Posted to alt.devilbunnies 26 December, 1999 in collaboration with William Wade. Simply ties-up a few loose ends and creates some new ones at the end of the year.
©1999 by Scott Bernier and William
Wade
First HTML-ized 30 December, 1999 by Scott Bernier
Return to Scott's Stories page.
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Wade walked out of his personal shrine. He walked quickly towards his office. He had been in seclusion since the bun mover attack and only now had finished his personal time with the Dark One. Wade sits down behind his desk and looks through all of his messages. There is an enormous amount of email on his computer, but his eyes instantly dart to one from Jerry Crimson Paw. *Eugene executed! He wouldn't dare! * Wade scans through the other messages looking for one in particular. Wade's eyes instantly latch on to the important message.
"My Lord, I have grave news. The vermin have executed Sgt. Pomerleau. I watched it on the local bun television. What am I to do? I await your commands."
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ringtail hunkered down in his small warren hole, the freezing Maine winter chilling him to
his bones. *
An inhuman howl cut Ringtail's thoughts short. Ringtail's blood almost literary froze. The howl had touched the primal instinct within the bun and immediately called for flight, but before he made any move a figure came into view. A man wearing cammies and holding two swords walked closer. As he did Ringtail could see more. The man's face was marked with four vertical scars. Also white foam was trickling down the side of his mouth. His eyes were wild and there was now no doubt in Ringtail's mind where the howl had come from. Ringtail tried to run, but was cut down in mid flight. The man then proceeded to throw himself into an inhuman fury and he physically assaulted the bun outpost. No buns escaped that night.
"I must tell you vermin, that out of all who I crushed tonight, only you put up any real fight. For that I have decided to let you live to take a message to CrimsonPaw. Tell him I will pay him back for what he has done. Tell him that no matter where he hides I will find him. Tell him that no one around him will be safe." The man's eyes started to glaze over and gain a far off look. The man's voice gained volume. "Tell hIM THAT I WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING HE HOLDS DEAR. TELL HIM I WILL NOT REST UNTIL EITHER HIM OR I AM KILLED. I WILL HUNT HIS WHOLE FAMILY DOWN AND KILL EVERYONE MYSELF. NO WHERE WILL BE SAFE. NO HOLE WILL BE DEEP ENOUGH OR NO PLACE FAR ENOUGH FOR HIM TO ESCAPE ME." Wade threw up his hands in the air and his speech started to slur and he drove himself into a frenzied rage. "I WILL KILL HIM, I WILL MAKE HIM PAYYYYYYY!!!!" Wade then snatched up the bun. "TAKE THIS PACKAGE TO HIM. TELL HIM MERRY FRITHMAS!!" Bluebonnet felt a bag being tied to her leg just before she lost consciousness.
To All Fourier Soldiers in Maine:
Today we have faced a great setback. Sgt. Pomerleau was killed by the vermin in a cowardly execution. I have temporarily avenged his death, but there is still a huge blood debt to be paid back. For now though we must consolidate what we have won. Currently, we control all of the Kennebec Valley. No bun can move here without swift retribution from our forces. I am now calling a halt to all offensive operations. We need to rest. Men, we have done well, but we have suffered heavily, but spirits remain high. We will take this time out to reorganize, recruit, and train so that when we meet our enemies again we will retain the upper hand. Remember men, that while we prepare for the next battle, the buns are in disarray. They fear us more than ever and our operatives in the bun camp tell me that morale is plummeting. We may not have Eugene, but we have won the battle. All units will be issued a campaign streamer to commemorate their victories. Award formations will be held next week. Funerals will be held tomorrow. All praise the Dark One and may he guide us in these dark times.
Sgt. Wade, Lord of the Valley.
Return to the
The Blakes arrived home two days before Christmas with Hazel Busheytail and a squirrel patrol in tow. The squirrels insisted on not leaving the Blakes totally defenseless. All spent the first day cleaning-up the house and grounds. The few remaining Maine Fudds arrived mid- afternoon that first day from Portland. The first thing these Fudds did was collapse the abandoned outpost warren that had been built under the parade ground.
