I only watch it out of the corner of my eye, because rabbits run if they can tell you're looking. I'd run, too, especially since we make stew out of so many. It looks at me like I'm a hunter as I plod in my winter boots across the frost covered grass to leave the scraps as far from the door as I can. When I turn to leave, I make sure my back is to the rabbit so it sees there's nothing to fear.
"Many thanks, lady." A voice calls out to me and I can't help but spin so fast, I land right on my tush. Auntie smacked me a good one for saying "butt" just once before I learned my lesson.
"Be careful there!" Another little voice yells. "You'll crack your head right open like that, kid."
I blink snow out of my eyes and sure enough, a brown and white hare is staring at me. On his back is the tiniest frog I've ever seen, clinging to the rabbit's fur with strong, webbed fingers. "How can you... I mean you're not supposed to-"
"Talk? It's not supposed to snow year round, either." Frog says to me. He's right. And I've pretended tons of other things before so this isn't so bad.
"Most don't listen." Rabbit says. "But I didn't expect my thanks to knock you on your keister."
"You're welcome." I whisper, getting up on my feet again. "It must be hard to find food now."
"Well, Rabbit here keeps my feet warm and lets me eat whatever bugs manage to get in his fur." Frog leans over to inspect the scraps. "And he gives me shelter since the lake froze up. Lotsa us water folk ran off after that."
"And you always leave the best stuff. And I can see why now that I look at you. You're thin as the branches on the ground. All coat and mittens."
"I don't need much. Auntie gives the dogs so much of her food, they're spoiled. I can share with you guys." A nasty wind cuts right through me and I shiver hard, almost biting my tongue as I try to talk.
"Go on inside, skinny. You'll freeze." Frog scolds me, leaning in close to Rabbit's fur. Her voice shivers like mine but she's got no teeth to chatter.
Nodding, I race into the house, waving to my figments as I go. "I'll leave more tomorrow!" I call to them as I push back the dogs and go back inside. It's fun to have friends, even if they aren't real. I'm usually too busy with chores for Auntie to let me go play. I giggle to myself at the thought Frog on Rabbit's back bounding though the snow. What a pair they make!
"Many thanks, lady." A voice calls out to me and I can't help but spin so fast, I land right on my tush. Auntie smacked me a good one for saying "butt" just once before I learned my lesson.
"Be careful there!" Another little voice yells. "You'll crack your head right open like that, kid."
I blink snow out of my eyes and sure enough, a brown and white hare is staring at me. On his back is the tiniest frog I've ever seen, clinging to the rabbit's fur with strong, webbed fingers. "How can you... I mean you're not supposed to-"
"Talk? It's not supposed to snow year round, either." Frog says to me. He's right. And I've pretended tons of other things before so this isn't so bad.
"Most don't listen." Rabbit says. "But I didn't expect my thanks to knock you on your keister."
"You're welcome." I whisper, getting up on my feet again. "It must be hard to find food now."
"Well, Rabbit here keeps my feet warm and lets me eat whatever bugs manage to get in his fur." Frog leans over to inspect the scraps. "And he gives me shelter since the lake froze up. Lotsa us water folk ran off after that."
"And you always leave the best stuff. And I can see why now that I look at you. You're thin as the branches on the ground. All coat and mittens."
"I don't need much. Auntie gives the dogs so much of her food, they're spoiled. I can share with you guys." A nasty wind cuts right through me and I shiver hard, almost biting my tongue as I try to talk.
"Go on inside, skinny. You'll freeze." Frog scolds me, leaning in close to Rabbit's fur. Her voice shivers like mine but she's got no teeth to chatter.
Nodding, I race into the house, waving to my figments as I go. "I'll leave more tomorrow!" I call to them as I push back the dogs and go back inside. It's fun to have friends, even if they aren't real. I'm usually too busy with chores for Auntie to let me go play. I giggle to myself at the thought Frog on Rabbit's back bounding though the snow. What a pair they make!
