*You didn't follow the directions, did you? Well, since you're here, I suppose you can read it. This is the disclaimer and the prologue.*

The following story was written using the characters from THE LORD OF THE RINGS by J.R.R. Tolkien and owes some of its elements to The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. No money will be made from this effort.
Please know that any mistakes made with regard to the Elves in this story are largely due to the fact that *I* have very little experience writing about elves. I apologize for that in advance. If you should find any other mistakes, omissions, or general things that you just simply don't like, then I will apologize for those as they are pointed out to me.

Thank you for reading if you are,

GW 06/27/2008

PS I deeply regret that this prologue is not very entertaining but I seem to have developed a form of writer's block that prevents me from writing creative prologues. I am receiving treatment for this condition and hope to recover in the not to distant future. Until then, please feel free to make up something creative and pretend that you read it in this prologue or just ignore the entire thing completely and move on to the rest of the story.

Minis Tirith, in the year 1484

“You know this stuffed rabbit?” Merry asked in surprise. He and Pippin were now looking at Arwen.

“I do indeed,” she smiled. “My Ada gave him to me when I was a very little girl. I thought that he was lost but I see instead that he was merely travelling a bit.” As she spoke she continued stroking the stuffed grey rabbit's ears tenderly.

“Errol can’t be that old!” Pippin blurted out.

Awen laughed as Pippin blushed realizing what he had just said. “Well, I mean, he’s a stuffed Rabbit. He can’t have lasted all those years and still look so, well, so new. He never seems to wear out like other toys do and he’s been through my rather adventurous childhood and then through Merry’s son’s childhood yet he’s held up quite well. Still, I hardly think that it would be possible for him to have been your Rabbit too,” Pippin said. He sounded slightly territorial as he often did when speaking about Errol or Merry. As far as Pippin was concerned the stuffed rabbit could not possibly have belonged to anyone else.

Arwen smiled. “See the small tag.” She held the rabbit over for Pippin's inspection and extended the tag, which he had never bothered to read. Merry suspected that it was because Pippin had always regarded Errol as more than a toy. The tag would have seemed unimportant to him.

Pippin leaned forward and looked intently at it squinting slightly. His eye sight was not what it had once been but it was still keen enough for close reading. Merry was also leaning over and looking. “What does it say, Pip?” he asked.

“How should I know? It’s,” Pippin paused and then looked at Arwen in amazement. “It’s Elvish!”

Arwen nodded, smiling.

“Errol is your Rabbit then?” Pippin frowned looking like he had just lost his dearest friend. Well, his dearest stuffed friend at least.

“He *was* my Rabbit a very long time ago,” Arwen smiled. She looked lovingly at the toy. “He is your Rabbit now and I would not part him from you. My time with him is long past and though it is very good to see him again, he is not mine any longer.”

Pippin looked at her with relief and she handed Errol back to him. “It's only that I have grown used to Errol being mine,” he said still slightly embarrassed. “I know it is also past time for an old Hobbit like me to have a stuffed rabbit but I do think that he belongs with me for a while yet.” He looked down at the grey bunny. Merry reached over and placed a hand on Pippin’s shoulder.

“Exactly my thoughts,” Merry said gently.

“May I ask what his name was when you had him?” Pippin ventured.

Arwen leaned over to whisper in Pippin’s ear and at first she spoke in Elvish. Pippin listened intently. She was also kind enough to translate the meaning of the name for him, since he did not understand enough Elvish to translate it himself. He looked at her thoughtfully and then nodded in approval. “Really?”

“Yes, that was his name when he was my rabbit,” she said.

Pippin studied the rabbit. “That certainly seems to suit him but I don’t think that I could learn to call him that.”

“I actually prefer Errol now that I hear it,” Arwen said.

“What *was* his name, Pip?” Merry asked looking interested.

Pippin smiled mysteriously. He would tell Merry later but not just yet. The secret was far too delicious not to keep for a while longer.

“Well?” Merry insisted.

“His name is Errol,” Pippin said looking slightly cheeky. “Now, if you’ve no more foolish questions, Meriadoc I’d like to find out if Strider has anything prepared for luncheon. I’m hungry.”

