. He felt that was more

Ellie's prerogative when it came to her family.

"I mean dating or whatever."

"We decided to start living together two and a half weeks ago, but uh, most of that time

was while we were being held captive."

"You really just started seeing each other then."

"Er, well, I think we know each other pretty well from working together. Obviously, you

get to see a different side of a person when you're in a relationship than when you're at work,

but we were friends already."

"I see. So that's why you decided to go ahead and move in together. How's that been?"

"Um, like I said, we spent most of that time in captivity, but other than that, it's been fine."

"You really were captured by a serial killer like they said then, right? How did you get

away?"

"We got lucky. The cultists who attacked Maplesburg also attacked her. We were able to

get away in the confusion."

Gwendolen's face screwed up in confusion, "Why, why would the terrorists attack them?

They were killing prey, weren't they? Seems like someone they'd agree with."

"I don't know that they knew she was the serial killer. We were being held by the

Duchess. I assume they attacked her because of her position."

"Puhwha?! The Duchess?! You mean the Duchess of Gooseberry?"

He nodded.

Gwendolen shook her head in confusion, "That, why, I thought." She stopped shaking

her head and stared at him, pleading for answers, "I don't understand. The Duchess?"

Jason was at a loss for what to say, "That's who it was," he reiterated lamely.

"But she's a fox! I thought they were the good guys!" she cried.

Jason flipped his tail and reached his right hand up to scratch his ear awkwardly before

answering carefully, "Uh, well, that's how they're portrayed on tv, but they're people like the rest

of us, some good and some bad."

She looked down at the floor, her ears drooping, the picture of devastated

disillusionment, "But King Philip pushed forward lab-grown meat for us. He made it so we could

live in peace. I thought they were there to protect us," she murmured sadly.

Jason placed his right hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure many of them hold that sentiment,

and not only foxes, other predators too. Many of us cherish what peace has given us, myself

included."

She looked up at him with a small smile and placed her hand on his own, "I think I see

why Ellie likes you now," she spoke softly.

He smiled warmly, "I guess Ellie was right as usual then. I'm glad she brought me here

to meet all of you."

Gwendolen leapt forward and wrapped him in a hug, pressing her nose to his collar.

Jason's ears instantly grew warm, and he patted her back while his tail swept across the floor

embarrassedly.

"No fair!" Farida yelped.

Jason could feel the other rabbits' eyes on him, watching in surprise or concern. Only Eli

and the children seemed to take no notice. He kept his eyes on the brown and white rabbit with

her arms wrapped around his chest, avoiding their judgmental gazes. After a few seconds,

Gwendolen broke away. She noticed the others staring, and the insides of her ears pinkened

too.

"I, uh, I was just welcoming him to the family," she mumbled.

Ellie hopped over beside them, "Don't worry about it, Gwen. I'm sure they'd all want to

hug my sweet kitty after chatting with him a few minutes," she stated lightly.

Gwendolen glanced at Jason embarrassedly, "Sorry."

"No harm done," he assured her.

"I'll let you have this kitty snuggle for free, but the next one is ten credits," Ellie joked.

Gwendolen smiled amusedly, and a few of the other rabbits chuckled. Jason was glad to

feel the tension in the room diffuse away.

"Get the kitty!" someone squealed.

Jason quickly yanked his tail away from the noise and looked down. He was relieved to

see Eli flopped out on the floor exhausted while the little bunnies climbed on top of him. Jason

smirked.

Evelyn sidled over to Jason, Ellie, and Gwendolen. "I think you ought to get started on

your and Edgar's dinner if you're going to eat with us," she noted.

Jason nodded, "We can talk more later if you want," he told Gwendolen.

She nodded, and Jason made his way out of the noisy room and into the kitchen. Ellie

stayed behind, so Jason had the kitchen to himself. The sweet and savory aromas of baking

lasagna and root vegetable pie filled the room; though they didn't make Jason especially

hungry, they smelled nice.

Jason selected a pair of beef steaks that he'd set out to thaw on a plate next to the fridge

early that morning. Eli was already planning to grill vegetable skewers on a gas grill out back, so

Jason had selected something he could cook outside as well to avoid disturbing the rabbits.

There was a glass backdoor out of the great room, but Jason felt a bit self-conscious about

carrying the meat past everyone. It was a bit odd being one of only two carnivores in a house

full of herbivores. He wondered if Ellie ever felt similarly, but he suspected it didn't bother her.

Jason considered going out the front door and walking around the house. You shouldn't be

embarrassed about what you have to eat; they know you're a cat, he silently scolded himself.

Jason grabbed a pair of red-handled tongs that were hanging by the stove, and taking a deep

breath, he strode out of the kitchen. He hesitated momentarily before entering the great room

but then marched purposefully toward the backdoor and outside to the rectangular grill. No one

paid any attention. Of course they didn't! Jason shook his head at his own foolishness.

Jason lit the grill and began cooking the steaks. A few minutes later, Edgar suddenly

appeared next to him.

"Have you been getting to know Ellie's siblings?" Jason queried conversationally.

"Too well," Edgar muttered. "I finally got away."

Jason glanced at him sidelong, "You mean from Farida? I noticed her talking to you."

Edgar nodded, "She asked if I had a girlfriend, and when I said no, she asked if I wanted

to come home with her," he murmured. "I said I'd rather stay here, but she wouldn't let it go.

She, I don't want to go into it," he finished embarrassedly.

"I guess you don't find her attractive then," Jason commented.

Edgar slowly shook his head, "She scares me."

"The Duchess didn't scare you, but Ellie's sister does?" Jason asked incredulously.

"Her Grace never looked like she wanted to eat me," Edgar muttered.

Right, she saved those looks for Ellie. Jason tried to feel sympathetic for the pine

marten, but being aggressively hit on was categorically less than what either he or Ellie had put

up with even after the Duchess had stopped trying to kill them. "I'm sure she'll get the hint

eventually. You're welcome to stay out here," he offered.

Edgar seemed like he was going to take Jason up on the offer, but then he glanced back

toward the door. "She's coming!" he yelped. He dashed away around the house.

Moments later, Farida hopped out into the yard. "Have you seen, Edgar?" she asked.

"I think he had to use the bathroom," Jason lied.

Farida shrugged and bounded over to inspect what he was cooking, "Looks tasty," she

commented. She didn't sound sarcastic, so Jason assumed she was being polite.

"If the smell bothers you, you don't have to stay," he responded. "It bothers Ellie quite a

bit."

