7. A Journey of a Thousand Miles
Hope is the only thing stronger than fear
-Suzanne Collins
Slowly, terrified, the small group of rabbits crept forward, Enthuthlay in the lead, the kits in the middle and Yarrow and Iris bringing up the rear.
The cornfield was close; the rabbits could smell the fresh green scent of growing things, hear the creak and rustle of leaves.
"Stop," Enthuthlay hissed and the others halted right away.
Nervous, nose twitching, the wild rabbit scanned the area ahead of them. There was no sound or scent of elil but it was still wise to be cautious.
"Come on," Enthuthlay moved forward, slower than before, every fiber in her being poised to run.
At the back of the group, Iris paused, stood up on her hind legs, sniffing the air.
Peering over her shoulder, Enthuthlay paused, watching the other doe. Suddenly, a streak of grey darted forward from behind the rabbits and Iris vanished with a squeal of pain.
"RUN!" Enthuthlay screamed a second after the cat pounced and darted blindly towards the corn, her heart hammering in her chest.
Walnut was nearly bowled over when Yarrow ploughed through him and his siblings in his haste to escape.
"HEY!" Mulberry shouted at the older buck as he disappeared amongst the corn stalks.
The kits scattered, running in zigzags towards the corn, panic overpowering logic.
Walnut reached the field last, feeling as though the cat's breath was hot on his hindquarters as he dashed among the tall, green stalks.
"Mulberry!" He cried, chest heaving as he ran, "Peony! Thresanyn! Where are you?"
"Walnut! Walnut!" he could hear his siblings crying for him but he couldn't see them. He stopped, panting for air, hiding behind a cornstalk.
"Walnut?" Mulberry, his brother called, his voice closer than it had been before.
Walnut crouched as small as he could, shivering so badly he was shaking the stalks of corn. Ears pressed firmly against his skull, he tried and failed to get the sound of Iris' scream out of his head. From between the corn at his left side, his brother appeared, ears and nose twitching.
"Frith's teeth!" Mulberry cried and nuzzled Walnut, "Are you all right? You're shaking like a leaf!"
Walnut nodded, "Where…. Where are Thresanyn and Peony? Where's Enthuthlay?"
Mulberry shook his head, "I don't know. I lost them in the corn."
"Do you think the cat's followed us?" Walnut asked, still shaking.
His brother nuzzled him again, "I don't think so. It should be preoccupied with Iris for now."
Walnut closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again, "We have to keep going. We have to get to Enthuthlay's warren."
"Take a moment and catch your breath first," Mulberry advised and stood up on his hind legs, using his forepaws to comb his ears back against his head.
Walnut struggled momentarily to slow his breathing but his heart still pounded in his chest.
"Come on," Mulberry pressed his nose into his brother's side.
"Which way?" Walnut asked, his eyes wide and fearful.
"This way," Mulberry indicated marks in the dry soil around the corn stalks where rabbits had passed.
Walnut obediently followed his older brother as Mulberry hopped forward. The young bucks remained close to one another, anxious that the grey farmer's cat had followed them into the corn.
A rustling sound beside the kits caused them both to jump and kick out fearfully but then a small, brown mouse climbed down from a stalk and onto the ground, darting in front of them, its cheeks stuffed with kernels of corn.
Walnut closed his eyes, "Oh, I just want to leave this place."
"We're almost there," Mulberry encourage, "Just a bit further."
The two rabbits moved forward slowly, cautiously, not wanting to draw unwanted attention to themselves. It seemed to the kits as though the field of corn was never-ending, the stalks all looked the same and with only Mulberry following vague marks scratched in the dirt, Walnut wondered if they would be trapped forever in the maze of green.
"Mulberry! Walnut!" Thresanyn's voice called out to her brothers far to the right.
Spurred on by that familiar voice, the bucks began to run.
"Thresanyn! Peony!" Mulberry cried "Where are you?"
"This way!" their sister's voice replied, closer than before.
Mulberry, the stronger buck and faster of the two, soon vanished into the greenery, leaving Walnut alone.
"Mulberry!" Walnut cried, "Mulberry, come back!"
Still running, the young buck suddenly crashed through the last of the cornstalks and out into an open field.
Skidding to a halt, Walnut hugged the ground, his ears tight against his skull.
"Walnut! Here!" Peony's voice cried from behind him and he turned to see her, Mulberry, Thresanyn, Yarrow and Enthuthlay crouched tight against the stalks at the edge of the field.
Turning, Walnut hurried to his siblings, the thought of being out in the open and exposed making his heart flutter fearfully.
Panting, he stared at his brother and sisters for a moment before Mulberry started laughing.
"We made it!" he cried happily, kicking his back legs with joy.
Suddenly all the kits were giggling uncontrollably, the two older rabbits watching the younglings with some concern.
As quickly as it began, the laughter died down, leaving the younger rabbits breathing heavily.
"We're sorry about Iris," Peony spoke up, touching Yarrow's nose with hers.
The buck nodded.
"We still have further to go before we reach my warren," Enthuthlay broke in, pointing her nose towards far end of the corn field.
"We still have to cross the pasture," she told them, "And it is best to do so before daylight."
The other rabbits looked at her, tired from their frightening flight through the corn.
"We can rest once we reach the safety of the warren," Enthuthlay continued gently.
"What are we waiting for?" Mulberry asked, moving forward, "Take us to your warren, Enthuthlay."
Author's Note:
Thanks to Chipster-roo and Guest for reviewing!
