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The wet grass dampened the fur on his belly, and that upset him very much.
It had been a while since the rain stopped, but there was still no warmth from the sky, and there likely wouldn’t be until another full night had passed. He got used to them, somewhat. The burrows were cold and shallow, as he wasn’t strong enough to dig deeper, and sometimes loud hootings woke him up, but it was still pleasant. Peaceful.
The freedom was worth leaving his nest, even though he often missed his mother’s scent.
The memory of sweet milk, bitter herbs, and quiet tenderness would enveil him for as far as those small feet would carry him across the endless meadows and the plain pastures. Or at least, for as long as he could remember it. The world was sometimes deafening and scary, and it was often hard to recall certain details. Yet, to his sorrow, he could not forget how mean the other two kits were to him, but it wasn’t his fault he was born smaller, wasn’t it?He hoped not, but it often felt true. That was the biggest reason why he left, more or less.
He carefully peeked around. The sharp winds bent the tall blades of grass and weaved through his downy pelt, prickling his skin. It still smelled like dew and wrath, so there was no point in staying put. Darting further, he found the softened earth slippery beneath his paws. He didn’t like that kind of weather. It made everything feel bigger than he was. There was a forest looming close, dark and tangled. Venturing into its depths was terrifying, but the open field never felt safe; it left him too exposed. A young oak would suffice to shelter him through the long darkness.
A sudden movement caught his attention. Every muscle in his body froze.
Not daring to move his head, he just waited, twitching his nose, praying for anything familiar. It moved again, not too far, but not close either. An odd shape, smaller than a tree, but bigger than a shadow. Hiding low, watching, waiting.
I was another rabbit. A mere kit, just like him.
For a long time, neither of them moved.
His fur was darker, soaked, and clinging tightly to his body. That made those rosy eyes stand out even more, wide and alert. Go away, he thought. I don’t want no friend, no foe. But the unknown bunny paid no mind to his feelings and took the first step closer. Should he run? Should he stay? There was no malice in his movements, so the right choice wasn’t clear. Something inside his heart made him shift forward, too.
Curiosity tugged at his mind, searing and relentless. Ears flicking, small snouts quivering, they edged closer to each other. His siblings would call him a fool, but he was too stubborn and it was too late to pull back anyway. Briefly, they tried their best to make sense of one another; different coats, but still thick and bright with youth. Mismatched eyes, but still eager and glinting with spirit. It was difficult to make it clear, but in some way, he liked it. His little soul felt drawn to it, more or less. They were close. Close enough to see better the mischief and tension buried through those dark lashes.
But before he could do anything else, the other one lunged.
A sharp claw pierced his skin. Scratching, pushing, shrieking, hissing. He kicked out blindly, twisting, trying to shove the other away, but everything he gave simply came back. They tumbled, rolling through wet grass, breaths coming in loud, angry bursts. A few attempts to run were made, but to no avail. Someone was in the mood to play, and it looked like there was no choice but to comply.
He scrambled free for a short moment, but the rude rabbit bolted again. This time, he would not let himself be caught off guard again. Concentrating, tensing, pushing on his hind legs, he sank his sharp little teeth into a fluffy, dark ear. To his surprise, the other one did exactly the same thing. The pain burned through his whole body, but he was so annoyed that it didn’t even matter. The two froze, staring intently, each with the other’s ear caught in their mouth, jaws clenched so tight that thin trails of blood seeped into their fur. He stomped on the ground, upset, demanding to be freed. The other kit stomped too, more taunting than anything else. They huffed and puffed, neither ready to be the first to let go.
A deafening rumble from above split the world in half.
They jerked in unison, instincts snapping faster than pride. Breaking their grips, ears slipping free, the small kits stumbled forward, straight into each other. For a brief, startled moment, they pressed close, small bodies colliding into a tight embrace. The sharp wind followed, rushing across the field and right through them. Everything seemed to darken at once. Another rumble rolled somewhere far as cold drops began to fall.
Panic rose between them. They bolted, first side by side, then weaving through the tall grass. It was too hard to see anything, but the new, strange familiarity of their scents carried them through the uncertainty. Heavy droplets struck them. Their surroundings became a cold and blurry mess.
The forest edge loomed closer, but the ground grew uneven too, roots twisting up from the earth like it wanted to trap them. Some scared shrieks broke through the howling wind. He stopped in his tracks, looking back. The other bunny trashed around, eyes wide and dazed. A misstep. One of his legs got trapped between the thick, unforgiving roots.
For a heartbeat, just for one, he hesitated. He should have run, should have hidden away, gotten himself to safety somewhere.
But he couldn’t.
Turning around, darting straight for the weeds, he knew the work had to be done fast. Pawning, scratching, biting, pulling at the stubborn root, his small body pressed near, despite the fear surging through him. It might not have been much, but whatever he did, along with the trapped kit’s struggling, he finally slipped free.
It filled their hearts with joy, but another loud growl made them flinch. There was no time to pause. They ran together, closer than before, until the forest swallowed them in shadow and cover. Impatient noses sniffled relentlessly until the perfect spot was found: a low, small bush, with branches thick enough to break the wind and abundant leaves that would repel the heavy pour.
They dove right into its shelter.
Twigs broke, pebbles twisted, trees bent. All nature raged with fury, but beneath the tangled cover, it was dimmer. Perfectly still, and quiet. For a while, neither dared to move. Frightened, spent, battered, a toll was definitely taken on their small bodies. Would another fight break between them? It seemed like neither had any strength left for that.
Slowly, carefully, the kits shifted closer.
A few small nudges, some hesitant presses. Soft. It felt so soft. They tucked in against each other, little noses brushing against damp fur, seeking the satisfying warmth the other had to give. Their breaths slowed down as their bodies settled together. Outside, it was cold and terrifying, but inside, everything felt at ease. All the tension bled away. They curled closer, tiny forms fitting together.
As the exhaustion crept in, small eyes slipped shut. Nuzzled as they had always belonged together, the kits fell into a sleep as sweet as any they would ever know.