Starbasin

“Mune? Are you home? It’s Gurin.”

Morning twilight had come too early for the burrow. Rhizo was only vaguely aware of the voice that drifted down the entrance run and called to their host. Mune had given Rhizo and Eitan both an herb that would help ease any lingering effects of inhaling water and told them not to actually sleep until their lungs stopped hurting. It had taken way too long and there was not enough time to rest.

“Mune? I know you’re supposed to be dead, but if you’re not, I wanted to ask something.”

It didn’t help that the burrow was warm, filled with the familiar scents of rabbits and Eitan. It didn’t occur to Rhizo that this might be a problem. He tried not to yawn, but managed to stir. His lungs were feeling better.

“Heather is amazing, but I know she likes Mapleroot.”

The voice was closer now. Rhizo turned to listen but was tangled with Eitan. They had huddled together to keep him warm, and to make sure it would be noticed if either of them had trouble breathing. Half-awake, Rhizo licked Eitan’s ear.

The voice was just outside the burrow. “I want to know I’m not waste—”

The new rabbit, Gurin stopped just before entering. There was a tense moment as the acrid smell of fear filled the kettle. The smell chased his sleep away, even if Rhizo knew the threat was Eitan.

Mune reacted first. His voice cracked as he attempted to seem normal. “Hello Gurin. Yes, I’m alive. It’s complicated.”

Gurin whispered, “There’s a weasel in here.”

With a start, Eitan pulled into a tight ball. His voice shook from fear as he wailed in Lapine, “No! Hide me. Weasels eat rabbits!”

Rhizo flicked his ears toward Eitan. As far as tricks go, it wasn’t a bad one. And, Rhizo had to admit, Eitan put on an impressive act.

“Let’s talk outside. He had a rough night.” Mune all but pushed the new rabbit back out the run.

Rhizo sighed. “You’re not having a reaction to the drowning, are you?”

“I’ll be alright, and it stopped his panic.” Eitan shrugged. “I’ll be okay. Go on, I’ll listen from the run.”

“But, we have so much to talk about,” Rhizo said.

“It’ll still be there once you make sure they’re okay.” Eitan shrugged. “Besides, I’m not up to saying what I need to right now. Just be safe.”

Rhizo hesitated a little longer, but the worst chill had passed, and the herb had helped both of them recover physically. “If you’re sure.”

Nervous, he followed Mune outside. The run opened into some sparse underbrush filled with young leaves. The sky grew lighter as the Lord Sun chased the stars away. Scents of morning dew and grass drifted along a cool spring breeze.

“So, you wanted me to see if I can predict if Heather will choose you?” Mune’s light tan fur was more apparent in the morning light, and the small white patch just above his nose could almost fade into it.

Gurin was darker, a deep even brown, and sat a little taller than the seer. And he ignored the attempt to change topics. “What is a weasel doing in your burrow?”

“Oh that, it’s… It made sense at the time.” Mune flicked his ears at Rhizo. “Maybe Rhizome can explain.”

“He’s a friend. And safe, like any other rabbit.” Rhizo gulped. “Okay, he doesn’t think he’s a rabbit, but he grew up in a warren and we’re kinda friends. He didn’t grow up in my warren, I met him after his mom died, but he won’t hurt you.”

“Are you insane?” Gurin shivered. “They may look small, but they bite the back of your neck and chew through it. I heard they can burrow in and wear a rabbit’s skin if you let them.”

Mune went to cuff Gurin, but held back. “Seriously? Where do you come up with those rumors? No one at the warren ever says them. No rabbit I’ve ever met has said that before. Where did you hear that?”

“Okay, okay.” Gurin grunted.

“He’s safe,” Mune said. “I can tell, and he was part of saving my life last night.”

“If you say he’s safe, I believe you,” he said to Mune. “I’m sorry I got a little paranoid.”

Mune settled on the ground and held out one paw. “So, you wanted to know if I can see anything about Heather and your future together?”

“Of course. Sorry to interrupt the other thing happening to you.” Gurin put his paw on Mune’s, which Mune covered with his other forepaw. They sat in silence for a long time.

Distantly, Mune spoke, “What I see isn’t pleasant. She clearly loves Mapleroot. However, Heather’s life will be in danger soon, and Mapleroot will die protecting her. As you comfort her, the two of you will grow close, but her heart will always belong to him.”

