Chapter 2: Edited.
A small lop-eared lapin eyed the bustling streets carefully, her eyes darting to any, and all, sudden movements. Her eyes focusing generally around thighs and tails. She was searching for someone small, perhaps the size of a child, and upon her features was a look of worry. How could this have happened, for a little one to be lost like this in a grand crowd.
It had been a beautiful fall day, the brightly colored leaves dancing among the spectators as their footsteps carried them along under toe, moving on about their day. The sun was high in the sky, with a few ominous clouds in the distance telling their story of an incoming downpour. It was the day marking the christening of her husband's new luxury liner, La Colombe Blanche, and the amount of people who had gathered around to watch was almost overwhelming. How exciting could the launching of a boat be? She would never understand, but it was her husband's pride and joy, and it was also the object of his obsessions for three years now. The woman began to pace, muttering to herself and shaking her head. "How could I lose him like that?" she asked herself softly, fanning herself with a small pink lace fan, eyes full of worry and posture giving the impression of fear.. "Where could he be?"
As she paced back and forth, taking small hopping steps, her ears twitched at the pattering of little footpaws on the concrete. Before she could turn around to see who it might have been, there was a sudden pat on her rump that made her assume that it was her honey bunny. A soft blush colored her cheeks under her soft white fur, and she began to turn around, saying, "Okay, darling... I know you're happy about your ship, bu-" She stopped in mid-sentence at the sight of the small, frail boy before her. She noticed that the people around them began to mutter and back away, thinking her some sort of pervert. She looked around to gauge their reactions for a short while, feeling quite embarrassed and flustered. Shaking her head, ridding herself of the awkward feelings, she gently dusted off the boy, picked him upright, stood him up and said, "Where are your parents, darling?" From the look on his small, dirty face, and after repeating the question a few more times, she realized that he did not understand her, or at the least did not seem to. He seemed somewhat disoriented and lost. His head turned to the ship and her gaze followed his movements. A soft gasp escaped her throat and she quickly whispered, "Oh, you poor, poor thing! Here, let me get you aboard."
She took a hold of the boy's hand and slowly guided him along, through the crowd and standing pedestrians. Near the dock she kneeled to pat the boy and release his hand, telling him to stay for a moment. With a small smile, she rushed over to the docking platform, greeting someone. "Honey bunny!" she exclaimed, "Don't let the ship leave yet! We've got another passenger!" When she came to a halt, she was within arms reach of a man. His stature was small, and he was just a few inches taller than her, his pink ears folded in the most fascinating way. A perfectly groomed mustache right under his nose, and a shiny silver chain attached to a monocle adorned his face. He looked like a jolly young tomcat, his looks portraying a younger age than he was in reality. His belly was plump and his shoes shined lightly with each flicker of the sun's light, adding only to the posh, expensive attire.
"Ah, Eloise!" he said, greeting her with a kiss upon each cheek, "So good to see you, my sweet. Yes... So, what is this about another passenger?" He paused looking around with a somehow fascinated and excited gaze, searching for this one passenger who had not yet boarded.
Her blue eyes lit up at the sight of her husband as her lips spread into a sweet smile. "Yes, Bernard," she said softly, "This small pup seems to be lost." She beckoned over the boy, who cautiously approached. "But I do believe that his parents are on board and that's where I would like him to go. Is that alright with you, honey?" She tilted her head in that sweet, innocent way that could melt the heart of the strongest man. Bernard's green eyes sparkled and he laughed before nodding happily. "Of course, of course, my dear. As you wish." Eloise knelt down before the small boy and smiled. "It was nice meeting you, little one. But now I have to go search for my son." She patted the boy's head and scooted him onto the platform, giving him a light dust off as he want along. "Now, now, go find your mother. Agreed?" With a joyful smile, she watched the platform pull away after the boy ran into the cabin and the door had sealed shut. Bernard cracked a bottle of champagne over the ship's bow, and sent it away with a wave.
"Maman! Maman!" a small girl cried, running over to Eloise, rushing as fast as her legs could carry. She stumbled and tripped over a part of the warped dock, landing flat on her adorable nose. "Oh dear..." Eloise said with a small laugh, walking over to her daughter and picking her up, cradling her. Taking a handkerchief, she wiped the girl's nose and kissed it gently, winking at her with another giggle. "All better." The girl smiled and watched the boat pull away with the curiosity of a cat, her long tail swishing against her mother's arms. "Maman, has the boat already left? Why didn't it wait until I got here?" The young girl began to pout and frowned angrily. "It must have known that I was coming, so it left before I could see it. Oh, zut alors..." Eloise smiled and giggled at her small daughter, and her imaginative reasoning. "Oh, Karu, don't be such a spoil sport. It's just a ship. Is it really that big of a deal?"
Her small teal eyes glowed with a stubborn determination. "Of course it's a big deal! I wanted to see it! Papa said I could come since I'm older now, and I missed it!" She grumbled under her breath, crossed her arms over her chest, and turning her nose to the sky and closing her eyes. She interrupted her own pout after only a few short moments to say, "Hey, Maman... Where's Aeishe?" Her mother's worried look returned and she walked over to where she scooted the boy aboard the ship just moments before. "I hope he didn't get on the ship..." she said softly, sighing under her breath, acting almost as if it would not be uncommon.
Bernard then strolled over, another small child attached to his right leg. This one wearing an identical dress to that of Karu. He laughed and stopped next to his wife, tapping her shoulder and pointing to the child. "I think our son was attacked by a dress-up monster again," he said softly. Karu looked down at her little brother with a mischievous grin, taking pride in her work. "Oh, Papa! That was me who did that!" she exclaimed as she clambered out of her mother's grasp and laughed. Aeishe released his father's leg and tugged at the edge of the white ruffled dress Karu had helped him put on. "Maman," he asked, his voice a squeak, "Do I look pretty like Karu?" The boy blushed, yet seemed self-conscious. Eloise scooped him up and kissed his forehead gently with that warm motherly smile. "You're as pretty as Karu, yes, but darling... You're a boy..." Aeishe's face flushed and he howled in a fit of frustration. "I don't wanna be a boy! I don't wanna! I don't wanna have a pee-pee!" His howls continued and he struggled in his mother's arms as Karu giggled and snorted.
Later on as the family made their way down the busy street, Bernard couldn't help but ponder. Where did that boy come from? Was he just a figment of my imagination? Oh well... I won't see him again... I do hope I remembered to lock the door...