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Chapter 6: Friends

The next morning, Ellie borrowed her father's laptop to snoop on her high school friends'

social media accounts, looking for the most recently updated account to message them.

Charlotte's page said she was working in Wolfsbane, Vulpineva's capital. Ellie messaged her

anyway. Hi Charlotte, It's Ellie Bennett from high school. Just in case you heard otherwise, I'm

not dead. I see you live in Wolfsbane now. I live in Maplesburg. I'm currently with my parents in

Willowdale, so don't worry. If you're ever in Maplesburg, look me up. Ellie

Ellie was still looking through Olivia's accounts when she got a reply from Charlotte.

Ellie! I hadn't heard you were dead, but I'm glad you aren't! Glad you got out of Maplesburg!

Don't know if I'll ever be there, but if I'm going to be close, I'll give you a call! Charlotte

Olivia's page said she lived in Prairie Meadows, which wasn't far from Maplesburg. Ellie

messaged Olivia as well. Hi Olivia, It's Ellie from high school. You probably heard I'm dead, but

surprise! I'm still alive! I'm visiting my parents right now, but after this nightmare with the

terrorists is over, I'll be back in Maplesburg. We could get together sometime if you want. It's not

such a long drive. Ellie

Next, Ellie found Samantha's accounts. Her most recently updated account showed that

she still lived in Willowdale, but even that one hadn't been updated in months. Ellie messaged

her on that account anyway. Hi Samantha, It's Ellie from high school. I'm in Willowdale right now

visiting my parents. Let me know if you want to hang out. Ellie

Finally, Ellie scoped out Flora's social media pages. To her surprise, they showed that

Flora lived in Maplesburg. I should have looked her up a long time ago. Ellie wrote her the

following message. Hi Flora, It's Ellie Bennett, your favorite bunny from high school! I see that

you live in Maplesburg. I live there too, so we should meet up sometime. Not right now,

obviously; right now I'm with my parents in Willowdale. I hope you're safe with everything that's

going on. Ellie

Almost immediately, Ellie got a reply. Ellie?! I thought you were dead!

She typed back, Nope, still alive. I was captured, but it's a long story. I'll tell you it

sometime.

You could tell me right now!

It's too long. Once it's safe for me to go back to Maplesburg, we can meet.

You said you're in Willowdale. We can meet right now. I'm here too.

Really? So you got out of Maplesburg. That's good.

Yes, I just got here yesterday.

Do you want to meet at Hare's Fare in a few hours? How about at noon for lunch?

How do I know it's really you? You're supposed to be dead!

Ellie considered that for a minute before replying. Do you still know my parents' number?

I can look it up.

Call it. I'll pick up.

Alright.

Ellie got up from the dining room table where she was seated with the laptop and went to

the kitchen to wait for the phone to ring. Jason was busy washing the dishes from breakfast,

and Ellie nodded to the phone to let him know she was waiting for a call. After a couple minutes,

it rang; Ellie got it on the first ring.

"Hi Flora, it's Ellie. Sound familiar?"

"Ellie it is you!" Flora chirped happily.

"Yup, so do you want to meet for lunch?"

"Sure. I'm glad you made it out of Maplesburg. I wish I'd known you lived there. I could

have helped."

"I wasn't actually there during the attack. It's a long story. I'll tell you at lunch. By the

way, there's someone I want you to meet. Can I bring him along?"

"Of course, but where were you if you weren't in Maplesburg? Did you just happen to be

visiting your parents? That's lucky."

"No, um, we actually were captured like the police said. We just weren't killed. We

escaped and got here Monday."

"You'll have to tell me all about it! This person you want me to meet wouldn't be your

partner, would it? The one you disappeared with? Inspector Brown, I think it was."

"Thanks for ruining the surprise, Flora!" Ellie huffed. "Whatever, I'll still have enough to

surprise you with!"

Flora giggled, "Heeheehee, oh no! Let me guess; you're also married to the cat?"

"We're dating," Ellie grumbled. She didn't like losing the chance to see Flora's reaction to

her shocking news.

"Good to hear you've moved on from Cliff," Flora teased.

"I've had boyfriends since Cliff!" Ellie returned irritatedly.

Flora snorted in amusement. "Hey, do you mind if I bring my husband?"

"That's fine. What species is he?"

"I'll let you guess."

"A fox?"

