Cozy Cabin by: Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect. This work involves underaged characters. You have been warned.
The weather was cold outside. A frigid and frosty wonderland filled with snow and ice. The winter season had arrived in full force. White powder filled the roads and so much had fallen that some of the local schools had shut their doors out of fear of intensifying inclement weather. Yet things had maintained a slow but steady course for the weather. Snow had continued to fall but at a light pace that didn't make things much more challenging than they already were.
Jakk was a young boy who lived in a suburb in the Alberta province. He lived in a somewhat big town with his family of 5. The rabbit cub had a brother and sister, both of who were older than he was. At 8 years of age, he was very much considered the "baby" of the family. It was a nickname that he hated, grimacing every time he heard it uttered. Yet his parents weren't quite ready to give up the monicker quite yet.
The so-called winter holiday had started early for his primary school. On a normal year, where the weather wasn't quite so heavy, he would have been off in a week. But with the amount of snow they had received in the region, the schools had shut their doors early. It was a fact that made every cub in the area all too happy to hear when it was announced on the local news stations.
Jakk's parents had been planning for a a small trip for some time. The formerly short vacation was to be to the rabbit's aunt's and uncle's place. The couple lived in a much more remote area in the same province. An area known to the locals as the "Backwoods". A place far removed from civilization where the only way to get what you needed for supplies was an hour's drive to a small market.
With the sudden change in the school's off period, Jakk's father had called his brother to arrange a slight change of plans. The boy's father had now arranged for them to go up the following day. Of course, he had to pass it by his wife who was just as pleased to get away. Both of their jobs had gone remote for the time being. They figured they could just use their relative's wi-fi to keep connected to their responsibilities.
That night the rabbits would hold a family meeting in the den. Sharing the information with the younger members of the family. When Jakk and his siblings found out about it, they burst out of their seats in excitement. They couldn't help themselves as each of them loved the annual trip more than anything. Each and every year they'd gone up there and enjoyed things such as sledding and snowshoeing.
They were told to pack their things that night. Of course, the parents had to oversee things, checking each of their bags when they were supposedly done. Even Jakk's oldest brother wasn't quite responsible enough to do things on his own. Still, the oldest of them was 10 so it was expected. Jakk's bag had more plushes in it than actual belongings and they had to replace them with clothing.
At dinner, the family talked about their upcoming trip. Jakk and Gus' minds were on having a snowball fight while their sister Gloria was more focused on building snowmen. Their parents on the other hand were more interested in relaxation. The man's brother and his wife had a hot spa, which they were all too happy to share with their extended family. It was only a matter of time before they got to enjoy it.
The rest of the night was slow for the cubs while their parents were still focused on getting everything ready. The rabbit boy and his siblings played some video games. Jakk was especially fond of the Ninjago series, something that his sister also liked. The latest installment in the game offered a few multiplayer options with one focusing on a cooperative aspect. They still hadn't beaten the game and so they played a few levels with the mindset they'd beat it eventually.
Jakk and his sister had a firm curfew for bedtime while their older brother was allowed to stay up later as long as he was quiet. To follow the rules, he just muted the television and played some Pokemon to pass the time. When it was time, the cub's parents came in to tuck them in. The younger brother and sister shared a bunk bed while Gus had his own across from them. Each of them was kissed on the forehead and wished goodnight.
The following day was a bit of a whirl for the family. The rabbit's parents came into the cub's room to rouse each of them. Of the three of them, Jakk was always the hardest to get up. The youngest rabbit was by far the deepest sleeper. Still, after some effort, they were able to get him up. It was much earlier than usual and still dark outside.
"Why do we have to get up this early…?" The youngest rabbit whined as he rubbed his eyes.
His father rolled his eyes. "Hush. You can sleep in the car. Come on and grab breakfast."
Jakk got off the bed slowly as he yawned and stretched. Slowly he walked over to his dresser drawer to get his clothing. He was so lethargic in doing so that his father gently pushed him along.
"No dilly-dallying…Okay? I know you're tired but we need to hit the road before the morning traffic." The older male reminded him but the plea fell on deaf ears.
The man decided to take matters into his own hands. He knew just how to get to his youngest son. Taking out the first set of clothing he could find, he got on the floor and started to take Jakk's pajama pants off.
"I can dress myself…dad…" The rabbit boy yawned in disdain.
The father smiled and stopped what he was doing. "Good…then please do it."