"It doesn't bother me. I've smelled a lot worse in medical school," she stated matter-of-

factly. "Actually, I kind of like it. I tried it once, but it made me feel sick."

Jason glanced at her, "Really? But it didn't taste bad to you?"

"It was alright, not something I'd eat on a regular basis but not bad, except that it made

me feel ill later, and then I couldn't eat my caecotrophs. So that wasn't good."

Jason blushed at the excessive information.

"Oops! I'm sorry; I forget that's gross to other people," she apologized embarrassedly.

"It's alright. I've gotten used to the idea since I've lived with Ellie."

Farida regarded him intently for a few seconds; Jason felt his ears getting even warmer

under her probing gaze.

"You and Ellie do do it, don't you?" she inquired. "I mean, you don't just cuddle or

something; you actually go at it, right?"

Jason shifted his feet embarrassedly as his ears and cheeks burned. His tail swished

anxiously. "Uh, yeah," he answered awkwardly.

Farida sighed wistfully, "She's so lucky." She contemplated him a moment longer. "Your

brother really is married, huh?"

"With kids," Jason answered embarrassedly. "I, uh, he never mentioned a thing for

rabbits anyway."

Farida frowned frustratedly, "How did she hook you?!"

"I asked her," he corrected awkwardly.

"But she must have done something! Something to catch your attention!" she demanded.

Jason tried to push through his embarrassment to consider the question. What had

drawn him to Ellie? "She was just, just always there for me, a friend I could count on, my

partner. I, um, I knew I cared for her, but then I realized it went deeper than that."

"She was just your friend? She didn't do anything to, to seduce you or whatever?"

Jason's tail flicked nervously again, "Uh, actually, I'm not really attracted to rabbits. I-"

"Huh?! But you-"

"I do like to make Ellie feel good, but uh, I would have been fine if she never wanted to,

you know."

Farida's ears drooped disappointedly, "Maybe no cats like rabbits," she murmured.

Jason didn't want her to feel hopeless, "I'm sure there are some cats out there, or maybe

there are some who would realize they're attracted to rabbits if they gave them a chance. I know

it took me longer than it should have to realize my feelings because I didn't think it was a

possibility."

"But how do I get them to give me a chance?!" she complained.

That was indeed the tough question. Jason tried to think what could have gotten him

interested in a rabbit's body, but he didn't come up with anything better than what he'd

suggested to Ellie. "I, I don't know if this is a good idea, but you could try rolling in catnip. That

ought to get them interested, but um, on the other paw, I wouldn't want you to get clawed.

Catnip can, it can be exciting, but it's easy to get carried away on it."

"But that would get them interested?" she reiterated eagerly.

"Yeah, they'll probably want to, uh, to sniff or lick you, and then maybe, maybe you can

go from there," he concluded embarrassedly.

Farida fidgeted excitedly, her eyes crossed as she presumably imagined an encounter

with a catnip-enthralled feline. She looked back at Jason with a grin, "Thanks a ton! I'll let you

know how it goes!"

Jason blushed, "Promise me you'll be careful. I'll never forgive myself if you get

shredded."

"I'll be fine," she dismissed. "But I'll be careful."

Jason bobbed his head in acceptance. He hoped she really would be careful and that

whatever cat she tried it on would be able to control themself. Catnip did make it harder, but

unless they'd never had it before, then hopefully, they'd know how to handle it.

Farida quickly peered back at the house and turned back to him, "Maybe I'd better go

before Ellie wonders what I'm up to. She might try to charge me ten credits even if I didn't get

kitty snuggles."

Jason blushed slightly again at her use of the term 'kitty snuggles', but he wasn't anxious

to be left to himself. "If you want to stay and talk, the vegetable skewers need cooked. You

could ask Eli if you can see to those," he suggested.

She smiled happily, "Good idea! I'm not bothering you then?"

Jason shook his head, "It's nice to have company and to get to know Ellie's sister."

"Okay, I'll be back in a minute!" She loped back to the glass door.

Jason had been keeping one eye on the steaks, and he took the opportunity to flip them.

He wondered if Farida would be successful in finding a cat to date her. He hoped she would

both because he wanted her to be happy and because that might mean he wouldn't be the only

cat in the family. Hopefully, Evelyn will be less shocked at the idea the second time. Jason didn't

feel Evelyn's concerns had been entirely unreasonable, but that hadn't made it any easier for

him to endure some of her comments. Or for Ellie to endure them. He was glad Evelyn seemed

more comfortable with their relationship now; although, in the past day, he'd caught her giving

him some odd looks, so maybe it would still take her a little while to get used to the idea.

A few minutes later, Farida returned with the skewers and placed them on the empty half

of the grill. She carefully arranged them with her own set of green-handled tongs before

addressing him again, "How's it been meeting everyone? I bet Mom and Dad were pretty

surprised, especially since it was Ellie who brought you home. They'd expect me to do

something crazy like that, but Ellie is so serious. I thought she hardly even had time for guys."

"They were pretty surprised, especially your mom," Jason confirmed.

"What did they say?" she inquired. She kept her tone light but there was an undertone of

concern.

"Eli was very positive about it," Jason answered cautiously.

"What about Mom?"

"She, uh, had some concerns. Nothing unreasonable, but she and Ellie spent a lot of

time arguing the day we got here."

"Yikes! Really? What did Mom say?" she pressed.

"Um, well, first she was concerned that Ellie didn't care about the history of cats and

rabbits, uh, you know."

Farida scoffed, "That's absurd!"

Jason quickly went on, "Then she was concerned about some things that happened

while we were being held captive, but after she heard the whole story, she changed her mind."

"What did happen?"

"I don't really want to go into it," Jason answered awkwardly. "It was rough. We're lucky

we made it out alive."

She looked at him concernedly, "I'm sorry. I understand that you don't want to keep

reliving it." She paused. "Uh, how about the rest of the family? I know you haven't had much

time to talk to most of us, but is it weird being the only cat with all of us rabbits?"

"It's fine. Some have seemed a little nervous, but everyone's been polite."

Surprised, "Even Delilah?"

"Okay, she was, er, less than polite, but everyone else has been."

"I was going to say. She's a jerk. Henry is an idiot for marrying her."

Jason thought that was a little harsh.

"One time," Farida went on irritatedly, "They were here for Saturnalia, and I mentioned

that a cat they were interviewing on the news was cute. And she suggested I take some

vegetables and bread and offer myself as his holiday dinner. I didn't say I wanted him to eat

me!"