"He's not a fox. I guess that would have been pretty funny to ask you to guess when he

was a gray fox too, but he's not a fox, not a canid at all; I'll give you that too."

"A cat?"

"Nope."

"Uh, some kind of mustelid?"

"No, he's not a carnivore."

"Um, is he a rabbit?"

"Got it! See, you're not the only one to cross the predator-prey divide!"

"Huh, I'll be interested to meet him. How did you get together?"

"I'll tell you at lunch."

"Alright," Ellie paused a moment wondering if there was anything else she needed to say

before they met for lunch. "Oh, uh, do you know if Sam is around?"

"Samantha Chester? From high school?"

"Yeah."

"Sure, she's around."

"Do you think she'd want to come too?"

"Uh, I guess I can check," Flora didn't sound optimistic.

"Thanks. If she's too busy, that's fine. I'm glad you can make it."

"I don't have a whole lot else to do. It'll be good to see you again, Ellie. See you at

noon."

"See ya!" Ellie hung up.

"So we're meeting them for lunch then," Jason confirmed.

"Yep, I think you'll like Flora. She's super smart, and it turns out her husband is a rabbit.

So you have something in common!" Ellie teased.

"Is it just going to be the two of us meeting them?" Jason queried.

"Er, well, Mom and Dad would probably come if I asked, but it would be a bit weird."

"I meant Edgar."

Ellie frowned, contemplating whether to bring the pine marten. "Uh, I don't really want to

have to explain his role in everything again. It'll be easier if he's not there. Besides, I didn't tell

Flora I'd bring him."

"I just didn't want him to feel excluded," Jason replied, concerned.

"After yesterday, I doubt he's anxious to meet anyone. I'm sure he'll find something to do

here."

Ellie informed her parents about their plans then went to her room to find something

suitable to wear. Jason, of course, wouldn't have anything, but Ellie felt like trying out one of her

old t-shirts even if that meant he'd be the only one without clothes. She found the idea a bit

amusing, actually. Ellie ultimately decided on a black t-shirt emblazoned in magenta with a

rabbit's head wearing a pot pie hat, a saxophone, and musical notes. Curvy lettering read

"Jazzy Rabbit".

Ellie didn't don the shirt immediately but went to the bathroom to brush her teeth then

returned to her room to grab her hairbrush. Then she took the brush downstairs, and she and

Jason spent the next half hour brushing out each other's fur on the couch. Her parents were

reading together in the loveseat, her mother with one of her romance novels and her father

reading Fahrenheit 451 for the umpteenth time. Ellie caught them eyeing her and Jason

amusedly a couple times, but she didn't let it bother her. Brushing was hardly indecent. When

they were done, she returned the brush to her room and put on her t-shirt.

"Not going with the eagle-riding rabbit one?" Jason jested as she returned to the living

room.

"I prefer this one," Ellie stated. She paused as realization dawned on her. "Hey! Were

you snooping through my stuff?!"

Jason flicked his ear embarrassedly, "Er, I looked through your shirts and some of your

other stuff."

"Find anything interesting?" Ellie asked pointedly. There were private things in there,

especially in the bottom drawer of her dresser.

"Uh, I found your Detective Johnson comics," Jason admitted. "That was the only thing

interesting. Edgar interrupted me before I had a chance to finish."

Ellie rolled her eyes, but she was glad he apparently hadn't gotten to the bottom drawer.

Along with her personal journal, the drawer also contained a notebook full of Detective Johnson

fan fiction, erotic, self-insert fan fiction. Maybe I should burn that.

They spent the remainder of the morning reading silently until it was time to head to

Hare's Fare.

"Hey, Dad, can we take your car?" Ellie asked.

"Assuming Edgar's done washing it," her mother answered.

Ellie had wondered where the pine marten had gotten to.

"The key's in the bowl by the phone," her father reminded her.

Ellie and Jason went to the kitchen where Ellie retrieved the key to the convertible from

the blue ceramic bowl one of her siblings--Gwendolen she thought--had made in art class.

They headed out front and found Edgar finished with the red convertible and working on her

mother's white compact car.

"I'll do yours next, Ellie," Edgar told her.

"Uh, okay, we're taking Dad's car."

"Where are you going?" Edgar asked.

"To meet one of my high school friends. Sorry, I didn't ask you if you wanted to come. I

assumed you'd had enough meeting people after yesterday."

