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Jabari sucked in a breath, clearly knowing that he was heard. He can't even be stealthy due to how tall and big he is, letting out an exhale of exhaustion. Maybe he should've showed his face and ask Rabbit if help was needed but instead he stayed out of sight so he slowly stepped out from where he was hiding. "Apologies, it slipped my mind that a rabbit's hearing is a lot more sharp." He kept his distance.

"Oh!"

Rabbit couldn't help the way he startled, any ounce of bravado fading away as the stranger came out from the woods. A stranger? A very large stranger. He frowned, the grip on his tools faltering as the handle of his spade slipped and dug uncomfortably into his side. As he adjusted, another tool fell to his feet. And another. And another, until he'd dropped everything.

"Good...afternoon," is all he can think to say, wrapping his arms around himself. "No! No, not at all! I didn't mean for--well, you see, I thought you were someone else entirely."

Should he still invite him in for that meal?

The gay cottage core blueprint.

Now you have him shrinking even further behind the fence.

If the woods could swallow him up right now, that'd be great. One of the biggest reasons for his choice of career, wasn't his passion alone. It was to make others happy. After all the time he'd spent in the movie industry, he'd almost grown a fear of making others sad, or angry. Personally, anyway. When it came to actual films, all was fair game.

The whole point of them, was to make others feel a wide range of emotions.

He'd hardly noticed he was holding his breath, not until Rabbit's voice grew softer. There was a sharp exhale. Along with an almost comical series of deep inhales. Projecting notes was easy. Keeping a breath in? Total opposite. He was lucky to hold a breath longer than a few seconds before he'd be stomping his feet in an attempt to distract himself from the sensation.

Well. With that finished. Was leaping into a garden the reason for all this? He didn't get the big deal. What he did get, was the importance of understanding the feelings of others. His confidence was back, now that Rabbit was speaking more softly.

"Listen, I'm sorry for landing in your garden. Guess it's a bit of a habit. I spent nearly my entire life working on a farm. But I was never allowed to dance there. Kinda excites me when I get to make a presentation around plants. Especially when they're such beautifully maintained root vegetables."

Did he notice that? Of course he did. He hadn't done the exact math or anything, but it had to be at least twenty two years he'd spent doing farm work, give or take. This cat could identify vegetables, flowers, herbs. All by name, and classification. He wasn't even trying to compliment the garden. To him, it was just an observation.

...He's smiling again. Unless it was a serious personal attack on who he was, it was pretty hard to keep him down.

"But didja really have to yell? If I'd damaged anything, I'd have definitely helped righting what I'd done wrong! You'd be amazed how quickly some plants perk up if you sing to them."

From a little smile, to a big one, hands going behind his back.

"You can't blame me for being protective!"

Rabbit marched hare'd right up to the gate, regarding this DANNY as he wheezed and spluttered for breath. But then he'd gone and stood up as if he hadn't just hyperventilated on the spot, and grinned. What a strange...well, stranger. Rabbit regarded him with a careful look, twisting his hands anxiously as he wondered if he should hold worry for him.

The apology was quietly accepted, but the compliments? Suspicious. And he was excited about plants? No, he must be pulling his leg! Flattering him, stringing him along! Just to butter him up so he didn't raise his voice again. And yet...

"I'm RABBIT," said he, chest puffed out boastfully all the same. "And yes, well, I've heard it helps to talk to them. Although...singing. Yes! Yes, I see. That's just talking with decoration. Talking long-ly. Maybe better, even."

He cleared his throat.

Whoa whoa whoa. Why was he being yelled at?

He was just trying to make friendly conversation! Apparently he'd done something wrong. But what was wrong with where he was standing? He was a farm cat! If anyone knew how to avoid damaging crops (and flowers, for that matter), it was him!

On set? Being yelled at was pretty standard. Off set? He didn't take it nearly as well. He was only used to yelling from humans.

He's sort of frozen for a moment. Then that final 'OUT!' gets this cat running with just as much speed as he'd arrived. He sort of hid behind the door of Rabbit's garden, peeking only his eyes out, paws curled around the wood. No outward body language of fear, but it was a physical impossibility to hide emotions in one part of him.

His emerald eyes. He couldn't fake them.

"Y'don't have to yell, y'know."

"Don't have to yell? Don't have to yell--?!"

Rabbit took in a deep breath, puffing himself up as if preparing to do just that, but found himself deflating before he built up the gusto to do so. Instead, he let the breath out in a weary sort of sigh. The cat hadn't destroyed anything, after all.

"Oh...oh, fine." he surrendered begrudgingly, now seeing that he may have frightened the other. "But I won't have you leaping into my garden again. Not when the whole wood is out there."

Rabbit had fallen victim to Tigger's gleeful destruction many a time, but he wasn't about to let there be two of them, thank you kindly.

"What...was it you were saying again?"