Defend Me

Mummy

The sun still shone cheerfully down onto the green leaves and colourful flowers that were littered across the woodland.

A calm breeze flowed through the air, coaxing the dandelions and grass. Gentle rustling could be heard from the trees as they inhaled the sweet fragrance of flowers.

A puddle of scarlet blood pooled around the furry mass. Large beings disrupted the peace with their metal tools, thunderous footsteps, and jarring voices that were filled with triumph.

The rabbit didn"t have much time before they reached her. So, she set off once again. Her beating against her ribs, trying to escape the confinement of her chest.

Her movements were jittery and uncoordinated, and she had to look behind her multiple times to make sure she wasn"t being followed, lest she had a heart attack. She went where she knew she would be safe.

Her parents.

As she ventured deeper into the woods and closer to her parent"s burrow, a subtle scent of cinnamon began to crawl into her sensitive nose.

Sweet and mildly spicy; the familiar smell relaxed the erratic of the bunny"s poor heart. Her mother was baking again. She knew she could confide in her mother and receive advice and comfort no matter the situation.

Hopping into the burrow, the little rabbit"s bones began to snap and pop back into her hybrid form before she threw herself into her mother"s arms.

Large tears began to roll down her face before she could get a word out. “Mama… Mama-” she was cut off by her own sobbing.

“Viridity? What"s wrong, my sweet cherub?” Her mother stroked her back to slowly relax her oldest daughter.

She hadn"t a clue as to what had upset her this much, but she was determined to figure it out. “You know you can tell me anything, but you have to calm down a bit first.”

Her mother"s soft voice was all Viridity could focus on as she tried to slow down her breathing. “A wolf it - and then - so loud - it fell and then these weird… they looked  so much like us!”

Despite her panicked state, her mother was able to piece together what she cried out. Her face morphed into a blank expression, eyes freezing over.

“Humans. You ran into humans.” her mother stated. She grabbed her beloved daughter by the shoulders and looked right into her eyes.

“Humans?” The young woman hadn"t seen what had shot the wolf. bit she knew she wanted to stay far, far away, and never find out.

“Their great big beasts that only care about themselves. They view themselves as superior and us as a meal. Don"t trust them.”

Viridity shook as she looked into her mothers eyes and nodded slowly.

“Stay away from them, I won"t be able to tell you twice.”