Rabbit Hunting

Rated K.

Disclaimer: I don't own any character in this story. Sad isn't it?

The four seven year old turtles sat in the darkened room, keeping their voices low, the only source of light coming from a couple of night lights, they knew they had to be very quiet or risk being caught by their father and he would not be amused, that they were not in bed sleeping like they were supposed to be. However, it was a risk they were willing to take, for there was plans to make and only a short time to do so.

"We all know we can catch the rabbit." Leo stated, "Cause of the turtle and the rabbit story."

Mike and Raph nodded but Don shook his head. "I think that just a story Leo, it not really true. After all I think a rabbit can move faster then a turtle." Don had been reading up on what he could find on rabbits.

Raph glared at his purple masked brother, " But we aren't like udder turtles."

"Raph's right Donny," Leo agreed quickly, "Plus we got all the trainin' Master Splinter gives us. We can get da rabbit" Leo nodded emphatically.

Don wrinkled his beak, " I still don't know what a rabbit has to do with bringing chocolate and eggs anyways."

Mike rolled his eyes, even he knew that. "Duh, Donny the bunny lays the chocolate eggs and stuff. Just like Sana's elves make da toys."

"Rabbits don't lay eggs" Don corrected.

Mike snorted, "Yes they do, like the rabbit on TV that goes buck, buck, buck. It lay eggs" he refuted.

"But not everythin on TV is right," Donny protested.

"Well this one has to be, cause it da Easter Bunny not the Easter chicken," Raph pointed out.

Leo looked at his brothers, "Donny we know it is the Easter bunny and we are gonna catch him."

Raph nodded eagerly, " Then we'll get all the candy for us."

Leo smiled he liked this working with his brothers, "Donny what ya learned bout rabbits?"

"They like carrots, and they got a lucky foot." Don replied.

"Which foot is lucky?" Raph wondered, "rabbit has four feet could be any of dem."

Don shrugged, "I dunno, I read a rabbit has a lucky foot but it didn't say which one it was."

Leo didn't like the fact that rabbit's had a lucky foot that wasn't good at all.

Don smiled though, "But Splinter tole us turtles are lucky in Japan."

"But we're not in Japan" Raph groaned.

"Maybe the rabbit won't know that" Mike suggested.

XXX

It was a few nights later and Leo slipped silently into the kitchen and got a few carrots out of the fridge, everyone knew Rabbits liked carrots and even though the Easter bunny gave out candy, he probably liked carrots too. Leo thought they weren't all that tasty. In fact he thought carrots were icky and he only ate them cause Master Splinter said he had to.

Placing the carrots where the Easter Bunny was sure to see them, and hopefully their father would not, the boys began setting up the rest of their trap. It had been agreed that the trap would be a rope that would snare the rabbit's foot, hopefully his lucky one cutting off the rabbit's luck.

As a back up the boys planned to wait till the Master went to his room and come out to the living room with blankets so they could throw them over the rabbit and hold him down for the treat. It had taken lots of planning to figure out this. It was sneaky, it was ninja like and in the end they'd get all the bunny's candy for themselves. They had figured maybe pushing the rabbit over or into some blankets but then thought throwing them over would be easier.

It couldn't fail, Leo thought to himself, at least it better not fail.

XXX

Splinter knew something was up, there had been too many hushed whispers, between his sons, among other signs such as innocent looks or, saying 'Nuthin', when asked what they were up to, and now shortly before the boy's bed time ritual of cleaning teeth, and having a story read to them, Splinter noticed the small bit of rope with a carrot lying in the middle of it placed ever so carefully under one of the coffee tables.

Splinter's whiskers twitched as he considered possibilities, there was a chance the boys wanted to catch a rabbit for a pet, though he had not heard any of his sons inquiring about taking on a pet. Or, the foursome were hoping to get more treats this way, and this Splinter did not care for, he knew for a fact the Easter bunny had limited supplies to give to this home, that and such selfishness would have to be curbed.

True, it was natural for kids to want sweets, and the commercials on TV played into that with all the sort of candies one could get or buy. Splinter sat back to consider his options, and for the moment he left the trap where it was. A few minutes later he headed into the boy's bedroom which they all shared.

"My Sons I am most confused, I am sure I saw a rope snare with a carrot in the middle of it in the living room do any of you know why it is there?" he asked very innocently.

