Please note, this is the first draft of the story. Chapter 2 is the final version, if you want to read both, feel absolutely free, but if you're only going to read one version, please make it the second.
An elderly bunny woman sat, rocking in her chair as dozens of little bunny kits started surrounding her. It was a cold winter's day, and supper was done, they knew it was time for a story from grandma. A murmur ran through, as everyone found a place to sit, the little ones chatting excitedly about what they would hear this night.
"Hmmm." The old bunny started. It was a quiet noise, but enough that the crowd around her grew still. "Hmmm. What story shall I tell today? What tale shall I spin?"
One of the older kits was the first to speak out "Tell us about the bunny that tames a fox!"
The old bunny chuckles to herself a few times "Ah, your parents don't like me telling that one. Say it sets a bad example. 'Foxes are a bunny's natural enemy' they say. And they're not wrong. But every now and then through history, it seems we've found a way to get along.
"This is the story of one clever little bunny, thousands of years ago, before we became the civilized animals we are today, and it starts on a cold winter night, just like tonight."
This little bunny girl was young. It was her first season living alone, and she had not found herself a mate. Living through the winters can be harsh even today, but back then, a little bunny living alone through the cold? It made for a long, long winter.
Oh, she was a clever bunny, alright. She had herself a nice cozy little burrow. Small, but it was enough for one. And she had worked hard through the summer and fall, gathering food. It wasn't much, but it was enough for one to get through the winter's harshness. And there she would have stayed, safe and secure but for the occasional surfacing, had the world not conspired against her.
See, one late night as she was sleeping, something awoke her: a great, powerful rumble, audible to her sharp ears. It was distant, yes, but approaching fast. A great shaking of the earth.
"An earthquake!" one of the younger kits suddenly burst out with, earning himself a giggle from the others.
"Yes, dear. An earthquake. But they didn't understand what an earthquake was back then. They just knew that sometimes the earth would shake and shudder, and in those times, underground was the last place you wanted to be."
So, this little bunny, she knew she had only moments to get out of her burrow if she wanted to be safe. She grabbed as much food as she could carry in her two arms, and scrambled her way out into the cold, and just in time too, mere moments after, the great shaking came. The very earth beneath her trembled and shook, and then she heard a terrible noise: a grumble and a great big FWOOMP as the earth in front of her caved in, burying her burrow.
Now this little bunny, she knew she was in trouble now. No home to hide in, and only the food she had on her to help her make it through. Well, it just wouldn't be enough. She was a resilient little bunny though. Determined not to let herself go without a fight. So, she buried her food nearby in the snow, grabbing a few berries to take along the way, and went off. She couldn't burrow a new home, not through the frozen ground but she figured that just maybe she could find an abandoned cave.
So off she hopped, into the cold winter air, looking for a place to stay and hide. Towards the hills she went, through the woods. But what this little bunny didn't know was that something else was living in these woods. A creature with fur, as your grand pappy might say, as red as the devil himself. A fox.
These days, a fox might just take you for all your money, leave you feeling dumb. Back then though, before we were civilized, a fox was a true threat. He might just decide to have you for lunch. And this fox? He had been woken up in the middle of the day by the great shaking of the earth. He was grumpy, and he was hungry.
This fox came across the little bunny as she walked through the woods, and she knew then that she was in trouble. Now, perhaps he was feeling merciful, or perhaps he simply wanted to play with her before he ate her, but for some reason, he did not kill her outright. Instead he started circling her. Watching her as she froze with nowhere to run.
This little bunny, though, if losing her home and her food didn't make her quit, well you can bet a big old predator wasn't going to either. She knew she couldn't outrun him, not on those long legs of his, but maybe she could do something else. You see, foxes, even back then, didn't just eat little bunnies like us. They ate bugs, fruits, sometimes grass, but what they loved most has always been berries. Berries like this young little bunny just happened to be carrying.
"Wait!" she called out to the fox as he came close, throwing the berries down into the snow. "Don't eat me yet!"
Well, that must have gotten the fox curious, because he stopped, looking down at the fruit she had just put down. "Little bunny." The fox started. The elder bunny doing her best to imitate a smooth, quick talking fox. "You must be out of house and home, after the great shaking. While that is unfortunate to you, what makes you think this paltry offering will save you? I have only to eat you and take your berries back to my home with me."