Edgar looked at the ground and kicked at a dandelion, "Er, yeah, I guess."

"You can come if you really want to," Ellie offered, feeling a bit guilty.

"N-no, I, I have to finish this," Edgar glanced at the white car.

"You're comfortable staying with Mom and Dad, aren't you?"

Edgar nodded.

"Okay, we'll be back before dinner, I'm sure."

Edgar watched them as they climbed into the red convertible and backed out onto the

street. Ellie waved, and he waved back before she pulled away.

"Maybe we should have brought him," Ellie muttered.

"I think he'll be okay," Jason reassured her. "He's keeping busy, and I think your parents

are getting used to him."

Unfortunately, the short drive through town didn't give Ellie the opportunity to take

advantage of the sports car. Maybe she'd take it for a spin before heading home. They pulled

into the Hare's Fare parking lot a few minutes before noon.

Inside, the restaurant looked just as Ellie remembered: rows of red booths were lighted

by broad conical, hanging red lamps. The floor was carpeted with a thin green carpet with more

than a few coffee stains, and there was a small bar--currently closed--with cushioned red bar

stools at the far end of the restaurant. The primary smell was of hot grease, but the aroma of

coffee lingered from the breakfast service. Ellie scanned the room for Flora and spotted her

standing up from one of the booths by the left side windows. Flora was wearing a yellow,

pleated, knee-length skirt. A mostly black rabbit with a white belly and nose climbed out of the

booth to stand beside the gray fox. He was wearing a powder blue bowtie and matching vest.

Ellie hurried forward to greet her friend, Jason following close behind. The black and white

rabbit's blue eyes widened, and he quickly ducked behind Flora, peering around her nervously.

Ellie ignored him, not slowing until she stopped just short of Flora, thrusting out her hand.

"Flora! It's so good to see you again!" Ellie piped.

Flora took her hand but then pulled her into a tight hug. "It's good to see you too, Ellie."

She looked over her at Jason, "And this must be Inspector Brown."

"Jason," Jason introduced himself, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Flora."

Flora shook his hand while still holding Ellie with her left arm, "Likewise." She let go of

Ellie and turned to coax the black and white rabbit out from behind her. "This is Pete. I'm sorry;

he gets a little timid around strange predators."

"H-hi," Pete squeaked.

Ellie held out her hand, and he took it. "Nice to meet you, Pete. It's good to know I'm not

the only rabbit to fall for the carnivore allure," she joked lightly.

Pete gave her a small smile, "Heh, right, it's good to know I'm not alone. Um, this is your

partner then?"

"Jason is my business partner, and we're also a couple," Ellie confirmed.

Pete smiled again, "That's nice."

Jason reached by her to offer his hand, and Pete took it reluctantly. Flora placed a

comforting hand on his head as he shook the cat's hand. Ellie took a step back to compare the

predators. Flora was half a head taller than Jason and a bit larger overall. Pete was also about

half a head taller than Ellie, placing him about shoulder high to the fox. Relative to their

carnivore partners, Pete was a little shorter though both rabbits were less than one-third the

mass of their respective partner.

"Nice to meet you, Pete," Jason meowed.

"Y-yeah," Pete squeaked.

Flora gestured to the table with a nod, and they climbed into the red booth. Jason went

first on their side, and Pete went first on his and Flora's. However, Flora lifted him into her lap as

she scooted across the bench, wrapping her arms around him. Ellie thought the black and white

rabbit looked notably calmer encircled by her protective arms.

"So how did you two get together?" Ellie asked.

"We-"

Flora was interrupted by a cough from beside their booth. Ellie turned to see an

impatient-looking brown rabbit in a white apron.

"I see you're all here. You ready to order?"

"We just sat down," Ellie pointed out as politely as she could.

The rabbit grunted and tromped away.

"I guess we'd better hurry up and decide," Flora stated. She opened her menu and

quickly began to scan through it. "I forgot how few options this place has," she remarked. She

turned to the back page. "I recommend the egg salad, Jason. I think all the meat comes pre-

cooked so that they can microwave it."

"Er, okay, thanks," Jason replied.

"Sorry. I forgot they don't have much for carnivores," Ellie apologized.

"It's fine. I like egg salad," Flora replied.

Ellie didn't know whether Jason did, but he didn't offer any complaint. She decided on

the spinach and dandelion salad with a side of braised beets. Their waiter soon returned, and

Ellie ordered that while Pete ordered a pan-seared grass cake topped with shaved carrots. The

carnivores both ordered the egg salad.

