The Dark Knight

  “Shhhhh. Jimmy, listen to the calm. Keep the peace.” Lola felt the need to whisper. She stole a look at Marshmallow who met her eyes, she could tell they both liked the thought of Jimmy’s plan.

  Soon they came upon the clear river. They stooped down and drank some of the clear water. Though their parched throats yearned for more water they began to plan a way to get across the river. Finally brave little Pebbles suggested, “Why don’t we just swim across the river?”

  “I-I can’t swim. I should have never come on this quest.” For once Jimmy seemed to be at loss of words. Lola then remembered how Pebbles had told her she was brave and realized why Jimmy was there, it was to be brave.

  “You know what Jimmy? Rabbits are natural swimmers. You can have me pull you over. Just sit on my back and hold my ears.” Lola offered. Before Lola knew it Jimmy was hugging her and thanking her. When she looked up she saw approving looks from both Pebbles and Marshmallow. Before long they were in the nice, refreshing, cool water swimming across to the other side.

  Soon they had reached the other side and started to get out. Lola was just getting out when, whoosh! A large wave came over her back knocking Jimmy off, plunging him under the water. “Urgle, urgle, argle!.” Jimmy’s frantic cries for help were filled and covered with water. Before Lola could jump into the water to save the poor pica, Marshmallow pushed her to the land and jumped into the river, swimming downriver in order to save Jimmy. Lola fell back into Pebbles, then dragged him down the riverbed so they could pull Marshmallow out of the water when he got Jimmy. Lola and Pebbles both deliberately tried to grab a paw. Pebbles scooped out a gurgling Jimmy and began to give him the hymlick while Lola dragged out Marshmallow who seemed to be much too exhausted to move, much less fight a rat army! Lola and Pebbles pulled the two away from the river and began to set up a camp for it was starting to darken and they didn’t want to fight with a tired leader in the dark.

  Another Night

  Lola and Pebbles began to set up camp. They cleared an area for a fire pit which they roasted sweet honey grass over. They also used soft, cool moss for beds for Marshmallow and Jimmy to rest on. Marshmallow woke at the sweet smell of dinner. As the rabbits ate Jimmy began to wake up. After awhile they began to tell stories. Jimmy told a story about his grandpa pika, Pebbles told a story about how all the pet shop animals wanted to leave, but how only he did, and then it was Lola’s turn. Before Lola could even start talking Jimmy asked, “So what was your early life like?” At this Lola turned away and hopped over to the creek, facing away from all the others.

  Marshmallow followed after her and put a paw on her shoulder.“What really did happen?”

  Lola stifled back a tear and replied, “My owner got hit by a truck his father was driving, because of an argument over me. His mother took care of me but because of the father’s reckless drinking she died from a sickness which they couldn’t afford a medicine for. I ran away the next day, and I found Pebbles. But none of that matters now, none of it. I’m a new rabbit now, I have a new family. I have a reason to live. I’m gonna live in a home in a village, on this creek.”

  “I understand Lola, I’m not proud of my past either, but everyone deserves a second try.” Marshmallow seemed to understand perfectly.

  “I guess you’re right.” Lola smiled and wiped her tears. Marshmallow sensed her rise in joy and said in his old mocking way,

  “Come on Lola, I bet ya everyone here would love a good old fashioned ghost story!” And so the night went on and Marshmallow told a story of an evil pirate whose spirit still roams the earth.

  By the time he finished Pebbles and Jimmy were sound asleep and Lola was passed out mumbling, “Mmm, hmm.” Every once and a while.

  When they woke up Jimmy was making breakfast. “Hey, uh, I thought I would make you breakfast for letting me come along and saving my life and, uh, taking me across the river. Lola you had a really great ghost story and, uh, are we gonna fight the rats today or what? How far are they? So are we choosing this place for the village or not? If we do build it here can we build a bridge over the river? Please?”

