Denise Falconeri

Denise Falconeri is a yellow-furred rabbit who hails from California. An heiress of the wealthy Falconeri family, she was  Ricochet Rabbit's ex-fiancé before she called off their engagement,and years after that became involved with his deputy, Droop-a-Long Coyote. She is one of the secondary characters in the Blazin' Trails series.

Personality
Denise carries the air of a wealthy heiress: courteous, friendly and possessing a dignified grace about her. Underneath the dignified exterior is an adventurous, sometimes rebellious spirit, one that yearns to explore the country outside her limitations as a member of the elite. As both Ricochet and later Droop-a-Long can attest to, when she decides to do something, she sets out to do it, regardless of people's approval. She enjoys doing things such as traveling to uncharted territory and playing poker and pool. Unlike most of the elite, including in her close family, she's very kind towards the poor and wishes to help them if she can; part of the reason she is proud of James' friend Kiara Sanchez is because she chose the right thing, even though she ended up being cut off from her family as a result. She has a not-so-hidden dislike of the rich due to their attitudes and treatment of people lower than them, and hates how her mother and older brother (and sometimes, even her father) view people of lower rank. Though friendly, she's not naive, and stays on her toes due to the unsavory types of men and women she's encountered. According to her mother, Denise has a pretty sound judgement regarding men, but an even better one regarding women, and as such can immediately tell when a woman is trying to deceive someone she's close to.

Denise has a quick temper (though she lacks Ricochet's hotheadedness) and is known to hold intense grudges agains people who wrong her or her loved ones; it took her years to forgive Ricochet for what happened because she believed that he cared more about his job, and wouldn't take any explanation from him. She can also be very stubborn, refusing to admit when she's wrong or giving up on something, which has led to her getting hurt several times. She can also be selfish, rebellious and slightly possessive, especially when it comes to her current lover (ie. Droop-a-Long). While she may believe that she's doing the right thing, she can sometimes resort to underhanded/roundabout methods to do so, a habit that she picked up from her mother. Her burning passion for her loved ones and for what she believes in is admirable, but can be a hindrance as well, especially when her anger comes into play; she almost went after a man who'd shot Droop-a-Long despite being outmatched and stronger than her. However, there is no denying that she is a good person; similar to Ricochet, she can fall victim to her many vices. Denise's greatest strength is her iron will and her never give up attitude. She has confronted people taller than her, and although she doesn't always win every fight, the thing that keeps her strong is that she stands up for what's right.

Denise also has a playful streak, and around her house she was known to be a troublesome child due to her pranks. She's known to be very flirty around boyfriends, sometimes even dressing in revealing outfits, and has a sly sense of humor on par with Ricochet's (though her sister Serena surpasses her in this area); she is quick to make it clear that this side is only for her boyfriend. She loves to fluster and tease Droop-a-Long, although she's known to be caught off guard whenever he turns the tables on her. She's not afraid to use her feminine charms on other male strangers in order to get what she wants or if it's to help someone else, though she knows when to tone them down.

Early Life
The youngest child of Yolanda and Alfonso Falconeri, Denise was born in San Jose, California on July 25th, 1836. She had two older siblings: Alfonso Falconeri, Jr., nicknamed Al, who was the heir apparent to the family's fortune; and Serena Falconeri, viewed as "the black sheep" of the family due to her grey fur. Her family is of Italian and Spanish descent, and it's mentioned that most of the family on her father's side are wealthy merchants. Before her father opened up a hotel chain and ran a restaurant, he originally sold imported silks. She herself describes her family as "classy and Italian, with probably a little Spanish mixed in there". She and her siblings lived in San Jose for most of their lives until they later relocated to Pasadena when she was 21 years old.

Growing up, Denise was an adventurous child, often exploring the country around her; occasionally, her older siblings joined in as well. She developed an interest in cooking at age 6, and despite not having to cook, she eventually proved that she'd inherited her parents' cooking skills. Unlike her older brother Alfonso, she prefers to work with her hands, and as such she eagerly helps out her mother with the hands-on aspects of the restaurant. Although she enjoyed the privileges that came with being wealthy, her extended family's stories, as well as her experiences with poor people, did keep her from becoming arrogant and also inspired her dislike of the haughty attitude of the rich, an attitude that was shared by her sister Serena.