The cub gave in to the demand and began dressing much more diligently. The boy's father made sure he was doing it before heading out of the room. Jakk's brother and sister were more cooperative than he was. Once they were done, all three of them headed out and into the hall. In the kitchen, they found their parents had already set up breakfast. They had prepared some eggs, hash browns, and fruit. It was a hearty meal to keep them from getting hungry on the ride over.
Jakk and his siblings were pretty quiet during the meal. They were still groggy from slumber since it was very early. Their parents had to remind them they were in a rush. All three of them stuffed their face with what they could before they were hurried along. The cub's father busied himself with cleanup and told them to go grab their things to get ready to leave. His wife on the other hand was still setting stuff up by the door.
When everything was ready to go each of the cubs was handed their jackets. All of them had layered properly as it was expected to be cold that day. Snow had continued to fall and Jakk's mother had already shoveled outside so they could leave without an issue. Heading outdoors, the rest of them discovered just how much had snowed. The staff was piled outside on each side of the pavement where a walkway had been carved through.
Jakk's mother had spent much of the morning clearing it. The area from the small parking zone to the outside street was now mostly clean. Only a few flurries were still floating down from the sky above. The cub's parents continued working the luggage and suitcases into the car. The younger rabbits made their way into the back seat of the utility vehicle. All of them filed in together as they always did in the past.
It didn't take that much longer before Jakk's parents finished loading everything. After all, the stuff had been set up by the door to make it go just a bit quicker. The two parents finally joined them in the vehicle, looking behind them again to make sure the cubs had buckled in. Surprisingly all of them had done so. It seemed like they were ready to go. They closed all the doors and the car's engine started anew.
The drive to the countryside was a far one. Each of the cubs had been allowed to bring a few items for entertainment. Jakk and Gus had brought a switch to share and play against each other while their sister had brought some supplies to color with. It was about a 3-hour commute to the cabin where the father's brother and his family lived. Passing through a highway into more private roads that led off into a more wooded area.
Despite how tired the cubs had claimed they were, none of them went back to sleep. The frigid air and thrill of excitement had subdued whatever desire they harbored to sleep. Of course, they took their jackets off inside. The three of them remained mostly quiet for the duration of the ride. Only a few random complaints from either of the boys when they lost or the girl when the others invaded her space. The parents were pleasantly surprised that the drive was pretty peaceful for the most part.
The roads soon began to head up the mountain. The pathway was no longer paved and instead was dirt. Occasionally they passed through areas with signs. Diversions in their trail were guided by the same. A constant incline in their travels made it apparent they were headed uphill. Things were much slower now but the parents knew that the father's brother's home wasn't that far upward.
It didn't take them much longer before they arrived at a small wooden house. The cabin was surrounded by woods. They pulled into it, the cubs were all too glad to get out of the car once they stopped. So much so that they had forgotten about their coats and quickly burst out of the vehicle. The moment they did so reminded me of how cold it was. Their parents chuckled at them as they raced back to the car to grab their jackets.
After they had grabbed their stuff and put it back on, they quickly hurdled back out. Jakk picked up and threw a snowball at Gloria. She whined to her parents who
were in no mood for such shenanigans.
"Now now, Jakk. Help us get settled in. You can play with Gus later. I'm sure he'll participate in a snowball fight with you." The cub's mother scolded him, making sure to get between them and block any further balls.
The rabbit boy put down the ball he had compacted in his palm. He frowned
and kicked his feet in the snow. Jakk badly wanted to play. He'd been stuck up inside the car for so long. He stretched and yawned as his parents called him over to the back of the car. Everyone started to help with unpacking everything. Jakk's uncle soon showed his head and popped it out of the house, the older male called into the cabin to his wife.
The two of them emerged to help their extended family. All of them worked together in a continued effort to bring everything inside. With all of them working in tandem, the task took a lot less time. Once everyone was inside Uncle Phill hugged every one of them followed by his beloved wife, Nora. The cub's parents shooed them away, telling them they could do whatever they wanted and that the real fun would start the next day.
Jakk tapped Gus on the shoulder who was just as keen as he was to get outside. Each of them dropped what they were still holding and rushed out the door. The brisk air of the outside hit them once again. Looking around they could see snowy powder as far as the eye could see. On the bottom of the roof, some icicles hung off with the windows just beneath them completely frosted over.
The smaller rabbit wasted no time in picking up a ball of snow and packing it into his palm. Gus was already rushing over to the side where a small pile of powder hid his body. By the time the youngest boy looked up, he saw no signs of his brother. Yet, he knew that the other boy couldn't be far. After all, they'd only been out there a few minutes at most and neither of them was that familiar with the area around the cabin.