"So, as you were saying," Ellie prompted Flora when the waiter left.

"Right, we met at RCV." She turned to Jason, "That's Royal College of Vulpineva," she

told him.

Jason nodded.

"How did you get together though? Especially, when he's, er, 'timid' around strange

predators?" Ellie questioned.

"I'm getting to that. Like I said, we met at RCV. I caught him stealing glances at me in O.

chem., so I asked if he wanted to hang out. I thought he was going to have a heart attack when I

first asked him, but after I assured him I wasn't going to gobble him up," she stroked Pete's

head. "He became very attached to me. Before long, I could hardly get rid of him, so I asked if

he wanted to date. He said yes, and well, we're married. So I guess you could say it worked

out." She stroked his head again. "Honestly, it's easy to get attached to someone who's

completely devoted to your happiness, and I'm sure he gets something out of it too," she

finished teasingly.

Pete looked up at the pretty gray fox in rapt adoration and even--Ellie thought--worship,

which was all the answer really needed.

"Now you owe me the story of how you got together with Jason and the one you

promised of what really happened to you when they said you were dead," Flora stated.

"They're kind of the same story," Ellie stated. "We were investigating a series of

murders..." Ellie gave them the highlights version of the story. Even so, their food arrived and

was eaten before she finished, "And that's how we got to Willowdale."

"That was horrible, Ellie!" Flora exclaimed, looking stunned. "I mean, some parts were

nice, like when you finally realized how much you care for each other, but the rest was just

disturbing, gruesome. The Duchess and the chief of police!? I, I guess I don't know much about

the Duchess, but Officer Schulz, she," she looked down worriedly at Pete.

"She's a hero!" Pete cried. "I-I can't believe she'd do something like that! M-maybe she

didn't have a choice! Maybe there was some reason you didn't understand!"

"She left me and Jason to die! To be tortured!" Ellie responded in disbelief. She hadn't

been prepared for someone to doubt her story. "Just because she has a badge doesn't mean-"

"She helped save all of us!" Pete cut in. "All the prey! The roads were blocked. We were

a-afraid to go outside, but she didn't abandon us! There are tunnels; most people don't

remember, but a few did. From b-before we had lab meat, the tunnels merchant prey used to

trade with the predators, to get into the city unnoticed. Officer Schulz helped show the rest

where the tunnels were. She guarded us so that we could get away. Otherwise, we, we'd," his

voice trailed off.

"We wouldn't have gotten out," Flora concluded. "We met her personally; she's kind and

brave. I, I don't doubt you when you say what she did, but that wasn't the person I met. She

wasn't callous toward prey; she risked her life to save them. So maybe, maybe Pete's right;

maybe her hands were tied with you, or maybe she's changed. But what she did after the attack

was heroic; that's the only word for it."

Ellie wanted to deny that Lily was a hero, but how could she? If she'd really done what

Pete and Flora said--and Ellie didn't believe Flora would lie to her--then what she'd done had

been heroic. It didn't erase her complicity with the Duchess' murders, but it was hard to believe

the cynical and callous bobcat who had allowed the Duchess to murder innocent prey and who

had wished she could watch Ellie die was the same person who would risk her life to rescue

prey from the murderous cultists. "Maybe she turned over a new leaf," Ellie granted. "I'm glad

you got away, and I'm glad Lily was there to help you, even if she didn't help us." Ellie paused,

thinking of a way to change the subject. "Uh, so I guess Sam couldn't come then, huh?"

"I asked. She didn't want to," Flora answered tersely.

"Didn't want to? Why not?" Ellie asked.

"I, I guess you wouldn't know this, but we had a falling out a few years ago. It was after

Pete and I got engaged. We were visiting my parents, and I asked her to come meet my fiancé.

She was thrilled to meet him, until she saw what species he was. She, um, well, she's not the

same as she was in high school. I would have never called her bigoted then, but she told me I

was preying on Pete and that I was no better than foxes who ate rabbits hundreds of years ago.

Needless to say, that was the end of our friendship."

"Yikes, I'm sorry I asked you to invite her!" Ellie apologized.

Flora shook her head, "You didn't know. And I did ask her. I told her you were here, but

she wouldn't come if Pete and I were going to be there. I didn't tell her about you and Jason, but

I assume she wouldn't approve."