Denise received a full education along with her siblings; she studied math, science, art history, music and English. Along with Al, she learned how to play the harpsichord and the violin. Denise had an aptitude for science, and especially loved botany, but her family's expectations forced her to give up that dream. When she was a teenager, she took to studying her family's financial records to understand finances and how they worked.

Unlucky In Romance
The Falconeri's wealth attracted many suitors, which her mother, Yolanda, was very pleased to see. In a period that she referred to as "Courting Season", she was approached by rich men who wished to marry her. By the time she was 19, she'd had almost one hundred suitors; Serena beat her as she tossed away every single one that crossed her path. There were a few that Denise liked, but most of the men wanted her money, wanted her body or wanted her to fulfill the traditional role of a rich man's wife, which was to provide an heir. Such things angered Denise, and she only became more incensed when she learned that her parents were trying to pressure her and Serena to marry for this very reason. Before her twentieth birthday, her older sister Serena left the family to marry Marigold Edwards, a poor window washer that she'd fallen in love with. Her parents (and Marigold's) opposed the marriage, but Denise knew that Marigold truly loved Serena, and she found herself wishing she could marry someone who loved her just as fervently as he loved her sister. This, combined with her restlessness and annoyance with the rich life and its limitations, is why she never found a boy who interested her, which caused problems with her parents.

Romance with Ricochet Rabbit
The week after her twentieth birthday, she met Ricochet Rabbit, a Texan who was training to be a sheriff, at a restaurant. She learned from talking to him that he had taken a break from his job to recover from heartbreak. Despite not being rich or having much to his name, she took a liking to him as he actually liked her for who she was, and didn't care at all about her money. The two talked for three hours after closing, and later Denise introduced Ricochet to her family. Although Al disliked him and Yolanda was wary of him not having a cent to his name, it was Al Sr. who allowed the two to date, thinking that Ricochet would be a good match for her.

This led to a three-year long courtship, in which Denise would visit Ricochet off and on; for the most part, he would come to California on his trips to visit his family and see her as well. She was the one who originally supported Ricochet's dreams of being a sheriff, as Al was already set to run the family business. At the end of their three-year courtship, Ricochet proposed to her and she accepted. They were set to marry at the beginning of the new year, but on the day of the wedding, he ended up leaving her at the altar in order to catch a criminal, and he never came back. That made up Denise's mind for her, as she realized that his passion for his job meant more to him than her. Her family was just as angered, and they called off the engagement. For a time, she held a grudge against Ricochet for this, but she later moved on, although she never truly forgave him for it. Because of this experience, she closed off her heart to love, afraid of her heart being broken again.

Not long after that, she received word that her sister, Serena, had turned outlaw, as well as learning that her husband and son had died. The news of the loss shattered Denise, and for a time, she considered ending it all so she could be free of this. Al stopped her and later told their mother. Her mother, believing that she needed a break from the excitement, eventually took her daughter east, settling in the state of Texas to open up a small delivery business that sold homemade jams and sweets.

Romancing the Deputy
About three years later, she met Droop-a-Long Coyote, her ex's deputy, while he was on the way home after Ricochet once again left him in the dust after A.T. Sam Jose's first arrest. She had hurt herself making a delivery job to the town of Shadybrook, but thankfully, Droop-a-Long had arrived and offered to walk with her there and help her, as he claimed it was his hometown. Although she was wary of him due to his species, she slowly lowered her guard when she learned that he wasn't at all a bad person, thought the fact that he was Ricochet's deputy set her on edge.She eventually caved in and let him help her on the condition that he'd leave her alone afterwards.

On their way out, she explained to Droop-a-Long her history with Ricochet, surprising herself with how forward she could be with him, and attempted to leave afterwards, but due to injuring herself, she had to stay in Hoop 'n Holler. He helped her with finding a doctor and a place to stay for the night, on top of helping her with her delivery job. She later ran into him at the town diner. As a thanks, she offered to take him out to dinner the next night. That night proved to be a surprise for her, as he revealed that he had a lot more going on underneath than what he let in on.She took a liking to him, but believing that the societal and racial standards would break them apart, attempted to end their budding friendship. Droop-a-Long's confession, however, startled her; she wasn't expecting him to fall for her that fast. She agreed that they could remain friends, but only as that. Despite knowing his feelings for her, she was unsure of hers towards him and she didn't want to break his heart.

