Kali and the Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Chapter 3

Kali got up earlier the next morning to help Gromit out with the rabbits. Gromit brought Kali into the kitchen while he got out some plates and knifes. 

"So what are we doing?" Kali asked. 

"We're gonna take care of those rabbits for good" Gromit replied as he picked up a knife, with a menacing look on his face. 

Kali gasped for a second thinking the worst, but realized they were just going to feed the rabbits. Gromit always had to be so dramatic though on the first slice. Kali helped Gromit cut the carrots and set them on plates. They dumped the carrots down into the kitchen drawers that were actually shoots leading to the pens. 

"Hasn't it been difficult keeping all these rabbits?" Kali asked the silent beagle. 

"Well it has been getting crowded lately" Gromit replied. "Can you pass the teapot please" he asked the tomboy. 

As Kali reached over for the teapot, when she opened the lid a rabbit popped out. 

"How did you get in there?!" she said. 

"What the!?" Gromit gasped as the rabbit jumped out of the teapot. 

The two heard sounds coming from the bun container, Gromit opened the lid to find more rabbits eating the buns. 

"Why you little-" Gromit started, but before he could grab the rabbits they threw the buns in his face and scurried into the fridge. 

Gromit grabbed a wooden spoon while Kali grabbed a spatula, as they slowly walked up to the fridge. When they opened the fridge the rabbits jumped at them, the two scrambled on the floor grabbing the rabbits. One of the rabbits hitted Gromit on the head with his spoon while the other rabbits laughed at the intelligent dog in a teasing tone. 

"It's like having mice in the house, only cuter and fluffy. You weren't kidding about it getting crowded" Kali told Gromit while dusting herself off. Those rabbits sure were feisty. 

"That deals that" Gromit said as he sent the rabbits down a random shoot, back into one of the pens. 

"The pesky little critters" Kali giggled over how she enjoyed the rabbit's silliness. 

Just then the service bell started beeping, which meant Wallace was awake and ready for breakfast. 

"It was a hard night last night, Gromit. I'll need a got hearty breakfast under me belt" Wallace called. 

Kali got some breakfast herself, oatmeal with some fruit and orange juice. Gromit pulled the lever to the trap door to Wallace's room, but Wallace got stuck in the hole. 

"Uh is that suppose to happen?" Kali was confused. 

"Gromit old pal it's happened again, i'll need assistance" Wallace called. 

"Assistance?" Kali looked to Gromit. 

"Just watch" Gromit said, while he pulled another lever. 

A giant mallet slammed down on Wallace's head, freeing him from the hole. 

"OW!" Wallace yelped as he was hit by the mallet and landed in his seat at the table. 

"Ooh, that's gotta hurt" Kali winced. 

Wallace's machine got him dressed in his trousers and favorite green sweater.

"Thanks chuck, I'm sure that hole's getting smaller" said Wallace. 

"Yeah... sure" Kali said awkwardly while Gromit handed Wallace the morning newspaper. 

"How are the inmates? must be getting a bit full down there" Wallace asked about the rabbits. 

"You're telling me, we just chased them out of the kitchen" Kali said. Gromit also nodded before Wallace's stomach growled, he laughed. 

"Talking of which. Now for a great big plate of... vegetables" Wallace finished, Gromit nodded to his master. Kali could tell Wallace looked disappointed. 

"Aha still got me on the diet eh Gromit, watching me shape. There's a good dog" Wallace smiled and patted Gromit on the head. Wallace was about to take a bite of celery but paused for a moment. 

"Oh Gromit lad, why don't you show Kali that prized melon of your's" Wallace suggested. 

Kali sensed Wallace was up to something, but decided to ignore it and followed Gromit outside to the backyard. They entered his greenhouse, Gromit came over to remove a blanket revealing a giant watermelon. 

"Wow that's one big melon. Are you gonna enter it in the competition?" Kali asked. 

"I sure am" Gromit smiled, before he started measuring his watermelon. 

"Wow forty inches! i'm impressed Gromit. You're sure to win" said Kali. 

The two of them started watering the other vegetables and trimming the leaves. When suddenly they both heard a loud snap and Wallace yelp in pain. 

"What was that?" Kali asked. 

"I figured he'd try and get into the cheese when we left, so I placed a mousetrap in his cheese stash" Gromit explained. 

"Smart" Kali smirked. The two of them went back inside to free Wallace from the mousetrap, his hand was red and swollen. 

"Caught red handed, eh lad" Wallace smiled sheepishly, but Gromit sighed in disappointment of his cheese-loving master. 

"I'm sorry Gromit, I know you're doing this for my own good. But the fact is, i'm just crackers about cheese" Wallace told them. Gromit sighed. 

"Yes that's true..." Kali had to agree. Wallace had shown his love for cheese during their adventures.

"Look you two, if I must change me ways at least let me do it my way... with technology" Wallace pressed a button on his control panel. The ceiling opened up and a strange helmet-like object came down. 

"Uh oh" Kali thought, as she knew Wallace's inventions had always caused accidents and mishaps for them.

"It's time we try my latest invention, the Mind Manipulation-O-Matic" Wallace pressed a button and the machine fastened to his head. "It extracts unwanted thoughts and desires" he explained. 

"I think you've been hit in the head too many times with that giant hammer. Are you sure it's safe Wallace?" Kali asked nervously, concerned for his safety. 

"It's just a bit of harmless brain alteration, that's all" Wallace told her like it was no big deal. Just before Wallace could pull the lever the telephone started ringing. Wallace answered it while Kali and Gromit both wiped their hand across their foreheads, sighing in relief. 

Curious, Kali came over by Wallace, trying to listen to the phone conversation. She only heard bits of info, but could tell it was a woman talking on the other line. Kali gasped in excitement once she found out it was Lady Tottington. Wallace told Kali she was the most wealthy aristocrat in town and that the Tottington family has hosted the vegetable competition for over 517 years. Wallace then looked at Gromit and gave a thumbs up, this had to be big for them. 

"Just stay right where you are your ladyship and we'll be with you in an- AHHHH!" Wallace had accidentally slammed his fist on the button, causing the machine to retract into the ceiling with him still attached to it. 

"Ouch!" Kali cringed. She then hung up the phone. 

"I'll get him down" Gromit groaned while he rolled his eyes. 

After Gromit freed Wallace from the machine, the three friends got suited up and headed straight for Tottington Hall. Kali knew this had to be important, yet the eight-year-old wondered how big a job this was gonna be.