They were gone. Finally gone. Gone off to play and dig for clues and eat and whatever else they dared do without him. Wolf didn't mind. No, he couldn't possibly mind. He knew the danger. As much as the fever was affecting him, he knew the danger. Oh yes. Every month it came, biting at his mind and scratching out his senses.

But they were gone. Safe from him. Not that he was going to try anything. No, he was a good wolfie. Wolfies didn't eat people, anyway. No, sir.

But bunnies on the other hand… there weren't any rules against those.

Virginia had brought him the rabbit—long-eared, as he had specified. Furry. Warm. It was nice to cuddle, he admitted. His mother had never had any rules about playing with his food. Dang, but how could sweet and creamy Virginia be so naïve? Eh, he didn't care. He had the rabbit. He stroked its fur, gazed into its beady black eyes. Cute, it was. Yes, Virginia had thought it cute. Cute cute cute. Oh, food didn't need to be cute.

No one was watching.

He felt his wolf instincts growing.

Yes, rabbit for dinner. What could be sweeter?

He moved to tear it apart.

Suddenly, the rabbit was no longer in his arms. He blinked. How could he have lost his grip on the furry thing? His eyes searched the barn.

There it was, in the corner, eyes glowing.

Wait. Bunny eyes weren't supposed to glow. How could…

Eh, it had to be his imagination.

"Come here, fresh meat," Wolf growled, lunging at the rabbit.

The rabbit waited for his approach.

And then it attacked.

Wolf, surprised, was thrown back onto the hard earthen floor, trying to push the bunny away from his throat. But it was too strong. Sharpened claws poking between soft pads and fur, scratching at him. Teeth glinted in the moonlight, long and deadly, like daggers. The eyes were red now, a terrible, fierce red.

Wolf screamed, and with one final burst of strength, managed to push the rabbit away.

The rabbit shook its long ears, then pounced again, sinking its teeth into the flesh of Wolf's leg.

Somehow, he managed to kick it away.

For a long time it was only them, the darkness, and the moonlight pouring through. They gazed at one another, predator versus prey, predator versus prey. The ageless game of the hunt and the wild. And, deep down, Wolf allowed a dash of grudging respect.

Then the rabbit, with a final growl, hopped away.

The End!