[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgleft]

"But what if she doesn't like me?" With or Without You whimpered as they ran along, "what if she thinks my request is stupid. It's stupid. She's going to think I'm being stupid."

They were running along to the witch's bower, where it was said a Swamp-touched witch could bless – or curse – you, if you knew what to ask for, or not, With or Without You, Into Dust, and Thorn.

Except Thorn was riding along on With or Without You's back, but the other two were running along.

They had been running for quite a long time, because the Swamp-touched witch's infamous misty bower was damnably far (but that was the price to pay for Swamp magic, one supposed), and With or Without You was starting to get cold hooves.

[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgright]"Don't be silly," Into Dust said without judgment, her dreamy and slightly slurring voice conveying amusement beyond her fluffy head, "I'm sure she's heard the stupidest...the stupidest things, she's a Legendary and a witch. There must have been so many stupid things she's heard and seen. Maybe she'll be like me, if she knows where to get the best herbs and mushrooms - calm, cool, and fun. It'll be fun."

She didn't sound like she was making fun of him, but certainly she didn't sound like the most reliable opinion in the area either.

"I can feel it," she mused mysteriously, but perhaps it was the hint of hoofprints towards parted brush, "it's near. Right ahead, yeah.

"Oh yeah."

With or Without You skidded to a halt right before the gap in the trees that clearly led within.
"She's going to think I'm being stupid. Maybe I shouldn't go in."

He peered in, anxious, but unmoving.

It seemed Thorn had had enough of his indecision (or maybe of being jostled up and down and back and forth on his back the whole, long journey), for the jackalope hopped off his back, and ran himself into the gap instead.

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgleft]It didn't get far before it ran straight into a giant spider.[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... ncert2.png[/imgright]

The jackalope looked up at the giant spider.

The giant spider looked down at the jackalope.

The giant spider raised its two front legs high.

The jackalope screamed.

Thorn ran all the way back to With or Without You, who had hurried into the clearing upon hearing the ringing bunny scream, and hid behind the Kiokote, who had caught sight of the giant spider, and was now also screaming.

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In the midst of all the screaming, the giant spider hurriedly spun into a Kimeti mare.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!" Sleepless said, "I didn't mean to scare your little bunny! Is it a jackalope?!"

Her eyes were gleaming with scientific curiousity excitement as she came forward to peer between the Kiokote's legs at the cowering rabbit.

"Oh, they're ever so rare. I don't think I've ever even seen one alive before!"

With or Without You screamed louder.

Wow, she couldn't tell if she was cool, cool, or just plain awkward and weird. In any case, Into Dust could easily intervene. She was cool that way.

"Hey hey hey," she trotted over and slowly put an unsteady hoof between the mare's face and her current companion's legs, "he scares easy. Well, both the bunny and the buck. They scare easy."

Sleepless didn't often get couples coming in to get their blessing together. If she hadn't been so distracted, she might have been more interested, but, while both the doe and the buck had some mutations, they were nothing especially intriguing - especially compared to the this.

"I'm so very sorry," she said, not even looking up at the Kin as she continued to peer this way and that between the buck's legs, "I'm just hoping to get a closer look. Is it alright if I bribe it over?"

"Bribe it?" With or Without You stopped screaming to say.

That was probably not permission, but Sleepless scampered away into her garden, and returned with a bright sprig of berries anyway.

She lowered her head, and shook them gently at the jackalope.

Little by little, the little creature crept out.

Little by little, the little creature ate all the berries.

Then, belly full, and mouth stained an unspeakable red, the little creature deigned to stay in place for perusal.

Sleepless tossed the stem and folded herself down to ground level.

She had honestly wanted to inspect the creature out of scientific inquiry. Honestly, honestly. She had bribed it over so she could see how the horns joined to the skull. Honestly.

Instead, as she peered into the red-stained face of the beady-eyed animal, with its little twiggy antlers, and its little floppy ears, she felt a deep and intense wave of emotion wash over her entire body...and melted.

"Aaawwwwwwwww," she cooed, "aaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwww, aren't you cuuuuuute?"

She nuzzled into its unspeakably red-stained cheeks, which it withstood with equanimity because she had fed it berries.

With or Without You and Into Dust fondly watched the heartwarming sight of the Legendary mare nuzzling at the little jackalope's bloody berry-stained face. Awww. Oh, look, they even had the same antlers. Awwwww.

"Awwww," Into Dust agreed pleasantly, bobbing with her hair fluffing about like a lovely halo as she watched everyone coo over the jackalope. "That's soooo cute. I'm happy for you. By the way I'm pregnant?"

She rocked gently back and forth on her hooves, waiting for the legendary to get a hint.

"That's niiiiiceeee," Sleepless cooed, at the jackalope.

With or Without You looked helplessly at Into Dust. After a moment, he cleared his throat awkwardly, and said, "If...uhhhh...we could...you know...possibly...get a blessing, I...uhhhhh...have a little request. If that's okay?"

"Yeeeeessss?" Sleepless cooed, at the jackalope.

"I would, uh...if it's possible...ah...it would be awfully nice if...if the children could be...mmm...as rabbity as they could possibly be?"