Bo trembled underneath the rage-filled gaze of Lima Bean. He loved and respected the older girl for all that she had done for him, but fear was also a part of that relationship.
It wasn't new; Bo had made Lima Bean plenty angry in the days after she started living in the burrow. But this kind of anger? No, this was not something he had seen before.
'What did I tell you, Bo?"
'T-to be b-back in ten minutes...'
'And why did you take thirteen minutes to get back?'
'...I got distracted.'
'Doing what?'
'...'
'Answer me, Bo Foxhare!'
He flinched. No one ever used his full name-not even Michi!
'Twigs and I-'
'What? Twigs was there?'
'Um...no?'
The bonfire that was Lima Bean's eyes grew even hotter and Bo felt like he was being cooked alive under her piercing glare. 'I-I mean yes! She was there! A-and we fought a coyote-'
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'You what?'
Bo whimpered in fear. He had never seen Lima Bean like this. Normally, when he made her mad, she'd have him do math problems without rest for thirty minutes. Would she make him go an hour this time? Two? Maybe...she'd even make him read a fox romance story he'd seen Michi tuck away in the bookcase?
Fortunately for him, Lima Bean did none of that. She flopped down on their shared furs and sighed. 'That's way too dangerous, Bo. You shouldn't have done that.'
'We fought the griffin, though!'
'Yeah, we did, and we just barely survived. We probably would've died if Michi hadn't found us.'
'But-'
'No buts, Bo,' she interrupted. Then she sighed again. 'You're always getting yourself in trouble...I thought letting you take those breaks would help you but...'
Bo shot up when heard that. He stared suspiciously at Lima Bean and said: 'But what?'
'But...I think you're not going to have any more breaks for a while.'
'What? But you said-'
'I know what I said, Bo, but it's too dangerous for you out there. You even brought Twigs into your messes and she can't even fly-'
She cut herself off but it was too late. He'd already heard the words come out.
'What do you mean Twigs can't fly? Her wing just hasn't had enough time to grow! That's what Aunt Aris said anyway.'
'Um...nothing. Nevermind. I don't know anything about birds anyway.'
She looked away guiltily. 'But I'm not changing my mind about the breaks. You can't be trusted to keep yourself safe-'
'But Lima Bean!'
'No!'
'But I am safe! And Twigs was alright, too! And-'
She slammed her fist into the furs, scaring the baby hare.
'Enough, Bo! I said no more!'
Tears in his eyes, he ran out of the burrow through his secret entrance.
'Bo!' Lima Bean tried to run after him, but a mouse was no match for the little hare. His legs were built for speed.
And so he ran...and ran and ran until he could run no longer.