Over the span of several months, the two met whenever they could, often out of sight from Ricochet or Denise's brother Al, who had decided to come with her on her trips to keep an eye on her. Her mother also tried to make her keep in contact with a boy she'd picked named Lane Saunders, but neither Denise nor Al liked him and he was quickly dumped; Denise made sure to inform Droop-a-Long of it when they saw each other. Her secret escapes with Droop-a-Long made her happy, but as their friendship developed, she realized that she was starting to see Droop-a-Long as more than just a friend. A masquerade dance that she and Droop-a-Long attended in Shadybrook eventually confirmed Denise's worst fear: she was in love with Droop-a-Long.

On one of her trips, she learned that her father was opening up a hotel chain complete with restaurants, and he wanted both of his children to help him on his new venture. The final week of her trip, she agonized over what to tell Droop-a-Long, as she didn't want to remain friends but also didn't want to break either of their hearts. She once again considered breaking it off, but couldn't bring herself to say the words in front of him and broke down and confessed everything. Droop-a-Long didn't want to end their relationship either, but due to Yolanda's dislike of coyotes and Droop-a-Long's social status, they couldn't go public with their relationship. On Droop-a-Long's suggestion, they decided to pursue a secret relationship, which was kept up by letter while she was in California. She came to Hoop 'n Holler twice to see Droop-a-Long--once for Valentine's Day (which she later learned it was his birthday) and another for her birthday, where Droop-a-Long crafted her a special ring.

Relationship Revealed to Ricochet
Six months after their first meeting, Denise later received a photo featuring Droop-a-Long, Ricochet and Droop-a-Long's nephew Tag-a-Long, who had come to visit him. She almost got caught answering the letter, as her mother tended to go through all of their letters; she made up the excuse that it was a letter from Lane that she needed to answer privately, and later hid the picture in a safe box in her room so none of her family members could find it. When she got a reply from Droop-a-Long, she was shocked to learn that he'd been forced to tell Ricochet the truth about their relationship, and that he was demanding answers. Realizing that she needed to clear things up, Denise took the next opportunity to head to Texas to explain things to her ex.

Meeting Ricochet again after so many years was rather awkward, but she managed to be cordial with him, since during her time with Droop-a-Long she'd managed to forgive and let go. In a private conversation with him, Denise corroborated Droop's story. Ricochet explained that he had no problem with them dating, but warned her that he didn't want her breaking Droop-a-Long's heart, as he'd never forgive her for it.

Tough Breaks
After her relationship with Droop-a-Long became public knowledge in Hoop 'n Holler, Denise set her sights on her own ambitions, such as running another business within the Falconeri name. Her father was slightly unhappy, but surprisingly her mother agreed to this, believing that she needed a chance at her own business. In between getting ideas for her business, she eventually learned of the costs that came with Droop-a-Long's job.

A few months later, Droop-a-Long and Ricochet were targets of two men who wanted to kill them for their positions, although their attentions were set mostly on Droop-a-Long, who they had blackmailed and harrassed ever since he'd first arrived in town. They'd beaten Droop-a-Long to the point of death and set him on a train, and led the whole town, including Ricochet, to believe that he died. Ricochet nearly gave up on him, but was convinced by a man named Jeb Forrest to continue on the case, and they later found and saved Droop-a-Long. Denise learned of the incident weeks after it ended, and rushed to his side in a panic, admonishing him for not calling her to tell her he was alive.

Two months later, while they were on a train to take a holiday, the train was held hostage by Droop-a-Long's brother, Drag-a-Long Coyote. He set his sights on Denise and held her captive, although she fought him off before he had a chance to try and rape her. Upon learning that she was Droop-a-Long's girlfriend, Drag-a-Long decided to use her as bait and beat up Denise in front of Droop-a-Long, telling him to attack the people on the train if he wanted to save her. Despite being scared and angry, Denise took the beating, and even sassed back to Drag-a-Long afterwards saying that he wasn't as tough as she thought he'd be. Later, when Droop-a-Long was incapacitated, Denise decided to take the initiative and run for help, even though she nearly got shot. After playing dead and convincing Drag-a-Long to move the train to the next station, she continued on her way to the next town, and warned the local sheriff to call Ricochet in for help. Drag-a-Long, however, escaped before Ricochet could catch him, leaving the rabbit to stop the train himself. Denise was later reunited with Droop-a-Long, who nearly lost it as he'd believed that Drag-a-Long had shot her. She was later treated for her injuries and went back to California.

