The wolf and the rabbit

The rabbit awoke in a den, one with the scent of a wolf. He froze as his senses awoke with him, feeling a large being sleeping beside him. Outside was a harsh snow storm, but the rabbit wasn't cold. The creature beside him was keeping him warm, keeping him safe.

Blue eyes slowly looked at the beast-no. Wolf beside him, the same wolf who had caught him earlier that day. A shiver went down the rabbit's back, his fur standing on edge. His breathing increased as did his heartbeat. The rabbit was frightened, thoughts running rampant in his mind.

Slowly, the rabbit stood up and took a few careful steps back from the sleeping predator, blue eyes flickering between the exit and the wolf. In a flash, the rabbit ran outside, hoping that the wolf wouldn't wake up until he was long gone.

It didn't take long for the wolf to notice the missing rabbit, the space getting cold from the wind outside. He awoke as the sun arose, amber eyes glancing around and not spotting the small creature. Realization flashed across his eyes and he jumped up, running outside and following the small footprints left behind. He called out to the small creature, hoping he was still alive.

The rabbit heard the call, but didn't dare answer back. Blue eyes were looking for a place to hide, a safe haven. Somewhere the wolf wouldn't find him. But, all around was snow. As far as he could see was snow and dead grass. He heard the wolf cry out again, begging for the rabbit to answer.

The wolf knew the area, knew this area had no other predators but plenty of grass when the snow melted. It was a paradise in the spring but a death trap in winter. It was the perfect place to keep the rabbit safe from his old pack. After years of lying, he finally spoke up against eating the rabbits. However, the sight of the rabbit, the one he was chasing now, being carried in by a hunter was the final straw. He stole the rabbit and ran, hearing the others chase after him.

He was chased from his home, from his pack because he wouldn't kill. This rabbit was once a friend, when he was a pup. The two would play chase and hide and seek, up until the first lie he told. The rabbit had asked what the wolf ate and he lied and said what the rabbit eats. That one simple, innocent lie led to many more. But the wolf wouldn't stop. He knew what would happen, he would lose his only friend in the forest. So, he kept lying to protect that friendship. He kept lying to protect the rabbit.

The rabbit had known better than to trust a wolf but the thought of a friend was what kept him near. The two were the best of friends and whenever the wolf would tell him to hide, he would. He never knew why but he listened, up until he watched as his brother was killed by a wolf and taken to the pack. He asked a question about food and he knew the wolf lied but, the wolf never lied before so why now?

And then, more lies came. And so did the anger from being asked so many questions, many questions the wolf either lied about or completely ignored. He was captured and taken to the wolf pack, but seeing his wolf friend confirmed his worst nightmares. He was prey and his friend was a lying predator. There was a fight and he fainted from being shaken too much. Now he remembered why he awoke there, and why the tears threatened to fall.

The wolf called again, begging the rabbit to stop and saying that the rabbit would die from the cold. But the rabbit didn't listen. If the wolf had lied before, who's to say he isn't lying now?

The two ran as the sun rose high in the sky. The wolf continued to beg and plead with the rabbit to stop, to come back and be safe with him. But the rabbit didn't listen, didn't want to listen.  What trust he had in the wolf died with the utter of that first lie.

The two were growing tired, and the rabbit was freezing in the snow. Amber eyes had seen how blue eyes glanced back, how light brown fur shivered from the cold and he hoped the rabbit would listen to reason now. So, he tried once more. "Dear rabbit, my legs are getting weak chasing you. The snow fields wouldn't seem so big if you knew that the blood on my teeth is far beyond dry. I didn't capture you to eat you, I saved you from having to die. I'm telling you that you'll be safe with me."

The rabbit took a shuddering breath, finally deciding to answer back. "Dear canine, my legs are getting weak from running from you. The snow fields wouldn't be enough if you knew the fear in my heart is far too high and you captured me once but I fled in the night. So I'm asking you ,just please leave me be."

The wolf gained a spark of hope, hearing the rabbit reply back to him. "Oh rabbit, my claws are down so don't be afraid. I can keep you safe and warm as long as you try to be brave. I know I'm a wolf and I've been raised to kill, I've left my pack behind and the thought of killing you is making me ill. I promise that you'll be safe with me.”  The rabbit was starting to slow down, the cold seeping past his fur, “Canine, your claws are out now and I’m still afraid. I want to be alone, I don’t think I can be brave.

“I know I am prey but I fear for my life, cause your words had cut deep and your anger causes fright. Your lies pierced my heart and your growls made me freeze. So I’m begging you to please leave me be.”

The wolf began to realize why the rabbit was running from him, the lies he told scared the rabbit away. But the wolf wants to fix it, he’s telling the truth. “Please rabbit, stop looking the other way.  It’s cold out here but I can keep you warm. If you can learn to trust me again.” Rabbit tripped as the words soaked in, unsure if he should give the wolf another chance. He lay in the snow, blue eyes letting small tears fall. “Dear canine, it seems that I just can’t break away. My bones are cold and you speak the truth. So, I’ll give you another chance.”

The wolf panted as he carefully picked up the rabbit and started the trek back to his cave, hoping that Rabbit could hold on until then. However, feeling his friend shiver, he knew he wouldn’t. So, he pressed and shifted the snow into a small nest, placing the rabbit in. He then carefully curled up around his friend. “I’ll keep you warm and safe, Rabbit.”

Blue eyes were already closed, amber eyes fell as he lightly nuzzled his friend and fell asleep. Wolf knew that Rabbit just needed to be warm, so he’ll stay and sleep beside him, until Rabbit woke up. He’ll stay until then.

(I had gained the initial idea from the song I know I’m wolf by Young Heretics and a set of counter lyrics created by Killian B. I had found in the comment section of a lyric video for the song. The conversation between the rabbit and wolf was derived from the lyrics but I tried to keep from basically using copy-paste as that would be rude and considered as Plagiarism.)