Chapter 2- Friends

Ethan Wilde was born with gardening tools in his hands and a sack of cotton on his back. He grew up on a plantation with his parents. They were owned by an old elderly couple who treated them quite well all things considered what with them being "Filthy predators" and all.

Ethan was five when he asked his mother: " Momma, why do I need to work so hard? My hands hurt and my back aches. I just want to go and play in the fields where the owners grandchildren go!" His mother's face contorted into an uncomfortable and forced smile. "Well... Its our job!... And... They take care of us." As she tried to find her words tears began to fall. "Its okay momma! I'll work extra hard for our friends." Him saying this caused her mother even more distress due to the fact he did not understand the dire situation the family was in as well as the powerless feelings she had kept suppressed.

She quickly turned away from her hopeful son. She could not bare to see the glimmer of hope and pride in his eyes that she had lost many years ago. She wanted to save him but had no way to do so.

Just then, Ethan's Father ran in. "The poor landowner died in his sleep. Were being moved to his son's plantation 20 miles north of here." He looked concerned and a bit shaky. "What's wrong dear you're shaking like a leaf!" He took a deep and long breath before looking at his family.

"They're only keeping two..." He said in a barely audible voice.

"What will they do with the other?" His wife asked. Her panicked voice dug into Ethan's fathers soul. "They're having a sale of sorts auctioning off one of us to the highest bidder."

"They're not taking my son!" She said powerlessly as she hugged Ethan close. His father walked up and brought his strong arms around the both of them. "It's okay... They'll most likely want me. As long as you two are together I'm happy."

The next thing Ethan knew was that he was on the back of a wagon with the hot sun beating down on him. He took off his ragged coat and put it over his head to protect himself from the sun. It wasn't until sundown that they got to the new farmstead.

Ethan noticed the mass of Bunnies that were sitting on the porch waiting for their father to return. He also saw familiar faces that he would see on his old farm. He was exited to talk to them but that would have to wait.

The male bunny whom was very small compared to the large father Fox that stood over his family. He led them to a small cabin on the property and left them to get rest. "Come to the House 6:00 sharp for work orders." The rabbit said in a monotone deep voice.

Ethan woke up late the next day to see his mother sitting at the side of his cot. She had broken the news. His father was sold off and would be sent 50 miles south into a large plantation which had multiple families of predators working on it.

Ethan did not cry nor did he even blink he just accepted it and moved on. He thought that perhaps he would see his father again on better circumstances. His mother noticed the shine in his eye dimming. He promised her husband that she would not give up hope for Ethan's sake and his alone.

He worked with his mother in the field. He enjoyed the time spent with his mother and loved hearing her hum soothing tunes as they enjoyed the hot weather. Seemingly out of nowhere, small bunnies crowded around the small fox.

"Wow you look cool!"

"Why are you so much bigger than us?"

"Come run around with us!"

Ethan was taken back by the sudden interest the group of bunnies had for him. "Uh... Yea?" he whispered. "Oh come on! don't be shy!" One slightly taller bunny said. Ethan looked to his mother for a response with a slight glow in his eyes again.

"Well... Is your father ok with one of your...Workers...running off with you guys?" She asked politely.

"I'm sure its fine we'll handle it if there's any trouble." The eldest said with a chorus of "yea" and "yeps" behind him. "I suppose you can go then Ethan. Be careful!" she yelled after her son who was already running off.

He had, most likely, the best day of his otherwise boring and mundane life. Through the whole day he climbed trees, swam in the lake and played hide and seek. Ethan had an advantage in this with his better sense of smell and eyesight meaning he could smell out all the bunnies no matter how hidden they were.

His good day quickly became sour when the bunnies father strode up to the group and scolded them for associating themselves wit that of a fox.

"Yall cant trust theses dang gone animals! That there fox got the mind to rip ya thoat out ya hear!"

"No dad we spent all day with him he's not much more different than us!" one small girl said. " He ain't like us! All I care he ain't even Mammal! If I catch any of you with this here fox again... There'll be HELL to raise! Now get back to the house now!"

As all the bunnies began walking away the small girl handed Ethan a small slip of paper that read:

Ethan, I want to talk to you more, you've seemed to peak my interests and I'm not a mammal that waits around! Meet me at 7:00 by the peach tree on the far side of the estate. My father wont find us there. I look forward to our meeting.

-Maggie

The plantation owner strode up to the small fox and grabbed him by the collar. "If I see you with my children, ill shoot ya dead you filthy fox." He had eyes filled with nothing but pure rage as he let go and strode toward the farmhouse.

