It was a nice, cool day that Kevin found himself out in.
He wasn't gathering food, he wasn't doing something with Number Two, and he wasn't leading anyone anywhere. He simply needed some time along. Number Four was resting, and he couldn't stand to see her feeling as bad as she was, and he had to just get out of The Burrow for a bit, clear his head. As he wandered through the woods, leaves crunching beneath his feet, he couldn't help but feel like this was all too familiar. A rabbit he loved, possibly dying, in these exact woods...god not again. He'd talked to Number Two about it a bit, but he'd said to just let things run their course and see if Number Four got any better, but Kevin felt that even Number Two was more than well aware that things wouldn't be getting any better for her. He stopped at a creek and listened to the soft gurgling of the water as it ran over rocks; he lowered his ears, shut his eyes and just relaxed for a moment. Suddenly, he felt someone standing beside him and he opened his eyes to see Mipsy standing there. "God you're quiet," Kevin muttered. "What you doing?" Mipsy asked, blinking out of unison, one ear twitching slightly. "Just...relaxing. Never get to just relax. I feel like I always have to be doing something, and I'm so tired from always having to do something, so right now I'm just taking it easy," Kevin said, "What are you doing out here? Did you follow me?" "No," Mipsy said, stuttering, "I don't follow, I look for Richardson." "He's not at The Burrow?" Kevin asked, and she shook her head as he shrugged, "Well, I'm sure he'll be around somewhere." Mipsy sat beside him on the rock, staring down at the water. "Did it...hurt?" Kevin asked, looking at her face as she squinted, seeming confused so he elaborated, "The thing on your head...did it hurt when it happened?" "Oh," Mipsy said, "No no, it not hurt, not now, maybe then. But...but not now. Sometimes get headache though. That hurt. Think that from it." "Mmm," Kevin said, "I'm sorry THEY did that to you." "It's okay," Mipsy said, "Thank you." Kevin shut his eyes and rested his head on his paws, taking in the sounds of the forest around them. He didn't want anything to happen today. He didn't mind spending this time with Mipsy, she seemed sweet enough, but he didn't want to have to do anything, save anyone, fix anything. He just wanted to listen to the birds and the water and the leaves. He just wanted some peace. "Kevin?" Mipsy asked. "Mmm?" "Fox," she said, and his eyes snapped open. Sure enough, standing across from them at the creek was a fox, staring at them. She sat down and started licking her paws, probably to try and put them more at ease of her presence, but Kevin wasn't having any ease at her presence. No. Foxes were bad news now. Kevin slowly sat up and cleared his throat. "Excuse me?" he asked, "You're not going to hurt us, are you?" "Why would I do that?" Minerva answered. "Because that's what foxes do," Kevin said, his voice sounding accusatory. "That's small minded of you," Minerva said, stretching and yawning, "Honestly, you should be more willing to get to know your neighbors, considering we share these woods." "What do you want?" Kevin asked, as Minerva shrugged and started taking some sips from the creek. "I just want to enjoy the forest, same as you. Relaxation," she said, just as the bushes behind her rustled and they all glanced in that direction to see Richardson coming through and sitting right beside her. "Richardson?" Kevin asked, sounding utterly shocked. "Richardson!" Mipsy said, so happy to see her friend, "Where you been? I look for you!" "I just needed some time to myself. I see you've met Minerva," he said. "We've been introduced, yes," Kevin said sternly. "Don't be so huffy, Kevin," Richardson said, "She's nice. She let me vent to her about some stuff. She's a friend. There's nothing to worry about with her." Kevin and Richardson stared at one another for a long while, each not sure what the other was thinking. Kevin eventually turned his gaze towards Minerva, who was now just cleaning her front paws, and he could see his partner and their daughter laying dead in pools of blood, knowing full well these foxes had killed them. He didn't want to be close minded, she was right about that, but he was cautious nonetheless, especially now with an entire Collective to protect. "How is Number Four?" Richardson asked. "She's not getting better, that much is certain," Kevin said, "Number Two says she might never get better, and others have told me to prepare for the worst, because that's the sort of thing you wanna put on your leaders shoulders. Like they don't have enough to worry about aside from their partner dying." "She's ill?" Minerva asked. "She sick," Mipsy said, "Shouldn't be sick. She nice. Too nice to be sick." Kevins heart melted a little, hearing someone else say something nice about Number Four for a change, and her grew to appreciate Mipsy just a bit more in that moment. "The worst part is, it's my own fault," Kevin said, "I took her out of that lab. They were giving her treatments, staving it off. She could be fine if I hadn't yanked her from the place. But...but being there was so much worse and..." "What about going back?" Minerva asked, "If they were treating her, then they clearly had some