Well, the fox wasn't wrong about that, but perhaps that gave the bunny a card she could play. "Perhaps not now, but if you spare me, oh fox, perhaps we can come to some agreement. Fruit and berries are rare this time of year. Only those who had the time to store them still have them. I have such stores hidden all over the woods. If you spare my life, I can bring them to you."
Well now, that definitely got the fox's attention, but they are not creatures quick to trust. "And how," the fox rebutted "would I know you would return with the food should I let you leave?"
Well, let me tell you, this little bunny took a mighty big risk here, but she knew her life was on the line, and it was all or nothing here. "You said it yourself, I have no home to return to. Let me live in your den, and I will bring you some of my stores."
Well now that certainly caught the fox off guard. A bunny right up offering to stay in his den? It was madness. As far as he could tell, this was a situation where he couldn't lose. Either he had food delivered to him, or else he had a bunny meal sitting right there in his home. And so, the fox graciously accepted the bunny's proposal.
This bunny was nervous, oh was she ever scared now. She had enough to keep a fox happy for maybe a week or two buried in that snowbank, but no more than that. There was also the food in her collapsed burrow, but actually getting to that would be mighty hard. In short, this little bunny was afraid that she had just gotten herself into a lot of trouble. But, she was alive, which was more than she could have said without the ruse.
The fox collected the berries that she had dropped and led her back to his den, a hidden little hole amongst the roots of a tree, which has surely helped it survive the great shaking of the earth. For a fox's den, it seemed small to the little bunny. Apparently, the fox lived alone, much as she had mere moments prior.
Feasting on the berries, but apparently having the foresight to leave her a few, the fox curled up in the corner, yawned and closed his eyes, and drifted to sleep. The little bunny found herself a little spot well away from the fox and did the same, having been also prematurely awoken. She figured if he had wanted to kill her, he could have easily done it to her in the woods, so she was safe for the moment. So close to the entrance to his den, she felt cold and shivered the rest of her sleep, but she did not move closer, no. She didn't want to tempt him more than she had to.
She woke up to the fox prodding her with his snout. Well, I doubt any of you have ever had to have that exact experience, but this little bunny was scared out of her wits. Just about leaped out of the den in one go. The fox? He just laughed, walked right by her. Apparently he was keeping his side of the bargain. "Come on, little bunny. You owe me a meal today."
Well, considering she really only did have one stash, and she wasn't keen on the fox finding it, she spat right back at him "Fine. You'll get your meal, but don't try and follow me. I want to keep my secrets secret."
The fox, well he may have been just fine with it. What he wasn't so fine with was a backtalking rabbit. He gave her a sturdy cuff to the back of the head. It ain't so easy to tame a fox, you see. "Now, now. None of that. I showed kindness in not killing you. Besides, I still need to do some hunting. You'll have your time along. Just as long as you're back with my meal, you can stay."
Well that just freaked out the little bunny. Sure, he was a fox, and they need meat protein. Thankfully these days there's fish and bugburga, but back then, it was whatever they could catch. Well, that little bunny just hoped at the moment that some fruit and berries would satisfy the fox, make him eat a little less rodent and bunny while she lived with him, so she scampered off as quick as she could.
When she got to where her burrow used to be, well she started digging. Not just into the snow where she'd buries what she could save, but into the hole of her old burrow. Right where she knew she had stored her food for the winter. It was tough going, but the ground was still loose enough from being shaken free that she made some progress. Eventually, she had to call it a day, took back a little bit of food for herself and the fox. Enough that he wouldn't be suspicious about how much she had.
And so the bunny's days and nights went for a little while. The night spent in the fox burrow, staying well away from the fox, shivering in the cold, and her days spent digging, trying to get herself, and the fox enough food to survive. Then one day came a storm. Bitterly cold, with freezing wind and cutting snow. A storm that lasted all day, and by night showed no signs of stopping. By this point it had become pretty clear to both of them that they benefited from their little truce. But a storm that didn't let up? Didn't let a fox or bunny go out to find food? That could ruin everything.