Six months after that incident, Denise was in town reuniting with Droop-a-Long. Unbeknownst to her,  Dave's brother Jonathan Reeves was out looking for Droop-a-Long, planning to kill him in revenge for sending his brother to prison. He and his gang later cornered Droop-a-Long outside of town and savagely beat him, and then Jonathan later ordered them to toss him out so that Ricochet could see the damage. Denise later tended to Droop-a-Long, but she also had to keep an eye on Ricochet, for he was seriously considering killing Jonathan and "the whole lot of them" for beating up Droop-a-Long; it is here that she learned of Ricochet's older sister, Rose, and how her fate led him to being a sheriff. She also met Ricochet's girlfriend Bunny Hug during this time, and admitted to herself that she wasn't really fond of her as she had an odd feeling about her. Droop-a-Long asked her if she still wanted to be with him now that she knew what kind of dangers came with this life, and if it was worth keeping all the secrets. Denise didn't have an answer for that, for her mother sent her a letter calling her back to town for her uncle arriving from India. Despite not wanting to leave him, Droop-a-Long urged her to go, and she told him that no amount of enemies would keep her from him. She later left, conflicted with herself over this question.

During her time back home, she asked her mother about loving someone who was part of a different life, and her mother explained that she still loved her father even though he wasn't American, didn't have much to his name when he moved to California, had several failed businesses and faced a lot of problems growing up, including one of his brothers joining up with a local gang. It was her choice to marry a lower class man, she says, and although she still loves him, she's happy to forget those times where they were poor. Denise says that if she were to fall for someone of lower class who made a name for himself, she'd remember those times to never forget how they got there. It was then that she realized that she loved Droop-a-Long despite his naivete, his slowness, and his status as a poor deputy. When she learned that Droop-a-Long was alive and that Jonathan had been sent to prison, she was relieved and later called him on the phone to tell him about her choice herself.

Ricochet's Chance at Romance
A few months after the Red Scorpion's first appearance, Ricochet and Droop-a-Long received a major break during the spring. At this point, Ricochet had broken up with Bunny Hug after another case put her in the crossfire, and although he was relieved that he hadn't caused them both more pain than necessary, it brought up memories of his relationship he'd wanted to forget. By the time the town's annual Spring Fling had come around, he was in a sour mood over not having a date to the dance, namely because he'd been thinking of Melissa Starkweather, the woman who'd captured and thrown away his heart. Droop-a-Long offered to be his wingman for the evening, to which Ricochet scoffed. Unbeknownst to either Ricochet or Melissa, Droop-a-Long spotted Melissa checking into the hotel while he was picking up his tuxedo later that afternoon, and began arranging things so the two could meet.

The night of the dance, Denise met Melissa, and the two struck up a fast friendship; Melissa was stunned to learn that she was the girl Ricochet had left at the altar. While Ricochet reunited with his old friend Quick Draw McGraw, Droop-a-Long filled Melissa in on what they were doing. Droop-a-Long had told her that Ricochet would eventually like a partner to dance with when it was time for the waltz. Melissa at first wanted to refuse, but Denise pointed how many times she'd brought up Ricochet, and she confessed that yes, she was in town to hopefully reconcile with him, but didn't know how to go about it. After letting Denise in on the plan, Droop-a-Long set things in motion for the two of them to meet again.

Just as Droop-a-Long had predicted, the time of the waltz came around and Ricochet quickly found himself without a partner. Droop-a-Long told Ricochet that there was another girl who'd come to the party and she was without a date as well. Ricochet, annoyed and slightly bemused by Droop-a-Long's attempts to play wingman, decided to humor him and went to search for the girl. When he saw Melissa, he was stunned into silence, and likewise so was she. Neither of them had time to back out, however, as the dance had gotten under way and Droop-a-Long and Denise had disappeared, not wanting to interfere with the dance. Denise, along with Droop-a-Long, was slightly disappointed to learn that their plans had been foiled; Ricochet returned discouraged and they heard that Melissa had run away crying.

