"Merida...where are we going!?" Asked Raven. The little black haired girl had followed Merida out of the castle, into the courtyard, and now was about to follow her into the woods. Raven stopped directly in front the trees, hesitant to go in.
"Raven! We got to get going! We may miss it!" Merida paused to turn around to her friend. "What's the matter Raven?"
"Merida...I have never gone into the forest. I hear a horrible bear lives in there...and eats children! Merida this is such a bad idea..." Raven said.
"Don't be silly! Aster will protect us if the bear ever does come for us..." Merida told her.
"What-ster?" Raven asked.
"Aster Bunnymund! The Bunny of Easter of course! Don't ye tell me you don't believe..." Merida stared at her friend with sad eyes.
"The Bunny of Easter? Is this what it is all about? Oh Merida I DO believe in him...it's just...you really think we will get to see him?" Raven asked. Merida could hear the doubt in the girl's voice. How could she not hope that they will get the smallest glimpse of him? Merida scrunched her face into a disgusted look.
"Fine. Be that way. I'll go on me own and meet Aster myself." Merida turned abruptly and marched off into the forest.
"No Merida! Wait for me!" Raven held up the bottom of her dress and ran after the red-haired girl.
Merida came to halt by a tree stump. There she put the basket filled with pipes and flutes she found around the castle. She fixed them to look presentable when Aster came to collect them...then she will get her glimpse of the legend.
She heard the rustling of leaves behind her. She turned to see Raven coming out from behind a bush. "So, decided to join me after all, did ya?" Merida said.
"Well I can't just leave you by yourself. It's so lonesome out here and scary..." Raven hugged herself and ran next to Merida. She looked at what Merida had in the basket she brought with her. "And what are those for?" She asked her.
"They are for Aster! I read in the ancient scrolls that he loves to sing and dance to the song of folk...so...I thought that maybe he might like some instruments to make some jingles up himself." Merida told the timid Raven.
Raven's face was dumbfounded. "Ye think he really will come just for that? He has so much more important things to do this time of year." Raven added. Merida looked at her friend with a disturbed looked again."... If Raven was going to continue to doubt like this, he would never come!..." Merida thought.
"You don't have enough hope! If you have hope, he will sense it..." Merida turned away from her friend and walked past the tree stump. Then she stopped. "Hello? Aster are you out there? My name is Merida...and this here is Raven! We left ye some nice gifts here. I know how much you like music, so I hoped you would enjoy these. It could help your flowers blossom! We believe in you Aster Bunnymund!" Merida went back to Raven and pulled her into a bush.
"Ow! Why..." Raven began.
"Shhhh! We will wait right here...completely still." Merida made a small window in the bushes so she and Raven could get a small glimpse of Bunnymund when he appeared. Raven sighed; she lay next to Merida...and waited.
What seemed like hours went by. Merida and Raven could hear the hammering and chattering of the clans people from afar, continuing their work for the feast. Birds were chirping as the leaves rustled as the slight breeze blew through them. Merida rested her head on the palms of her hands...nothing...the pipes and flutes lay in the same positions in the basket.
More time passed. By this point, Merida and Raven lay sleeping in the bushes...until...suddenly...a noise. Merida jolted awake, and turned to her friend. "Raven! Raven! Wake up! I hear something!"
Raven wrestled a little bit until she finally opened her eyes. "Merida...what...what are you talking about?" Raven fumbled for words.
"Aster! I hear something!" Merida moved the branches of the bush to get a see. Nothing, but the basket wasn't there either. "Oh Raven! The basket is gone!" She bolted out of the bush.
"The basket is gone! The basket is gone! The basket is..." Merida's enthusiasm died out when she saw what had taken the basket...beavers. "Beavers...we-little beavers."
Upon seeing Merida, the beavers quickly gathered the wood instruments in their mouth and headed deeper into the forest. Merida's face was distraught.
Raven toke her place right next to her wild-haired friend. "I told you he wouldn't come out. He's too busy Merida. How else would all those eggs get out in time for Easter?" Raven said.
Merida sighed. "I guess you're right." She bent down to pick up the basket.
"Come on now. Let's get back." Raven headed off to the courtyard.
Merida turned to follow her friend, but then stopped. "No...mummy said not to lose hope...not to lose hope...hope." Merida looked back into the deep forest and smiled. "No, this isn't over. I'll be back again Aster."
Merida turned and ran to catch up to Raven...just as they were out of ears way, a soft tune started filling the air. The sound of a flute began to play, the trees and grass responded to the sweet melody. Birds begin singing loudly, the animals began to dance. Around the stump, flowers blossomed, flowers of various and radiant hues.