EMBER

Ember skipped the meeting that night. Something in her just didn’t feel good about going there right then - some uneasy feeling, some unspoken warning. So she took the long way home, avoiding any places where she guessed Glenn might be.

She arrived home without any trouble, and when she walked in the house, she found her mother sweeping out the front room. Mother raised her eyebrows. “You’re home a bit earlier today!”

Ember sighed. “Yeah, I am. Thankfully.” She smiled as Jay pattered up to her, sucking on the end of a blankie, his gray ears bobbing.

“Hi Embuh,” he lisped, beaming hopefully at her.

Ember smiled and patted his head. “Hey sweetie. Where’s Joel?”

“Ovuh dere.” Jay pointed deliberately at an adjoining room.

“The twins are getting old enough for school now,” her mom said, bending down to kiss Jay’s nose.

No. Ember’s breath caught, but she tried to keep her dread from leaking out onto her face. “Oh.”

“I’m going to sign them up tomorrow,” Mother said, going back to her sweeping.

Ember nodded vaguely. “Hey, I’m going to go up to my room now… is that fine?”

Mother nodded, so Ember ran up the stairs and shut herself in her room, her stomach turning. Harmony’s words resonated with her. I just wish we could be doing more. Jay and Joel were so young, so impressionable. Ember clenched her hands into fists, seething inwardly. Every fiber in her hated how the administration took advantage of such young rabbits. All too often they turned children against parents, encouraging them to tell on their families. There was no such thing as an innocent childhood in Akolan.

Ember laughed bitterly. She would only have her true brothers for a little bit longer if things went the way they were looking to go. If things went the way the administration wanted.

“No, no,” Ember muttered. “I can’t accept defeat. Not now.”

Getting up, Ember hurried down to the front room, where her mother was putting away the broom. Jay had gone off to play with Joel.

“Mother,” Ember said, tapping her arm, “are you sure you want the twins to begin school? Aren’t they still a little too young?”

“I don’t think they are. Your father and I have already talked about it. It’s not necessarily the most optimal choice, but I can’t stay at home and take care of them anymore. They are getting bigger and I’m getting more work that requires me to go out.”

Ember clenched her teeth. Tread lightly… I can’t take the risk of her suspecting anything. “Mother, is that your final decision?” she asked finally.

Mother frowned. “What are you getting at, Em?”

“Oh, nothing! I was just… I was just... a little concerned because they are so little. I merely didn’t realize it would be this soon.”

Mother smiled and placed a hand on Ember’s shoulder. “They’ll be fine. Trust me.”

Ember nodded, her hopes deflating as her mother walked out of the room. “Trust you,” she repeated under her breath. Why would I trust you when you trust the administration to even bring them back to us?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you enjoyed this! Please give feedback! lol I'm sorry I didn't post this sooner; I've been busy and then I got discouraged on this fanfic, but I'm better now. :)) Bear the Flame, and Happy New Year!