Heart of Truth sighed as she watched the baby pangolins playing in the tall grass. The sun was so warm today. It was a definite change in attitude from the winter cold and cloudy gloom they'd been stuck with for the past few months. Her heartfelt lighter as the weather shifted and she smiled wistfully, nose tilted to the sky. She looked down to check on the babies and spotted one of the tribe's rabbit familiars leaping into the air over another rabbit. A courting ritual. It reminded her of something. A memory fluttered up from the doe's subconscious and her brows furrowed as she tried to catch hold of it. To bring it into focus.
With a soft gasp, she remembered. Floppy. Floppy had been a cherished keepsake of hers when she was young. Her parents had given it to her shortly after she was born. A bunch of leaves woven together, stuffed with bird feathers, in the shape of a rabbit. She had loved that toy so much. She remembered at one point she had convinced herself that Floppy wanted to be a real rabbit. He was tired of being stuffed with feathers, his dry leafy body cracking with age. So she had decided to strike out to find the rabbit kingdom. She was certain it existed and resolved herself to travel the swamp in search of it.
In her young mind, it was a lengthy, harrowing, journey. In reality, she just got lost in a thicket. Eventually coming to a clearing where she stumbled upon a rabbit warren. Excitement had gripped her and she bowed deeply. Floppy, strapped to her back, flopping as his namesake suggested as she dipped down. The rabbits watched from their burrow, cautious of this strange, small Kimeti. "My good, gentle, rabbits!" She started, her little legs wobbling uneasily as she stood back up. "I come to bring home one of your court! Floppy is a good, noble, true, brave rabbit. Would you please break the spell so he can be real again?"
She undid the little vine holding him in place and he slid off her back. Nosing him over to the warren entrance in the hope he would be accepted. The rabbits vanished inside. She quickly stepped back with another bow and gave her thanks. "Please help him. He's my friend." After a few minutes, she wasn't sure the rabbits would come back. Worry filled her and she began to despair that her friends' dream would never come true. That the rabbits would not help him. Suddenly, a head popped up, sniffing the doll the rabbit quickly took hold of Floppy's leg and the stuffed rabbit vanished into the warren. He was gone.
As the rabbit dragged the beloved toy into the burrow, Heart of Truth felt bittersweet. Happy for her friend that his dream would come true. Sad that she would never see him again. He would finally be a real rabbit. That's what mattered. When she found her way back home she received a good chastising for disappearing. What if she'd been eaten by a Caiman? She could have been lost forever! What exactly had she been doing? But she was steadfast. Loyal. She would never tell.
One sunny spring day, when she was nearing adulthood, she lay among the beautiful spring foliage overlooking a field. There, in the distance, she saw a pair of ears perk up from the long grass. Followed by another set. And another. Then the rabbits began to leap. Their springtime courting ritual in full swing. Truth smiled wistfully, knowing now that her old friend had been just a toy. Likely made into a nest for some sweet little baby bunnies. Perhaps family to these very bunnies dancing and leaping before her now.
Something caught her eye.
A pair of leafy green ears perked up. As this rabbit leaped into the air she could have sworn it was Floppy. No. It couldn't be. Could it? This rabbit looked so much like her old stuffed toy. His leafy green pelt a patchwork of different shades. Just like her toy. As it bounded and danced its springtime dance she felt her heart flutter. Then the rabbit stopped, raised itself onto its hind legs, and looked her way. Nose wiggling, ears upright, eyes alert. It watched her. And, for a moment, she swore it smiled before bounding off into the grass with the other rabbits.
Her friends wish had come true.
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