we gather.

Chapter 1: "I'm . . . a Guardian?"

"Oh, crikey." Bunny stared up at the huge, hulking castle, built from mounds of stone. Tapping his foot impatiently, he wondered how to get up to the Princess's room. He certainly couldn't use his tunnels; it wasn't in direct contact with the ground.

With a huff, he climbed up the castle's walls and slipped into the nearest room.

Only to come to face three, young, redheaded boys.

Each of them turned from stuffing their chubby cheeks to the brim with pastries, and turned to face where the huge thump had been made.

But all they saw was the grey fur of a huge, bear-sized blur that quickly made it's way into the next room.

"Was that . . . um . . . a . . ."

"Squeak . . ."

"DAAAAAD!"

Bunny, overhearing the triplets telling their father of a beastly, bear-like thing that apparently attacked them, was forced to move more stealthily and mentally groaned. "Clearly, they weren't believers."

He tip-toed silently across floors, dashed whenever the situation required it of him, and slowly, but surely made his way to what was definitely the princess's chambers. So careful about paying attention to his near surroundings that he never heard the loud roar of outrage that accompanied the three boys' claims.

He approached the door. Cautiously. Twitching his ears this way and that, he heard—

Grrr . . . huff-puff . . .

A bear?!

And . . . a girl. Who was she talking to? Bunny peeked through the doorway.

"S-so, err . . . The wedding's off now, right?" what appeared to be a bush of red frizz atop a green dress asked sheepishly. What? Was that girl talking to the bear?

Grrrrrrrr . . . .

"Mum?" Was this girl absolutely insane?

He watched the girl step forward slightly. Uh-oh.

"BEAR!"

She stumbled back, clutching at something—anything.

Which 'she' am I referring to? Both of them, actually. The utterly bemused girl, and the just-as-scared bear jumped back. The girl simply jumped back, but the bear scratched long, deep scars into the walls.

Noticing this, the girl sat up, narrowing her eyes. ". . . Mum?"

It turned to face her.

Putting two and two together, Bunny put his paw on his forehead. "Oh, Manny."

Apparently the girl also figured it out, as she said a couple of shaken seconds later, "Y-you're a . . . bear."

The girl quickly became frustrated: "Oh, sweet heavens! Th-that evil . . . witch! She gave me a gammy spell! Listen, mum, I didn't mean to change you into a bear, alright? Don't look at me like that! I just wanted her to change . . . well . . . you . . ."

Both of them remained still and silent, taking in what she just said. But Bunny was listening to more important things.

Because unless he was very much mistaken and needed all of his senses checked and possibly replaced, the thunder of footsteps, the clang of swords and pitchforks, and the unmistakable stench that is beefy, bear-obsessed men who've been drinking for a while was approaching. Fast.

Lucky thing was, he was a rabbit. You should never, ever race a rabbit.

Bunny, being the intelligent, quick thinker that he was, quickly remembered: the triplets screamed 'bear.' There was a bear in there right now that was conveniently the new guardian's mother, meaning he couldn't leave the bear alone.