“ Fine,” Merry agreed, giving the King a long suffering look and then sighing deeply. “I have never been one to delay a meal. I am more than ready to fill up my corners. I am very sure that there is an excellent story behind all of this but it can wait until I am properly fed.” He glanced at the rabbit and muttered softly rolling his eyes, “An Elvish stuffed Rabbit.”

And so he was. But that is another story for another time...

*********This is a slightly altered portion of "Freddy and The Thain's Rabbit" which was originally written for Marigold's Challenge 30 and which was Beta'd by Marigold. (Any mistakes found within this excerpt are due to my slight revision of the text and are not to be blamed on the beta.)

Beta by Llinos

Very nearly the beginning…

There were three of them in the small clearing. All three were male and one was slightly shorter than the other two. That one was plump and probably younger though she could not actually tell. If she had been asked to guess then she would have said he was younger. It was very difficult to be certain. Her thoughts were interrupted when one of her brothers placed a hand on her arm and whispered in a voice so light that it mingled with the wind in the branches of the trees. “We are too far from home. If we are caught then we will incur displeasure.”

She shrugged his hand off and leaned further around the trunk of the great elm tree so that she might see the three children in the clearing better. “They will see you,” her brother hissed.

“No, they will not,” she said smiling. “They never do. I come here and watch all the time and I have never been discovered. Mortal children play here. I have not seen these before but I have watched others. Be still now. I want to see what they are doing. One of them has something.”

She felt him lean even further out from their hiding place than she. He scowled. “What does it matter what they have? They are only mere children.”

Her laugh was musical and soft. It floated lightly on the breeze and for a moment the three male children in the clearing stopped and seemed to search for the source of the sound. They were quickly distracted however and continued with their play. “Go home if you like. I care not. I should never have brought you along,” she said dismissively and the young lad next to her frowned at her. She did not notice because her attention was completely on the children now. As they watched one of the children in the clearing spoke:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Put it by the base of that tree,” the tallest one instructed.

The plump one hesitated and held the object close to his chest. “Maybe we should use something else as the target. This won’t show up well against the base of the tree. It’s nearly the same colour.”

“Don’t be a baby,” the tall lad said, irritated. He reached over and pulled the item from the shorter lad’s arms and held it aloft. “You’re too old for this anyway and it really is all we have.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What are they saying?” her brother whispered.

“They speak Westron I think,” she said. “I believe they are arguing but I cannot understand all they say.”

From above them in the very top branches of the tree a light voice called out, “The big one wants to do something with that toy he is holding but I believe it belongs to the smaller one and he is not exactly in favour of the plan.”

She smiled up at her other brother. “You have ever been clever with language, Elladan. You make me feel dull.”

“He made that up,” the brother standing beside her said. “He does not know any more than we do about…“

“Hush, Elrohir,” she ordered sharply. “I want to hear what they plan to do with the toy.”

“We will not be able to understand,” Elrohir mumbled looking up at his brother. An identical face peered back at him and smiled gloatingly from the treetop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“But it will blend in. It’s as grey as the tree,” the plump one was saying and he reached for the toy.

“Stop whining,” the third child said smacking the plump one on the top of the head. “I have my arrow ready. Let Bob put it by the tree and then get out of the way or I’ll shoot you too.” He pointed his drawn bow in the lad’s direction and the child backed reluctantly away.

“You aren’t really going to shoot it are you?” he asked in a quavering voice wringing his hands as he spoke.

“It’s a rabbit and I’m a hunter,” the lad announced. He looked over at Bob who was arranging the toy at the base of the tree. “Hurry up, Bob! My arm is starting to cramp.”

Bob ran out of the way leaving the toy to its fate and called, “Give it your best, Fred, but if you miss I can have a go with my catapult.”

“I won’t miss,” Fred bragged and he lined up for the shot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arwen put a hand over her mouth to keep from gasping and watched as the one that the others seemed to be calling Fred took aim at the small, grey, stuffed rabbit sitting at the base of the elm. Its intelligent eyes seemed to look at her pleadingly and then one of the rabbit’s ears fell over its eyes just as the lad shot his arrow. It was as if the toy didn’t want to watch. She didn’t either but was unable to look away.

