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Lagomorphs
Copyright © July, 2015, FurryWurry
All rights reserved

Chapter 11 -- Gran'Sir

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The tunnel finally opened out into a large, well-lit chamber, fed by at least a half dozen other passageways. Maybe twenty or thirty adult rabbits were waiting, male and female, but it wasn't particularly crowded.

"Where've you been?" a large, scarred buck demanded of Sky from the far side of the room. "Gran'Dam's waiting for her berries. And who's this worm? What are you doing, bringing strangers into our warren? You can't do that. They might eat us all." He could only be Gran'Sir.

"This is Jeff, he needs...." Sky started.

"Don't wanna know his name. Don't wanna know what he needs. He certainly isn't gonna get it from us. Get him out. Now. Are those Gran's berries? And where are Jumper and Runner?"

Sky wilted. "I'm sorry, Jeff. If he'd just talk with you, I know...."

"Get him out! Now!"

"Quick, Singer, take him back to our snugrow. Find him a place to sleep. Cloudy and I'll be up later." Sky kept his voice down, maybe so Gran'Sir wouldn't hear.

Some of the nearby rabbits looked more sympathetic than their leader. The closest, who had slightly darker fur than most, even went so far as to pat Jeff on the shoulder as the young buck led him out.

"Don't touch him! You don't know what Taint he carries!" The shrill bellow followed them up the passageway.

"Isn't your name Rainy?" Jeff asked when he thought they were out of earshot.

"It's Sings-in-the-Rain, actually. But call me Singer. Watches-the-Clouds is the only one who calls me Rainy."

"Sorry. Singer."

"Not your fault. She's my sister. Older litter. Knows it all. Can't tell her anything. Bossy, too," he grumped.

"Yeah, well, I think all older sisters are like that. Comes with the job, I'm afraid."

They finally reached the upper passageway where they'd left Gemma. Singer led Jeff to one of the larger openings halfway along it.

"Here. This snug's empty now. You can sleep here. Nobody's using it." Singer's voice cracked. "Not any more."

Eyes squeezed tight, he pushed back past Jeff and stumbled into one of the entrances they'd just passed. His own snug? Jeff thought he heard a sob. He almost went back and asked what was wrong, but remembered how it'd been when he was a teen. Sympathy from a stranger would be especially embarrassing, an unwanted intrusion.