Ellie didn't think she wanted to find out. It had been seven years since she'd seen

Samantha, and maybe it was better to leave it that way.

"Anyway, how did your parents react to finding out you were with a cat?" Flora queried,

putting on a lighter tone. "Did you tell them beforehand?"

"They didn't know until we showed up," Ellie replied. "They were pretty surprised. Mom

didn't take it well at first, but I think she's getting used to the idea. How was it for you?"

"They were a little disappointed at first," Flora answered. "They were hoping for more

grandchildren, but then Pete," she petted his head. "Pete insisted that he wanted me to have

kits of my own. We put it off for quite a while, but actually," she put a hand on her belly. "A

couple of weeks ago, we visited the sperm bank. At my checkup before all of this insanity, they

said we have four little foxes to look forward to. They're due the second week of October."

"Congratulations!" Ellie piped. "Four is going to be a lot to handle, I expect!"

Flora nodded, "Pete's excited to see his first fox kits, but he's going to be less excited

when he finds out how much work they'll be. Still, I think we're up to it." Flora looked at Jason,

"What about your parents, Jason?"

"They don't know yet," Jason answered embarrassedly.

"I hope it goes alright then," Flora replied.

"How about Pete's parents?" Ellie asked. "How did they react?"

Flora looked to Pete to let him answer.

"They thought I had bees in my brain," Pete answered. "They accept it now, but it took

right up until we got married before they did. They probably still sit up at night wondering if Flora

ate me since I talked to them last. It's a bit tense at the house right now."

Ellie frowned in confusion, "Why's that?"

"Pete's parents also live in Maplesburg. They're staying with us right now," Flora

explained. "Our parents barely talked at the wedding, and they haven't seen each other since.

It's a bit awkward with them under the same roof."

"No wonder you wanted to take a break!" Ellie responded. "I hope Jason's and my

parents get along!"

"Speaking of that, it may be time for us to head back," Flora stated. She waved to their

waiter who tromped over.

Ellie held out her left hand, but Flora pushed it down, "I'll pay," Flora told her.

"We can split it," Ellie rejoined.

"I insist, my treat, a thank you for finally getting back in touch. I thought you were done

with us." The brown rabbit scanned Flora's hand and tromped away.

Ellie felt a little guilty. She had been more or less done with her high school friends until

Jason had said he'd like to meet them, but now she remembered what a good friend Flora had

been. I really should have gotten in touch sooner. "It'll be my treat next time," Ellie decided.

"When we get back to Maplesburg, you can come for a visit. I'd like to keep in touch now that

we live in the same city again. We'll introduce you to our other friends, Tom and Katya."

"That sounds nice," Flora replied. "We'll introduce you to our friends too."

Flora set Pete on the other side of her, and he hopped up from the booth. Flora followed,

and Ellie and Jason got up as well. Flora extended her hand to Jason, which he took.

"It was good to meet you, Jason. I hope we'll see more of each other before long," Flora

chirped.

"Yeah, I hope to see you around too," Jason returned.

Flora crouched down and picked up Ellie to hug her to her chest; Ellie hugged her

around the neck. "I'm holding you to your promise, Ellie. If you don't invite me over, I'm going to

hunt you down!"

She set Ellie down, and Pete stepped forward to shake Ellie's hand.

"See you soon. It's good to know I'm not crazy loving a carnivore," he said.

"Or maybe we both are!" Ellie rejoined. "Either way it's good to have company."

Pete let go of Ellie's hand and nervously held his toward Jason. Jason shook it warmly.

"It was good to meet you too, Pete," Jason meowed.

Pete nodded. He seemed relieved when Jason released his hand. Flora herded them all

toward the door then broke away with Pete toward a green mid-size SUV, getting into the

driver's seat on the far side. Ellie wasn't certain, but in the few seconds the passenger's door

was open, she thought she saw Pete climb into a booster seat. She didn't mention it to Jason in

case he got any ideas. She waved as the SUV pulled out of the parking lot then turned to the

red convertible.

Ellie jumped as the bushes to the left side of the restaurant's entrance suddenly rustled,

and then a white figure sprang out at her, causing her to yelp. Jason leapt into action, darting

between Ellie and the figure, between Ellie and Samantha. Samantha squealed in shock as she

collided with the cat, who instinctively caught her tight in both arms.