“Missed,” Elrohir said. “The lad has no skill with a bow. He was lucky to hit the tree.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“My turn! You missed!” Bob shouted and he quickly pulled a catapult and a large stone from his pocket. “Watch this!”

“You should let me get my arrow,” Fred complained. “What if you hit it and break the shaft?”

“I’ll not hit it,” Bob said. “I’m aiming at Titch’s bunny.” With that he closed one eye and seemed to be sighting his target. The other ear dropped over the small rabbit’s eyes and the stone flew through the air smacking the tree where the rabbit’s ear had been only seconds before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“He missed,” she said breathing a sigh of relief.

“Do not worry, Arwen,” Elladan said. “It is not a real rabbit. It is only a toy. They cannot harm it.”

“There is something very cruel about all of this even if the rabbit is not real,” Arwen objected a little too loudly and all three children in the clearing looked in their direction but did not catch sight of them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“My turn again,” Fred said grinning and pulling his arrow from the tree. After doing so, he reached down and rearranged the rabbit into a standing position with both ears straight up against the tree. “Now, it’s a better target.” He turned with the arrow in his hand and headed back to the other two.

“I think I’ve changed my mind,” the plump child said as Fred made ready to shoot.

“Don’t be a baby, Titch,” Fred said scornfully. “You’re too old for a toy rabbit and so now the rabbit is target practice. Some day when I kill a real rabbit for our supper then you’ll be glad of this day.”

“Stay out of his way, Titch,” Bob ordered and he pulled the younger lad to one side. “If his shot should go wild then it’ll be you rather than that silly rabbit that gets shot.”

As the arrow left Fred’s bow again the rabbit fell sideways onto the grass beneath the tree and Bob laughed. “It dodged your shot! The rabbit hopped out of the way the tricky little thing! My turn again.”

Fred scowled and stalked over to the tree. “I’ll fix this!” He knelt down and began doing something but Arwen was unable to see as the lad was blocking her view.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What is he doing?” Arwen whispered up to Elrohir who had a much better view from up in the tree.

“He has taken his pocket knife and pinned one of the rabbit’s ears to the tree with it,” Elrohir explained. “Driven the blade through the ear and into the trunk. It should hold but with his lack of skill with a bow he will never hit it.”

Arwen looked pale and leaned out further as the lad backed away and the one with the slingshot took aim again. This time the lad’s stone sailed true and he hit the toy just below one bright button eye.

“I got it! I hit it! I’m the best shot! It is I who will be killing rabbits for our supper,” he said dancing about in a circle while the smallest lad hid his face in his hands as if pained.

“You only hit it because I secured it in place for you,” Fred said. “Watch this! My last shot was ruined because the wind moved the rabbit before my arrow had a chance to find its mark.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elrohir snorted. “He would have missed anyway. He was completely off target. I do not think he could hit the ground if he shot straight down.

Grinning up at his brother, Elladan reached over and began to climb nimbly up the tree without making a sound or missing a branch. “Mortals cannot shoot,” he said when he had reached a limb just below his brother and seated himself to watch Fred’s next attempt.

Elrohir reached down and playfully tugged at his twin’s delicate pointed ear. “Pay attention. You might learn some Westron if you listen.”

“This is not a lesson,” Elladan objected swiping at his brother’s hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Fire!” Fred shouted and both twins were so startled by the shout that they nearly tumbled out of the tree. Arwen ducked down into the bushes next to the base of the tree thinking that they might have been spotted. Their Ada had told them not to be seen by the mortals. He was very firm on this point and she knew that they would be punished if he found them this far from home but worse still would be the punishment if they were seen.

Just as Fred fired off his shot, Titch lunged at him in an effort to stop him. “Don’t shoot him! I want him back!” Titch pleaded. His efforts to distract his brother’s shot caused both of them to land in a tangle on the ground and Arwen heard a snap as the bow broke.

There was the sound of a solid thunk as the arrow hit its target, which it would not have done had Titch not interfered. Elladan pointed out, “The shot was way off the mark until the fat one pushed the bigger one.”

