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Organised by
RogerDodger
Word limit
400–750
To Name a Sleeping Bunny
“So somepony moved into the old cottage by the Everfree? Must be an awful brave pony to live there,” remarked Apple Bloom as she trailed her sister, dropping seeds into the deep furrows created by the plow.
“From what Ah understand, she’s a pegasus with a cutie mark related to animals, and wants to live outside of town to be among them. Ah haven’t actually talked to her though, seems she’s even quieter than Big Mac on a bad day,” grunted Applejack, the strain of plowing taking its toll on her despite this being the third time in as many years she had to take over Big Mac’s chores. The stallion in question hadn’t uttered even an “Eeyup” or “Eenope” since he broke his leg two days prior.
“Woah nelly!” Applejack jerked forward as the plow suddenly lost a significant amount of its resistance. Out of the opened burrow dashed a rabbit, followed by a number of her young just barely old enough to hop. Apple Bloom peered down into the hole, spying one kit still in the nest. It stayed perfectly still, its chest rapidly expanding and contracting as it breathed.
“Can Ah keep it?” asked Apple Bloom, looking up at her sister with hope-filled eyes.
“After what happened with the snake? Eenope. You got Winona, ain’t ya?” replied Applejack, turning away, back to her task.
“But she’s a family pet! Pleeeeeease,” pleaded Apple Bloom, with a tone in her voice that could only mean one thing. Applejack paused, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to confront.
“Ah still can’t believe she resisted my puppy-dog eyes,” grumbled Apple Bloom to herself as she trotted along the road to the cottage on the edge of the Everfree, rabbit kit upon her back. It had remained frozen throughout the trip, almost certainly in a state of shock. As the cottage came into view, Apple Bloom could see that indeed some sort of animal lover had moved in, for scattered all around, even on the house itself, were birdhouses and dens of small animals littered the landscape around the building.
Upon reaching the cottage, Apple Bloom knocked loudly upon the door. After a moment, the top half of the door creaked open, slowly revealing the head of a buttercream-coated pegasus, her face half hidden behind her pink mane.
“Hello, Ah’m Apple Bloom,” the filly greeted the newcomer to the town. After a moment of awkward silence, she continued. “My sister and Ah found this baby bunny-”
The pegasus immediately swung open the door and dashed beside Apple Bloom. “Oh you poor thing!” she exclaimed. “I’ll take care of you.” She picked up the kit and brought it inside, closing the door behind her.
After a moment of staring at the now closed door, Apple Bloom deadpanned, “Well okay, Ah guess Ah’ll be going then.” The door did not respond.
Fluttershy gently stroked the kit, slowly yet surely calming it down from its panic. Eventually, the little bunny fell asleep in her hooves. She laid it down upon a small animal bed, smiling softly. She went about her cottage, taking care of the many other animals she was responsible for, before returning to check upon it. It was sleeping cherubically, and Fluttershy thought of the perfect name for the bunny.
“I’ll call you Angel,” she cooed, softly petting the rabbit’s head. The pegasus could think of no name better describing her new charge. There and then she decided to keep him as a pet, for he had been orphaned so young, and she was certain that he would live up to his new name.
And then Angel awoke. Fluttershy’s expectations of the bunny were quickly proven wrong. But he was her pet, and she cared for him anyway, and ultimately, so did he for her.
“From what Ah understand, she’s a pegasus with a cutie mark related to animals, and wants to live outside of town to be among them. Ah haven’t actually talked to her though, seems she’s even quieter than Big Mac on a bad day,” grunted Applejack, the strain of plowing taking its toll on her despite this being the third time in as many years she had to take over Big Mac’s chores. The stallion in question hadn’t uttered even an “Eeyup” or “Eenope” since he broke his leg two days prior.
“Woah nelly!” Applejack jerked forward as the plow suddenly lost a significant amount of its resistance. Out of the opened burrow dashed a rabbit, followed by a number of her young just barely old enough to hop. Apple Bloom peered down into the hole, spying one kit still in the nest. It stayed perfectly still, its chest rapidly expanding and contracting as it breathed.
“Can Ah keep it?” asked Apple Bloom, looking up at her sister with hope-filled eyes.
“After what happened with the snake? Eenope. You got Winona, ain’t ya?” replied Applejack, turning away, back to her task.
“But she’s a family pet! Pleeeeeease,” pleaded Apple Bloom, with a tone in her voice that could only mean one thing. Applejack paused, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to confront.
“Ah still can’t believe she resisted my puppy-dog eyes,” grumbled Apple Bloom to herself as she trotted along the road to the cottage on the edge of the Everfree, rabbit kit upon her back. It had remained frozen throughout the trip, almost certainly in a state of shock. As the cottage came into view, Apple Bloom could see that indeed some sort of animal lover had moved in, for scattered all around, even on the house itself, were birdhouses and dens of small animals littered the landscape around the building.
Upon reaching the cottage, Apple Bloom knocked loudly upon the door. After a moment, the top half of the door creaked open, slowly revealing the head of a buttercream-coated pegasus, her face half hidden behind her pink mane.
“Hello, Ah’m Apple Bloom,” the filly greeted the newcomer to the town. After a moment of awkward silence, she continued. “My sister and Ah found this baby bunny-”
The pegasus immediately swung open the door and dashed beside Apple Bloom. “Oh you poor thing!” she exclaimed. “I’ll take care of you.” She picked up the kit and brought it inside, closing the door behind her.
After a moment of staring at the now closed door, Apple Bloom deadpanned, “Well okay, Ah guess Ah’ll be going then.” The door did not respond.
Fluttershy gently stroked the kit, slowly yet surely calming it down from its panic. Eventually, the little bunny fell asleep in her hooves. She laid it down upon a small animal bed, smiling softly. She went about her cottage, taking care of the many other animals she was responsible for, before returning to check upon it. It was sleeping cherubically, and Fluttershy thought of the perfect name for the bunny.
“I’ll call you Angel,” she cooed, softly petting the rabbit’s head. The pegasus could think of no name better describing her new charge. There and then she decided to keep him as a pet, for he had been orphaned so young, and she was certain that he would live up to his new name.
And then Angel awoke. Fluttershy’s expectations of the bunny were quickly proven wrong. But he was her pet, and she cared for him anyway, and ultimately, so did he for her.