The Bond of Birran
by Graham Wilmer
Chapter One INTRUDERS
The moon melted gently into the brightening sky and the stars faded, as dawn crept swiftly over the silent wood, revealing a thick, white carpet of sparkling snow that covered the land. Loppy would probably have slept on, had the snow on the brambles above him been less. ‘Sloosh!’ Down it came, landing right on top of the dreaming rabbit. He woke with a start, shook off the glistening, powdery flakes and rubbed his sleepy eyes.
Loppy wriggled through the bramble bush and hopped out onto the path. He sat up and strained his long velvet ears. Nothing; not a sound. ‘That’s odd,’ he thought. ‘Where is everyone?’ Loppy looked up as the sun’s rays burst over the horizon. The wood was filled with streaks of golden light that flashed between the trees, brushing away the last remnants of darkness to herald a new day.
The little rabbit hopped down the path until he came to the stream. He bent his head towards the water and took a few sips. It tasted sweet, and his hot breath condensed into small clouds as he drank the icy, life giving liquid.
“Aha, there you are Loppy. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” Loppy looked up as his older brother Kimble hopped down beside him and took a sip of water.
“Where is everyone?” said Loppy.
“At the meeting,” Kimble replied. “And that’s where we are supposed to be. I’ve been sent to collect you, so come on or we’ll be late.”
“What meeting?” asked Loppy.
“Council of Elders,” Kimble replied, as he hopped up the bank and onto the path. Loppy followed him, still none the wiser.
“But the Council only meet when there’s trouble,” said Loppy.
“Trouble? Yes - there’s trouble all right, big trouble,” said Kimble.
“What sort of trouble? Is it like the terrible fire trouble?” asked Loppy, nervously.
“No, much worse than the terrible fire trouble,” said Kimble.
“I thought that was the worst kind of trouble there was in the wood?” said Loppy.
“Intruders,” said Kimble in a stern voice.
“Intruders?” Loppy said. “What intruders?”
“You’ll know soon enough,” said Kimble. “Now come on, hurry.”
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