  “ I don’t know when we’ll get there but I do know that this is where the village will be, including the bridge.” Marshmallow said this as he stood up and brushed the grass off himself. The foursome ate breakfast, washed up in the stream, packed up camp, and headed off.

  The Rat Base

  It was about noon when they heard the voices and movements of the rats. “Oh my holy honey. We’re here! And there’s a whole lot of them. Do you think that we will be able to hold them all off? I hope so cause I really like being me. Oh my! What if I do die? I don’t want to die! It’s a good thing we got the Dark Knight! We’re so gonna kick some wicked serious rat butt! I would say something different but my mom says that that kinda language makes you dirty. And I do not want to be that kind of dirty cause that’s rat dirty,” Jimmy was practically yelling.

  “I know that you’re excited but keep it down, you’re gonna give us away!” Marshmallow had a stern tone in his voice.

  The rat base looked like a couple of old rusting cans, each one filled with weapons, guarded by two rats each. The place was swarming with rats all talking and just acting like it was any old day. The main part of the base was a large wooden lean-to with more rats inside. “Marshmallow,” Lola was scared, she could hear it in her own timid voice, “there are too many to fight off, they’d just wipe us out.”

  “I don’t know how many there are inside, we need to send some-one in. Lola and I are too large- we would never fit in, more than half the rats are smaller than us. Pebbles is smaller but with those ears he’d just stick out. Jimmy is our only hope. If he can be quiet.” Marshmallow didn’t want to lose this war, Lola could tell by the tone in his voice. Jimmy hung his head but started walking towards the lean to.

  Once inside he looked around, hoping not to look too curious. In the dim light and stuffy air he could make up what seemed like hundreds of rats, at least eighty. It smelt heavily of mold and rot. He stifled a cough as he brushed up against the rats. He turned to the entrance and started for his way out when he thought of Erinson and the others, his life flashed through his mind, he began to run, did they know where he was, were they safe, the light got closer, the visions blurred, the noise faded. Lola appeared and grabbed his paw, he ran, all of his muscles hurt, his right thigh seared with hot pain, he needed to run, but he couldn’t move. Marshmallow appeared and lugged him over his muscular back, suddenly Jimmy couldn’t see, he was poisoned, he was dying.

  Poisoned

  They ran, Pebbles joined them; they headed for the base they had set up the night before. Pebbles laid Jimmy down on a moss covered rock, praying he would live. There was a pointed stick covered in a muscle eating fungus jabbed into Jimmy’s leg. Lola and Marshmallow helped yank out the stick and dispose of it properly.

  “Jimmy, Jimmy, wake up, please! You can do this now, you’re braver than me. Your family needs you and we need you too.” Jimmy snapped awake to Lola’s voice and hugged her. Her body quivered as if she had been crying.

  “Jimmy-you woke up. I’m sorry I got strict. I’m happy you’re alive.” Marshmallow seemed to almost be gentle and caressing. “We have a problem though, the rats have seen us. They know of the picas, they are planning to attack them.”

  Jimmy stood up. “They can’t attack them, they can’t. We have guards and lookouts and we’ve got recruits.” Jimmy could not deem this thought correct.

  He really cares, doesn’t he. He won’t let them down, he can’t let them down. He’s got the blood of a hero and refuses to let go. His family’s faith is now his, just like how my friends rely on me. He is one of them and one of us. We’re all the good guys, we all stand together. Under a leader, under Marshmallow. We are all one family. We all must stick together to live just like how he stands by them. I finally understand family and love, something
that I haven’t understood since William left, something I have wanted but couldn’t reach. I get it now, I really do. Lola felt as if she now had a reason to live and to fight to live, love.

  “Guys, I have an idea,” Jimmy interrupted the silence, “My family and friends can help, if Lola doesn’t mind swimming us over the river I can go get them, you guys can go find rabbits to help, they all should want to, I would”

  “Hold it Jimmy, I’m going with you, I don’t want you going on your own.” Lola offered to help.