The next morning, while out to get some breakfast for him and Denise, Droop-a-Long saw Melissa standing outside with her bags packed. When he asked her what she was doing, she said that she was leaving town and wouldn't be back. He ran and told Denise, who told Ricochet when he got up. Denise told Ricochet to not wait to fight for her, which stirred Ricochet into action, as he realized that he still loved her and he didn't want to lose her. He ran up to her while she was waiting for her coach and grabbed her in a hug, confessing to her that she didn't need to ask if he would want her; he'd always wanted her, and despite all the past relationships he'd had, he'd never stopped loving her. His confession brought Melissa to tears, but right before she could kiss him, Droop-a-Long cut in, stating that they needed to bring it inside as they were causing a scene in the middle of the street, which embarrassed Ricochet. Melissa changed her mind and decided to stay for the remainder of the week; as she walked back inside the office, she secretly thanked Droop-a-Long for his help, which the coyote was grateful for.

It wouldn't be until later that evening that Ricochet learned that Droop-a-Long and Denise had orchestrated the entire thing. Although he was slightly shocked and embarrassed about it, he thanked Droop-a-Long for it, saying that he couldn't have gotten Melissa back without him.

Breakup and Reconciliation with Droop-a-Long
Not long after helping Ricochet finally find happiness in his relationship with Melissa, Droop-a-Long decided that he would finally propose to Denise; he had been planning to do it for a long time, but never did so because of fear. The whole town knew that he was head over heels in love with her, and Ricochet had been bugging him about marrying her for a long time.

Before he could purchase the ring however, Denise called a week after Melissa left, telling him that her mother found out about him through the picture of him and Tag-a-Long, as well as their letters. Denise had tried to lie it off, but her brother forced her to confess, and she told them everything about their relationship. Her parents were furious, and ordered her to break up with him over the phone. Droop-a-Long was shattered by the news, and for months, he drew within himself and turned to alcohol to ease his sorrow. His mood changed drastically when he was drunk, and he became very testy and angry with people when he wasn't drinking.

Ricochet, however, was not going to let him sit and drink his sorrows away. He told him that he needed to go to California and confront Denise's family, and prove that he wasn't a bad person and hadn't acted indecent with her. He even offered to go with him to California to do so, which inspired Droop-a-Long to clean up his act and prepare for the trip. He and Ricochet went to California together to talk to Denise's family, encountering Denise's brother Al. Although they were nearly driven from the front porch because of Ricochet and Al's arguing, Denise's father managed to let them in.

Droop-a-Long explained that he loved their daughter and would never put her in harm's way, but Yolanda interrupts, saying that she knew that Denise was constantly getting into trouble and harm's way whenever she was there with him, having noticed the scars from Drag-a-Long's attack on her. Before Droop-a-Long can say anything else, Ricochet cuts in, saying that despite the danger and the troubles, Droop-a-Long always fought to keep her safe, and that he did give her the option to leave if it got too hard for her; she didn't take it because she loved him, despite the dangers to both of their persons. He then says that they should let Denise choose, since she is a grown woman with her own life. Although Yolanda is offended by this, Al Sr. decides to take Ricochet's advice and asks his daughter how she feels. Denise explains that despite what happened, and despite knowing that his job could kill him, she chose to stay with him because she loved him, which drives Droop-a-Long to tears.

Yolanda and Al Sr. decide that they can't tell Denise much now, since she's already made her choice on who she loves and wants to spend her life with. They decide to allow Denise to continue to date Droop-a-Long, although not before both the males warn Droop-a-Long that if he does anything to break her heart, they will hunt him down and hurt him.

Family Matters
Denise had dreamed of having her own family for years, and one day, while on a rare date with her husband, they came across a boy who'd gotten his kite stuck in a tree. Droop-a-Long helped the boy get it down, and Denise thought of how Droop-a-Long would be a great father. For weeks afterward, she had visions of their family, and sometimes, the number of kids changed with each one. Droop-a-Long learned of Denise's wish to have children, but he was wary of such a choice as he didn't want to risk her dying during the birth of their child. He asked that she go to a doctor to make sure that she was healthy enough to have a baby, and she agreed. After getting the all clear from the doctor, Denise told a worried Droop-a-Long, and the two were soon ready to try for their own children.