Two lumberjacks escorted Cathy and Joey to the semi-abandoned bunmover terminal 20 miles to the north in Skowhegan. There, Cathy and Joey hug and kiss one last time and Joey departs on a bunmover, heading east, promising to return soon. Cathy and the lumberjacks didn't return to the Blake farm immediately. They went shopping. It wouldn't be Christmas without gifts. It was tough for Cathy as she had to remain in the truck while the Fudds went in the shops. No one wanted to explain a talking rabbit to the locals.
Christmas eve went by rapidly as the Blake farm was filled with the scents of the holiday. A ten foot balsam fir tree was erected in the front parlor and everyone, bun, and squirrel helped to decorate it. Carolyn, however, she spent her time in the kitchen preparing food for Christmas. She preferred to have things easy on Christmas, but that meant doing the work in advance. Others took turns helping her as needed. Even the kits chipped in, peeling potatoes and carrots using their claws (after washing their claws and paws of course).
The day went by quickly and soon it was time for bed. Cathy had offered to give up her room for her sister and the kits when they arrived home, but Julie insisted on Cathy joining them. It was a strange feeling for Cathy snuggled next to her sister and four smaller bodies surrounding them. She actually enjoyed the feeling and it made her yearn even more for the day when the little miracles inside her own body would be born.
Christmas morning was upon them before they knew it with the kits nudging both their mother and their auntie awake. They bounced about excitedly, all anxious to see what Santa 'Claws' had brought them.
"Not so soon," their mother and auntie scolded in unison. "It's a Blake tradition to have green cake and let grandma and grandpa wake-up first before we exchange gifts."
"Green cake?" the kits exclaim in puzzlement.
Cathy (gigglefluffs) recalling her own reaction two years previous. "You'll see."
"Merry Christmas everybun!" Steve and Carolyn call from the door. Steve was wearing the silly earmuff/hat with bells on it that Cathy and Julie had given him two years previous.
They all head down stairs, Steve and Carolyn stopping suddenly at the bottom with the kits tumbling to a halt, bumping into them. They stare at the tree. There were three large gift wrapped boxes in front of it that weren't there the night before. The wrapping was black.
"Keep everyone else back, Carol," Steve states in a no-nonsense tone. He creeps forward and his nose starts to twitch at the smell of death. He takes a deep whiff next to one of the boxes...devilbunnies, lots of them. He leaps atop one box and finds a huge red eye stamped into the wrap. He finds a note next to the eye stamp.
'Though we have our differences, Major, my promise to you and your family still stands. Have a safe Christmas dinner, because we will be watching!!'
"Wade," Steve mumbles under his breath. "How in the hell did he get in here?" He turns back to his family. "Head into the dining room, I've got to take care of these...gifts from a Fourier first."
The kits' eyes bulge and they all (fearfulfluff) but follow their grandpa's orders. Steve has a couple of lumberjacks remove the carcass-filled boxes.
Return to the
A bun hopped into Jerry's private party with Mariel and her father and whispered in his ear. Jerry excused himself and left. Mariel and Robert continued to exchange gifts and nibble on chocolate-covered toes.
Jerry arrives quickly in his office and Flatpaw brings a doe in. She is trembling all over. Jerry stares at the festering eye brand burned into her forehead.
"She is Bluebonnet, sir," Flatpaw states curtly. "She was assigned to the outpost warren set-up on Moe's Mountain about three miles from the former Maine Fudd base."
Bluebonnet continues to shake and tells her tale of the slaughter at the outpost. She repeats Wade's words as commanded and then collapses.
"She arrived less then twenty minutes ago outside the warren." Flatpaw states. "This was tied to her paw, Commander."
Jerry opens the bag and closes it quickly. "The bastard. Even the Fudds had enough honor to not shed blood on this holy day." He places the bag back in Flatpaw's paws. "We will give them a proper funeral, even if we've only got their paws. Take them down to the morgue and have them stored until Monday." (droopears) I don't want word of this to spread until after the weekend. Why should I help the enemy ruin Frithmas."
(salutefluff) "As you wish."
Jerry had a hard time concealing his sorrow from Mariel and the others when he returned to the party, but nobun pried into why Jerry seemed to have a little less bounce in his hop the rest of the day.
