Prompt 7 (Snowbunnies): Winter seems to bring out the cutest of all rodents; this isn’t the first time that small, white rabbits have infested Destiny City. They’re small, rarely larger than a guinea pig, and have large eyes and wiggling noses. They are always pure white and seem to show up whenever there’s snow. They aren't menacing or evil, they're just everywhere. They seem strangely domesticated; they are sweet, curious, and friendly creatures that will eat anything you give them. They always seem cold to the touch, and when they shake, little snowflakes sprinkle off of them.

While they seem to be social creatures who seem to appreciate anything warm and will cuddle up to steal body heat, they are too skittish and fast to be kept for pets. They can show up just about anywhere, either alone or--often--in pairs. They tend to wander off on their own without any trouble, but if you surprise them or try to catch or hurt them, they may bite. Their little teeth are enough to break skin, but after one bite they run away. The bite itself isn’t bad, but the effects are a bit unpleasant: for roughly two days after the bite, the injury is cold and the victim will feel random, cold, shooting pains. Their core body temperature will drop and they will often be sent into random fits of shivering. No medicine seems to help, and no amounts of blankets or hot baths can soothe the chill. You're just going to have to deal with it and hope it gets better…

Most experiences with the bunnies are perfectly pleasant, you just have to worry about them burrowing. There are holes peppering Destiny City, and with the fresh fallen snow it can be impossible to tell where they are hiding. The holes range from small holes to several feet deep, so can be a minor inconvenience to a potential hazard. On the bright side, sometimes you wind up covered in bunnies looking for warmth from their sudden guest. On the other hand, there are a rising number of trips to the hospital for twists and sprains. The bunnies always leave with the snow, so best to enjoy them--or avoid them--for as long as you can.

A little chill had never bothered Mirosnjha. His dense, plush grey fur kept him heated in the dreariest of weather, and he found that even on particularly grey and cloudy days, he wasn't terribly put out by missing the sun. He was a bit sad, however, at how especially demure days seemed to affect people.

It was one such day, and it seemed like every human was subject to the weather conditions.

Outside, everyone moved with their heads tucked down to keep the wind from nipping their cheeks and noses. No one paused to give a friendly neighborhood kitty an affectionate headscratch. Those who usually stopped to give him a treat or coo in his ear on their way to work didn't even spare a moment to glance at him! Miros tried not to be terribly offended by the sense of rejection. They probably knew he was quite well-off in this weather.

Feeling slighted by the lack of pets from his neighbors, Mirosnjha slunk through a kitty door and headed back inside. The elderly woman who kept him company during the day would surely be more receptive to his presence. But even inside, away from the chill, the clouds showed through the windows, giving every room a dim, grey sort of look.

The old woman was too tired to pay him too much mind, and the cold and damp in the air made her bones ache. She (gently) told him to shoo! when he hopped up onto her bedside table.

He was absolutely aghast. No one wanted his attention? He understood that he was large and heavy and furry and prone to being in the way and leaving hair fibers along everyone's clothes, but he was also incredibly snuggly! Did no one want a companion like him on such a sad, cold, dreary day? What was a Mauvian like Miros supposed to do if none wanted his affections?

Keep trying, he supposed. One of the other human households he frequented would surely find value in his presence. He wouldn't give up!

Mirosnjha left the way he'd come, through the cat flap. If he walked down to the apartment complex the next block over, that was a family with children who would adore having a kitty settle at the foot of their bed. They always cooed and chirped anytime he licked his paw or rolled onto his back, and felt especially blessed whenever he settled in next to them.

He arrived to find that his usual means of entry had been shuttered. Because of the cold, all the windows had been sealed, all the doors shut tight, the kitty flaps locked in order to preserve whatever insulation the apartment had.

And so Miros was alone, sitting on a low ledge that lined the sidewalk entryway to the building. Realistically, he understood. Mirosnjha didn't need higher intelligence to understand that these humans didn't have his plush coat and needed to take proper care to stay sheltered during this time. The dingy day made them drowsy and ill-tempered. It wasn't their fault no one wanted him in the moment... But it was grey and cloudy, and he was lonely...

Until he wasn't.

It happened all at once. The snow on the ground moved of its own volition, and Miros' ears perked as he was initially startled. But closer inspection revealed that it was a rabbit-! No, not a rabbit, but several small clusters of bunnies that bundled together in the snow or under bushes, or to the opposite of the snowdrift side of the walkway. What he'd seen moving was a pair that hopped toward him. They scuttled up onto the ledge, eyed him with giant blue eyes, and then just- settled in like a cat wasn't a predator to them.

Miros wouldn't harm a bunny, of course, but it had never happened to him that any wild creature would come so close! Let alone in a pair, right when he'd needed company the most.

And they were so chilly... Their fur was frosty as ice and the snow clung to them without melting. They seemed friendly and unobtrusive, and Mirosnjha wasn't a cat out slaughtering rabbits and birds for the fun of it. He was a well-fed, tame housecat Mauvian, and he had manners.

So he let them stay, with only a quiet purr of, "I'll warm you," as thanks for their presence.


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