Vacation Dreams (5 page)

“Smudge?” Becky echoed, too worried about Arrow to concentrate properly.

She hesitated, trying to decide what to do. Her instincts told her to go closer to the warren and check out some of the burrows for any sign of her friend. But how could she explain that to Leon without giving Arrow away? She’d come really close already.

Becky forced herself to calm down. As hard as it was to wait, she would have to trust Arrow.

Leon was watching as other rabbits emerged. Soon, more adults stood up on their legs all around the warren, sniffing
the air for possible enemies. Then, at some kind of invisible signal, six of the tiniest rabbits Becky had ever seen appeared from a burrow right beside Smudge.

“Look at those. Aren’t they sweet?” Leon turned toward her to whisper. “Baby rabbits are called kits. This is the first time I’ve seen them out of their burrows. Smudge has been feeding them milk in a special underground chamber, until they’re old enough to eat grass.”

Becky’s heart melted. They were very cute.

Suddenly, she spotted a familiar tiny fluffy pale coffee-colored shape hopping toward Smudge. Arrow!

“There he is!” Becky exclaimed. “I
mean…there they are,” she quickly corrected herself, pointing at the kits.

Becky watched closely as Arrow stopped in front of Smudge. The tiny magic bunny looked about half the size of the lead female. Smudge laid her ears flat and her eyes rolled as she reared up above him with her front paws outstretched.

Smudge was going to attack Arrow!

Becky caught her breath, worried that her friend would be hurt. But the wild rabbit eventually sank back down and crouched head to head with Arrow. The two rabbits stayed motionless for a few seconds before Arrow touched his pink nose to the wild rabbit’s muzzle. Smudge bowed her head as if in farewell.

To Becky’s relief, she saw the magic bunny give a flick of his tail as he hopped away from the warren and came bounding back toward her. Becky felt her tension easing as the little rabbit settled down with his warm furry body pressed against her bare arm. Leon was busy looking at the kits, so Becky risked talking to Arrow.

“When you ran off like that, I thought you’d gone to live with the wild rabbits and didn’t want to be my friend anymore,” she whispered.

Arrow’s floppy little ears drooped. “I am sorry. I should have explained that I was only exploring. I am very happy with you, Becky.”

“That’s okay, then.” Becky stroked his fluffy fur, feeling a bit silly now for being so worried. “Because I love having you for my friend!”

They settled down together to watch the wild rabbits. Becky was able to concentrate properly now. She noticed quite a lot of difference in the colors of their fur. Some of the rabbits were a dark brown and others were almost gray.

Leon edged closer on his tummy and started scribbling in a notebook as he studied another group of larger rabbits that Becky assumed were males. She
was really enjoying being here with him. Maybe being quiet sometimes wasn’t so bad after all.

“The lead female is a nice rabbit,” Arrow told her.

“Leon calls her Smudge,” Becky whispered back. “Because of the mark on her ear.”

Arrow nodded approval. “Smudge. That is a good name.”

All at once, Becky noticed that the key around Arrow’s neck was shining brightly.

Arrow saw her looking. “Moonglow Meadow will soon be in need of more of the key’s magic,” he explained.

“Do you have to leave?” Becky whispered anxiously.

Arrow looked up at her with serious eyes. “Not yet. But if the key glows constantly, I might have to leave suddenly, without saying good-bye.”

“But you can come back here again afterward, can’t you?”

Arrow shook his head. “I am afraid that is not possible, Becky. Once I leave here, the magic trail to this place is closed forever. I hope you understand,” he said gently.

Becky pressed her lips together as she nodded, hoping that this wouldn’t happen too soon. She had barely
recovered from the fright Arrow had given her when he had wandered off, and she wanted to enjoy every single moment she could with him.

Sitting back in the warm sunshine, Becky, Arrow, and Leon watched the wild rabbits all around them. The creatures fed and groomed themselves, perfectly at ease.

Leon gave a muffled cry of delight as some of the kits leaped high in the air and kicked out with their tiny back legs so that they changed direction.

“Did you see that? Rabbits do that twisting jumping thing when they’re happy. It’s called a binky.”

Becky felt her interest quickening. She hadn’t seen Arrow do a binky. Maybe magic bunnies showed they were happy in other ways. “How come you know all this stuff?” she asked Leon.

“I’ve been reading up about wild rabbits. Most people just take them for granted, but they’re really interesting once you start looking more closely.”

“I didn’t realize that.” Becky was impressed. There was more to her
cousin than she’d realized. “Is this the kind of stuff you write about for the online ’zine Uncle Den told me about?”

“Yep. And tons of other stuff about animals and insects. I’m going to be a wildlife reporter when I’m older.”

Becky believed him. “I think you’d be great at it.”

Leon looked pleased but then he frowned. “I don’t think I’ll ever convince Dad about rabbits, though. He’s always complaining that they’re eating his crops and he’s been threatening to do something about it.”

“Yes. He mentioned that at breakfast, just after you went upstairs,” Becky said.

“Did he?” Leon asked worriedly. “I wonder what he has in mind.”

Becky searched her memory. “He
said he was going to ‘take action’ or something like that. Maybe he’s going to trap them and then let them free somewhere else?”

“I wish,” Leon said. A serious look flickered across his face. “There are lots of harsher ways to deal with a rabbit problem. If you ask me, this warren’s in real danger.”

It was late afternoon as Becky, Arrow, and Leon made their way back to the farmhouse. Leon was lagging behind, deep in thought. Becky knew he was worrying about the wild rabbits, as she was.

Arrow lay in the curve of Becky’s arm, with his fluffy front paws crossed. “What did Leon mean about the warren being in danger?”

Becky wasn’t exactly sure, but she had a fair idea. She hated telling him, but he would have to find out soon enough.

“Leon thinks Uncle Den is planning to use ways to…um…cut down the numbers of rabbits. Like getting rid of the warren,” she said gently.

Arrow looked shocked. “That is terrible!”

Becky nodded, feeling awful. “Yes, I know.” She couldn’t bear to think of anything bad happening to the wild rabbits, especially Smudge and her kits.

“There must be something we can do!” Arrow said, his whiskers twitching anxiously.

Becky racked her brain to come up with a solution as they reached the gap in the hawthorn hedge. She had a sudden flare of hope when she remembered how Arrow and Smudge had stood head to head, as if they might be communicating.

“Can magic bunnies talk to wild rabbits?”

“No. We are only distantly related to them. They do not speak our language. But Smudge is a very intelligent rabbit.
I could sense some of her thoughts in pictures.”

Becky hid her disappointment. “I thought you might be able to warn her about the danger, so she could tell the rabbits to stop eating the crops.”

“I do not think that can happen. Did you notice how the plants around the hill have been nibbled down?” Arrow asked sadly. “The warren is large. I think there are too many hungry rabbits here.”

Becky had a flash of inspiration. “I know! You could use the magic key to make the hill green and lush again—like Moonglow Meadow!”

Arrow nodded slowly. “It might work for a little while. But I will not always be here when the hill needs
more magic. And the rabbits will be too hungry to resist eating your uncle’s corn and cabbages again.”

Becky realized she had to face facts. A solution didn’t look very likely.