Jason swished his tail uncomfortably. "She said something similar to Ellie when she got

here. Your brother looked embarrassed, so I assume he doesn't agree with those attitudes."

"Of course not! But Henry's such a wuss, he won't argue with her! I wouldn't be

surprised if he sleeps at the end of her bed and wears a collar while they're at home!"

Jason flicked an ear self-consciously. He wondered how Farida would judge his and

Ellie's relationship. "Everyone else has been alright," he repeated to conclude the discussion

about Farida's unpopular in-law. He poked the steaks and checked the underside. "These are

done. Can I take your plate? I'll bring you a clean one."

"Okay."

Jason transferred the steaks to the plate Farida had brought the skewers on and

returned to the kitchen to place them on the small table where the lasagna, pie, and salad were

already collected. They would serve themselves then eat wherever they could find room. Eli was

busy braising the cauliflower steaks on the stove.

"Looks like everything's about done," he commented. "Thanks for sending Farida to help

with the skewers."

"No problem. We were talking, and I figured we could cook together at the same time."

Jason retrieved a plate from one of the light blue upper cabinets.

"I'm glad you're finding a place in our family," Eli stated. "I know Evelyn didn't make it

easy the first day, but I think she's really warming up to you."

Jason nodded. He hoped that was really the case and not merely Eli trying to make him

feel better. "I have to take this out to Farida," he noted, lifting the plate.

Eli bobbed his head in acknowledgement. Jason made his way back outside and gave

the clean plate to Farida. She transferred the skewers to the plate and shut off the grill.

She motioned toward the house with her head, "Let's take these inside then see about

grabbing seats for dinner."

Jason collected the dirty plate the raw steaks had been on and they returned to the

kitchen. Eli was setting the cauliflower on the table, and Farida added the vegetable skewers.

"Looks like that's everything," Eli commented. "I'll tell everyone the food is ready. You

two can go ahead."

Jason and Farida each collected a plate and fork from the end of the counter nearest to

the door. Collecting his fork, Jason realized there weren't any steak knives.

"Uh, do you know if there are serrated knives somewhere?" he asked Farida.

"There's probably something. Second drawer from the right, I think."

Jason checked the drawer and was able to find a serrated knife; it was a bit large for a

steak knife, but it was better than trying to use his teeth. Jason imagined sitting with the rabbits

while he tried to tear chunks off of the steak with his teeth. That would have been awfully

embarrassing!

"If we hurry, we can nab seats in the dining room," Farida remarked as she scooped

salad onto her plate. She also took a slice of lasagna and some vegetables from one of the

skewers.

Jason stabbed one of the steaks with his fork to transfer it to his plate. He also took a

little of the strange lasagna, which had neither meat nor cheese, and a small slice of the pie.

Farida led him back to the dining area. She sat at the far end of the long oak table, and Jason

sat at her left. He flipped his tail up onto the seat next to him to save it for Ellie. They began

eating; Jason thought the lasagna was interesting, but he didn't like the pie. He was glad he'd

only taken a small slice.

Farida waved to someone across the room, "Claire! Come join us!"

The larger rabbit hesitated before marching over to join them. She sat at Farida's right,

across from Jason.

Claire smiled at him nervously, "Hi again."

"Jason and I have been chatting for a little while," Farida informed her. "Did you ever

think Ellie would be the first to bring a predator home? They're already living together, you

know."

"Ellie told me as much. She seems to really adore you," she told Jason. "I'm glad she

found someone to make her happy."

"Don't you wish you'd been a little more adventurous now?" Farida teased. "Seth seems

nice, but," she eyed Jason lasciviously. "There's handsome, and then there's gorgeous. Ellie hit

the jackpot! He's really nice too."

Jason smiled embarrassedly, "Uh, thanks."

"I'm not into cats," Claire stated. She gave Jason a quick, apologetic glance, "No

offense."

He shook his head to indicate he hadn't taken any.

"Look at his pretty eyes though!" Farida argued. "Imagine lying in bed and gazing into

those big green eyes."

Claire didn't seem convinced. Jason was embarrassed by the thought of Farida

imagining lying in bed with him. Someone set their plate next to Jason. He turned to tell them he

was saving the seat for Ellie, but it was Ellie. She pulled out the seat and lifted his tail out of the

way to sit down. She placed his tail on her lap and gave it a pet. Jason twitched the end of his

tail embarrassedly; he'd meant to pull it onto the floor when Ellie arrived, but he'd been too

caught up in the conversation to notice.

Ellie tweaked the tip of his tail. "So you've already abandoned me for my younger sister,

hmm, Jason?" she joked.

"Jason gave me some tips on how to attract my own cat," Farida informed Ellie

satisfiedly.

"You mean the rolling in catnip thing?" Ellie queried.

Farida nodded.

Claire frowned, "That sounds awfully dangerous, Farida! Trying to approach a cat is one

thing, but covering yourself in a plant that makes them go crazy?!"

"Most cats will be familiar with the effects," Jason told her. "It shouldn't be too risky if

she's careful."

"Still! We're talking about a predator more than twice her size with sharp fangs and

claws!" Claire protested. "What's she going to do if they do go crazy?!"

"I can defend myself!" Farida shot back.

Claire gave her a dubious look, "Do you think you could take on Jason if you had to,

Farida? He could rip you apart in an instant!" she argued. "Not that you would," she quickly

added to Jason.

"Maybe it wasn't a good idea," Jason murmured embarrassedly.

"No! It was a good idea!" Farida rejoined. "Claire is being a pessimist! I'll be careful; I'll

find someone I can trust before I try it. It's worth the risk! I can't wait around for years hoping a

cat will fall for me like Ellie!"

"I wasn't 'waiting around'," Ellie returned annoyedly.

Farida gave her a dubious look, "What would you call it?"

"Daisy! Come sit with us!" Claire called across the room, mercifully interrupting the

increasingly uncomfortable conversation.

Daisy glanced at them and then at her sons, who were carrying their plates toward the

back door. Jason noticed that the rest of the children were also out on the grass along with

Henry, Delilah, Beau, and Evelyn. Daisy quickly shook her head apologetically and followed

them out.

"Poor, Daisy," Farida commented. "She has to put up with brats all day at work, and then

she comes home and has to deal with those miscreants. You'd think Raul could help." She

glanced disdainfully at the black Dutch rabbit who was sitting on the couch and calmly chatting

with Aaron and Julia, who had taken the loveseat. Farida glanced at Jason and Ellie, "That's

one good thing about marrying outside of your species: Mom will never be asking you when

you're going to spawn brats of your own."

