Nothing to fear

Chapter 12

Like Judy and her sister, Nick stepped in to help with the preparations for supper, though most of the work was carried out by older bunnies that Bonnie directed like a general commanding an army. Her commands were delivered with authority and a large wooden spoon that the rabbit waved around like a conductor's baton. It also served as incentive for younger bunnies to vacate the much larger family kitchens when they came in looking for nibbles and munchies and Bonnie would use it to rapidly tap backsides to shoo her children out, normally with much giggling and laughing on both sides. The fox did what he could, though most of that was carrying and lifting or reaching up to higher shelves when asked to get something as he had no idea where anything was. Bonnie had just escorted a group of smaller bunnies out when she looked at the fox with a torn expression.

"Nick, I appreciate the help, but most of the kits are coming in to see you and there's too much going on," Bonnie began, looking a little uncomfortable.

"What Mom's trying to say is you're gumming up her works," Judy said over her shoulder from where she stirred a large pot that Nick swore he could have taken a bath in. "Go sit with Dad. This will give you a chance to relax, keep the youngsters out there with you, and we can get dinner out before it gets too late.

"Yes, Ma'am!" the fox said as he stood straight with a serious expression and slung a salute at Mrs. Hopps. "Vacating as ordered!" He spun and marched out with only a momentary pause to kiss Judy on the side of her head. Nick thought he was going the right way, and ahead of him entire batches of young bunnies hid behind doorways watching, occasionally giggling then running away as he got closer.

He found a large room not too far away where Stu was looking at a Bunnyburrow Times, ignoring the tussling kits that wrestled and played, occasionally rolling over his feet while some of the older ones watched a TV, read books, did homework and texted with friends on their iCarrot phones. Around the room, looking at him with large eyes, their ears giving them away as they poked up with interest, many of the smaller kits eyed Nick as he took a chair down the line from their father.

"Kicked out of the kitchen?" Stu asked without looking up from his paper.

"Yup. Seems I was too much of a distraction," Nick said as a kit that was barely out of diapers came trundling up, an orange pacifier decorated with a plastic carrot in his mouth.

The older rabbit nodded. "I learned a long time ago to stay out of Bonnie's kitchen. She doesn't truck with folk getting in the way. I'd lay better than even odds on her against a bear if it disrupted her kitchen!"

Nick chuckled as the bunny kit looked at him before trying to climb up into his lap, the fox helping after a few false starts, though as soon as the small bunny was settled he did what all the other youngsters did and lifted Nick's lips to look at his teeth. From the corner of his eye he could see that Stu was watching and wincing, waiting for the fox to nip at the bunny.

As if satisfied with his expression, the kit let go of Nick's lip before clumsily petting the side of the fox's face, ten touched an ear, a look of extreme concentration as the examination continued to paws then the thick brush of a tail. With a small nod the bunny hauled the mass of fur over him and laid against Nick's stomach with the tail over him like a blanket with a content sigh. As an afterthought the kit pulled the pacifier out with a small Pop! and offered it to the fox.

"Thanks," Nick said with a warm smile. "I've already had mine for the day. Why don't you go ahead and keep that one?"

The kit smiled back, his top front teeth looking overly large, "'Kay!" he squeaked and plopped it back in and went back to resting his head on the fox's chest.

By now Stu had lowered the paper in his paws and just stared. "Well, I'll be..." He gestured to the bunny kit whose eyes were already growing heavy. "What is it with you and the bunnies that don't like any other mammal except for their mother and I taking to you like this? I've never seen the like! Little Petey there is as ornery as they come, but he sure seems to like you! He sure doesn't take to Gideon like that."