De'Coration Academy for Exceptional Rabbits Part 6: Follow the Greet Lit Path

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Each part can be read as a separate story or as part of the series.

Marshmallow looked up to the sky. It was getting late, or early, depending on who you asked. The sky was still dark but that would not be the case for very long now. Marshmallow took a deep breath, shook her head to refocus herself and looked back to the task before her. Sprinkles was already a long way in front, sniffing at any and all possible hollows in search of the badger set. They had already searched most of the bramble hedge, if they couldn’t find the entrance soon then there just wouldn’t be enough time to search again AND follow the rest of Reggie’s instructions, and if there wasn’t time then they would never be members of The Secret Paw! They had to become members. They simply had to. They had already done so much, explored so far and risked so much.

“Marshmallow! I think I’ve found it. It’s somewhere here, I can smell it but, but I can’t find a way in!” Sprinkles called out excitedly. Her ears twitching in confusion and delight. Marshmallow dashed over, pressing her nose to the ground and sniffing. Sprinkles was right. It was somewhere here, somewhere very close. Marshmallow had studied hard for just this type of situation at the academy. While she had chosen to focus primarily on the ‘Production of Loud Noises’, she had also graduated with a qualification in the ‘Discovery of Small Spaces’.

She sniffed. She bobbed. She tested the ground with her paws. She sniffed. She bobbed. She tested the ground. She sniffed, bobbed, tested and sniffed again until she found it. The entrance to the badger set. Small and overgrown.

“Let’s go. The sun will be rising soon.”

Swiftly and stealthily they made their way through the badger set. The set stretched onwards, seemingly for countless unending miles. Twisting and turning, doubling back on itself in ways that badger sets did not. It was following one such twist that Marshmallow, who was in the lead, spotted the fork in the path.

“Which path were we supposed to take?” Marshmallow asked.

“The one with the green lights.” Sprinkles responded, shoving into Marshmallow’s side so she could creep forward and examine the two paths before them. “This one. We’ll have to go this way.” Onwards they crept. Following the line of tiny green lights. “We’ve been going for hours, Marshmallow, do you think we’re nearly there?”

“I hope so Sprinkles. If we don’t get there soon we’ll have to turn back if we want to make it home to the lodge before the humans provide breakfast.”

“Just a little further.” Marshmallow nodded in silent agreement. So they crept onwards a little further.

The little line of green lights stops. The path continues on. The two bunnies stop. They look at one another in confusion. Reggie had told them that The Secret Paw would be waiting for them at the end of the green lights.

“There’s no one here.”

“There must be.” Marshmallow said franticly, sniffing all around her. “There has to be something!”

“You come seeking the Secret Paw.” A voice rang out of the darkness. The two rabbits froze. Sprinkles’ ears flattened and Marshmallow crouched low to the ground. “Tell us, rabbits, why do you wish to join us?” Sprinkles looked at Marshmallow and waited. She wasn’t going to be the first to answer the voice in the darkness.

“I want to learn all I can about the humans!” From the darkness a low whisper of applause began and grew to a rumbling raw. The noise continues to build, pressing both bunnies into the ground. Just as Marshmallow and Sprinkles were about to flee the deafening din, utter silence fell.

“And you, why do you wish to join us?” Sprinkles felt countless unseen eyes focus on her.

“Umm, I want to join so I can explore and meet new creatures.” There was a long beat of silence before the applause bubbled up again. As the volume grew to a pitch one of the tunnel walls fell away to reveal a huge cavern filled with small creatures of all varieties.

“We welcome you to The Secret Paw. Everyone, let us welcome Marshmallow and Sprinkles to our ranks. From now on YOU are The Secret Paw!” Finally Marshmallow and Sprinkles were able to see who had been speaking to them. Stepping out of the of the crowd towards them was the hedgehog! “Next time you are invited to a meeting please come on time! Many of our members have been here for several hours waiting for you, and Janice the Pigeon had to leave already because she has the morning shift lurking outside the bakery. Now, this meeting of The Secret Paw is over. Everybody out. Go away. Back to your home. The sun will be rising any moment now. Go.” The hedgehog barked, waving wildly in the air, shooing everyone they made eye contact with.

“Ah, um, Marshmallow and Sprinkles? Hi! My Name is Fuzzbutt Von Whiskers, if you’d like to follow me I’ll show you a quicker way back to your home.” The two rabbits stared in astonishment at the large, muscle bound cat before them. Fuzzbutt’s ears had chunks torn out of them and he had a long scar running the length of his nose. “This way, this way, come along.” They had seen Fuzzbutt around the wilds of the humans’ lair. He was not a creature to be messed with. “I was so excited to hear that you would both be joining The Secret Paw. I heard about your mission into the humans lair to acquire chocolate for us.” Fuzzbutt said, without pausing for breath he continued. “Very Impressive. Our science teams were able to make a whole chocolate cup cake. They managed to lure a small human with it, they gained a lot of information by questioning it. Did you know that only the small humans can talk to us?” Sprinkles opened her mouth to respond but there wasn’t so much as a seconds pause before Fuzzbutt was talking again. “It’s truly fascinating. Anyway, most people call me The Fuzz, if you ever run into any trouble give me a call. I’ll also be providing you mandatory Secret Paw combat and self defence training, but that wont be for a little while. Ah, we’re nearly back out into the fresh air again. It was lovely meeting you both and welcome to The Secret Paw. Most new members don’t get many missions for a fairly long time after joining but someone will stop by to see if you’ve learned anything interesting about the humans.” The Fuzz waved the two bunnies good bye as slunk off into the dawn kissed bushes.

Marshmallow and Sprinkles looked about themselves. They were so very nearly home, they were in the undergrowth just behind the lodge. Just a few hops and they would be back inside, ready for the humans to bring out breakfast. And from the look of the sun, there would even been enough time to take a nice long nap.

Part 7

Marshmallow and Sprinkles are both real life rescue rabbits, I'm fostering them while they search for their forever home. I'm only able to do this because of the Support provided by Rabbit Retail who are a small business local to me, so please check them out. Any purchases or donations made on their website will be helping to keep these two bunnies happy and healthy, and will help pay for their spays as will any tips.