  Getting the Pikas

  Lola considered the river crossing a success, sure Jimmy clung to her and got his haunches sopping wet, but he didn’t almost die like last time. Now they had about three hours ahead of them to walk (and suffer from Jimmy’s nonstop blabber in Lola’s case) to reach the pikas. “Erinson, oh Erinson, old pal! I missed you so, so, so, so much! I have so much to tell you now that I’m an expeditionary! I was poisoned! I went on an adventure! I had so much fun-oh meet Lola, she’s my friend.” Jimmy acted as if he had been gone forever.

  “Cool. Sup.” Erinson talked as much as Jimmy was muted.

  “Erinson we need your help-we’re planning on fighting a rather huge war and need some more ‘warriors’ to fight in battle. We were wondering if we could have the help of the picas in battle.” Lola managed to say this all very evenly, not to disturb Erinson.

  “Sure. Jimmy let’s go get de others.” Erinson seemed unfazed.

  The two were back in about half an hour with at least thirty picas with them. “Lola, this is my family and friends. They all said they would love to fight among us and help us build the village, but we are all going to live down here if you don’t mind. Though we would all enjoy easier transportation across the river-not to offend you. There are thirty seven of us in all. Pikas who can’t fight will make food and be medical.” Jimmy was obviously proud of his large family.

  On the way up the mountain Lola found that Jimmy’s family was probably one of the nicest, happiest, and most caring groups of people.

  Wow. Jimmy’s family is kind. They seem to just be happy to help. They seem accepting. To anyone. They seem to care and love me like a family member or friend. I feel like I have family. A proper family.

  As the thirty seven pikas and one rabbit they reached the clearing they saw an amazing sight-around twenty to thirty rabbits had built a bridge-small, but in use.

  The Meeting

 

  Lola looked over at Marshmallow. He was obviously engaged with conversation. Standing next to him was an older rabbit whose fur was thin and skin was wrinkled. Out of curiosity she went over to see what they were talking about. As she got closer she saw a long leather pouch in the older rabbit’s hands, she got closer to hear until, “Lola, there’s someone I would like you to meet,” Marshmallow’s voice was intense.

  “Hello. I am Lola,” Lola tried to be as polite as possible.

  “Hello. I am the Elder Rabbit. I too was on the search of the Dark Knight, I know of the rats rising. I am too old to fight but I had to give the Dark Knight something you will need if you want to win this war-alive.” The Elder Rabbit’s voice was deep and rolled in the moist, wet air. Marshmallow took the pouch and gingerly produced a thick cow leather handle branded with a rabbit stamp. Gleaming at the end of the handle was an eight inch long pure steel blade engraved with the words “DARK KNIGHT”.

  Lola was breath taken. Her reflection shone in the sword’s sparkling steel. She looked at herself, dirty, wet, shining adventuress eyes.

  I have let William down. He always brushed me, washed me, kept me safe. .Now my fur is caked with mud and dirt. I am wet to the skin too. But most of all I have tasted adventure-and I like it. William must have kept me away for a reason. But now I can’t stay away. Lola felt ashamed.

  Lola noticed something on the sword as Marshmallow slid it into the leather pouch and returned the sword to its rightful place on his hip, dried blood. Lola knew Marshmallow had fought before but now the scar on his temple right under his right ear seemed deeper. Lola worried, it hurt to swallow, she couldn’t let Marshmallow or anyone know. The Elder Rabbit seemed to discern. He walked her away and told her, “Lola it’s ok. You care for him, you love him.”

 

  The Melee

  When Lola woke up she remembered. Today was the day she had been dreading since the night before. Today they would fight. In all of the hustle she managed to find Pebbles eating breakfast on a crowded log. When he saw her he sprung up and gave her a huge hug. “Oh Lola I am going to miss you so much! I suspect that you are on the fighting force, you know how you can kick-butt and all. I’m on medic, you know how I am with herbs.” Pebbles gave Lola a sideways smile as though his words hurt yet healed at the same time.