Months later, during a visit to Hoop 'n Holler to see Ricochet, Melissa and their new daughter Caroline, Denise felt strange, craving odd foods like bacon and beef, which scared Ricochet. Later that week, she had a bout of severe nausea, and later passed out. Ricochet heard it from the store owner and rushed her to the doctor's, and then later told Droop-a-Long.

Denise awoke later that afternoon to a panicked Droop-a-Long and told him that it was nothing more than nausea, but Doc Johnson explained that her symptoms were a sign that she was pregnant.

Six months later, during a wet and rainy winter in California, their son, Chance Falconeri-Coyote, was born on December 21, 1864. He was born a week earlier than scheduled and Droop-a-Long had to deliver him since the wasn't in town. It was Denise who named their son, his name referring to the chance she took in finding love and having a family. After taking a few weeks to recover from the birth, she later invited Ricochet and Melissa to come and meet their new baby.

Yolanda Falconeri
Denise's relationship with her mother is not as damaged as her relationship with her sister (seen below), but their realtions are rather tense. The two have similar personality traits in that they both don't take a simple "no" for an answer and will sometimes use underhanded methods to get what they want, which has caused its fair share of problems. Although a part of her understands why, Denise doesn't like how her mother is trying to find the "perfect boyfriend" for her, as well as pressuring her to marry quickly and produce children. Her relationship with her mother was getting better around the time she started dating Droop-a-Long, but it quickly went downhill again when her mother discovered and forced her to end their relationship. During the Phantom Killer incident, Yolanda revealed that she simply didn't want to lose Denise the same way she lost Serena, which is why she was trying to get her to marry someone else, even if Denise wasn't happy with it, so that she wouldn't be hurt; it was also her way of coping with the grief of losing her daughter to crime, which Denise could understand. With Serena back in their family's lives, Denise is working towards improving her relationships with her mother and sister.

Serena Falconeri
Denise has a damaged relationship with her older sister Serena. Though they had fights as sisters often do, they got along well enough when they were younger due to their similar attitudes on the life of the wealthy and what men they could love. Their relationship deteriorated due to Denise having to choose siding with her parents when Serena fell in love with Marigold Edwards; Serena accused her of being no better than their mother, and ran off before Denise could apologize. This would be the last time they spoke for over fifteen years. Denise however, did learn that her sister's husband and young son had died at the hands of an outlaw that Ricochet had been chasing, Denise was shocked, torn between feeling upset about her sister's tragedy and guilt for dumping Ricochet. A couple of years later, when she learned that her sister had turned outlaw, it drove her to contemplate killing herself, but her brother stopped her from doing it.

When they met again years later, Denise was shocked to see how much crime had warped her sister's view on life. Despite knowing of the terrible things she'd done, and her father's unwillingness to let her back in, Denise worked to help her sister recover, along with the help of Marigold's brother, Lumière, who was revealed to be in love with her.

Alfonso Falconeri Jr.
Denise has a close relationship with her older brother, although at first glance, it would seem that they aren't close at all, due to their personality differences and Al's attitudes towards people in general. Denise complains about her brother a lot--one thing she's never forgiven him for is his refusal to get married--and Al sometimes treats her like a child on purpose to annoy her. Despite this, she does look out for him, often helping calm him when he's angry. Likewise, Al is very protective of his sister, agrees that their mother could have a better taste in prospective dates for her, and feels that the deterioration of his family was partly his fault. Although the two annoy each other a lot, they do care about each other, even if they don't always openly say it.

Alfonso Falconeri Sr.
Denise has a good relationship with her father, seeing as how he is more levelheaded and not as judgemental as her brother or mother. She enjoys hearing about his stories growing up, and believes that his stories of the past are responsible for her attitude towards the poor, treating them like actual people instead of like animals. Although she wishes that her father practiced what he preached (as he for the most part follows what his wife has to say about how they spend their money), she still adores him and he always calls her his "little Dionisia" (the Italian variant of Denise).

