(Author's Note: Around 1,500ish -give or take a few 100- words is around 3/4 pages on Word. Readers, please remind me to try and stick to chapters being that long… okay?)
"One may have heard of the great stories of Frith," snuffled Thicket, an old brown and grey buck, "the does may have ushered stories of the Black Rabbit of Inlé to get you to fall asleep," he carried on. He liked to pause between the sentences, it was his unique way of telling stories, and it certainly made them more gripping, "but your story, young one, is far more interesting. You know, of course, that you were an orphan, and your mother and litter had a tragic death; but do you remember who it was that found you?"
"No, sir," said the little rabbit, that Thicket was addressing, as it tipped its ear to the side and shook its head.
"I shall begin your story the way it was told to me," again he paused and again his ears twitched before he began to speak. "It was late autumn, when the hares where just about to nestle into the bushes and long grass for the night. Frith was scattering his last warm rays across the land before he rested beyond the horizon.
"The Guarding hare's, like our own Owsla, where ready for their night watch. One of these hares, called Max, was getting ready for his first time. He and the fellow long-legged hares were stretching their legs and twitching their ears intently to listen in on the sounds that night brought. Everything was peaceful. Their own kittens, they call them Leverets, were safely snuggled up to their mothers. It was late autumn and getting colder, but that night it was quite warm.
"It was just dark when things started to happen. The night insects had begun to stir and the chirrup and fluttering of wings where not the only noises that could be heard by the hares.
"A cry of agony came from somewhere high up the hills. The dimming of Frith's light had allowed the Guarding hares' eyes to adjust to the change. So, they could see what was happening and each head turned to the Senior Guard; each head, except Max's.
"Max sprung into action. He literally sprang, like hares do, up the hill; to the aid of the creature. Max, by the way, was not a senior Guard. He was junior Guard and they aren't supposed to do anything without permission. But he did. So, the senior Guards had to follow.
"The creature that was in agony was a rabbit. It was your mother. She was being attacked by one of the cats that lived in the farm. She was the only surviving doe of River-rah's warren. Do you remember the stories?"
"Yes, Thicket," replied the young rabbit. "You told me all about River-rah and his warren under the pear trees! And of how the Owsla of Hazel-rah's warren, led by Bigwig, went to save them. But didn't you say all the does died?"
"Yes, you do remember I see," he laughed, "Well, your mother escaped before Bigwig and the Owsla went to help. She never turned back and she just kept running, although heavily pregnant. She would never trust another rabbit again.
"It was because of that she had decided to bring you up on her own. When she was ready to give birth to you she found a small shelter near some bushes and thickets. It was two days after you where born when Max went on his night watch and the cat attacked.
"However, when Max reached your mother it was too late. He instantly saw the litter, and instinctively ran at the cat to protect you. The cat hissed and was obviously surprised; it probably didn't expect to meet a hare, and it obviously didn't think it would get attacked by one.
"Max was about to ram the cat down the hill. It jumped up to dodge him, but it was a little late, so it tried to take a swipe at him as he ran under it. Max, however is a quick hare and very quick at thinking. He bucked his legs backwards as he halted under the cat and it went flying into a bramble bush. Yowling as it went.
"It didn't come back. The other hare's say it got up, licked it's self and ran off, promptly. Or as soon as it saw the rest of the Guarding hares running up the hill.
"Max thought he'd done pretty well, until he looked at the litter. As you probably have guessed, your brother's and sister's did not make it. The female hares believe that if it wasn't for you being the smallest you would have died.
"You see, once the cat had finished with your mother, you and your litter started to whine. It's what anyone expects from hungry little kittens; but you know that out in the open that can attract so many of our enemies. The greedy cat did not want to be attacked or made to flee by some other animal. So it silenced you all, or so it thought.
"It was Max that found you, whilst being scorned by the senior Guards, and they had to help such a young animal. You were very small and very frail then, they didn't think you'd make it."
"The hares come every year, don't they?" asked the young rabbit.
"Yes, Little, and they should be visiting tomorrow or soon after," he smiled, as his grey and brown legs scratched at his ears. "Max will be coming, and he wants to see how much you have grown. He hasn't seen you for more than six months. Not since they gave you to us when you were only a week old."
"I don't remember any of that," Little added, her white nose twitching.
"You know the hares wanted to christen you Lucky," added Thicket, "But Max insisted that you should be called 'Little'. So if you want to blame anyone for it, it should be him!"
"Well they shouldn't call me small!" thumped Little, her brown legs hitting the floor with force.
"Twitcher only called you by your name, isn't he allowed?"
"It's not what he said," she huffed, "it's how he said it."
"Well, Little, you had better get to the sleeping chambers. The hares will want to see you, and they come early. Don't worry about getting up; I'll wake you, just worry about getting enough sleep. Okay?"
"Alright Max," she added, getting up and hopping away, "I'll go sleep. See when Frith rises, Thicket."