Jason glanced at Ellie; they'd briefly discussed the possibility of adopting, but he wasn't

sure she really wanted kids.

"She still asked about whether we'd adopt," Ellie informed Farida. It was news to Jason

too.

Farida scoffed, "Fat chance of that! I get that Beau wanted them, and he makes a good

father. But the last thing I need is a bunch of whiny brats!"

"No one's saying you have to have them," Claire stated. "Even if you were with a rabbit.

Seth and I want them though."

"Jason and I might want them too," Ellie stated. She looked to Jason for confirmation.

Jason twitched his tail nervously before remembering it was in Ellie's lap.

She patted it. "You don't have to decide right now, Jason. I could go either way, but I

think it might be nice to raise a family together. You asked about it when we were with the

Duchess though you weren't well at the time."

Jason wasn't even sure he remembered the exchange. He'd blocked out a lot of that

terrible week of hunger and pain. However, looking at the rabbit he loved, he found he liked

imagining them with their own little ones, little kittens or bunnies who they would care for

together, the two of them sharing in the joy and stress of rearing children. "It's something we

should think about," he concluded.

"What species do you think you'd want?" Claire asked curiously.

"We'll have to think about it more," Ellie stated. She gave Jason a small, affectionate

smile.

"What do you mean 'when you were with the Duchess'?" Farida asked.

Ellie gave her a confused look, "Didn't Jason tell you? That witch was who held us

captive!"

Farida blinked, "He didn't want to talk about it. You were really held by the Duchess? As

in Rita Belmont?!"

Ellie nodded.

"That's awful! So she's abusing her position to, to murder people?"

"That's exactly what she's doing, and the police are on her side. According to her, the

entire democratic system is a sham."

Farida shook her head in stunned disbelief, "And so Edgar was also being held by her?"

"In a manner of speaking," Ellie answered.

Farida blinked, "What do you mean?"

"She certainly had control over him," Ellie answered evasively.

Farida glanced at Jason. He knew why Ellie was reluctant to give them a straight

answer, but he felt they had the right to know, especially Farida who'd been talking to the pine

marten.

"Edgar worked for the Duchess," he explained. "He was one of her more friendly

servants, but he still helped keep us captive."

"That's not fair, Jason! She might have killed him if he let us go!" Ellie protested.

"She might have," Jason agreed. "Or he might have escaped with us. I believe he's

sorry, but he still did what he did."

"But he helped you escape eventually?" Farida pressed. "How else did you end up

escaping with him?"

"That was an accident," Jason told her.

Ellie scowled.

"A happy accident," Jason amended. "I'm glad we helped him get away, but if the

terrorists didn't attack the Duchess as well as Maplesburg, we'd all still be with her."

Ellie sighed resignedly and nodded, conceding the point. "He's not a bad guy, but he

was devoted to the Duchess. At the same time, he was a friend to me. He might have been

under her spell, but he isn't cruel like her."

"You might have told me all this!" Farida complained. "I asked him to come home with

me! I didn't know he was dangerous!" She looked around the room. "Where is he by the way?! I

might have some other words to say to someone who helped a psychopath hold my sister!"

"Edgar's not dangerous," Ellie argued. "And I don't want you browbeating him for what

he did! He's sorry, and I forgive him."

"Still, you might have told me!" Farida groused. "I don't want to have sex with someone

like that!"

Ellie rolled her eyes, "I'm sorry I didn't try to stop you from fucking someone you just

met," she replied sarcastically.

"C-can I sit here?"

They all looked toward the other end of the table where Gwendolen was standing

awkwardly, holding her plate.

Claire patted the seat next to her, "Come sit by me. I think this conversation has gone on

long enough." She gave the rest of them a stern look.

Jason felt chastised for his part in the argument, but Ellie and Farida looked annoyed.

Gwendolen smiled at him shyly as she sat across from Ellie. Across the room, Raul, Aaron, and

Julia finally decided to get their dinner, and they then took three seats at the other end of the

table. Seth and Jack soon took the final two seats between Gwendolen and Aaron and between

Ellie and Julia, respectively. They finished their meal without further argument, lightly discussing

what the others had been up to lately. Jason never saw Edgar, but when he took his plate to the

kitchen, the other steak was gone. So he must have come out of hiding to get it.

After dinner, Jack and Raul made their way outside. Aaron and Julia reclaimed the

loveseat, and Ellie led the rest of them back to the couch. Farida tried to sit next to Jason, but

Ellie put him on one end and sat next to him. Gwendolen sat next to her with Claire and Seth at

the other end. Farida gave Ellie a devious look, climbed up onto the arm next to Jason, and

petted his head.

"Kitty snuggles aren't free!" Ellie told her.

"Gwendolen got them for free," Farida replied. "Besides," she gave him an amused look.

"He's enjoying it."

"Seems the cat has enthralled another one," Aaron commented jovially. "What about

you, Claire? Have you succumbed to his feline charms?"

She put her arm around her fiancé and shook her head, "Seth is the only man for me."

"Perhaps I'll leave you for a cat, Dear," Julia jested. "Find out what all the fuss is about."

Aaron frowned.

She nudged the smaller rabbit, "I'm joking."

Jason didn't find the situation particularly amusing as he was stuck between Farida, who

was still petting his head while challenging Ellie with her eyes, and Ellie, who was glaring at

Farida dangerously.

"I think you owe me after letting me flirt with the weasel," Farida stated haughtily.

"Edgar's a pine marten, and no, I do not!" Ellie shot back.

"Now, now, I'm sure he has time to cuddle all of you," Aaron teased.

Ellie shot off of the couch and dashed around toward Farida. Farida yelped and fell off of

the arm and into Jason's lap. She jumped off of the couch and raced away. Ellie hared after her.

Claire jumped up and chased both of them. On the loveseat, Aaron shook with mirth as Julia

worriedly watched them disappear from the room. Suddenly, a squeal split through the house.

Jason leapt up and hurried toward the sound, which he determined had emanated from the

basement. He raced down the stairs to find the three rabbits staring wide-eyed at Edgar whose

tail was fluffed out like a bottlebrush.

"Who screamed?!" Jason asked urgently. "Is someone hurt?"

"Edgar," Ellie answered perfunctorily.

Gradually, Edgar's fur lay flat, but he continued to eye them nervously, "Wh-what do you

want?"