Ricochet Rabbit
Denise's relationship with Ricochet is complicated. Originally becoming friends after a chance meeting, they later started dating due to Denise liking Ricochet for his earnest attitude. Aside from her relationship with his deputy, Droop-a-Long, her relationship with Ricochet was very serious, resulting in a three-year courtship that led to them getting engaged. She called off the engagement the day of the wedding, however, when he left her at the altar to chase after an outlaw (later she would learn that he failed to capture the outlaw in question: Drag-a-Long Coyote Jr.). Feeling that she was being left behind for his job, she broke off all contact with him, as did her family, leaving Ricochet heartbroken, though later she did come to regret her selfish decision when she learned that the outlaw he'd failed to catch killed her sister's family.

Although she harbored resentment towards him for a long time, she later learned to forgive him through his deputy, Droop-a-Long. It would be years before they met again due to Ricochet discovering her relationship with Droop-a-Long. Although it was awkward, and she learned that he'd been somewhat jealous at first, he gave Droop-a-Long his permission to date her, but he did warn Denise that he wouldn't forgive her if she broke Droop-a-Long's heart the same way she broke his. Slowly, but surely, the two formed cordial relations with each other, and Ricochet also became the two's staunchest supporter and defender.

By the time she marries Droop-a-Long, she and Ricochet had moved past their issues. During her first pregnancy, she discovers that he also carried guilt about what happened, and apologized to him as well, saying that although she can't erase the past, she still doesn't want to go on without telling him that she was sorry for what she'd done. Ricochet forgave her, she tells him that she was able to forgive him with the help of Droop-a-Long, and that she appreciates his help, and he likewise said the same for her.

Droop-a-Long Coyote
One of Denise's most important relationships is her relationship with Droop-a-Long Coyote, Ricochet's deputy. When they first met, she wasn't interested in him, and was originally put off by the fact that he was Ricochet's deputy, but his kindness and loyalty, as well as his surprising insight, changed her opinion on him. She rejected him at first and asked that they be friends instead, but later ended up falling in love with him due to him defending her at a party and helping her when she needed it. After trying to deny her feelings, she decided that they'd pursue a relationship. While it was dangerous, she enjoyed the escapades with him.

Denise loves his sweet, affable nature, goofy charm and surprising wit on occasion, and also seems to admire his body, something that Droop-a-Long finds both flattering and embarrassing. Though she doesn't have the physical strength to protect Droop-a-Long, she will defend him, and won't allow him to give up on his principles, either. She is very jealous of girls who like to flirt with Droop-a-Long, and will sometimes display a small possessive streak around him. Although she's more or less "the leader" in their relationship, she's always caught off guard whenever he takes the lead in anything or happens to make her blush.

Because of the way their relationship continued, and the societal and racial standards against them, it stirred up much controversy and became the talk of the town when the truth was revealed. Although the two can get into arguments and fall victim to jealousy, lack of communication, low confidence and a host of other problems with Droop-a-Long's job, the two love each other deeply and were devastated when Denise's parents made them break up. Similar to his friendship with Ricochet, Droop-a-Long's family took the news better than Denise's family, as it was namely Denise's brother Al and her mother, Yolanda who were wary of them; it took time, but he eventually got their blessing to marry her, and slowly Hoop 'n Holler and later Two-Bit came to accept them.

Although the two have an "opposites attract" relationship, there is more to it than that. More than just their attraction to each other, they also have common goals that they want to achieve, and are willing to achieve together. Also, their lives/goals aren't revolved around each other; they think of each other a lot, but not every second is spent doing so. The pitfall here often involves a lack of communication as well as occasional bouts of low self-esteem/confidence and/or jealousy--often by Denise, but very rarely, Droop-a-Long will feel that way as well. While they talk to each other, it's not nearly on the same level as Ricochet and Melissa, and both have the habit of holding things back to avoid hurting the other's feelings, only to be offended/hurt when they discover the reason.