Ethan stood stunned trying to take in what had just occurred going over it over and over again. He shook himself out of his trance and ran off to find his mother. Remembering the slip of paper the girl had given him, he looked over the small slip of dirty brown paper.

On the back of the sheet was a map to get to the tree which seemed to be on a small hill near the edge of the woods. He was pleased to have this token of friendship but he could not read a single word. He knew it was writing but could not fit the words together. However, he noticed the numbers in the time she had written.

With that being all he could decipher, he was completely unsure about what the meeting would mean for him.

Once he got back to the estate cabin where he lived with his mother, the sun had settled just above the horizon. He had time to eat the small ration his mother had made him for the night consisting of bread, water and a small bowl of fried crickets.

Ethan looked down at his father's watch he had given him before they parted ways. 6:48 The watch read as he got up from the table and headed out the old wood door. " Where do you think you're going?" Asked his mother as she looked up from the soapy water of a wash bin. "I'm going for a walk around to get some fresh air." He lied as he walked out following the vague map to his destination.

It was dark and the stars were shining once he found his way to the old tree which had branches reaching open and wide as if it was accepting him into it's embrace. He looked back at his watch, 7:12. Looking back up he was assaulted by a bunny jumping from a nearby branch and onto his back. He screamed in terror until he heard uncontrollable laughter coming from his shoulders.

"You're late!" she said between gasps of breaths from her laughing fit. "Yea whatever. What do you want?" he asked still upset about the stunt the rabbit pulled. "Didn't you read my letter? How else would you have known to be here?" She was laughing again. "Well before we go off having conversation I should introduce myself." as the laughter from the rabbit subsided. " Oh sorry I'm getting ahead of myself! I'm Maggie Grey." she said offering a paw. "Ethan D. Wilde." The fox said shaking the smaller bunny's paw.

they sat under the tree making small talk about the harvests and the weather until Ethan asked: "So how is it?" How's what? You need to give me more than that!" Her cheery tone was quite alien to Ethan. "I mean... like going to school and living in that huge house with all your siblings. It must be so interesting every day to have such an adventure..." He trailed off looking at her.

She kept a smile on her face. " Are you kidding?! Its the WORST! School is sooo boring. Plus my siblings pick on me for being smaller than them." "But you cant take those little things for granted Maggie." He started. "Wha-?" she looked confused. "Well think about it, you have a huge family that loves you. and you have the resources to learn new and exiting things in school." he began.

"My father is god knows how far away on a different farm because he was stolen from us... And all I do is help my mom weed the garden and separate seeds from the cotton balls. If it were up to me, I'd be a lawyer... or scholar or... You get it." He ended losing his words.

"Then why don't you?" she asked clearly confused. Ethan took a deep breath and looked down. "Because I'm a predator. A second class citizen, IF THAT! Even if I were the smartest fox in the world nobody would care." he looked down and dug a smale hole with his finger in the loose soil. "Wow this is deep. You should write this down." the Bunny said trying to lighten the mood.

"I can't read or write! Do you see me or anybody like me in schools? My mother cant read either. You know why? Because they don't care." He said flatly crossing his arms. "I'm going" he said standing up clearly flustered.

"I care..."

That single phrase stopped the fox in his tracks. "I'm going to teach you to read if its the last thing I do!" She declared triumphantly pointing toward the starry sky. "You'd do that for a fox like me?" He asked, turning around. "I'd do that for anyone! And brighten up! your bad spirit has seemed to darken the starry sky with your bad attitude."

"Fine," he laughed. "I'll meet you here tomorrow then?" "Sounds wonderful." She said as she turned around skipping to the brightly lit house on a hill overlooking the grand estate of the Grey family.

Ethan trudged back to his cabin where his mother was sleeping on her cot in the corner of the room next to his. As he laid in the straw he thought of all the things he could finally get out of his head through a pen and paper.

Their meetings became ritual for the pair as each day passed. Ethan learned new words and sentences along with learning more about his close friend.

Eventually, years passed and though he had become completely literate, Ethan still met with Maggie every evening to discuss her schoolwork and interesting books she read.

For Ethan's 12th birthday, she had given him a small pocket dictionary. From that day on, he carried it wherever he went.

The inside cover read: To my Homegrown scholar and Friend. I'm so proud of you!

-Maggie

Hope you enjoyed the second chapter as well as the beginning of Ethan and Maggie's friendship.(Disclaimer: Gideon Grey is not related to Maggie in any way. I know, their last names are both Grey). Don't worry next chapter will have some action as well as some drama so stay tuned. Most of all: enjoy your day!