In a quiet neighborhood, nestled within the woods stood a series of run-down houses that sagged under the weight of time. The paint was faded, windows cracked, and roofs patched with makeshift solutions. These were the homes of struggling families.
Inside one of the homes, a sense of frustration mingled with the heavy air. "Just a little...drats" a woman with rabbit ears with sweat beading down her brow said as she struggled to start a fire in the fireplace. Sat around her were her children. One dark haired thin, fair skinned girl with rabbit ears like hers and two smaller children with blonde hair and no animal characteristics of their own.
"Mom, we're cold, is the fire ready?!" the youngest of the three kids cried as he shivered in his blanket. "Come on Bryson, mom's doing her best" the girl with rabbit ears said as she took off her blanket and wrapped her younger siblings in it.
"No Daisy what are you doing?" their mother asked watching her rail thin daughter walk in her pajamas. "The babies need this more than me, I can just wear a jersey" she said in a meek voice as she grabbed a jacket from the coat rack and put it on still visibly shaking.
Hearing the creaking door open the two younger children's eyes lit up as they turned to face the door as their father walked in. "Dad!" they shouted in unison as they threw off their blankets and ran into their father's arms.
With rings under his eyes and a short yellow buzzcut with flecks of grey in his hair, the father, weary from long hours of work, embraced his children tightly. "Dad, we're cold and mom said we're out of fire wood" Bryson said tugging on his dad's coat.
"How's it going there Coco?" he asked looking at his wife with a winning smile who looked back at him and rolled her eyes. "It's not going well James, we're out of coal" Coco said with a deep sigh. "Ha! We were out of coal, hey Daisy take these" he said emphasizing the word 'were' before handing Daisy a burlap sack.
"Wow, what's in here dad?" she asked as her arms dropped under the weight of the sack. "Coal and dry wood, hand your mother a few logs and take the rest into the kitchen" he said in a gruff monotonous voice as he took off his coat revealing his tattered and dirty overalls.
"Rough day at the factory huh" Coco said watching the
As she handed her mother three large logs of dry wood she slowly carried the heavy the heavy sack into the kitchen. Keeping a positive spirit even in hard times Daisy hummed to herself as she sorted the wood and coal into their piles near the stove.
That night she helped her mother prepare dinner. Despite her lack of experience she chopper and diced the vegetables as best as she could while her mother prepared the stew.
The mother, a beacon of warmth and strength, when she wasn't working odd jobs to contribute, faced a different battle within the walls of their humble abode. She worked tirelessly to stretch their meager resources, finding creative ways to make each dollar count. Mending clothes, repurposing items, and cooking hearty meals from scratch became the norm for her.
She was grateful for Daisy. Her oldest child and the only other faunist in a family of humans she was an eternal light of positivity and always eager to help. Consistently putting her siblings needs above her own and shouldering the sacrifices of being the oldest her mother often joked to her that she was a third parent in the family.
The younger children, following their sister's example, found solace in their imagination within the confines of their rundown home. Their toys were worn and tattered, but their spirits remained vibrant. They transformed their small bedrooms into realms of adventure, where heroes and heroines triumphed against all odds.
The worn-out house became a reflection of the family's struggles, but it also held the sense of unity. Despite the dilapidation, it was a sanctuary of love, where laughter and tears intertwined. The walls held a tale of perseverance, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bond that held the family together.
Despite their efforts to put on happy faces, frustration from the parents would sometimes creep into the younger children. They saw the worn-out house as a burden but did their best to remain positive. As much as they tried to save every penny, it never seemed to be enough. Be it medical bills from the kids falling ill or needing to renovate their dilapidation roof it was always one step forward and two steps back for them.
But now would be different. Despite her small frame for her age Daisy being a rabbit faunist had already developed heightened reflexes, superior speed and superior strength to normal humans like that of a rabbit. Therefore she had gotten permission from her parents and she was going to work on a farm to help support the family.
Despite Coco's fears and doubts about a frail thirteen year old working she couldn't deny the facts. Daisy though small was as responsible and capable as most adults and they did need the money. So Coco bit her tongue and smiled while she and Daisy prepared a hearty meal for the family.
Sat around the dinner table the family shared stories of their day before digging into the picturesque mouth watering meal before them. To celebrate Daisy's tireless sacrifice for her family James and Coco worked days and nights to give her and her siblings the sort of meal that was few and far between for them.
Never usually having reason to celebrate they splurged on quality meats and fresh vegetables as the parents ate delicious home made steak and the children gorged on delightful bacon burgers. Daisy's favorite meal which she made sure to savor and enjoy every last bite of as though it would be her last meal.