13 Jul 2025, 22:37
The Helping of Custard
Malcolm was humming to himself as he rolled his way between the corridor of hawthorn hedges, occasionally pruning off a promising branch that the bowtruckles indicated was ready to be harvested for a future wand. The little things were so friendly once they knew you had a container of woodlice in your satchel that you'd exchange for their help. Even so, tending to the hawthorns wasn't his favorite task - they were so prickly, even with dragonhide gloves on.
He was taking a break, tending to a sore spot on his thumb where a thorn tip had made it through the leather. Then his ears perk up as he hears an unfamiliar noise, cutting off his thoughts about the overly dramatic groan he had it in his mind to give Aunt Nóirín later when he teased her that she'd only given him this particular chore today because she was cross he nicked the last scone at breakfast. His eyes drifted downward toward the base of the hawthorn hedge in front of him, a soft smile coming to his lips as he caught sight of a young rabbit with pale yellow fur and a bushy mane of fur around its head. One of its ears flopped down near the tip in a way Malcolm thought was entirely too adorable to be allowed.
"Well look at ya, sittin' there, nibblin' away at our hawthorn sprouts like it's a wee salad bar set out just fer yerself. Bet my aunt'd turn ya inta stew and a pair o' slippers if she caught ya doin' that, lad. But me bein' here isn't botherin' ya at all, is it? Ya seem absolutely chuffed ta have some company, in fact." He mused to the little rabbit in his curious tone, wondering if it belonged to one of his cousins and had gotten away from them, or if it might just naturally fond of humans. Either way, he knew he should probably find a way to bring it back to the cottages before their crup Acáise came across the poor thing.
Reaching into his satchel, he pulled a slice of apple from the sack with his lunch, bending down as far as he could in his chair, offering it to the creature. "I'll be needin' this ta be a team effort if I'm bringin' ya with me, boyo. Ye're too close ta the ground fer me ta pick ya up on my own." He muttered softly. To his delight, he saw the rabbit's little nose twitch at the scent of the treat and turn its head to look at it before cautiously hopping closer and nibbling at the piece of fruit, making happy little noises as it did so. Once it was finished, it nuzzled its head against his palm in a way that made his heart melt, and he gently scooped up the little thing and held it against his chest as the blond boy started wheeling his chair towards the collection of homes where his family lived.
Aunt Nóirín's wife, Hippolyta, was hanging clothes on the line as Malcolm passed, and in his mind it made sense that if anybody on the farm would know if any of the other kids in the family was missing a pet, there's a good chance it'd be the woman who serves as their tutor for most of the year. He tapped the side of his chair so that it lifted off the ground an inch or so before pushing himself out over the grass. "How're ya doin' today, Aunt Polly?"
The dark haired Greek witch smiled over at him from behind the quilt she'd just finished pinning to the clothesline, "I'm doing well, Malcolm. Beautiful weather we're having lately." She gave the rabbit in his lap a fond look and put her hands on her hips. "I see someone found a friend?"
Malcolm looked down at it and ran a hand along its back. "Aye, found him on my rounds, nibblin' on the hedges. D'ya know if he belongs ta anybody?"
Aunt Polly watched with an appraising eye. "Not so far as I know. If he is a stray, he's a very pretty one. Still, your dad should give him a look over to make sure he's healthy. I assume you already have your heart set on keeping him?"
"The thought did cross my mind, aye..." Malcolm admitted, already feeling a kinship with the little creature.
"Got a name in mind? Given that mane, could call him Leo."
Malcolm chuckled, shaking his head in response, "That's too straight forward." He looked over the pale yellow bunny, marveling at how sweet the little thing was in his arms. "... Custard. I'm namin' him Custard."
WC: 785
He was taking a break, tending to a sore spot on his thumb where a thorn tip had made it through the leather. Then his ears perk up as he hears an unfamiliar noise, cutting off his thoughts about the overly dramatic groan he had it in his mind to give Aunt Nóirín later when he teased her that she'd only given him this particular chore today because she was cross he nicked the last scone at breakfast. His eyes drifted downward toward the base of the hawthorn hedge in front of him, a soft smile coming to his lips as he caught sight of a young rabbit with pale yellow fur and a bushy mane of fur around its head. One of its ears flopped down near the tip in a way Malcolm thought was entirely too adorable to be allowed.
"Well look at ya, sittin' there, nibblin' away at our hawthorn sprouts like it's a wee salad bar set out just fer yerself. Bet my aunt'd turn ya inta stew and a pair o' slippers if she caught ya doin' that, lad. But me bein' here isn't botherin' ya at all, is it? Ya seem absolutely chuffed ta have some company, in fact." He mused to the little rabbit in his curious tone, wondering if it belonged to one of his cousins and had gotten away from them, or if it might just naturally fond of humans. Either way, he knew he should probably find a way to bring it back to the cottages before their crup Acáise came across the poor thing.
Reaching into his satchel, he pulled a slice of apple from the sack with his lunch, bending down as far as he could in his chair, offering it to the creature. "I'll be needin' this ta be a team effort if I'm bringin' ya with me, boyo. Ye're too close ta the ground fer me ta pick ya up on my own." He muttered softly. To his delight, he saw the rabbit's little nose twitch at the scent of the treat and turn its head to look at it before cautiously hopping closer and nibbling at the piece of fruit, making happy little noises as it did so. Once it was finished, it nuzzled its head against his palm in a way that made his heart melt, and he gently scooped up the little thing and held it against his chest as the blond boy started wheeling his chair towards the collection of homes where his family lived.
Aunt Nóirín's wife, Hippolyta, was hanging clothes on the line as Malcolm passed, and in his mind it made sense that if anybody on the farm would know if any of the other kids in the family was missing a pet, there's a good chance it'd be the woman who serves as their tutor for most of the year. He tapped the side of his chair so that it lifted off the ground an inch or so before pushing himself out over the grass. "How're ya doin' today, Aunt Polly?"
The dark haired Greek witch smiled over at him from behind the quilt she'd just finished pinning to the clothesline, "I'm doing well, Malcolm. Beautiful weather we're having lately." She gave the rabbit in his lap a fond look and put her hands on her hips. "I see someone found a friend?"
Malcolm looked down at it and ran a hand along its back. "Aye, found him on my rounds, nibblin' on the hedges. D'ya know if he belongs ta anybody?"
Aunt Polly watched with an appraising eye. "Not so far as I know. If he is a stray, he's a very pretty one. Still, your dad should give him a look over to make sure he's healthy. I assume you already have your heart set on keeping him?"
"The thought did cross my mind, aye..." Malcolm admitted, already feeling a kinship with the little creature.
"Got a name in mind? Given that mane, could call him Leo."
Malcolm chuckled, shaking his head in response, "That's too straight forward." He looked over the pale yellow bunny, marveling at how sweet the little thing was in his arms. "... Custard. I'm namin' him Custard."
WC: 785
Planting Ideas, Pruning Doubts, Gathering Wonder
Sta - 9 | Eva - 1 | Str - 1 | Wis - 9 | Arc - 6 | Acc - 9