"L-let me go!" Samantha cried. "E-Ellie, help!"

"Jason, let her go!" Ellie instructed hastily. "This is Samantha."

Jason quickly let her go, "S-sorry! I was, it was instinct."

"You were only protecting me, Jason," Ellie mollified. She looked at the albino rabbit. "Hi

Sam."

Samantha glanced at Jason nervously before turning to Ellie. "Hey Ellie, it's been a long

time. Sorry I couldn't join you earlier."

"Flora told me why," Ellie replied perfunctorily.

Samantha frowned. She glanced at Jason again. "Who's this?"

"This is Jason. He's my business partner and my boyfriend."

Samantha grimaced at him, but then she turned back to Ellie pleadingly, "You shouldn't

believe everything Flora said."

"So you didn't tell her she was preying on Pete like a predator hunting to kill?" Ellie

returned skeptically.

"I, I may have said something like that, but I don't blame you!"

"Because I'm the one being preyed on!" Ellie shot back irritatedly.

Samantha winced, but then she rejoined anxiously, "What happened to you, Ellie?! You,

you didn't used to be into," she glared at Jason again. "Flesh-eaters."

"You used to understand that predators and prey can be friends! Flora was your friend!"

Ellie insisted.

"Friends, not," she paused as if she didn't want to say the words. "Don't you see how it's

wrong to let a predator have you like that? Have your body?"

"Have? If he 'has' me, I have him," Ellie countered. She took a deep breath. "Look, Sam,

if that's what you really think, then maybe we should leave it where we did seven years ago. We

were friends then, but that was a long time ago. Things change."

"I missed you, Ellie! You were my best friend!"

Ellie frowned, "I always thought you were closer with Olivia, but that's irrelevant. If you

can't tolerate Jason, then we can't be friends. If you can, you can prove it by apologizing to

Flora."

Samantha scowled at Ellie's suggestion, "I won't apologize to that duplicitous vixen! She

used us, Ellie! She learned how to cozy up to a rabbit so that she could have her own little

slave!"

"Is that what you think I am? Jason's slave?" Ellie demanded.

"I-I don't know! Maybe you're strong enough; you were always strong willed. But you

must have seen that poor sap; it's pathetic! He's like her toy!" Samantha insisted.

"He seemed devoted to her, and her to him. If he's a little timid, that doesn't make it

pathetic."

"It's not normal! Him creeping around, hiding behind her any time there's another

predator, while she pats him on the head. It's demeaning and not only to him, to all rabbits!"

"She's a bit protective. Maybe he needs it. It seemed to comfort him."

Samantha glared at Jason, "Do you let him 'comfort' you?"

"Sometimes, and sometimes, I comfort him! You're seeing problems where there are

none, Sam. I think we should go." Ellie grabbed Jason's hand and pulled him toward the

convertible.

Samantha followed them, "Wait, Ellie!"

Ellie shook her head. She got in the driver's seat, letting Jason walk around to the

passenger's seat before starting the engine with a deep vroom. Samantha got out of the way of

the car but stared at Ellie pleadingly.

"I'm sorry, Sam. Maybe if you decide Pete and I aren't slaves or toys or whatever we can

be friends again. Flora and I both live in Maplesburg if you ever want to come apologize." Ellie

backed out of the spot and pulled out onto the road headed for home.

Jason quickly glanced back at the albino rabbit who was still watching sadly. "I'm sorry

about that, Ellie."

Ellie shook her head, "It's not you. Even just not apologizing for saying something like

that to Flora would have been too much."

"I'm sure it didn't make things any better when I grabbed her," Jason responded

embarrassedly.

Ellie glanced at him sidelong, "That was kind of funny actually. She jumped out at me

and landed in a cat's claws. That'll teach her to spring out at people like that."

"Still, you lost a friend," Jason murmured, concerned.

"I lost her seven years ago," Ellie admitted. "Really, today I remade a friend and maybe

met a new one, so it was a net positive."

Edgar had finished washing the cars when they returned. They found him in the living

room with her parents. Ellie stopped short when she saw the pine marten crouched on the floor

in front of the couch where her parents were reading. He seemed to be filing her mother's toe

claws.

He looked up from the task when they entered, "Hi Ellie, Jason." He went back to filing.

Her parents looked up from their books, and Ellie stared at her mother, flabbergasted.