Recovering from her surprise at scaring the pine marten, Farida tromped forward, "You

didn't tell me you helped hold my sister captive," she growled.

"I-I'm sorry," Edgar whimpered.

"We ought to tie you up down here. I doubt anyone will miss you," Farida threatened.

Edgar whimpered wordlessly and trembled.

Farida snorted contemptuously and turned her back to him, "You're not even worth my

time." She stomped back up the stairs.

Edgar looked to Jason and Ellie desperately.

"She doesn't understand what really happened," Ellie soothed. "I know you're my friend.

Jason knows you're his friend too."

Jason nodded.

Ellie held out her hand, "Come on. Enough hiding down here."

Edgar crept forward and took Ellie's hand. Claire watched him worriedly. Ellie led them

upstairs. Beau had come in and was now occupying the couch with Farida. She whispered in

his ear as they came into the room, and Beau's expression darkened. Claire took back her spot

next to Gwendolen and Seth. Ellie glanced at the armchair and then at the hostile-looking Farida

and Beau.

She stepped in front of Edgar, still holding his hand, "This is my friend Edgar. I know I

didn't introduce him when you got here; I should have. How he came to be with us is

complicated, but he was a friend to me and Jason when the Duchess had us captive. Anyone

who has a problem with him can bring it to me. Is that understood?" She glowered at each of the

other rabbits until they all nodded.

Farida still looked angry, but Beau looked chastised. The others looked concerned.

Ellie looked back at the chair, "I don't think there's room for all three of us. You take it,

Edgar."

Instead, Edgar pulled his hand away, and crept over in front of Farida. He kept his eyes

downcast as he addressed her nervously, "I-I'm sorry I didn't tell you I worked for the Duchess. I

let a lot of, a lot of bad things happen when I could have o-objected. Even if I couldn't have s-

stopped some of them, I could have let Jason and Ellie go. I, I don't blame you if you hate me;

what I did was wrong, and I can't ever make it right."

"Okay," Farida replied coolly.

Edgar looked up at her nervously.

"You said you don't blame me if I hate you; well, Ellie could be dead because of you. Or

she could be trapped with that psycho, and I'd still think my sister was dead. If you'd ever

helped her get away, maybe I could forgive you. But you didn't, and I don't."

Edgar nodded slowly. Looking back at the floor he trudged out of the room.

"Farida!" Ellie yelled. "I told you I forgive him! I was the one who that witch locked up!"

Farida glared back at her, "You can forgive if you want to! You don't have the right to

forgive for the rest of us! Do you think we didn't suffer?! I thought my sister was dead! Probably

cut to pieces by some serial killer! We all thought that! We were going to have your funeral

today! So don't think you can forgive him or the Duchess or anyone else involved for us!" Farida

wiped away tears with her arm as she finished, and Beau put his arm around her.

Beau looked at Ellie sternly, "She's right, Ellie," he rumbled. "You don't have the right to

forgive for us or to decide everything is okay. When we thought we'd lost you, Mom and Dad

were devastated. We were all heartbroken. Maybe this pine marten was kind to you in some

way regardless of keeping you captive, but he helped take you away from us. It takes more than

a day to forgive that, and you didn't even tell us who he was at the start."

Ellie looked at the floor ashamedly. Jason put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Beau, Farida, everyone," Ellie murmured. "I'm sorry for what you went through

thinking I was dead. I'm sorry for not introducing you to Edgar properly." She looked up, her

eyes fierce, "But I'm not sorry for rescuing Edgar and bringing him here. I couldn't toss him out

on the road with no place to go or worse, to return to that monster! Edgar deserves a second

chance, and I'm going to give it to him even if no one else will!"

"I'm sorry, Ellie," Jason murmured. "Maybe I shouldn't have said what Edgar did."

Ellie shook her head, "No, it was a mistake to not let everyone know from the very

beginning. Edgar has to live with what he did; I can't shield him from it. He has to apologize for

himself to the people he hurt. He can't be forgiven if he never admits what he did."

"I'm glad you understand now," Farida responded tersely.

Ellie looked at her cautiously, "Truce?"

Farida frowned back at her pensively a couple seconds and then glanced at Jason, "If I

can hug the kitty."

Ellie smirked slightly, "Okay, deal."

Farida leapt off of the couch and dashed over to Jason wrapping her arms around him.

She didn't so much hug him as run her hands down his back while pressing herself against his

chest. Jason hugged her back awkwardly.

Her right cheek pressed to his chest, Farida peered at Ellie mischievously with her other

eye, "I'll really forgive you if you let me borrow him for the night."

One of her hands reached the base of his tail, and Jason quickly reached his right arm

around to stop her from going any lower.

"Alright! Kitty snuggles are over!" Ellie demanded.

Farida broke away with a huff, "You're no fun!"

Some of the other rabbits giggled.

"I could stay the night, and you could let me sleep with him," Farida suggested.

"No way!" Ellie rebuked.

"We wouldn't do anything, just sleep and cuddle," Farida insisted.

"Those sound like two things you are not going to do with my boyfriend!"

Farida crossed her arms, "You're so greedy!"

More of the other rabbits giggled. Farida turned with another huff and tromped back over

to the couch, hopping up next to Beau.

Beau wrapped an arm around her, "I'll cuddle you, Farida," he teased.

She pushed his arm away.

Ellie turned back to the armchair, "I think there's room for both of us now," she noted.

"It'll be pretty close," Jason noted, trying to figure out how they were both going to

squeeze onto the cushion.

"Really close. I want my kitty snuggles. Get up there!"

Jason complied, and Ellie climbed up into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her, and

she sighed contentedly.

"Comfy," Aaron commented amusedly.

Farida muttered something Jason thought was "greedy" under her breath.

They had been relaxing for a while when the backdoor opened, and the little bunnies

and hares streamed into the living room area with the other adults close behind.

"I did make rhubarb pie if anyone wants it," Evelyn announced.

All of the rabbits eagerly affirmed that they did.

Evelyn beamed, "Eli and I will get you each a slice!" She glanced at Jason, "Er, sorry,

Jason, I didn't make anything for you."

"That's okay," he replied.

The other rabbits spread around the room. Daisy squeezed between Gwendolen and

Claire onto the crowded couch, and Beau switched with Jack to make more room. Jason

noticed the female hare looking at him and Ellie worriedly. Beau crouched next to her and

stroked her head.

Still watching Jason and Ellie, she turned her head to whisper to Beau, "Dad, did the

kitty catch Aunt Ellie?"

