The Easter Bunny and His Sparrow

Chapter 1: Birdhouses, Bows, and Boomerangs.

  See, Bunnymund didn't exactly mean to get attached. It sort of just... happened. Besides, what was he supposed to do? Just leave the little girl alone in a cabin somewhere deep in the woods? He was a guardian; he couldn't do that.

So now, the mighty E. Aster Bunnymund, the guardian of hope himself, was stuck teaching this 8-year-old girl how to aim a bow with her tiny arms... luckily, he had a smaller one. "Elbow up." He gently corrected Birdy's form despite his gruff Australian accent. Birdy, the 8-year-old girl, let him correct her posture, the mocha toned girl's tongue sticking out with focus. Bunnymund would've found it funny if it weren't for the fact he had to repeat the same correction every few minutes. He sighed and adjusted her footing for the fourth time in the past hour, squaring her feet so that she was in the proper stance. "Alright. Now draw back while keepin' your elbow up." The pooka instructed, his paws guiding the action to prevent Birdy from dropping the arrow again. Birdy managed to do it without dropping the arrow, Bunnymund mentally sighed with relief. "Alright... now to teach you to aim. See the point of the arrow? Point that a wee bit above where you want it to go. Let's try aiming at..." Bunnymund trailed off for a moment before nodding at a large oak in the general direction Birdy was facing. "The big ol' oak in front of ya." Birdy tried her best to follow the instructions, but when she released, the arrow thudded into the dirt a few feet in front of the oak. Bunnymund exhaled, trying his best not to show his frustration. "At least ya have the general direction..." The pooka muttered, running a hand down his face. "Using a bow is hard!" Birdy huffed in a slightly whiny tone, setting the bow down to go grab the arrow. Once returning with it, her amber eyes suddenly lit up with an idea. Bunnymund could practically see the stars in her eyes. "D'ya think we could paint one of me birdhouses? I made another one yesterday, it's me best one yet!" She chirped, sounding nearly as cheerful as the animal she was named after. Bunnymund exhaled and crossed his arms, ears tilting forward in a mix of annoyance and resignation. "That so, eh? Yeah, I'll paint one. You're better with hunting with traps, anyways." He replied in his gruff Australian drawl, used to the girls' side tracking by now. Besides, he needed to check around her cabin anyway. Just to make sure nothing needed fixed. If Birdy was going to live in a cabin in the middle of the woods, alone, then Bunnymund might as well make sure it was half decent. Birdy grinned, waiting until the pooka picked up the small bow and arrow before grabbing his free paw to lead him in the direction of her cabin.