  Lola couldn’t stand it. “Oh Pebbles. I will miss you too. You’re still and always my bestest BFFL. You’re the first I ever had.” Lola was on the verge of tears as she spoke.

  “Really? Still? You made that promise five days ago Lola. You’re the bestest friend ever!” Pebbles truly had a bestest friend now, Lola.

  The fighters marched. They crunched over the leaves and over the twigs. They were led by Marshmallow who had his sword pocketed by his side. Lola believed what the Elder Rabbit said but still got an uneasy feeling.

  What if the Elder Rabbit was wrong? What if Marshmallow doesn’t survive? What if I never see him again? What if I die? What if the rats win and kill all my friends? Lola was demoralized.

  Yet the sight of Marshmallow marching so proudly made her unsure of what to think, the good or the bad. It was then that one of the rabbits in the back yelled, “There it is! Sound the horns! The war has begun!” Lola braced forward as the picas in the back line blew their wooden horns. Ones who had weapons raised them high as the ones without charged forward with Marshmallow who fought with his sword, this assemblage included Lola who knew only the fight of fang and claw. Rats charged, almost all with wooden bludgeons, all of them at once. Lola heard CHARGE and the lagomorphs with weapons rushed forward. As Lola ripped through battle she saw a familiar face running towards the woods, trying to escape her militia’s wrath. It was Cheese.

 

  Seeing Cheese

 

  She ran. She ran the same as when she ran from her past. Nothing could overpower her when she was running. Cheese learned this the hard way, the very hard way.

  As all the creatures rushed by as a blur and Lola could see one thing, Cheese. She caught up quickly, in a matter of seconds she caught up to him. She pitched him against the ground as hard as possible and put her foot on him so that he couldn’t stand up. He squirmed and tried to escape. It didn’t work. “What are you gonna do to me? Why do you want me? Please don’t kill me.” Cheese’s voice was filled with fear as he questioned. Lola was taken back. She was so filled with anger she was surprised at her own pity for this tiny creature. She now noticed Cheese was skin on bone and covered in dust and dirt. He had infected sores and cuts across his body. He was only a child, yet wasn’t taken care of at all.

  “I won’t hurt you. I want to help you. Just tell me why your bones show and why you are beaten and sullied. Please, I care,” Lola tried to be caressing and benevolent with her tone.

  “Well, I guess I should tell you it all.” Lola sat him up against a tree as he began and kneeled by him, forgetting about the war around them. “I was born among the rats but I was weak and never listened to. The other rats made fun of me and called me names. They would beat me up and mug me, make me do their work. It was all maltreatment. I decided to run away. After running a few days I figured none of them cared. I guess I was right. No one ever looked and I got used to it. One day I found a little rabbit, all black. She was just a baby so I took her in. She wore a little chain with the name Arkansas on it so that’s just what I call her. After a while the small amount of food I gath
ered wasn’t enough for us since we were growing. I went out and got the job as a guard of the “Cave of the Rabbit One”. I used the small amount I earned to trade on the black market for food. No one remembered me, they just thought I was a peasant. I was mostly in charge of dealing with the Dark Knight. He gave me leniency seeing my malnourishment. He would share his diminutive food rations with me so I would live. In return I would tell him stories I would make up about princesses, princes, elves, goblins, and more. Every day I would hide some food and bring it home to my small nest to Arkansas who had been collecting berries and nuts and plants to eat all day. Then you and your friend came and I knew the war would soon start, the Dark Knight warned me to be far away when he replenished his oath. I couldn’t though, I saw my only chance to be respected, and to show the others I was strong. I told Arkansas to gather food for herself and stay in hiding. I then headed here. I only got here three days before you did which was barely enough time to prepare against a major army. But they saw me and remembered me. I hid scraps from a feast they had to the war under leaves to bring to Arkansas. They think of it as revenge, I think of it as death by spear and claw.”