"No, Katy, she wanted to sit with him," Beau murmured.

She looked confused, "Why?"

"Because they love each other."

"Why?"

"Why do Daddy and Papa love each other?"

She hesitated a moment, "Because you do?"

He petted her head again, "That's right."

The leverate hopped over to the armchair and looked up at them shyly.

"I think she wants to meet you," Ellie murmured amusedly.

She slipped off of his lap, and Jason stood. He crouched in front of the lanky little hare,

who only came to his knees while he stood; however, that still made her taller than the little

rabbits. By Jason's judgement all of the children were under five-years-old, with Daisy's sons

being the youngest--maybe under three--and Aaron's and Henry's children approximately a

year older. The hares might have been about four.

"My name's Jason," he meowed gently.

"I'm Kaitlyn," she squeaked nervously.

He held out his hand, "Nice to meet you, Kaitlyn."

She eyed his gigantic hand nervously and carefully reached forward to touch one of his

claws. Jason turned his hand over so that she could see better, and she jerked her hand away.

She stared at him fearfully, her nose twitching furiously.

"I'm not trying to get you," he soothed. "I thought you wanted to look at my claws."

She nodded.

"Go ahead."

She cautiously reached back toward his hand and gave the claw on his middle finger a

tentative poke. The claw did nothing, and she reached back to push on it again.

"Are you trying to make it extend? Let me show you." Jason extended his claws; the

razor-sharp weapons curled out over the tips of his fingers.

Kaitlyn gasped and pulled her hand away.

Jason retracted his claws, "Sorry."

"C-can you do that again?"

Jason extended his claws again, and she reached forward to run a finger along the claw

on his middle finger.

"Careful, they're very sharp," Jason cautioned as she neared the needle-like point.

She gingerly took her finger away, "Why are they like that?"

"Because I keep them like that, by sharpening them," he answered.

"Why?"

"Um, in case I need to defend myself, I guess."

She looked up at his face, studying his exotic features closely, "Your eyes are funny."

"They're normal cat eyes," he stated lightly.

She pointed, "What's that?"

Jason couldn't tell what she was pointing at, "What's what?"

She pointed to the left side of her mouth, "There."

Jason ran his tongue across that side of his mouth, feeling only his teeth. Oh! He

realized she'd probably seen his canine sticking out under his upper lip. "That's one of my

teeth."

"Huh?"

He grinned to show her all of them.

She took a step back, "W-why are they like that?! Do you sharpen them too?" she asked

tremulously.

"No, that's just how they are."

"Why?!"

Jason looked up at Beau, who scratched his ear embarrassedly.

"We may have kept them a bit sheltered. She starts pre-school in September, so then

she'll get to know predators her age. But it's risky before then because, well, I'm sure you know

all about it."

Jason nodded. Predators had to receive rigorous training to control their violent instincts.

They had to demonstrate sufficient control before entering pre-school, but before then, allowing

prey to play with them would be a risk most prey wouldn't be willing to take unless they were

significantly larger than the predator species in question. As Jason looked back toward Kaitlyn,

he noticed the rest of the children gathered around him, pressing in curiously with noses

twitching; it was a rather amusing sight.

"Hi there, my name's Jason," he meowed.

"Are you a tiger?!" one of them piped.

"Dummy! He's too small to be a tiger!" another rebuked.

"You're the dummy!"

The two bucks ran at each other and started trying to punch the other. Jason thought he

recognized them as Daisy's albino and brown and white sons. Daisy leapt off of the couch to

separate them, picking up the brown and white one.

"No fighting, Diego, Billy!" she scolded.

"Do you want to eat us up?!" another of the children piped.

"Evie!" one of the others warned in a low hiss.

"That's what Mom says!" Evie returned.

Jason was able to locate the voice: the doe, Evie, was brown and white, making it

difficult to tell who she belonged to, but the buck standing next to her was brown, suggesting

they were Henry's and Delilah's. I should have guessed.

"No, I don't want to eat you," Jason answered patiently.

Ellie, who was standing behind him, petted Jason's head, "You don't need to be afraid of

Jason; he's a sweet kitty."

"Can you try to catch us?" the male hare asked.

"Um, it's probably better if someone else plays with you like that," Jason answered. Even

though Jason had a good handle on his instincts, any kind of simulated hunting of prey was

discouraged, and Jason doubted the other rabbits would look favorably on it either.

Fortunately, Evelyn and Eli returned with circular metal trays carrying pale pink dessert

plates with slices of rhubarb pie. The crowd of little bunnies herded over to their grandparents,

eagerly reaching for the pie. Jason stood but then looked back down when he heard a squeak:

Kaitlyn was still standing in front of him, and she reached her arms up when he looked down at

her. Jason glanced at Beau, and Beau gave him a nod to indicate it was okay. Jason crouched

back down and lifted the little hare, sitting her on his left arm facing him with his right hand

steadying her on her back. She reached out to stroke his whiskers, which he allowed, then

poked at his left upper canine. Jason gently pushed her arm down away from his mouth.

"Why are they like that?" she asked again.

"Because of what I eat."

"What you eat?"

He nodded. "You can ask your dad about it."

She turned her head to look back at Beau then looked over at Ellie, who was getting her

piece of pie. "You and Aunt Ellie love each other?"

"Yes."

"I want pie too."

Jason smirked and set her on the floor. She hopped over to Evelyn who gave her a

piece of pie, and then she made her way back to Beau. Ellie sauntered up to him and stuffed a

big bite of pie into her mouth.

"Mmm, you sure you don't want any?" she mumbled around the mouthful.

Jason shook his head, "I don't think I'd appreciate it."

Ellie gulped down the bite. "Then you can give it to me!"

"I figured that's where that was going," he said dryly.

"It seems like you got another admirer," Ellie teased.

"She seemed curious. I guess she hasn't seen a cat up close before."

"You should have offered to let them chase you, a nice game of 'catch the kitty by the

tail'."

"I don't think so."

After the rabbits had finished their pie, they remained in the living room, chatting and

catching up on the events of their lives. They avoided returning to Jason's and Ellie's horrific

experience with the Duchess, but Ellie did describe some of the lighter events from the past

several weeks: Jason's visit to her apartment when he made himself ill, her dates, and their trip

to the grocery when he had to carry her around. The others found the latter story particularly

amusing.