“You hit it!” Bob cried in delight and disbelief. “You hit it right in the chest! Stuffed rabbit stew for everyone!”

Titch let out a wail. “You’ve killed him!”

“He’s a stuffed rabbit! He can’t be killed. He wasn’t alive,” Bob objected.

“Never mind that! He’s broken my bow! Da will kill me when he sees,” Fred said shoving the younger lad to the ground and getting to his feet with the damaged bow in his hands. “Now, just for that, I am going to get my flint out and set the rabbit on fire!”

“Daro!”

Both twins looked down and saw that Arwen was now standing directly in view of the lads, her hand full of stones, her eyes blazing with furry.

“Arwen!” they both shouted but she ignored them and took aim at the three startled lads in the clearing. She began to pelt them with stones as she shouted at them in Sindarin.

"Daro! Daro!" She cried. "Harno avam ún tithen near! Hín baug!"

“Run!” Bob yelled pushing Titch ahead of him.

“But I want to get my rabbit,” the younger lad whined. Both of the older boys grabbed his arms and began dragging him from the clearing and into the trees as Arwen’s well-placed missiles landed at their heels. She was aiming just as close to them as she was able without actually hitting them. Her Ada had taught them that mortals were easily injured and did not always heal. It was a grave transgression to kill a mortal without proper cause and she knew full well that however cruel she might think their actions had been, her Ada would not see the justification for killing them.

Elladan and Elrohir were quickly on either side of their younger sister watching as she drove the mortal children into the woods with her attack. Then when all her stones were gone and the sound of the clumsy mortals thrashing through the undergrowth had died to a faint noise, Arwen hurried over to the tree and knelt in front of it. He lovely silk dress fanned out on the ground about her as she gently pulled the knife from the grey rabbit’s ear and watched as the ear fell over one eye. The other eye seemed to peer at her as she tossed the knife into the grass beyond the trees.

“I might have wanted that,” Elladan objected. “ I hear that some of the mortals have interesting blades and I have never seen one up close.”

“I can see it if you want it,” Elrohir offered and he pointed in the direction where his sister had thrown the knife.

“I see it,” Elladan sighed. “That is not the point. The point is that she is being thoughtless again.” The two young elf lads watched as their sister stared at the rabbit, which was held fast to the trunk of the tree by the arrow. Tears slid down her face and she was so still that it frightened the twins. Arwen was not the sort to care for such things as stuffed toys. Had this been a live animal then all three children might have been in tears but this was a mere toy.

“Arwen?” Elrohir whispered. “We have to go. We are late and it is not safe out in the open. Others might see. Adult mortals may come when they hear the children’s cries.”

“Let us go before-“ But Elladan did not have a chance to complete his thought. A firm hand fell on his shoulder and on Elrohir’s shoulder. Both lads stiffened and went silent. As if they were but one child, they looked up to see their Ada standing behind them frowning.

Unaware of this, Arwen reached out a trembling hand and very carefully began to move the arrow up and down to loosen it. She did not want to further damage the small stuffed rabbit and so she was very cautious. Sensing that his daughter was upset and might be startled if he spoke, Elrond remained quiet holding both of his young sons in place. He watched curiously as Arwen freed the arrow from the tree and then gently pulled the toy into her lap. The arrow had gone completely through the small rabbit and was still sticking out on either side. Arwen was crying softly and entreating the Valar for the rabbit to be healed.

The twins exchanged confused looks. Both were becoming more concerned about their sister with each passing moment, so much so that they had nearly forgotten the trouble they were in. With a stern glance and a wave of his hand, their Ada brought them both back to the moment. They knew that he was motioning them to return home ahead of him. Elladan was reluctant to leave Arwen but Elrohir took his brother’s arm and pulled him away. It was obvious to him that their Ada would have to see to Arwen now. Something was wrong and neither he nor Elladan could deal with it.

As his sons passed quietly from view into the trees, Elrond knelt beside his daughter and spoke gently to her. “Arwen, my dear one, are you injured?”

She shook her head. “No, but some mortals were destroying this toy, Ada. It was dreadful. It is so small and sad and now I think it is beyond repair.” She leaned back and allowed him to inspect the toy while she looked on hopefully.