Four turtles hung their heads, shoved hands behind their back, for a moment there was a shifting of feet and odd glances at one another or towards their father but not one of the seven year olds so much as said boo. Though Raph nudged Leo and hissed "Tell him."

"I'm not gonna tell him. You tell him." Leo retorted.

Splinter shook his head, "We're you trying to capture the Easter bunny?" He inquired keeping his voice calm and soothing.

Leo gulped a little but realized his dad didn't sound angry or upset, "Well I guess, sorta...maybe."

"I see, and why did you maybe want to capture him?" Splinter prodded as he looked from one to another of his sons.

Mikey gave a wide grin, "We uh wanted to uh ask him for some more candy."

Splinter smiled, "Oh, you wanted to ask him. You were not going make him give it to you were you?"

Donny shifted and mumbled, " Yes." In a very subdued voice hardly more then a breath of air escaping, voice.

Splinter, though had good hearing and he did not miss his son's softly spoken admission to the fact. He turned his gaze now on his only silent son, Raphael, but he spoke to all of them. "A few years ago you boys did not know what Easter was, and you had no treats, and now you are getting them. But it doesn't seem enough, you want to take some of the Easter treats away from others." He turned gentle but stern eyes on each of the boys as he spoke, "If you manage to get these extra treats from the bunny do you think he will return?"

Leo shifted they hadn't thought about that. Their goal had only been all the candy they could get this year. Raphael shot a wide eyed almost panicked look towards the others.

"Think about it while I tell you tonight's story. Come sit down my sons," Splinter urged as he sat on the edge of the bed, he waited for all the turtles to get comfortable before starting, "Once long ago there was a dog, heading home with a large bone in his mouth. The dog was very happy he had such a large bone for his supper so he pranced along wagging his tail with joy. Now he had to cross a bridge over a wide river." Splinter began the story, which like the turtle and the rabbit (Splinter had never said hare so as not to confuse his young sons), was an Aesop fable. This particular story though ended with the dog losing his bone into the river and having to go without.

"Now that is all we have time for tonight." Splinter declared, "Now into bed and I'll tuck you in."

"Splinter what bout our trap? Ya gonna take it down?" Raph asked as he made his way into the top bunk.

"That is not for me to do. That is a choice you must make my sons," Splinter said once he had all four turtles tucked in he turned out the light and left the room.

He was hardly out the door when Mike sat up, " I wan' the eas'er bunny to keep coming."

"I want candy." Raph insisted.

"Me too," Leo agreed. He looked at Donny who nodded his head.

"Leo ya think we can get rid of da trap before he comes?" Don asked hopefully.

Mikey gasped hands flying to his mouth, "What if the Eas'er Bunny is like Sana and he knows we want to git da candy and now he won't come at all." Mike's lips trembled and his eyes welled with tears. This was terrible, no candy this year, and maybe none ever!

The other three looked at one another, they hadn't thought of that. It was possible Santa knew when you were good or bad, he'd know and maybe the Easter bunny knew too.

"What we gonna do Leo?" Raph moaned.

Leo shook his head not sure himself what to do.

Donny went over and found some paper and a crayon "We can take the trap down and give the bunny the carrots and a note. Very carefully Don wrote:

Easer Bonny:

We sorrry fer been bad. We be good from now on. Plz leaf candy fer us.

Then he signed his name with a purple crayon and read it to the others, Leo came up to put his name in blue, followed by Raph using the red and Mike using the orange.

Then the boys slipped out of the bedroom and untied the rope snare putting it away, they sat the carrot and the note on the coffee table before going back to their room to hope with all their hearts the Easter bunny would come.

Splinter watched from around the corner of the kitchen, he smiled well pleased with his sons choice. Once he was sure the boys had all gone to bed he went over and saw the note, his whiskers twitched with amusement, and he did nothing to hide the smile that crossed his face.

XXX

Mike woke in Leo's bed he hurried out and saw the Easter baskets, "He came!" Mike leaped for joy, before running back "He came, he came. Wake up Leo, Raph, Donny he came we got candy."

The others woke up to Mike's shouts and scrambled from their beds, hurrying out to see for themselves, there was candy and a little present for each of them. They each had a small chocolate rabbit, some chocolate eggs, and some jelly beans. Mike had a stuffed rabbit, Leo and Raph had a couple of toy cars, and Don had a puzzle.

Mike chomped off his chocolate rabbits ears, "Bros, lets nevah hunt rabbit again.it just not safe!"

The End