Chapter 1 - Lost, But Now Found

In the darkness of the early morning, a grey color doe bunny, dressed in a long plain color dress, searched vigorously among the many possessions arranged in her room. Securing a small velvet travel bag closed, she walked over to her bedroom door. Carefully listening, she slowly opened and exited her room. Turning silently and cautiously, she made her way along a long dark corridor and down a grand staircase. She stopped suddenly at the front door, as she moved along the foyer. Turning her head over her shoulder, she looked up and along the second-floor landing. Her emotions playing heavily on her mind she raised the velvet bag she was carrying to her chest and turned back to the door. Unlocking it, she opened and stepped out into the frigid early morning, shutting the door softly behind her.

Making her way down the long stretch of earth and gravel, she desperately searched out along the distant landscape before her. Her gray hairs along her feet quickly started to go numb from the cold morning dew. The doe's violet eyes blinked as she caught sight of a large black shape laying in the distance. With one last glance she turned and carefully observed the now distant manor house, and its many lightless windows, for any signs of movement. Her short breaths, vaporizing in the cold morning air, she listened for any sounds of approaching individuals.

Reaching a high open wrought iron gate, the doe scanned the meadowlands laying beyond, as she dashed across an open field. Breathless from her uncontrollable need for escape, her grey cheeks flushed as she continued along the wild and overgrown area. Reaching a small stile crossing along a narrow embankment by midday, weak and tried, she lifted herself up and over, as she emerged onto a country lane. As she continued her way, she started to feel her empty stomach rumble within her.

As the day turned slowly to evening, exhausted and disheartened, the doe found herself lost and alone, under a wooden four-way road sign. She reached into her small velvet bag and withdrew a simple black traveling cloak, draping it over herself for added warmth. Apprehension quickly fell over her, cold and hungry, as she began to step cautiously off the solitary road, following a low standing stone wall. Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, she started to cry out in grief as she stopped and rested next to a lonely elm tree positioned in-between a section of wall. Leaning her head upon the stones, she closed her eyes.

Waking suddenly to the sound of a thundering roar, the doe trembled as she opened her eyes. Not knowing for how long she had been asleep, huddled on the soft ground, she clutched at her cloak as she pressed herself tighter between the elm tree and a stone wall. Her paws, trembling from the cold air around her, she felt a few scattered drops of rain fall from above the elm trees branches. Raising warily, leaving her secluded sanctuary, she began to slowly stagger across an open field, in into an approaching storm.

By late evening, through the storms lashing rain and wind, the doe, ever more exhausted, collapsed on the mud-filled ground. Faintly, raising her head, the rain and wind unrelenting on her wet body, flashes of lightning illuminate the night sky. In the distance, a stone cottage illuminated along the empty, barren field. Her legs so weak from exhaustion, she struggled to raise herself as she staggered up to the lit cottage. Breathless and weak, the doe summoned her strength and repeatedly knocked on the wooden door.

In what seemed to take a lifetime for her, an old female badger, ever so slightly opened the door to the cottage and peered out at her. The warm light from within immediately illuminated the doe's muddy features, quickly alarming the badger. "I can't take in any beggars here. You most move off." The elderly badger said quickly. "If there are any more of you, tell them I am not alone. There is a gentleman here staying with us." The badger said these last words and closed the door quickly.

"But…I…I," the doe, unable to find her voice quick enough, watched painfully as the door slammed shut before her. Crying desperately as she turned away, back into the storm, the weight of her soaked cloak pressing on her, she pushed its hood off her head. Walking only a few feet from the cottage doorstep, her body seemed to give out as she started to collapse. Crying out with her last bit of energy, the doe whispered to the night sky, "Nicholas!"

She suddenly felt herself quickly being raised back up, as if weightless. Lifting her head toward the rain filled sky, she faintly saw what appeared to be the face of a dark, handsome buck bunny looking down at her. Supporting her in his arms, the handsome buck, cradling her, turned and hastily, rushed back and through the now open cottage entrance.

"John?" A female voice quickly called out, as the male bunny reentered the cottage.

A light brown female bunny, rising from her chair near a low burning fire, her ears raised slightly, as she raced to the door. Reaching the buck, she had called, her eyes fell on the heavily soaked gray doe now draped in his arms.