Well, something else came with this storm. I might have mentioned it already, and that was the cold and wind. Cold enough, that even sitting a little further from the den's entrance, and a little closer to the fox, it just wasn't enough. The poor bunny was freezing! And after spending so long with the fox, the bunny, well she realized that if the fox wanted to eat her, especially with the storm outside, there was nothing she could do. So, she got right up close to the fox, nuzzled right up along his curled body, and closed her eyes. Both of them sharing their warmth with each other-
"Mother!" a voice suddenly called from a nearby doorway. A middle-aged bunny, busy drying a plate, had her head poking out from the next room over. "What on earth are you teaching my children?"
The elderly rabbit looked over, a big smile on her face "Why, just telling them an old bunny tale. It's important for these stories to continue on to the next generation, even if a generation in between got a little too prude about them."
"Mother, that's not what I meant. 'Sharing warmth?' Really? There are young children listening."
The old woman let out a little cackling laugh "You're the one putting that certain meaning to it- not I."
"Grandma, what's mom talking about?" one of the younger bunny children listening butted in with.
The elderly rabbit just smiled knowingly "Ah, you'll figure it out when you're older." She then looked over to the rabbit in the doorway "Oh, alright. I'll skip past this part, but it really is important to know how to really tame a fox."
Right, now where was I? Oh yes, the bunny and the fox curl up together and share warmth for the night, surviving the brutally cold night together, waking up in each other's arms. I'm willing to bet that was an awkward awakening.
"Mother!"
So, the bunny and the fox found a new way to co-operate with each other, at least until a groan from the fox's belly broke apart their warm little denning, but the storm was still going strong outside. The bunny shivered. She was so sure this was the end for her! No way for either of them to get any food, the fox would just take her. But then, the strangest thing happened. The fox just stood up, stretched, and walked right by her to look out of the den at the raging storm. Like he wasn't even hungry at all! He just stood there, and of all things, just decided to start chatting about the weather!
Well, our little bunny, she was right confused, until he smiled back at her with that mouth full of teeth. "It's just a little bad weather. I've gone far longer without food."
Well, that shocked the little bunny, and when she got over it, she hopped over, next to the fox and looked up and out of the den, seeing just a wall of snow.
"We'll dig our way out once the storm is over." the fox continued, as smooth and casual as ever, before wrapping his tail around the little bunny, keeping her warm so close to the entrance.
Well, as storms tend to do, this one blew over eventually, and after three days of hiding and keeping each other warm.
The elderly rabbit shot the empty doorway a glance at the last line, watching for any heads popping out.
After three days of hiding and keeping warm the storm finally passed by, and with a little bit of digging, the rabbit and the fox were free to go about the day. Now by this point, the bunny was realizing she had almost run out of food. Oh, there are things bunnies would eat in winter before preservatives, and outside help. Woody bark, buds on trees and bushes, basically anything plant life, but that wouldn't do for a fox. Not at all.
Well, she did her best to keep her food stores as long as possible, but they did one day run out, and she had nothing to return to. Her plans all run out, she just stood there, by her buried old burrow, nibbling on a branch and thinking. At least until a little flash of red caught the corner of her eye.
"So," The fox said as he approached her "Those 'stores' of yours finally ran out?"
Well, the little bunny had gotten used to the fox catching her off guard, but he still managed to do it. "If you knew this was all I had, why didn't you just take it and eat me?"
The fox just looked down at her and grinned. "Well, I don't rightly know." And he wrapped his tail tight around her, keeping her warm in the snow. "Maybe I just like you too much to chomp down on you. Besides, we keep each other warm at night. Why would I ever give that up?"
And so back to the fox's den they went, each doing what comes natural to them in the day, but then at night, a fox and a bunny, retreating to the same den and living together. Perhaps doing what comes natural then too, even.
"MOM!"
The elderly rabbit cackled "Seems I've made your mother mad at me again. Well, that's the end of the story anyways. It's time for med for all of you young ones."
A chorus of "Awww" filled the room, but with their mother hurrying to push them along, the bunny kits slowly filtered out of the room, leaving just the two adults.
"I really do wish you wouldn't tell that story, mother. Foxes are something we should be afraid of. What would dad think?"
"Oh, nonsense, Bonnie. It's a perfectly good story, besides, your father has always had his hangups. It's in his nature. I believe your husband has much the same attitude too."