Before long Jakk felt something hit his furry face. Ice and slush slumped down his cheek and onto his jacket as he searched his surroundings again. Still, there were no signs of Gus and he was getting a little frustrated. A few seconds longer passed by before he was hit again. This time he caught some movement out of the corner of his eyes and quickly lobbed a snowball over to where he thought Gus might be.
"Ha ha, you missed me!" The familiar tone of his brother's voice mocked him from nearby.
Yet the sound of it was enough to give him another hint. A third snowball followed not long after, this time very clearly coming from the same pile of snow. Jakk let it hit him this time as it sloppily exploded into his form. Making another snowball, he sailed it right over to where the small hill of powder hid his brother. This time it landed on the mark, falling right on top of Gus's head as the older boy finally retreated from his hiding area.
Gus once again threw another ball of snow at his brother but since he was moving, it missed by a small margin to his brother's left. Jakk knew this was his opportunity and quickly piled up some more snow, rushing forward before launching it again at the bigger cub. This one crushed right against the other cub's shoulder as the powder crumbled into mere slush. The older rabbit continued making his way towards a tree, hoping to find another hiding spot.
Jakk wasn't about to let him do this again. He picked up another pile of snow and packed it in his hand. Following as closely behind as he could, he was just in time to see Gus' slim form disappear behind a larger pine tree. The older boy was getting ready for his next assault and was aware his younger brother had followed him. Emerging, both of them launched another ball at each other with both of them breaking apart as they hit each other.
The two of them chuckled at it, the competitiveness of the moment had passed in that instant. Gus resigned himself from behind the tree and cleaned himself of whatever snow remained on his jacket. Jakk joined him as the two walked around aimlessly for a moment. Their mother soon came outside, bundling up as she had undressed a bit.
"Come on inside, boys. We're going to have hot chocolate.' She quickly went back inside as she had no intention of remaining in the frigid weather.
The rabbit boys ran inside but not before they were stopped by the boy's father who was the closest one to the door.
"Take off your jackets and shoes so you don't get snow everywhere. We'll be going to the lake after lunch." The older male said as he stood in front of them to make sure there wasn't any mischief.
Both of them did what they were told to as they shed off their coats and boots. Jakk and Gus skipped just past him and into the living room. The family had gathered in front of a fireplace. Each of them bundled up in front of them. Gloria had been given a small stick with a marshmallow on it. The boy's father offered them the same and the two were all too happy to take it with a big smile cracking across their face.
Gus and Jakk joined in toasting their marshmallows in front of it. Their Aunt and Uncle came in to check in on them.
"Are you guys warming up? Lunch is almost ready." The rabbit's Aunt says from behind the sofa.
The two brothers nodded and Jakk responded. "Yeah"
They enjoyed their marshmallows and enjoyed the warmth that was coming from out of the fireplace. The toasted treats were soft, sweet, and with a bit of crispness to them. It wasn't much longer before they were called into the kitchen for lunch. Fortunately, none of the cubs had eaten many sweets. The fact they hadn't had much food since early morning meant they were hungry.
The Aunt was someone who considered herself a connoisseur of sorts. She had prepared them all vegetable-based meatball hoagies. Both the sauce as well as the faux meat itself were a special recipe she'd perfected long ago. Like all rabbit families, they were vegetarian and so they all understood the restrictions that the diet entailed. Jakk and Gus sat with their Aunt and Uncle while the rest of their family sat opposite them.
All of them ate their lunch with each of them helping themselves to a bowl of ships that had been set up at the center. Even the salsa that had been set to the side the Aunt had created. It was a heartier meal than usual but none of them complained as it was delicious. The whole family helped in the cleanup once everything was done. Each of showing their gratitude with a soft hug.
"Alright, everyone get ready and we'll head to Lake Tivard." The cub's uncle said with a hearty smile on his face.
The family returned to the living room where each of them prepared to head outside once again. Some water had accumulated on the floor underneath their jackets and shoes. Each of them put it on with the younger cubs being buttoned up and made sure that everything was fastened. Jakk had no issues but Gloria had left a few undone. When everyone was done, they waited on their Aunt and Uncle.
The seven of them headed outdoors back into the frigid climate. A slow dust of snow cascaded from above showing that the weather may start up again soon. Though none of them were that worried about it since they were used to it. Lake Tivard was but a small hike from the cabin. It was a small body of water which was known more for its almost transparent attributes. The cubs had enjoyed swimming it on a few occasions in the past.