sort of medicine, right? You could easily get back inside and steal it. Bring it back to her." "I've thought about that," Kevin muttered, "But it just doesn't seem plausible. Besides, if something were to happen to me, who would lead The Collective? The Burrow? Number Two? I don't think so. He's smart and a nice rabbit, but please, even he couldn't handle that. He's too straight forward, too logical. You need to have some emotion." "You're right," Richardson said, "And I agree. Going back would only be a mistake. You worked so hard to get us out, why would you ever want to go back there, even if for someone you love? I for one understand it." "I would do anything for the one I love," Minerva said, swiping her tail back and forth, her ears perked up, "I would think they would do anything for me as well. But perhaps I overvalue our relationship, think they think too highly of me, or they love me in the same way I love them. But I would die for them, I would." Kevin looked at his paws. Would he die for Number Four? Would he do what was necessary, even if it meant losing his life in the process, simply to extend her own just a little bit more? "I think I'm going to go home and eat," Minerva said, "If you do decide to go along with it, Kevin, Richardson will bring you to me to discuss plans. I will always help one save their love. You know where to find me." With that, she stretched, stood up and exited into the treeline behind them. Richardson and Kevins eyes met across the creek, and neither was sure what to say. Mipsy wiggled her nose for a moment and then looked at Kevin. "It getting colder, I'm going back to burrow," she said, turning and hopping away. "She's happy to see you," Kevin said, "She was worried about you. Didn't know where you had gone." "Mipsy was?" Richardson asked, actually feeling touched. "Yeah." "Huh. Well, I just needed to take some time to myself. Met Minerva, spent some time talking to her about everything. You know, just getting it all off my chest. Everything that happened with us didn't just effect you and Gerald you know." "I'm aware, yes." "Kevin," Richardson said, "I understand not wanting to go back to the lab. You don't have to feel bad about it. What if you go back and there's nothing you can bring her to make things better? What if you go back and YOU die and then she dies anyway? What if you go back and you get caught and you never see again and she gets sicker and thinks you abandoned her? There's a million reasons, and I understand being hesitant." "...she deserves better than this," Kevin said, sniffling, "She...she's the most amazing, loving, thoughtful rabbit I've ever met. I already lost someone I loved before. I can't go through that again. I couldn't save them, but I might be able to save her." "...what happened?" "Foxes," Kevin said, now helping Richardson realize why Kevin had been so put off when he first saw Minerva, "Foxes happened. Foxes always happen. They took her from me. Her and...our baby. I couldn't save them. I couldn't fix that. But...but maybe I can do that here. What if Minerva is right? What if I should do anything? They say foxes are smart." "Crazy like a fox isn't a phrase for nothing," Richardson said, the two of them chuckling. "So what if I should do it?" Kevin asked, "What if it's wholly possible to save her? And if I didn't even try, then that sends a message that she isn't important enough to try for, and that is NOT true in the slightest." "Whatever you decide to do, I am here for you," Richardson said, "We will figure it out together." Kevin smiled, surprised at how insightful and kind Richardson actually was. They stood there for a few moments more, just listening to the water in the creek slosh by, to the leaves being rustled along the forest floor by the cool autumn breeze. Finally, Kevin sighed. "I'm going to head back. She's probably awake now. I need to spend some time with her." Kevin turned and began hopping away, leaving Richardson alone now. After a few moments, Minerva reappeared beside him and sat back down, licking her paw. "I feel sick inside," Richardson said. "Good job showing yourself as an ally, and letting me plant the seeds," Minerva said, "He won't be suspicious if you push him a bit further now, and we'll make him think it was all his own idea. You should be proud of yourself. You're going to get your sister back." "I don't feel very proud of myself," Richardson said, "What would you do if Dodger did something horrible to the one you loved? What if he turned on you?" "...he wouldn't do that. I could EAT him," Minerva said, laughing, "He knows where we stand." "He only stands for himself, and by the time you realize that, it'll be too late," Richardson said, "Remember that." Richardson hopped through the creek across to the other side and continued on his way back to The Burrow, leaving Minerva there alone. She knew what she was doing. She knew she could take Dodger out if she wanted to. He wouldn't try anything on her. He needed her for protection. Everything would be alright, right? Right?
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The Rabbit Collective follows a group of lab rabbits struggling with their purpose, and hopeful eventual escape. Archives
October 2020
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