"She was outside just past the door, Diana. Where is Mary?" John asked, looking up at the other doe, named Diana.

"I'm right here John, what is ever the matter…" Mary, a third doe, called from overhead stopping just shy of the stair landing.

Mary, a white and grey bunny looked in horror as her eyes quickly fell on the water-soaked grey doe in her brother's arms. Quickly turning to her younger sister, Mary rushed down grabbing hold of the gray bunny. "Who is she?" Mary asked, unable to look away from the doe, with worried eyes. "She's white as death John. Quickly, over here! Bring her close to the fire."

John, quickly adjusting the female bunny in his arms, walked with his two sisters toward the cottage hearth. Setting the female doe down softly next to the fire in a soft high-backed chair, John took a few steps back and allowed his two sisters to attend to the unknown doe. He turned and started to move to where Hannah, the elderly badger, who had answered the door, stood by the kitchen door. With a look of sheer regret, he looked at her. "What happened, Hannah?" John called out.

"I am sorry sir, I thought, maybe, she was a danger to us all." Hannah quickly began to apologize. "I was scared Mr. Rivers, that's all. I did not know what I was thinking."

"Hannah, go get some water from the kitchen, quickly please," John said motioning to the elderly badger. Immediately Hannah rushed through the door and into the kitchen. Extending a small wooden chair from a small dining room table a few feet away from his two sisters, John sat down still dripping wet from the rain. He watched as his two sisters hovered over the soaked gray bunny. Mary, her paws shaking slightly, began to untie the bunny's waterlogged traveling cloak. Removing it from around from the female shoulders she placed it on a hook close to the hearth.

"Diana, can you please fetch me a towel and if you could, put one of my nightdresses in the guest room, please." Mary turned back to the chair and addressed her sister.

Diana, rushing past John, stopped for a second to look at him, "John, you did a noble thing. I feel her soul would have haunted us if you had not found her when you did." She looked back at her sister. "We would have found her corpse in the morning, I'm sure of it. I don't think neither she nor us are in any danger. I am quite sure of that."

"Mr. Rivers, here is the water you asked for," Hannah said, handing John a small cup.

"Thank you, Hannah," John said to the badger, getting up from his chair. Holding the small cup firmly in his hand, John began to walk over to his sister Mary, as he listened.

"My dear, please, can you hear me?" Mary said softly to the doe, as she lightly grasped her paw.

Slowly opening her eyes, the doe gasped as she suddenly felt the touch of Mary's paw on her, fear quickly overcoming her, she starred quickly about at her unknown surroundings.

"My dear, please do not be afraid," Mary said softly, placing another paw on Judy's shoulder. "My name is Mary…Mary Rivers."

The doe quickly glanced up at the dark buck, then back to the white and gray bunny holding her shoulder.

"This is my brother John…" Mary said, motioning to him as he stood firm on her left, "…he found you and brought you inside. You need to drink something, please. You are safe now my dear."

Slowly, her paws trembling, she took the cup of water with both paws and carefully began to drink slowly. As her dry throat felt the cold feeling of the water, she began to cough just slightly. Wordlessly, she tried to thank Mary and John for their kindness. Mary, kneeling along the chair, observed her as she continued to drink.

"Ask what her name is?" John asked in a whisper to Mary.

"I… m…my… Judy," The female slowly spoke before losing consciousness again.

As her vision slowly begins to dissipate, due to her weakened state, an image of a frightened little gray bunny not older than ten suddenly crossed her field of view. Clutching a single book, the little bunny quickly started running along what appeared to be a red-carpeted hallway. "Judy! You cannot hide from me!" A loud voice in her head suddenly erupted.

With one last fearful look at both John and Mary, her ear's dropping low behind her, Judy started to hyperventilate as she spoke. "Must…hide…please!" Judy asked imploring just as unconsciousness quickly overcame her.

"Diana, quickly!" Mary shouted suddenly toward the stairway.

Diana, quickly descending the second floor, holding a large towel advanced toward Mary and John as she saw them both supporting an unconscious Judy. "John, we will need your help getting her upstairs. Mary and I need to get her out of these wet clothes quickly. Once she is safely upstairs come back down and ask Hannah to please make a pot of carrot tea. Have it brought up to the guest room as soon as possible. Mary and I will look after her during the night."