After a short walk, they arrived at the now-frozen lake. Across from their side, they could see some people ice fishing. Another couple was skating on it while holding hands. Closer to them they could see a small area of it had been cut open. The water within was visible as if it had been done so recently.
"Alright, cubbies. Let's make the ice palace. Your uncle and I will create the blocks. You guys will put them together." The rabbit's father reminded them of the task at hand.
Jakk's Uncle started by piling up some snow and shaping it as close to a rectangle as possible. His father put on some waterproof gloves and began collecting water. Each time he brought it over, it had to be quick enough that the water didn't freeze The water was being used to solidify the blocks into each. When the block had frozen, the two rabbit boys would work together to bring it over to an area where the snow had been flattened.
The cub's mother was working to maintain it with her daughter helping with putting them in place. It was a long process of back and forth and with each block that was brought over one of the walls would grow higher and higher. Gloria used some of the snow to act as a small spacer between them so that the blocks didn't grind against each other when she and her mother moved them into place. It was a long process and one they'd done quite a few times in the past.
The jobs would shift when either Jakk or Gus got tired of bringing ice blocks over. Whoever it was would switch with Gloria. None of them were ashamed of doing one job or the other. It was a very organized process as the cubs had done it enough that they knew what was expected of them. Slowly but surely the ice palace started to take shape. The only part of it that would remain open would be the front as a makeshift entrance into it.
It took a few hours for it to be complete. The cubs all huddled inside the somewhat small building, taking refuge from the still lightly snowing weather. Jakk's mother went over to the lake to let her husband know to join them. Their Aunt in the meanwhile had gathered some wood and started a fire within, providing them some illumination. The seven of them all took a short break as they reveled in the craftsmanship of their work.
They didn't remain in it for very long as the wind was now starting to pick up. The fire was flickering and the uncle put it out with his shoes.
"Come on, let's head inside for the night. The weather is supposed
to get worse." He warned as he got up and waited for them to do the same.
Jakk's mother spoke up. "Can we get a family picture first, please?"
"Sure, come on outside." The man helped his wife and they headed out.
The rabbit family stood in front of the ice palace. Their Aunt held out her phone and aimed it at them to take a picture.
Each of them cheered in a joyful cheese as they shared in the moment. Joining each other soon each other in a loving embrace. Heading back in, all three of the cubs were now sluggish. Gloria had to be picked up on her mother's shoulders as exhaustion had gotten back to her.
Returning to the cabin was a respite each of them was looking forward to. The transfer from the cold weather outside to the much warmer air took some getting used to. Each of them took off their jackets and shoes, just as they had done before. All seven of them made their way back to the firepit to warm up. The Aunt spoke before she got comfortable.
"I'll go grab everyone some hot cocoa." The woman disappeared into the kitchen before returning shortly after.
They would remain at the fireplace for a good while. Jakk and his siblings sipped on the savory drink of hot chocolate. It wasn't often that they were allowed to indulge in the stuff but this was a special occasion. Their bodies slowly warmed as they heated up against the fireplace inside. It had been a long day and the rabbit boy and his direct family were especially tired. Despite it still being early some of the cubs were already yawning.
The rest of the night would be slow for the extended family. Jakk and his siblings would go to bed early. Their mother and father would enjoy their time with the other man's family. It wouldn't be until the next morning that they truly got to enjoy the ice castle. It snowed so much that night that it piled around the so-called "palace" Enough so much that they had to carve their way through it to get back to their creation.
Their Uncle and Father would add to it, putting some tunnels through the back of it that they dug from the deeper parts of the now. When they finally felt it was complete, the thing would serve as a makeshift labyrinth with a few twists and turns. Though the main attraction would remain the palace itself. A place the younger cubs would make their temporary home for the time being. Even going as far as carving their names into the ice blocks.
When the trip finally was at its end the extended family once again met over by it. It had snowed so much by that point that parts of the tunnel rooves had caved in and they had closed completely off. Even the ice palace had started to show signs of disrepair as the combination of the amount of snow and wind had caused some of the ice blocks to collapse within. Their parents felt bad the cubs couldn't enjoy the place once more but there wasn't anything they could do about it.
Finally gathered by the cabin to say their final goodbyes for leaving. Sharing a hug and doing one last picture with everyone included. It would be a trip none of them would forget and one that they would remember for some time. Once they finally did…they could always look at the pictures of the fun they had and revisit time with family. Ever keen and eager to return the following year. Of course, they wouldn't have to wait that long since they would return the next spring for an entirely different experience.