Finally, it was time for Ellie's siblings to head home. Evelyn and Eli offered to let some

stay the night, and Farida seemed tempted. However, they all had things to do tomorrow. Jason

and Ellie stood outside the front door to say goodbye to each of them as they left. Jason got

another hug from Gwendolen and Farida. Ellie kept a close eye on Farida and didn't let the hug

last long. Henry and company were the last to leave.

Henry hugged Ellie, "Bye, Ellie, I hope it doesn't take you disappearing again for us to all

get together. You're welcome to come visit sometime."

Delilah, who was waiting with their four children, didn't appear to agree but didn't say as

much.

Henry turned to Jason, "Nice to meet you, Jason. I'm sorry we didn't get to talk more.

Maybe next time." They shook hands, and Henry went to say goodbye to his parents.

Delilah coolly shook Ellie's hand, "We'll meet again, I expect." She turned to eye Jason

distastefully. "Perhaps you'll have remembered what species you are by then."

Ellie looked like she was going to issue a stinging retort, but she glanced at the children

and then let out a breath. "Maybe you'll be a little more open-minded next time," was all Ellie

replied.

Delilah sniffed haughtily and led her children to say goodbye to their grandparents.

"Snooty, churlish bigot," Ellie grumbled under her breath. "I'm glad I could disappoint

you."

They waved as the silver minivan drove away. Jason breathed a deep breath and let it

out, both relieved and a little sorry the visit was over. He'd enjoyed meeting Ellie's siblings and

would have liked to have had the opportunity to talk to some of them more. In particular, he

hadn't gotten to talk to Daisy, who'd barely had a moment free from watching her rambunctious

sons, or Henry, who'd trailed after the unpleasant Delilah the entire time. They stepped back

inside, and Ellie's parents headed to the kitchen to do the dishes.

"We ought to find Edgar and see if he's alright," Ellie muttered grumpily. "That was one

thing that might have gone better."

They found Edgar in his room again, hiding under the blankets. Jason patted his back

through the sheets.

"Everyone went home; you can come out now, Edgar," he soothed.

"What's the point?" Edgar muttered moodily.

"There's still some rhubarb pie left if you want it," Ellie tempted. "Otherwise, I'm going to

eat it all. Come out and save me from getting fat."

"I don't want any," Edgar muttered.

"Look, Edgar, I'm sorry how Farida and the others reacted, but it's something you're

going to have to live with," Ellie chided. "You can't make people forgive you. You can only try to

make amends and show that you're better now. Hiding isn't really doing either."

Edgar remained silent.

"I've been trying to help you, but I think maybe I've been shielding you too much," Ellie

went on. "I forgive you, but I can't make others forgive you. And it's not right to lie to them, even

by omission."

"We're still here to help you," Jason added. "But to make amends for what you did, not to

help you hide from it."

"That's right," Ellie stated.

Edgar poked his head out from under the blankets, "H-how do I do that?"

"It's going to be different for every person, but admitting what you did and sincerely

apologizing is the first step," Ellie answered.

Edgar nodded resignedly. Jason felt sorry for him. It must be miserable feeling like

everyone hates him and not knowing how to make it right. Jason suspected it was easier for him

and Ellie to forgive Edgar because they'd actually met the Duchess. They knew what she was

capable of and had her as the primary target for their anger. In the Duchess' absence, Ellie's

family only had Edgar to direct their pain and rage towards. For Jason and Ellie, the fact that

Edgar had been one of the Duchess' servants who had tried to treat them well meant

something. For Ellie's family, it meant little. They didn't know all of the worse actors; they only

knew Edgar. Uncomfortably, Jason admitted to himself that perhaps neither perspective was

more correct than the other, though he wasn't sure Ellie would accept that.

Edgar got out of bed, and they went back downstairs. Edgar proceeded to the kitchen

and was soon helping with the dishes. Maybe with Ellie's parents at least, he has begun to

make amends. Jason had found Edgar's ingratiating behavior unsettling, but perhaps actively

offering his help was one way he could show that he wanted to be better than he had been,

better than the stooge who'd complacently watched while his employer tortured and murdered

innocent people.

Jason and Ellie went to the living room to read. Sitting together on the light blue

loveseat, Ellie held their book while they both read silently. Jason nosed Ellie's ear to let her

know when he was ready for her to turn the page.

After a light supper, where the rabbits ate leftovers and Jason and Edgar split a chicken

filet, they all returned to the living room.

"What do you say we watch a movie?" Eli suggested cheerfully.

Jason glanced around, not seeing a tv.

"It's in our bedroom," Eli explained. "I could use your help bringing it down if you want to

watch."

"That sounds nice to me," Jason agreed.

Eli led him up to the pale-pink-walled room. The top cover on the queen-size bed was a

rather gaudy quilt decorated with large red roses. The tv in the pine stand was no larger than

the one Jason owned. While it might have taken two of the rabbits to carry it, Jason could

handle it on his own; it would be less awkward to maneuver that way. Eli got the DVD player

and cords. As they exited the room, Evelyn squeezed by.

"I'll pick out something nice," she piped.

Jason and Eli proceeded downstairs and set up the tv on a wooden chair from the dining

table, placing it in front of the armchair. They had to run the power cord under the armchair to

reach the outlet on the wall.

"What did you pick?" Ellie inquired.

"Your mom is deciding," Jason told her.

"Uh oh."

Shortly, Evelyn returned.

"What did you pick?" Ellie asked cautiously.

"Casa Blanca," Evelyn answered simply.

"At least it's not a musical," Ellie grumbled.

"Would you prefer a musical?" Evelyn queried.

"No."

Evelyn put the disc in the player, and they all sat on the couch. Jason sat at the left end

with Ellie next to him, and Eli sat at the opposite end next to Evelyn. Edgar hesitated a moment

before sitting between the two does.

He turned to Evelyn, "I-is it okay if I sit here?"

She patted his knee, which he had propped up with his feet on the couch, "Of course,

Dear."

Eli started the movie then got up to turn off the lights. Only the faint light from a

neighbor's security light filtered in through the back windows. Jason had noticed dark clouds

rolling in during supper, and now the sky was completely overcast, offering no silver moonlight

to illuminate the room. Without the living room's overhead light, the primary illumination was

from the tv itself. Ellie snuggled close to Jason in the semi-darkness. Jason, being able to see

perfectly well, noticed Eli and Evelyn do the same, Eli scooting down to tuck himself close to the

larger rabbit.

While the movie may have been a classic, Jason found it to be more than a little cheesy,

especially the line about beans at the end. They left the tv where it was and headed upstairs to

get ready for bed. Edgar managed to get their shower first. Jason groomed himself while they

waited then brushed his teeth whilst Ellie was in the shower.

