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Good news all! I finally got the little lovelies that are going to be living with Llewellyn and Pretzel and myself. Here, let me see if I can get them to pay attention for a picture.

[And yes, he's definitely included an image of not one or two, but three baby bunnies]

Sweetpie is the white one, Sugarbeet is the dark one, and Flopsy is the slightly gray one. The breeder had all three and my research said that it was better to have at least two for company but then I'd have to have left one behind and I just couldn't!

Look at them. Aren't they the sweetest little ones? Look at their faces!

They are SO SOFT. You should pet them. I'm supposed to help them acclimatize to being handled so that when they are older I can collect their fur for yarn. Who wants to pet the babies?

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Yeah, I still get nervous in busy crowds sometimes. It helps if everyone’s not mean, though.

[ Mono wondered what kind of people were there? He now understood there were good and bad people in most worlds… But it was still strange to think of, even here at Aterat. ]

What kinda fun?

Yes, everyone not being mean is useful actually. And it makes the world a better place.

It does! I like it a lot better, anyway.

[ He wished his world could take some lessons from this one and others. Finishing off the pastry and dashing away the crumbs on his face with the back of his hand, he glanced up again. His attention finally shifting back to the matter at hand, the house and the bunnies. ]

I don’t think I saw your house before. Do the bunnies got a special place to stay or do they get their own room?

They have their own special place outside called a hutch. They also have a securely fenced in area around it called a run.

[He takes them down the road toward the thing. He was glad they lived so close to the markets.]

The hutch lets them stay inside, as rabbits inherently like to shelter under things, and huddle together for warmth.

Wow, so they got like… Their own kinda home aside from your house!

[ There was, it seemed, a lot to know about taking care of rabbits. The boy really did wonder sometimes at the different kinds of pets. It seemed like such a big responsibility… But it also seemed nice. ]

And you got three, so they’ll be really cozy in the hutch together, huh?

They do. That makes them happiest and safest. And yes, they will be very cozy. The girls are all sisters too.

{There, his garden gate down the street. So close now.]

Really? So they’re a little family too!

[ That was nice, that Rhy had gotten a bunch of siblings and let them stay together. Mono tilted his head at the gate coming up. He’s getting more excited now! Soon, Bunnies! Soon! ]

They are. Here now.

[He moves to the gate and unlocks it before pushing through.]

Here is the hutch. Help me tear up some of these greens.

[ Mono moved inside after Rhy opened the gate, eyes falling on the hutch curiously for a moment. He does look up at the request though, that’s right! They gotta make sure the bunnies get their snack, so they’ll be ready for petting. ]

Okay, does it gotta be really small and bite sized?

[ He asked, sitting in the grass and reaching for some of the greens to help tear up. Mono wanted to make sure he did it right, after all. He didn’t want to get it wrong! ]

Oh no. Bunnies have very big teeth that cut through greens very well. So we just need to pull the leaves off so we can scatter them. While I do want them used to people, it's better that we don't make it so they can't seek their own safety.

[A good balance of invitation, acclimatizing, and allowing them to run away. So he hands a stalk of romaine to Mono to let him take it apart.]

[ Big teeth?? Wow, Mono hadn’t known that, considering he hadn’t gotten close to bunnies before. They were so little he thought maybe they needed tiny food! ]

I didn’t know that, but I guess that kinda makes sense. Wouldn’t want them to not know how to look for safety and stuff if something happens and they need to.

[ He takes the stalk of romaine, though and begins to pull the leaves off the stalk as instructed. ]

So, like this??

Yes. Just like that.

[Rhy, meanwhile, takes out a pocket knife to start splitting a carrot into chunks.]

I read that their teeth keep growing. So they need things to chew to make them managable.

Ohhh… So they’re different from people teeth. That’s really neat!

[ He chirped lightly as he worked on the stalks. Once he was finished, he held them up for Rhy to see. ]

All done!

Very different. I was reading about them. They're part of the 'rodent' family. Like mice and rats. So their teeth just keep growing. It's 'specialized'.

[Once the boy has worked the stalks apart Rhy gestures for the boy to bring them to the fenced in run.]

Are you fast, my little friend? I need you to go through the gate quickly, but not so fast as to scare them.

Fast? Yeah!

[ Not fast like his boss, of course, but quick on his feet and good at being cautious… So the boy was pretty sure he could get through it without scaring the little bunnies! ]

I’ll be quick, and careful to not scare them, promise!

[ The boy brought the stalks over and crouched next to the fence, waiting for Rhy to open it and let him in before he carefully did as instructed. ]

Good good. I'm going to leave you to do that. Once you're in I'll close the gate and pass the greens over to you. Then your job is to go in and sit down in the middle of the enclosure and wait. While you're waiting I'll explain how to pet them.

[Seems fair, right?]

Okay, I can definitely do that.

[ He agreed, happy to let Rhy instruct him on the best way to pet the bunnies. He didn’t want to mess it up, after all. The last thing the boy wanted was to scare the little creatures or make them not like him. He waited till the gate was closed behind him for Rhy to hand the greens over, before moving for the middle of the encloser carefully and keeping an eye on the bunnies. ]

So what’s the best way to do this?

If what I was told was correct, and I must presume it is, then you should put some leaves in arm’s reach but not truly against you. Let them work on that, and while they nibble, gently reach out with a single finger to stroke their brow.

That sounds pretty easy. I’ll put them out like… this then!

[ The boy responded in his quiet little voice, carefully setting the leafy stalks out around him near enough to reach but not too close that the bunnies would be nervous to approach. ]

Now to wait.

[ He mumbled to himself, watching for signs that the bunnies would approach for some nibbles and (hopefully!) pats. ]

Now to wait. And you probably want to not move too fast. I think that might upset them.

[For now he sits quietly on his side of the fence, taking his knife out to start working other vegetables into reasonable pieces. But at least the little bunnies seem to be getting the scent because they are sticking their noses out from the hutch, considering.]

Even if I’m good at being quick, I can also be really still and slow. ‘cause sometimes you gotta wait and be careful.

[ He assured his older friend, watching the bunnies from a distance while he sat comfortably in the grass. It also helped somewhat that he was used to being small and afraid too… If everyone else could wait and give him the space he needed after getting to this world, then he could do the same for the baby bunnies. ]

Still and slow is exactly what you want.

[And hey, one of said bunnies was already on the way sniffling closer and closer. He's clearly going to investigate here.]

Still and slow… Got it.

[ He agreed, before falling silent and just watching the bunnies edge their way closer. Mono stays pretty still, but relaxed to avoid making the atmosphere tense. Animals seemed to sense that in his experience. When one bunny starts to get closer, he smiles, waiting for the bunny to investigate and decide it was comfortable munching on lettuce. Mono was pretty patient, and even waited a little extra time to be sure before he took a finger and very gently pet the bunny’s head slowly.

Yes, the boy looks pretty awed right now. It was so small, and soft! ]

Woow…

[ escaped in a soft, little whisper. ]

Oh yes. That's exactly what I thought. They are so soft. Which is of course the point. Their fur is so soft, it's like very high end wool. And I gather it when they are older and will make yarn of it.

[The baby bunny does allow Mono's gentle stroking, though it goes very still for a moment. When it decides this is fine it goes back to eating.]

[ Mono had been a little worried the baby bunny was going to be afraid of him and run away… But it kept eating! So it was okay!! Honestly, that went a long way for his own confidence… he might have needed this a little. ]

And that doesn’t hurt ‘em at all?

[ He asked at the mention of gathering their fur for yarn. ]

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