A Hare

C/TW: Mention of Death.

~

It’s peculiar, isn’t it? How some distance can make everything seem so small?

For example, we have the sprawled stars that have kept men company from the very beginning.

What about a hare per se?

. . .

They might not seem so interesting, especially in comparison to other incredible beings such as eagles, dolphins, and elephants but maybe after this story, you might have something to say. 

Just take a second, closer glance and tell me if you maintain the same stance. . .

Our story begins in a loud, silent night where footsteps could be heard.

In our setting, there are two night skies that can be observed; the infinite curtain of the Earth and the sleeping kingdom of Great Britain.

A hare climbs upon a hill that oversees this all. 

This hare just bore a gift from within, a litter of critters, or better yet, a litter of leverets-a word I assume you’ve never met.

Although hares are known to have a good memory, our hare has a silly anomaly.

She raises her head up high, towards the top night sky, and sniffs the air of which she occupies. 

Then, she looks down south to the bottom night sky, a kingdom whose every crook and cranny is lit by a glass containing light.

What was she doing here again?

The hare has forgotten why she climbed the hill during this loud, silent night.

Our story continues with a bird startled by the arrival of the hare.

She flaps her angelic wings and takes flight to elsewhere.

As she spots a new suitable haven, all the clocks of the sleeping kingdom strike eleven.

So begins the song of our loud, silent night.

The bird lands on her new tree and starts to sing the beaded night away.

On the branch of which she newly perches, a leaf detaches from where it stays.

Chirping crickets back the singing bird as they join the symphony from the tree’s hollow.

The leaf dances with the graceful wind as it makes leeway with the fallen, the soft crunching leaves below.

As the leaf arrives at what seems to be its final destination, the pile of leaves crunch even louder when a beaver wobbles atop.

The beaver picks the newbie up, and wobbles, and wobbles, then abruptly stop.

Our hare from earlier has revealed itself in the beaver’s path.

It appears she has had an epiphany and has remembered the task she needed done fast.

As a new mother of leverets, this hare must collect grass.

The beaver and the hare stare, each one unaware of the other.

After a short while, the hare sniffs the air and makes up her mind.

The hare knowing better that the other is no danger to be scared of, carries along especially since she has better things to take care of, things that she has to find.

The beaver also carries on and follows a stream.

Where the stream and a river greet one another, the beaver is building his dream.

With his mighty tail, he pats the newbie leaf on the dam he has amassed where it will serve its new purpose, to be there until it lasts.

Our story continues in the sleeping kingdom of Great Britain where we will follow the following men.

A man has enjoyed a feast of red meat with his royal court.

Another man has enjoyed a loaf of bread with his child and commoner consort.

A poor man, alone, battles hunger with slumber.

The first man then sleeps in his king bed.

The second man, instead of going to bed, returns to his desk where he will spend the rest of the loud, silent night playing with words and reality in his head.

The last enters eternal sleep, otherwise known as, dead.

Unbeknownst to the second man’s knowledge, his wife and son have left the cottage.

The wife and son have planned a surprise to repay all his hard work and sacrifice.

So he could work easier they make their way to possess a gift that will help him see better.

Our story continues with our friend the hare who seems to have forgotten again of why she is there.

She wriggles her mighty sniffer in the air and sees the aftermath left by her encounter, a trail of unearthed grass left by the beaver.

Once, she has collected as much grass as she can carry, she embarks on her next quest in a harey. (Pun intended)

She hops.

And, hops. 

Then, abruptly stops.

Sitting on the edge of the wild, she has found her nest but also a curious woman and child.

Why has the hare stopped, what seems to be the worry?

As innocent as it may be, the woman and child are posing great threat and danger.

For their mere presence alone can attract unwanted hungry strangers.

Do understand the life of a hare.

They bury their babies and visit them rare.

This might make them seem like bad parents but everything they do are not done in vain.

Do remember that hares are nearly at the bottom of the food chain.

Hares keep their babies in shallow hollows where they are protected.

Leverets are odourless, unlike their mother, that is why she keeps her visits limited.

Do understand the life of a hare.

If you look into their eyes and see no emotion, do remember that inside something massive is in motion.

When a mother sees a difference in her patch, she might choose to abandon the whole batch.

So, the next time you see an unknown weird-looking patch of grass, don’t mow your lawn and leave it alone.

Our story continues in the loud, silent night.

A hare appears quiet but inside she is blaring fright.

Helpless, she watches the woman and child crouch over her beloved nest.

The nest she tried protecting as best as she can.

The woman and child are the wife and son of the second man.

They were on their way to their destination when they spotted the patch of grass along their trail and lost concentration.

Mother hare lays her ears in defeat.

She has fought bravely but sometimes with nature, you just can’t compete.

Maybe if she had gotten there sooner. . .

She raises her head up high towards the top night sky.

She gazes at the infinite curtain of the Earth before looking one last time at the place she gave birth.

She sniffs the air of which she occupies and catches something that causes her ears to rise.

Long and behold, out comes a hero from the shadows who approaches the duo with slow waddles.

The wife and son see the approaching creature.

They squint their eyes and peer closer, there coming out under the moon’s silver light is our buddy the beaver.

The wife and son’s interest shifts, they stand and gawk at the lone engineer before remembering they had a gift to give.

Fear leaves the hare as the humans turn to go back to their expedition.

The hare regards the beaver before he as well leaves to continue his mission.

The mother at long last approaches her nest with the grass.

For another day, she is a winner.

Our story ends with a hare and her fluffy critters.  

What a night that has been!

What a journey for a hare!

This is a night she'll surely remember, a memory that will remain engrained forever.

Remember, hares have a good memory, it's just that our hare is a fairly new mother but then again, nothing beats the love of a mother.

What about you? What have you been doing?

You’ve just been sitting there reading a story about a hare.