Drag-a-Long Coyote Jr.
Similar to Droop-a-Long, Denise has bad relations with Droop-a-Long's brother, Drag-a-Long Coyote, Jr. Their first official meeting was when he tried to rob the train when they were on holiday; he tried to rape her, only for her to bite him. Upon learning that she was Droop-a-Long's girlfriend, he beat her up in order to force him to kill the passengers. Luckily she survived the beating, but the differences between Droop and Drag haunted her and gave her nightmares. Since Drag-a-Long has made her a semi-target, she's decided that she's going to fight back against him to protect herself and her family.

Lucky
Denise's relationship with Lucky was hard at first. Lucky was wary of her due to being his aunt, and he was worried that she would abandon Droop-a-Long just like his mother abandoned his father. Denise had to explain that she wasn't planning on doing that, and slowly started working on building Lucky's trust in people as well as teaching him about mercy, empathy and compassion. She and Melissa were there for him when his mother returned to exact revenge upon Ricochet, which sent him into a depression, and she was there when he learned that his father was responsible for much of his mother's suffering, which made him feel guilty for hating her. Lucky also tended to ask Denise embarrassing questions such as if she was Droop-a-Long's fiancée or his lover. He calls her "Aunt Denise" due to her being his mother's sister, but later after she marries Droop-a-Long, he calls her that due to being like a second mother to him.

Melissa Starkweather
Denise shares a good friendship with Melissa Starkweather, one of Ricochet's crushes. The two met at the Spring Fling and immediately hit it off, although Melissa was shocked to learn that the rumors of Ricochet leaving a girl at the altar were true. They like to talk about anything, including the two men in their lives and their shared concern for their well-being; it was Denise who kept Melissa from going after a dangerous criminal who left Ricochet incapacitated, and a few years later, Melissa would keep Denise from doing the same when Droop-a-Long, who went missing for two weeks, was found and heavily injured. Despite the societal differences between them, as well as their personality differences, with Denise being more energetic and Melissa being more reserved, Melissa views Denise as the sister she wished she had.

Appearances

 * Blazin' Trails
 * If Likin' You Is Wrong and Other Stories
 * Sheriff of Two-Bit

Trivia

 * Denise's design was originally based off of Bunny Hug, Ricochet Rabbit's girlfriend from the original cartoon Rapid Romance. Earlier designs depicted her with a larger head, shorter body and similar proportions to Ricochet. The later designs retooled her to be taller with a more feminine figure.
 * Denise originally had no role outside of being Droop-a-Long's mysterious, out-of-town girlfriend who was only supposed to appear once. Due to the edits and hints to her personality in Rapid Romance, however, her character was expanded.
 * Although she is mentioned by several characters in the series, Denise doesn't appear very often in the series proper as it's mostly about Ricochet and Droop-a-Long. Her first appearance in the series proper was in the final part of the Protector arc, and even then it was a small role. That is not to say, however, that she doesn't have any role in the story. Later parts of the series see her taking a more active role as she works to find her own place in life and help Ricochet and Droop-a-Long if needed. While it mostly details the development of her relationship with Droop-a-Long, the miniseries If Likin' You Is Wrong and Other Stories also details more of her character and her family.
 * Denise's blood type is A+.
 * Denise's Zodiac sign is Leo, although she doesn't possess all of the traits.
 * Her favorite foods are chocolate, cake, hearty soups and stews, while her dislikes include tart/sour tasting foods.
 * Cabbage is her favorite vegetable, and oddly for a rabbit, she dislikes carrots.
 * Although she doesn't like hard alcohol and is picky about cheese, cheese and wine sampling is one of Denise's favorite hobbies.
 * She likes to do puzzles, although not nearly as much as Melissa Starkweather.
 * She shares similarities with her sister, Serena Falconeri: she has an adventurous, sometimes rebellious spirit, has dated multiple people across the course of story, and like her, she too had a romance with a rabbit (Ricochet) and a coyote (Droop-a-Long). Whereas Serena cut Drag-a-Long from her life, Denise has a stable relationship with Droop-a-Long and was only forced to break up with him due to her parents.
 * Denise is completely flat-chested, a trait she shares with a few other characters in the series: Droop-a-Long's sister, Betty Coyote; Ricochet's aunt, Rosalinda Rabbit; and his sister Rachel Rabbit. She is slightly ashamed of it, but is rather proud of her midsection, which is described in the small short Distracted? as being well-toned, hinting that she exercises.