A young hare watched the setting sun, gazing at it from afar. He stood on
his hind legs, watching and thinking. Suddenly, he heard noise from behind
some scattered shrubs that were near him. Twitching his ear, he turned
around, rounding on whomever had snuck up on him.
An old voice chuckled. "Pek," he said, "You're ears don't fool ya naught, do they?"
Pek smiled. "Hallo, Father Reynold." He watched the great, old hare intently. "What brings you up this early, wot?"
The grey, aged figure of a hare smiled back. "Oh, the usual, y'know.bustlin' bunches of 'ares snorin' up a storm. couldn't sleep at all." Father Reynold, propping his cane against the ground, swatted at stray mosquitoes.
The dull, light brown hare sighed. "Eh, well, ol' chap, 'ares are usually like that, wot."
"Still sad about Laressa?" he asked gently, worried lines creasing about his forehead.
"Wot else would I be sad about, sir?"
"Ah, don't call me that, young'un, I'm too old t'be called sir."
"Sorry, Father."
"'tis all right. Y'know, Laressa was such a bright liddle lassie. wish she were my own, I did. Bright and beautiful like a freshly picked apple."
"Yes, Father," said Pek softly. Tears stung in his eyes, and he made haste to wipe them away, lest Father Reynold would see.
Father Reynold pretended not to see them, and looked away, his attention at the setting sun again. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"
Pek nodded, and slumped down on the dusty ground.
"Should be goin' back t'Salamanda-thing, wot?"
He nodded again, then picked up a stick, hefting it in his paws. He threw it out, to see how far it would go. "Dang vermin, wish they'd never came."
"Y'couldn't stop 'er death, Pek. The whole mountain was being raided at night, no one ever knew."
"I should've.," Pek stopped, and tears ran freely. "I should've been there with her."
"'twasn't yer fault, laddy," muttered Father Reynold, looking away again. Getting up, Pek glanced up at the blackening sky. "Better get back, wot?" he said, smiling weakly. "Almost brekkers, an' y'never wanna miss a Salamandastron brek, do ye?" He half-heartedly glanced up at Father Reynold.
Father Reynold nodded, grim. "Yeah, don't want your ma to get all upset, wonderin' where y'are."
An old voice chuckled. "Pek," he said, "You're ears don't fool ya naught, do they?"
Pek smiled. "Hallo, Father Reynold." He watched the great, old hare intently. "What brings you up this early, wot?"
The grey, aged figure of a hare smiled back. "Oh, the usual, y'know.bustlin' bunches of 'ares snorin' up a storm. couldn't sleep at all." Father Reynold, propping his cane against the ground, swatted at stray mosquitoes.
The dull, light brown hare sighed. "Eh, well, ol' chap, 'ares are usually like that, wot."
"Still sad about Laressa?" he asked gently, worried lines creasing about his forehead.
"Wot else would I be sad about, sir?"
"Ah, don't call me that, young'un, I'm too old t'be called sir."
"Sorry, Father."
"'tis all right. Y'know, Laressa was such a bright liddle lassie. wish she were my own, I did. Bright and beautiful like a freshly picked apple."
"Yes, Father," said Pek softly. Tears stung in his eyes, and he made haste to wipe them away, lest Father Reynold would see.
Father Reynold pretended not to see them, and looked away, his attention at the setting sun again. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"
Pek nodded, and slumped down on the dusty ground.
"Should be goin' back t'Salamanda-thing, wot?"
He nodded again, then picked up a stick, hefting it in his paws. He threw it out, to see how far it would go. "Dang vermin, wish they'd never came."
"Y'couldn't stop 'er death, Pek. The whole mountain was being raided at night, no one ever knew."
"I should've.," Pek stopped, and tears ran freely. "I should've been there with her."
"'twasn't yer fault, laddy," muttered Father Reynold, looking away again. Getting up, Pek glanced up at the blackening sky. "Better get back, wot?" he said, smiling weakly. "Almost brekkers, an' y'never wanna miss a Salamandastron brek, do ye?" He half-heartedly glanced up at Father Reynold.
Father Reynold nodded, grim. "Yeah, don't want your ma to get all upset, wonderin' where y'are."