In a place that is beyond the reaches of modern civilization, there was a meadow. Bordering that meadow, was a forest. The humanoid inhabitants of both had no need nor want to explore each other's territory and that was how it stayed for many generations. The forest was dominated by only the strongest and any small animals that dared venture in, would never be heard from again. The meadow citizens felt no need to worry about any danger thinking that the worlds would forever be separate.
Now, there was a certain rabbit of sorts that lived in the meadow with brilliant emerald eyes and feathery hair. He was one of the healthier residents and always cheerful. Recently, he had discovered a young, blue-eyed bunny with fair soft hair, which had no recollection of where he came from or where his parents were. The elder decided to take care of the young bunny and vowed to do whatever it took to keep him safe (even if he would one day leave). Around that time, rumors had spread of human hunters being in the forest and that supposedly, a bear had its tail sliced off by one of the humans. The bunny heard these and much more, but wrote it off as just gossip. His caretaker was unsure but kept the warnings in mind as he watched the bunny with a careful eye.
After a day of play, the citizens slowly wandered back to their burrows and other miscellaneous homes. The bunny was still playing in the tall green grass when a crash sounded from the woods. It happened to be the fabled bear with gleaming red eyes. Seeing the delectable morsel that was the blue-eyed bunny, he blundered closer only to be stopped by the green-eyed rabbit.
"Good evening to you," said the rabbit calmly. He received a huff and grunt in exchange.
"I am dreadfully sorry, but as you can see, this little one is mine" he continued.
"You're a rabbit. You can have plenty of other kids. Why don't I take him off your hands?" asked the bear slyly.
Chuckling softly, the emerald-eyed responded with, "True, true, my friend. But perhaps we can reach a compromise. I see you are missing a tail good fellow, but I have a perfectly good one" swiftly, he turned around to show the bear. "I will give it to you if you spare the lad. Besides, doesn't your forest have larger prey?"
With that, the bear was swayed and with a swipe of his claw, he took the tail and left. Fortunately, the sight of the bear was too much for the little bunny. He had fainted and never witnessed the gruesome transaction. From then on, the rabbit made sure to wear an extra long cloak so that the bunny would never have to inquire about what happened to his tail.
A moon had passed since the incident with the bear, and all was calm again. However, there were now new rumors of a fox whose ear was cut off by a hunter. The bunny, having forgotten the run-in with the bear, paid no heed to such tales. The bunny still played carelessly with the sun shining down on his hair and turning it into a halo of gold. Smiling, he went to find the rabbit.
"Oh dear. Aren't you far away from your parents?" asked a smooth voice. Quickly turning to the sound, the bunny gasped as he saw the one-eared fox. As it was too much for his little heart, the bunny collapsed.
"My, aren't you rude to children?" asked the rabbit who had been watching from the brush a few feet away.
"You may say that, but I was not the one who abandoned him. Seeing as you do not want him, I'll gladly take him from you" said the fox bending to pick up the bunny.
"Touché. Speaking of things we need, wouldn't you say having two ears is better than one?" Promptly, the rabbit made his way over to the fox so that they were face to face. Staring into his violet eyes, he said "I will give you my ear if you let the lad go. Besides, you look well fed. Why would you need more than your share?"
Taking the facts into account, the fox used his ever so long claws to claw off the rabbit's right ear and made off with it back into the woods. The emerald-eyed rabbit made sure to keep the hood of his cloak up at all times so that the young bunny would never have to wonder about what had happened.
The clamor again calmed down from the fox's visit. There was some talk about a hawk or crow, or something or other that had lost one of its eyes. This did cause a panic, as hawks were the most feared, and not one creature was seen outside during the day. Once night fell, the blue-eyed bunny figured it safe (since no hawks would be out surely) and decided to venture. After the bunny stepped out, a piercing screech sounded through the meadow, as a dark shadow descended upon the bunny. The child fainted away from fright.
"So you are the mystery something-or-other bird." The rabbit too emerged from his burrow. The barn owl only looked at him with one icy gleaming eye.
"Ah, so please hand the child over." Again, the barn owl was silent.
"He is important to me. I will give you something you will need in return. Since you are missing an eye, take one of mine." Stepping closer, the rabbit knelt in front of the owl, waiting for the decision. Emotionless, the owl dropped the child and with that, gouged out the rabbit's left eye. Without a sound, he flew off into the night. Sighing, he gathered the child in his arms and made his way back to the comfort of the burrow. To hide his injury, the rabbit arranged his tousled hair in a way that swept over where his eye once was.