Jason returned to their room to wait, but instead of climbing into the small bed, he poked

through Ellie's things. He filed through her shirts noting some of the sillier graphic designs,

including a rabbit riding on an eagle's back. He opened the top drawer of her dresser but found

only gloves, leg warmers, and other cold weather accessories. The next drawer was more

interesting: Ellie had several issues of a graphic novel, the covers depicting a hare in a tan

trench coat with a cigarette between his incisors. On several covers, he was also holding a

handgun. The title read "Detective Johnson". Jason flipped through a few pages, studying the

depictions of the grim, grimy city and various tough customers the fearless hare encountered.

Closing this drawer, Jason moved down to the third of four drawers. Inside he found a pair of

plastic handcuffs, a set of playing cards, pens and pencils, a notebook, some worn paperbacks,

and--oddly enough--a pair of what appeared to be black and pink striped stockings or long

socks rolled into a tube. Jason lifted the loose end of the stockings curiously, and they unrolled.

Something fell out into the particleboard bottom of the drawer with a loud clunk, causing Jason

to start. Embarrassedly, he identified the electric blue object as a vibrator.

A soft cough came from the entrance to the bedroom, and Jason almost leapt up and hit

his head on the bed, but he managed to stop himself, steadying himself on the dresser. He

turned to see Edgar standing nervously in the doorway. Relieved it was only the pine marten,

Jason dropped the stockings back in the drawer and quickly pushed it closed with his foot.

"A-are you busy?" Edgar asked nervously.

"No," Jason answered quickly.

"Uh, what were you doing?"

"Looking for something," Jason answered evasively.

"Looking for what?"

"Nothing. Do you need something?"

Edgar looked at his feet embarrassedly, "I, uh, I just wanted to say thank you for

forgiving me and, um, for all your help."

"We're glad to help," Jason replied sincerely. "We know you have what it takes to be a

good person."

Edgar nodded in acknowledgement, "Thanks." He hesitated a moment. "Um, could I get

a hug, Jason?"

Jason nodded and opened his arms. The pine marten scurried across the room and

threw his arms around Jason's chest, squeezing him tight. Jason hugged Edgar tightly, and

Edgar let out a plaintive little whine. Jason was momentarily worried he'd hurt him somehow, but

Edgar reached his snout up to nose the base of Jason's ear affectionately.

"You're a good friend, Jason," he murmured.

Jason patted his back.

"I, I wish you could hold me like this, like Her Grace did. I-I feel, I feel like I belong when

you hold me, like I knew I belonged when Her Grace held me," Edgar breathed.

Jason felt a little embarrassed by Edgar's admission. While it felt good to comfort the

friendly pine marten, he didn't have the same feelings he knew Edgar had. The only person who

belonged nestled in his arms the way the pine marten wanted was Ellie. Still, he held onto

Edgar for the moment, letting him have as much of this closeness as he could give. "You'll find

someone of your own, someone to hold you or for you to hold," Jason soothed.

Edgar didn't reply but nuzzled Jason's cheek, breathing deeply and letting it out in a

happy sigh. After several seconds, Edgar let go. He stepped back and looked down

embarrassedly, "Sorry."

"No, it's alright. Do you feel better?"

Edgar nodded.

"I'm glad. I'm here anytime you need me."

Edgar shuffled his feet, "Thanks, Jason." He turned and ambled back out of the room.

Jason watched him go then looked back at Ellie's things. He didn't think he'd snoop

anymore. He climbed up into the bed and waited for the rabbit who truly belonged tucked safely

in his arms to return.

* * *

By the time Ellie had dried off and returned to the bedroom, Jason was already dozing.

However, he stirred as she climbed up the scaffolding into the lofted bed. Rain pattered against

the window as Ellie crawled to the head of the bed, squinting in the dim red light of Daisy's

clock. Jason pushed down the blankets so that she could slide under and then pulled her in

against his chest.

"Did you have a good time meeting everyone today?" she whispered.

"Mmhm."

"That's good. I think they liked meeting you too. I wish it had gone better with Edgar, but

it was nice to see everyone and to introduce them to my sweet, silly kitty."

"Edgar was here while you were in the shower," Jason murmured.

"Did he need something?"

"Just a hug. He had a rough day."

Despite her better intentions toward the pine marten, Ellie felt a twinge of jealousy.

Edgar had told Jason he was attracted to him and now he was sneaking around hugging him,

was he? "Is this a thing now?" Ellie murmured annoyedly.

"Huh?"

"You hugging on Edgar when I'm busy. I thought Farida was the one I had to watch."

"I, I was just trying to make him feel better," Jason replied awkwardly.

"I'm sure you were, but was that all he was trying to get out of it?" Ellie asked pointedly.

"If I knew it was only friendly, I wouldn't mind, but I don't like the idea of him feeling you up,

especially when I'm not there."

"He, he didn't put his hands anywhere inappropriate," Jason mumbled. "But-"

"But?"

"He did say it made him feel like when the Duchess held him."

Ellie grimaced, "He's still on about her?"

"He said being with her made him feel like he belonged, and, uh, he felt the same with

me. Obviously, we're not going to, you know, so if the occasional hug is what it takes to make

him feel like he belongs here, does it matter if he has other feelings too?"

"I suppose it's acceptable," Ellie muttered. "But I'd like to be there. I don't like the

sneaking around while I'm in the shower."

"Alright, Ellie, I'll tell him. I think he's just shy about it. I don't think he meant it to be

sneaky, but if you'll feel better, I'll tell him he has to wait until you're around."

"I might be being silly," Ellie conceded. "But thanks for understanding, Jason. I want him

to feel comfortable with us, but I don't want to be jealous about what you might be doing with,

with Edgar of all people."

"I understand," Jason soothed. "I don't want you to ever question how much I love you.

I'd never cheat on you with anyone, not even the most beautiful cat in the whole world."

Ellie nudged her head under his jaw affectionately, "I know, Jason."

Jason curled himself around her, tucking his tail up by her head. Ellie hugged it to her

chest and sighed contentedly. It was silly to be jealous when she knew how much Jason loved

her, but she couldn't help feeling protective of her sweet kitty when she thought of someone

else stroking his soft fur with lustful intent, whether it was her sister or Edgar or anyone else. But

wrapped by his warm body and engulfed in his faintly tangy scent, Ellie knew he was hers. She

soon slipped into peaceful slumber.