Chapter Sixty-Five – Bunnyburrow

"Why's your tail so big?"

"How come your ears aren't tall?"

"Your nose is real pointy."

"Are you and Sissy gonna make babies?"

A litany of questions bombarded Nick as he stood before the Hopps Homestead, having not reached the front porch. Judy was engulfed in a mountain of multi-colored fur and small limbs, showered with hugs and wet-smacked kisses. She fumbled to liberate an arm, reaching blindly for the fox nearby, hoping for extraction, but he was holding his own palms out as a second cluster of rabbits advanced on him in a shrinking circle. The barrage continued, to his deepening dismay.

"Mama says you seem lovely."

"Wha'sat mean?"

"How'd you meet Jooy?"

"You gonna stay? Have a sleepover?"

Nick eyed the various ages around him, trying to tell the siblings apart from their differing degrees of language mastery.

Bonnie and Stu Hopps finally appeared on the porch, smoothing their overalls and ushering stragglers out the door. Nick shot them a pleading look, just as a brown bunny at his hip reached out to pull his tail.

"Don't you dare, little lady!" Bonnie's scold carried over the din, growing louder and more curious by the moment. She aimed a pointed look at the child out to grab a handful of red, shaking her head. "You're all acting like you've never met a fox before! What would Gideon Gray have to say about your behavior?"

The fingers withdrew, face wistful, and the caging circle around Nick opened reluctantly.

Judy pried her head and neck free from her hug pile, smiling out. "Guess I've been away too long, huh?"

A brother attached to her shoulder looked up with high, perked ears. "You brought a boy home, Judy," he explained. "You never bring boys."

She rolled her eyes, detangling herself with several shakes and Bonnie-like glares. "So glad to see I was missed," she grumbled.

Nick retreated back to her side, still holding up his hands. "Quite the reception," he mumbled, fighting the urge to make a break for the car. Dozens of faces watched him, studying his every move. He edged closer to Judy, brushing her with his tail; the brown bunny gave a little squeal as her eldest sister batted it aside absently.

"You're rather novel, apparently," Judy said dryly. "Don't worry, the horde loses interest quickly."

Bonnie's ears quirked from the porch. "I've told you not to call them a 'horde', dear," she called. "Makes them sound so menacing."

Judy raised a brow, eyeing the siblings reclosing their circuit with telltale whistles and forced-casual hands behind backs. "As soon as they stop swarming newcomers like a mob Mama, I'll consider it."