A season passed until word of another hurt predator made its way to the meadow. This time, it was a wolf whose arm was cut off because of a metal trap. It had been so long since any large animals crossed into their village, it did not worry the inhabitants too much. The bunny was more than happy to be able to play in the grass after a long winter. Bounding and leaping, he had fun while under the watchful gaze of the rabbit. Something had seemed off to the rabbit that day, though. As he inhaled, he picked up the sharp metallic smell of blood. It was the wolf. Sprinting as fast as he could, the rabbit snatched up the bunny before any harm could be done. The bunny was not sure what had happened but after turning to see the dark and looming presence of the wolf, he fainted.
"Quick one aren't you?" asked the wolf gruffly.
"I try. But it seems that you weren't quick enough getting away from those hunters" the rabbit quipped back.
"Such an insolent mouth from such a small creature" the wolf growled.
"I had no intention of insulting you. But, since you are missing such an appendage how about a bargain? Take my arm and let the boy and me go free." Saying this, the rabbit outstretched his left arm in front of the predator. Since the wolf wanted that far more than food, he gnawed off the offered arm and made off with it into the forest. Small rivulets of blood dripped from where the arm used to be. This time, the rabbit made sure that the cloak he wore was big enough to cover his missing appendage. The bunny never found out.
Before the creatures in the meadow knew it, it was winter. Making their way to their homes, they all prepared for the long cold days ahead. It would just so happen that the little bunny had somehow gotten sick. The disease had nothing to do with the weather, but more because of his weak heart. It pained the rabbit to see the usually cheerful bunny so sickly and sad. He knew of a way to save him but wanted to ask the bunny before he took any action.
"Dear little boy, would you like to run and romp in the sun again?" asked the rabbit cautiously.
"Yes, more than ever!" The bunny was excited thinking that perhaps the rabbit knew of some miracle medicine.
"Does it matter to you what the price is?" The rabbit had now turned away from the child; his figure was slumped and his visible eye-distant.
"As long as it is well in your budget," responded the bunny hoping that the rabbit had enough to barter for it.
"Very well then. Before I leave to get it, here. Drink this." The rabbit handed him a vial of a strange pink liquid. Taking the bottle, he quickly downed the sickly sweet syrup and drifted off into a deep sleep.
The next morning, the bunny felt absolutely wonderful! Peering outside, he saw that not a flake of snow had fallen yet. Giddy with the hope of playing outside, he went to find his beloved rabbit. The rabbit had dark circles under his eyes and his one hand was heavily bandaged, but he was happy that the bunny was back to his normal self.
Seasons passed until the bunny was no longer a bunny. He was now, a young rabbit. Noticing that his caretaker barely ever ran anymore, he proposed a run through the meadow. The elder refused.
"Aw, come on. Are you so old that you can't even go for a romp with me?" teased the young rabbit.
With a roll of his eyes, his caretaker said, "Old? I'll show you who's old!" With that, he began running with the younger close behind him. The green-eyed rabbit would have won too if not for a horrible pang, which made him stop.
"Oh no. I overdid it…" were his only words.
Worried, the blue-eyed rabbit made his way back.
"What's the matter? Surely you aren't tired already?" Bending, he offered the elder rabbit a hand. Unfortunately, the cloak the rabbit had worn for so long snagged on a root and was pulled off. Gasping, the blue-eyed rabbit saw how mutilated his caretaker actually was.
"B-but how?" was all he managed to stutter. Finally, it dawned on him. The predators he encountered as a child were the cause….
"You always were care-less" teased the out of breath green-eyed rabbit. "I am just so sorry that you had to see me like this. I hoped to live a little longer."
The young rabbit remembered his heart condition as a child and asked frantically, "What else did you trade? Tell me. Don't keep me in the dark anymore."
With a longing and sad expression, the green-eyed rabbit whispered, "I gave you my heart. I replaced mine with your weaker one." After saying those words, he crumpled down onto the soft grass.
With a steady stream of tears falling from his eyes, the blue-eyed rabbit knelt beside his caretaker. Astonished by his sacrifice, he said in a barely-there voice "Tell me, what do you want in return? You have done more than enough for me."
Hesitating, he slowly responded. "My last request is for you to call me by my name."
Blinking, the blue-eyed rabbit realized he never knew the elder one's name. "I'm sorry, I cannot. I don't know your name" he muttered ashamed.
"It's Arthur." Smiling, Arthur looked up toward his now grown up little brother.
"Well, Arthur, thank you. I'm Alfred by the way" he responded.
Smiling, he muttered a slight "you're welcome". Arthur died that day.
The meadow was not like it was before, as the hunters had driven the more dangerous creatures in. It was no longer safe for the smaller creatures to loiter, but the meadow still retained its beauty. Alfred was now a grown-up rabbit, with his own lost child to care for. His name was Artie, but Alfred liked to call him Art. And of course, he had the most beautiful emerald eyes.