"Is something wrong, Ellie?" her mother asked mildly.

Ellie stared pointedly at Edgar.

"Edgar's a great helper," her mother responded. "He likes to keep busy helping how he

can. I find it very refreshing."

Edgar finished one claw and switched to the next. "Happy to help, Ma'am," he chirped

cheerfully; Ellie thought it was a bit strained.

"Mom! Edgar's just being polite; you shouldn't take advantage of him!" Ellie reprimanded.

"He asked me to keep him busy," her mother rejoined. "He wants to make up for what he

did. I think it's very promising that he's showing remorse. I haven't asked him to do anything

terrible."

"Filing your claws is a bit weird!"

"I ran out of cleaning for him to do," she replied simply.

"I-it's okay, Ellie," Edgar muttered embarrassedly.

Ellie grabbed their book, and she and Jason sat in the loveseat. She stared at Edgar

disconcertedly a few seconds longer before opening the book.

"How did it go with your friends?" her mother inquired.

Ellie looked back up at her and couldn't resist another quick glance at Edgar, still filing

away. "Fine with Flora," she answered perfunctorily.

"Did Samantha come?"

"Sort of."

"How'd it go with her?"

"Okay," Ellie lied. She didn't want to discuss it.

"That's good." Her mother went back to reading, and Ellie and Jason began to read

silently as well.

Some minutes later Edgar stood, holding the metal file out to her mother.

She accepted it, "Thank you, Edgar. I don't have anything else for you to do."

"What about the basement?" Edgar asked.

"The basement?" her mother repeated curiously.

"I, uh, noticed some cobwebs yesterday when, um; could I clean those?"

Her mother nodded, "You know where everything is."

Edgar scurried out of the room, and Ellie's mother smiled smugly at her, her expression

saying, "See?" Ellie pretended not to have noticed and continued reading.

After dinner, they played Go Fish!. Ellie's mother was frustratingly lucky and won both

games, declaring that meant she got to decide what movie they'd watch tonight. Ellie was

apprehensive about what her mother would pick after her comment about musicals the previous

night. Sure enough, as the movie started, so did the singing. The title appeared in curling

cursive, 'Fifth Star After Sunset'.

Ellie groaned under her breath; she recognized the title of the overly long and sappy film.

The film starred a poor rabbit gondolier who yearned after his dead lover, who had tragically

drowned after falling into the canal one fateful winter night. Each night, he would gaze to the

stars as they appeared and sing of his sorrow and his love waiting for him in the next life while

propelling his gondola over the darkening waters. In debt to the local mob, he was hounded

daily until he happened to come into favor with a wealthy vixen who paid off his debts and

employed him to ferry her through town in his boat. However, one day she also slipped into the

canal, the weight of her heavy dress dragging her under. The rabbit dove in and was able to

drag her to safety, but then tragically, he developed pneumonia and died. In typical Vulpinevan

fashion, the wealthy vixen was portrayed as a saintly benefactor, pure of heart and beloved by

the people. She defended the gondolier against jealous rivals for her affection and mourned his

passing, veiled and dressed in an ornate black dress among his modest and destitute relatives.

The movie ended with the vixen standing on a bridge over the canal and warbling a sweet

melody of her gondolier to the evening stars.

Ellie thought her brain had melted by the time the musical was over. She leaned

listlessly against Jason, numb to the world.

Edgar sniffed wetly. "That was beautiful," the pine marten murmured thickly.

Ellie didn't even have the strength to communicate her disagreement. Jason shifted, and

she flopped over into his lap.

Her mother patted Edgar's knee. "I'm glad you liked it, Dear."

Jason scooped Ellie up in a bundle and slid off of the couch, "I think it's time for bed," he

noted. He carried Ellie out of the room and upstairs to their room.

Ellie didn't protest and was glad when he tucked her into bed and curled around her. He

nuzzled her head, and she pressed herself closer against him. Maybe what annoyed Ellie most

about the film wasn't the sappiness or the singing but the incessant dwelling on the past. Too

many people let concerns of history, whether personal or collective, dictate their lives. The main

thing Ellie cared about was this, now, her sweet, handsome kitty holding her close. There was

also concern for the future: their return to Maplesburg and their job, their possible future family,

renewing her friendship with Flora. But the past was over; you couldn't change it. Settled issues

should be let lie, not dredged back up like a bloated, rotting corpse from a canal.