“Give it to me, Arwen,” he said firmly. “When we arrive home I may be able to remove the arrow without tearing it further. If so, then all that will be needed are a few stitches and perhaps a little more padding to fill it out.” He looked at the poor thing. “It is rather ill-used I fear and very tattered. It has not been properly cared for.”

“Those wicked mortal lads were shooting at it as if it were a target, Ada,” Arwen said allowing him to help her to her feet. She looked at the toy in his hands and sniffled. “Please can you not pull the arrow out now?”

Seeing her distress and fearing what sort of violence she might have seen in this clearing, Elrond took his knife from its sheath at his waist and holding the toy firmly, he proceeded to cut the arrowhead from the shaft. Then being careful not to further tear the worn fabric, he slowly pulled the arrow from the small, grey, rabbit. As the arrow slid free he heard his daughter release a sigh of relief. He placed the toy in her arms and then put a hand on her shoulder. “Come home, my child,” he said gently but in a tone that brooked no argument. “We have some matters to discuss, you and I.”

Arwen nodded and cradling the toy rabbit like one might a new baby, she walked quietly along the path towards home.

*****

Arwen looked up at her Ada. She was seated on a cushion on the floor of her room with a book in her hands. She had not been allowed out for days now. It seemed a very long time but her Ada had been very upset with all three of them once he had learned the full story involving the small grey rabbit. All three children had been confined to the house until further notice and extra tasks had been given. All of that was very upsetting but far more upsetting in Arwen’s eyes was the fact that her Ada had taken the little grey rabbit from her. He had told her that it was unfair for her to receive something that she wanted as a result of her disobedience. She had not seen the toy since that first day. He had promised to have it repaired but he had not returned it to her. “It was not yours to begin with, Arwen,” he had said. “And had you been where you were supposed to be it would not have come into your possession at all, now would it?”

“No, Ada,” she had said mournfully. She had given up her tiny treasure reluctantly but she at least had his promise that the rabbit would be repaired. It troubled her to be able to see the stuffing protruding from its chest and the hole in the right ear where the knife had held it to the tree. Its other hurts were obviously from years of abuse at the hands of mortal children or perhaps, as her Ada had suggested, the toy had been loved too dearly by someone and had become worn. Arwen was not certain how too much love could damage a toy but Ada always spoke the truth so it must be possible or he would not have said it.

Now he stood before her looking very solemn and very important. He had on his formal robe and so that must mean that he had been in council with the elders or perhaps he had been involved in teaching his healing arts to someone. Her Ada was most important and he bore a great deal of responsibility. Few questioned him but many demanded much of him. Great Wizards and mortal Kings and folk of other races came to ask for her Ada’s help or council. She was proud to be his daughter. She stood and looked at him now and waited. Perhaps there was more punishment to come or perhaps he was there to help her with her lessons.

“Arwen, I have something to show you,” he said. There was no smile on his face and so Arwen did not know if what he planned to show her was something good or something not so good.

“What is it, Ada?”

He brought something wrapped in silk cloth of a delicate pink from beneath his robes and held it. “Before I give this to you I must put a stipulation upon it,” he said seriously.

She waited looking curiously at the lovely pink material. It shimmered in the sunlight that was coming through her windows. The sunlight made Arwen aware of her current confinement and seemed to tease her from beyond her room. Even now it played across the material as if to remind her that she was being kept indoors for the crime of showing herself to mortals and attacking the same mortals with stones. She sighed.

“If I allow you to keep this then you must do so as a reminder of what dangers lie outside of your home,” he said. “This is a thing made by mortals and it has come to you through your misdeeds but I think it might serve to help you recall how very dangerous mortals can be for one so young and inexperienced with the world as you.” He handed her the pink bundle and then watched as she unwrapped it.