Return to the
Mid-afternoon after all the gifts had been unwrapped, Cathy slipped away from the family party and hopped into Eugene's old weather center in the back half of the farm house. It had been converted to a temporary command center until the original command center for the base could be rebuilt. She booted-up the computer and initiated a tightbeam to Joey's warren in Bangor. After a brief pause, a bun answered.
(confusedfluff) "This is impossible, the outpost at your coordinates was destroyed...identify yourself." (glare)
(glaresback) "I am the mate of Joey SnowPaw. It is Frithmas, and I want to speak to my mate." (STOMP!)
The commbun blinks a couple of times. "No alpha would be caught dead with a regbun as a mate."
Cathy stuck all the alpha authority she could into her reply. (narrowseyes) "And who are *YOU* to question whom I should choose for my mate, beta?" The commbuck gulps. "Put me through to my Joey now." (STOMP!)
The screen went dark briefly and then she was connected to an older doe. The snowshoe hare was obviously Joey's mother. "You?!" (STOMP!) "Why don't you leave us be. How could my son be such a fool as to choose a traitorbun??" (sniffle) "Leave us be."
Cathy could see Joey in the background (pleadfluffing).
"Your son is not a fool, Ms. SnowPaw. I am the fool. I was foolish to encourage Joey to go home to spend Frithmas with his mother he cares so deeply for. Somebun who obviously doesn't care for him half-as-much as he does." Cathy brushes a tear from her eyes.
The elder SnowPaw (STOMPS!) again. "How dare you..."
Cathy cuts the elder doe off as she replies, her voice rising steadily until she's close to screaming. "How dare I what? How dare I spare your son's life and then save him from the Fouriers? How dare I care for and love him deeply? How dare we decide to have a litter of kits?" Cathy pats her stomach. "How dare I resign from Army of Fudd Intelligence for him? How dare I negotiate with the Namakata Squirrel Council of Elders, who currently control the territory that includes your old warren and get them to agree to allow Joey and I to resettle there?" Cathy stops abruptly and there is silence at the other end. She drops back into a lower apologetic tone of voice.
"I'm sorry, Joey, I shouldn't yell at your mother. I had hoped to tell you about the agreement with the Council of Elders as your Frithmas gift. I didn't mean to blurt it out in anger at your mother." (droopears) "Merry Frithmas, my love." Cathy terminates the connection, buries her head in her forepaws and weeps quietly.
Several minutes later, the terminal beeps and Cathy looks up with red eyes. She answers the incoming transmission to see her Joey on screen. He uses fluffspeak, speaking slowly so that Cathy can understand him. Occasionally, she asks him to repeat something in English.
"I've never stood up to my mother until now, Cathy. Thank you. I never thought I could do it. Perhaps you are right that I'm a mislabeled beta." (sighfluff) "She's sulking in her burrow, but I'm sure she'll come around, especially once her grandkits are born. I think she's more surprised then anything else that somebun questioned her authority.
"Unfortunately, I don't know when we'll be able to reunite, my love. Monday, I have to go in for questioning concerning what transpired at your father's base and what has happened since then. If all goes well, no charges will be pressed." (nervoustwitch) "BbbEeeIiiNnnGGg JjjUStst aAaa rRreeEGguLlAarrR bbubunnNYyY wWIlwiill Helehlp." (noddle)
Cathy's expression turned to one full of worry. "Charges?"
Joey became very somber. "Abandonment of assigned post of duty without orders is the biggy. Depending on the mood of the buns who question me, they could accuse me of consorting with the enemy." (droopears) "Hope for the best, and I'll hopefully talk to you again in a few days. Merry Frithmas and take care of yourself and our kits." (blowkiss) Joey extends a paw out towards the camera, almost touching it, making it look like he's touching Cathy's screen and terminates the link.
At about that same moment at Namakata, Mustard nuzzles his mate, Mapletip. They intertwine their tails briefly and exhaustion shows in Mapletip from the ordeal. Mustard looks down adoringly at the three newborn squirrel kits as they suckled from their mother, all proclaimed healthy by Dr. Furbrush. Furless with their eyes shut tight, it would be at least a week before they named them. That naming day would not be until after their fur had grown in and their eyes opened. They had already decided to follow the lead of Aldin and Ash and not name these kits after their parents. They would be named in honor of some of Namakata's fallen warriors.
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