Okay, yeah. I know I have not written in ages, and I'm sorry. I just... lost my motivation I guess. Well, it's returned, and I have a new chapter to post, however short it is. Though you may need to re-read the previous chapters to refresh. 😂

If you have any tips or comments I'd really love to hear them! I could use to improve my writing.

-Mercy

I heard a soft gasp from behind me, and my eyes rose to see Kathy framed in the oaken doorframe, her deep blue eyes wide.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Kathy stared at Felton with a look I couldn’t comprehend. Disappointment, sure, but something else was there as well. Something deeper. I blinked, clearing my eyes and digging through my cluttered thoughts. After a minute I found my voice.

“Sister, I… I’m sorry. You’re right, we should have told you. It’s just… Father was so guilty, and none of us wanted you to grow up thinking… well… I’m so sorry,” My tongue failed me then for anything but an apology, and a weight settled in the pit of my stomach - a weight of shame. Gently, I laid a hand on my sister’s delicate shoulder, as if to make up for the lack of words. She jerked away.

“No,” Kathy’s eyes sparked angrily, and her feet began to move backwards. Tears spilled over onto the soft fur of her cheeks, and she spun around. Before I could react, she was gone from the room.

“Kathy,” Felton called after her.

“I want to be alone,” she shouted, and several rabbits looked up from their meals in alarm. I buried my face in my hands.

“How could we all be so stupid,” I groaned, “I never even considered Kathy’s feelings. All these years, and you’re still alive, but now I’m losing Kathy because I was so afraid you were dead.”

“You haiven’t lost ‘er yet. She jes needs some time to ‘erself.”

I sighed. My brother was right, of course. Kathy needed to calm down before we could explain everything to her, and for now, we needed to focus on the work there was to do, “We should get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a busy day, and most likely a busy night as well,” As much as my heart was against it, I knew trying to speak to Kathy would only make the situation worse.

“I’ll see ya, than,” Felton ducked his grey-brown head in a slight bow, which I reciprocated.

I lay in bed that night, tossing and turning, staring at the black walls, waiting for sleep to come. But sleep would not come, for my heart was tortured through the night by memories of Mama. “Take care of her,” she had told me, but I had failed, and I had hurt my little sister. I wished so badly to live up to the role my mother left me, but what now? Would Kathy ever trust me again? Would she ever trust Felton?