The Courage of a Small Hero

The warm aroma of cooking filled the small house as Eleo bounded in, his excitement spilling into every hop. He hopped around the cozy room, then plopped himself down at the dinner table, kicking his legs back and forth. "Hello, Miss Abby's Mom!" he chirped.

The older fox woman, standing by the stove, turned with a warm smile. Her auburn fur was flecked with streaks of silver, and her apron was dusted with flour. "Call me Lucy," she said kindly. "And the carrots are almost done."

"Yahoo! I can't wait to eat them all!" Eleo shouted, nearly vibrating with anticipation.

Abby walked in after him, shaking her head with a bemused smile before sliding into the seat arccos from Eleo. As she leaned her chin on her hand, her gaze softened. "Eleo… what about me?" she asked quietly.

Eleo tilted his head, confused. "What about you?"

Abby sighed, looking away. "Don't you care how I'll feel when you're gone? You're the only person I have to play with. You were the only one who helped me when the older kids bullied me that winter…"

Eleo blinked as her words trailed off, the room falling silent except for the soft bubbling of the pot on the stove.

Flashback: Four Years Ago

A blanket of fresh snow coated Coco Village, the chilly air biting at anyone brave enough to stay outside. A small fox girl with fiery red fur sat crying near the edge of the village square, her tail curled tightly around her. She was just four years old, shivering as a group of older kids laughed and tossed snowballs at her.

"Hey, stop that!" came a sudden shout.

The kids turned to see a slightly taller bunny boy, five years old, stomping toward them. His fluffy white ears flopped dramatically with each step, and his small fists were clenched.

"Who are you to tell us what to do?" one of the bigger kids sneered, towering over Eleo.

"I'm Eleo, and I said stop it!" he shouted, standing his ground even though he was trembling.

The bullies laughed, but before they could react, Eleo grabbed a handful of snow and hurled it with all his might. It smacked the ringleader right in the face.

"Run!" one of the other kids yelled, and the group scattered, leaving Abby alone with the brave bunny.

Eleo turned to her, offering a hand. "You okay?" he asked, his voice softer now.

Abby sniffled, her eyes wide with awe. "Why… why did you help me?"

"Because it's what strong people do," Eleo said matter-of-factly, puffing out his chest. "And one day, I'll be the strongest!"

Abby stared at him for a moment before taking his hand, a small smile breaking through her tears.

Back to the Present

Back at the dinner table, Abby rubbed her arm, her voice quieter now. "You stood up for me when no one else did, Eleo. That's why I don't want you to leave… I'll have no one."

Eleo blinked, his ears drooping slightly. "Abby…" he began, but Lucy called out from the kitchen.

"Carrots are ready!" she said, breaking the tension.

Eleo jumped up, his usual energy returning. "Oh boy! Carrots!"

Abby watched him for a moment, sighing before forcing a small smile. "At least you haven't changed…" she muttered.

Lucy walked over to the table, carrying a steaming plate of perfectly cooked carrots, their golden glaze shimmering under the light. She placed the plate in front of Eleo with a warm smile. "Here you go, dear."

Eleo beamed, his ears twitching with excitement. "Thank you, Miss Lucy!"

"You're welcome, dear," she replied, ruffling his fluffy ears affectionately.

Without wasting a moment, Eleo grabbed a carrot and began munching, savoring each bite. Abby watched him from across the table, her expression a mix of amusement and sadness.

After a moment, Abby broke the silence. "Okay, Eleo… you can leave if you really want to."

Eleo paused mid-bite, looking at her with wide eyes. "Really?"

Abby nodded but quickly added, "Just promise me one thing."

Eleo gulped down his mouthful of food and tilted his head. "What is it, Abby?"

A single tear slipped down Abby's cheek, her voice trembling as she said, "Promise me you'll remember me."

Lucy, noticing her daughter's tears, hurried over and gently placed a hand on Abby's shoulder. "Don't cry, Abby," she said softly, pulling her into a comforting hug.

Abby buried her face in her mother's arms, sniffling. "I just don't want to be forgotten…"

Eleo stood up, raising his hand dramatically, his voice filled with conviction. "I, Eleo, the man who will become the strongest one day, promise to remember you, Abby! My best friend in the whole wide world!"

Abby peeked out from her mother's embrace, her lips trembling into a small smile. "You better keep that promise, Eleo."

"I will!" Eleo said, puffing out his chest proudly. "I never break my promises!"

Lucy chuckled softly, brushing Abby's hair back. "You've got a good friend here, Abby. Trust him."

Abby wiped her tears and nodded. "I do…"

As Lucy wiped her hands on her apron and prepared to sit down, a loud knock echoed through the cozy home. She frowned, her ears twitching in annoyance.

"I'll get it," she said, standing and walking toward the door.

When she opened it, a group of scruffy, rough-looking individuals stood on her porch, their leader, a lanky man with a crooked grin named Bobe, leaning against the doorframe.

"Well, well, well," Bobe drawled, his grin widening. "If it isn't Lucy the Fox."

Lucy's eyes narrowed, her tail swishing behind her. "What do you fools want this time?"

Bobe smirked, crossing his arms. "The Dirt Cheap Group is here for payment."

Lucy scowled. "You've already taken the money I owed you last time."

"Yeah," Bobe said, scratching the back of his head, "but we need more for… uh… weapons! Yeah, that's it. Weapons."

Lucy's brow raised. "Or maybe for your party booze?"

Bobe waved her off. "Details, details."

"No thanks," Lucy said sharply, slamming the door in his face.

Before the door could fully close, Bobe thrust his hand through the gap, resulting in a loud crunch as the door crushed his fingers.

"OW, OW, OW!" Bobe screeched, hopping on one foot. "You assaulted me, you damn fox!"

Lucy opened the door just enough to glare at him. "Don't blame me. You're the idiot who stuck his hand in the door."

Bobe glared at her, cradling his throbbing hand. "That's it! Burn this house down!" he shouted, pointing at the house with dramatic flair.

Lucy's eyes widened in shock. "Wait a minute—!"

Before she could stop them, the thugs began pulling out torches and bottles of who-knows-what.

In the dining room, Eleo and Abby sat frozen at the sudden commotion. Abby peeked out the window, her ears twitching in alarm. "Eleo! They're going to burn down our house!"

Eleo paused mid-bite, a carrot sticking out of his mouth. He slowly set it down and stood, his face twisting into a grin that screamed mischief. "Not on my watch."

Abby tugged on his sleeve. "Eleo, don't do anything stupid!"

"I'm not stupid," Eleo said confidently, puffing out his chest. "I'm a hero."

Abby groaned. "That's exactly why I'm worried…"

Eleo burst out the door, planting himself firmly in front of the Dirt Cheap Group. "HEY!" he shouted, puffing out his chest.

The group turned to look at him, their sneers twisting into amused grins.

"If you want to burn this house," Eleo declared, pointing dramatically at them, "you'll have to go through me!"

The group exchanged glances before breaking into loud laughter. "Hahahahaha!"

Bobe stepped forward, towering over the small bunny boy. "Yeah, right, kid," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Why don't you go play with your toys or something before I put my boot up your ass?"

Eleo crossed his arms, glaring up at the group. "You'll regret underestimating me," he said with a grin. "I'll show you why I'm going to be the strongest!"

Bobe laughed even harder, wiping a tear from his eye. "This kid's got guts. Dumb guts, but guts!"

Behind the door, Abby peeked out nervously. "Oh no," she whispered, facepalming. "Here we go…"