Gurin’s eyes started to water. “At least she won’t be alone. That’s what matters.”

Rhizome spat out, “No.” He was frustrated with who was supposed to die, how rabbits just accepted what Fate offered. “How can you say she won’t be alone, when you’re letting the one she loves die?”

“Visions can’t be changed,” Gurin snapped back. “They’re there for us to make the best of what will come. To prepare us for the hardships we must endure.”

“How can you believe that? Mune wasn’t eaten by the wolf last night. Death himself made sure of that.” Rhizo asked, “Do you want the one you love to be with you only because their mate died?”

Gurin shook his head and looked at the ground. He shifted under Rhizo’s gaze. “What am I supposed to do? I’m no hero.”

The excuse he used with Death rang just as hollow when spoken by someone else, only this time he could hear that. Rhizo sighed and sat back. “Neither was I. It started with a single action, I stamped to warn my warren of a predator. It wasn’t supposed to happen, but we can make our own fate.”

Mune interrupted. “Don’t say such things. It’s bad luck.”

“I’d rather deal with the consequences. If you lay down and die, you’re already dead. At least if you struggle, you’ll have a chance to live first.” Rhizo grunted. He had offered to tell Erebus about his life. Yet, what good was that life if it was all planned out beforehand? “Regardless of what happens afterwards, which would you prefer: The vision where you comfort Heather as a second choice or something else...” Rhizo trailed off a moment. He tried to imagine what could be done. “Mune, how will Heather be in danger?”

“I’m not sure, I think it was a fox or another wolf,” he said. “I got the impression of a large looming predator, and Mapleroot stepping in front of her. I saw the jaws bite him, but I don’t know who the jaws belonged to.”

Rhizo grunted. How had Eitan convinced the wolf? He moved, not just talked, but demonstrated Rhizo was dangerous by tackling him, by preventing him from talking. Perhaps, he could perform the action? Show it a little.

“Imagine, the fox is about to kill Heather. Mapleroot steps up, distracting the fox from her.” Rhizo crouched on the ground. “It’s about to pounce, and then—” He leapt toward Gurin only to reel back at the last moment. “You come out of nowhere to knock into its side. Or maybe you just knock Mapleroot out of the way.” He flopped on the ground. “As the fox is about to kill you, you turn to them and just wish them well. Don’t tell Mapleroot to make her happy, that makes it about her. Tell them to be happy together. That way they’ll both think of you as a hero and he won’t be jealous of you. Now, tell me that anything the fox could do to you would take away the peace of knowing she was okay.”

Gurin whispered in reverent tones, “To be her hero.”

“And what of Fate?” Mune interrupted. “What if something even more horrible happens that you could have prevented later on? What if Mapleroot was supposed to injure the fox to drive him away? What if the change isn’t as simple as that moment of saving her life? What if the weasel kills again? What if the kit turns out to be a cat’s paw? What if I was supposed to die?”

Gurin shook his head and dropped to the ground. He put his paws over his ears confused as to why Mune would say what he did. “Please, Mune, I won’t do anything rash. I don’t want to cause any issues. Besides, I’d probably just get myself killed.”

“No, Rhizome is at least partially right. My vision was wrong. I get to live and I have no idea how I feel about it. What if something terrible happens?”

Rhizo thought about Eitan. He felt responsible for everything the weasel did. Yet, even the night before, he was unable to let Eitan die. What Mune said felt wrong. Rhizo didn’t know how he knew, but he knew it had to be wrong. “I refuse to believe there’s no room to make the world better.”

“Sure, it seems good now,” Mune grunted. “But, you’re disrupting the natural order of things. What happens when that weasel whose life you saved twice now kills someone? What about the wolf? If he kills someone else because I wasn’t there to sate his hunger, it will be on your head. Fate wanted him to eat me and you chased him off. You made this mess. Everything that happens now is your fault.”

Rhizo opened his mouth to say something but was quickly crushed to the ground by a large bird. Sharp taloned feet carefully but powerfully wrapped around his midsection leaving no room to struggle.

A black beak framed by two large eyes spoke soft words in the language of rabbits. “Sorry to interrupt. Please excuse us.”

With that, the ground was left behind and Rhizo was spirited away.

Back with the other two rabbits, Eitan finally poked his head out of the run. As both rabbits sat stunned, the weasel observed, “I don’t see how you can blame him for that.”