[5] 23 Days Until Easter

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

[It's been a weird start of the month for Bunny. What with Holly Peaks, then getting not one, but TWO people from his home world, one of which he assumed was long gone. All in the space of a week. To make matters worse, the castle had decided to do this on the very month where Easter was held.

He could have sworn the place had done it on purpose.

As is normal for him, instead of facing any of the worry and heartache Katherine's arrival has brought him, he's thrown himself into his work. It needs to be done, anyway, and it means he doesn't have to deal with his own feelings on the matter. It's win-win, really.

And so, anyone out in the gardens today will find red tulip-like flowers sprouting everywhere, look closely enough and there's a slight glow to them. A few flowers are also blooming, revealing small white eggs on spindly legs within them. The googies, freshly brought into the world, are all heading over to where Bunnymund is sitting, pots of paint beside him as he goes through the labourous task of painting each googie, then sending them down inside the safety of his burrow. To await their big day.

Of course, to those who don't believe in the Easter Bunny, they don't see him. As he paints, his journal is open beside him, so he can listen to the casual chatter of the residents, a splatter of paint occasionally hitting the page and soaking into the paper as he works]

That whole dodgy Holly Peaks mess put me behind schedule. It's not like I can access my realm here, y'know. Everything has to be done by paw. But if it thought it could put me off, then that plan went down the gurgler.

[Another paint splatter, then a sigh. He can't keep his mind off things as much as he'd like to] Anyhow mates. Have any of you heard about Jack Frost? Mother Goose?

Comments

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

That sounds like a great idea. You'd have all sorts of stories, from all sorts of worlds.

[He chuckles a little] You know they don't like being kept waiting.

[storiestotell]

[ With a sheepish smile she nods her head. The egg settles down once more when she resumes painting its shell, decorating a patch of white with more of the silver and pale blue she was using. ]

I'll ask the other children once Easter is over and I'm more used to living here. [ She pauses briefly to stifle a yawn. ] Living in a castle is very different from living in Big Root.

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

It is, you really never know what to expect here.

[He casts her a concerned look] You look tuckered out.

[storiestotell]

I was up late reading, that's all. [ That was a lie but she couldn't tell him that on some nights she still had those dreams. For months she's had those nightmares back home and they continued to bother her here. ] I had lost track of time.

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

[It's a believable lie, for Katherine, really. Still, he does cast her a doubtful look, for just a second]

Do we need to get you an alarm clock of some sort?

[storiestotell]

Considering how many books there are for me to read I just might. [ Katherine didn't want to worry her friend, not when he has so much to do with Easter so near. ]

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

That's one thing this place is never lacking. Still, don't go overboard, you still need to sleep.

[storiestotell]

I know. [ She smiles again and pushes aside her worries; There would be time to dwell on them later.

With her second egg finished she set it down on the ground. ] I'll try not to get so caught up next time.

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

[With one big paw, he gently ushers the egg into his burrow>]

If we keep up at this pace, we'll be all set, easy.

[storiestotell]

[ It was always fascinating to watch the eggs, mechanical or chocolate, wander about with life. She had always admired Bunnymund's work. ]

The castle is going to be over run by eggs, won't it? I can't wait to see!

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

There'll be more eggs than they know what to do with. It's about time they had themselves a proper Easter.

[storiestotell]

[ As another egg she picked up sat still, waiting to be painted, she lightly brushed the shell with pink paint. ] Maybe even the best Easter ever?

[ This one is ever the optimist. ]

[thatrabbitsdynamite]

[It has to be better than the last one]

Too right. They won't know what hit 'em.