Arwen’s face glowed. It was the rabbit! And yet, it was not the rabbit at all. There was something different. The ears had been repaired and the lining within them was soft to the touch. The rabbit’s grey fur was clean and soft and looked almost like new. The tiny, pink button nose seemed to catch the sunlight. She ran a hand over the chest of the toy examining it for signs of the arrow wound but could find none. For a second a shadow crossed her face as the thought occurred to her that this could not be the same rabbit. Then she caught sight of the button eyes with their unique pinkish colouring and their dark black centres filled with the glint of intelligence that she had seen briefly while removing the stuffed rabbit from the tree. She smiled. This was the little grey rabbit from the clearing. He had been repaired and perhaps a thing or two had been changed slightly but deep inside this was still the very same rabbit. She looked into its eyes and she knew this at once.

“It took much work as the toy was badly damaged. There is much new stuffing, though some of the old yet remains,” her Ada was saying. “Being proud of her work, the seamstress has given your rabbit a tag which she sewed over the original one. This one gives her name and officially makes this an elvish toy rather than a thing of mortals.”

Arwen fingered the tag absently and continued to look into the intelligent eyes of the rabbit. “He is not all new then?”

“No, much remains of what he was, in fact most of the original toy was saved,” her Ada said. “It has just been improved upon and cleaned and repaired. This small rabbit lost a great deal of stuffing from his injury in that clearing.”

‘The clearing?’ I put my rabbit ears up to think on this phrase. If I try I can almost recall it but it is very fuzzy and hides just out of my reach. I was somewhere else before. I belonged to someone else, or did I? Things are muddled and I am unsure. Even my name dances out of my reach and I am unable to call it back. Still, I know this child. I knew her at once. This one has held me before so surely I must be hers. She holds me close and I feel secure here. I am a bit uncertain on some points but I know this is a good child with a good heart. Stuffed Rabbits can tell these things. I feel safe with her as if she has rescued me from something in another time.

Arwen smiled and hugged the rabbit to her. “I may have him? Are you giving him to me?” She let the pink satin fall to the floor and ignored it. She had her rabbit back and the material, while pretty, was unimportant.

“You may keep this if you will promise to stay within the safety of Rivendell unless I give you leave to do otherwise,” her Ada said. “When you look at this rabbit think of how those mortal children behaved and then imagine them as adults. I want only your safety my dear one. You would not be safe among that sort and neither would your brothers. I know that you led them to the clearing and your adventurous spirit could have cost all three of you your lives. We are immortal but we are not incapable of being killed.”

She is looking at me and I try hard to recall ‘these mortal children’ that her Ada speaks of but I can only see a small, round, face with sad eyes. I block this out because whoever this was and whatever he might mean to me, I can sense that not all things associated with that sad child are pleasant.

“Will you do this for me?” Her Ada asked.

Arwen looked at the rabbit and it seemed to be deep in thought, though she knew this is not so and nodded. “I promise, Ada,” Arwen said. Then she rushed forward and hugged him tightly with the rabbit between them.

I feel a bit crushed but it is not in a bad way. This is love and I am among those that love me and know my worth. I am of Elvish make, an important toy made for the daughter of Elrond, Half Elven of Rivendell. I am an Elvish Rabbit. On nights when I feel a sharp pain in my chest or dream dark dreams of another place amid cruel and careless folks I push those thoughts aside as I lie in the arms of this most amazing child of the Elves who is special to all that know her. As time passes I come to think of those dark before things less often until they are but vague dreams to me, memories lost that are now only shadows that sometimes cross my mind. When Arwen whispers my name in my ear she chases the cold fear away; the fear that comes when the random memories try to get in. If I were to tell others of myself, and I would not, I would say that I began here among the Elves for I think much of me did.

The End

GW 06/24/2008

*Stop! Stop!" She cried. "Harm not the sad little creature! Bad children!"

**Thanks go to Llinos not only for the Beta, but for the title of this story, the Elvish translation, and for supplying names for the mortal children because, after all of this time, Errol has completely forgotten their real names.

***’Thank you also to KnittedMerry who just ‘knows secret things about rabbits that others fail to notice.’

****This story is dedicated to Marigold on her birthday with love from Errol.

Because several of you have asked about Titch and what happened to him after Arwen ran the lads off and rescued Errol, KnittedMerry the Magnificent has kindly agreed to tell that portion of the story for us. I know you will all find this very entertaining. Errol and I certainly enjoyed it. With many thanks to KnittedMerry, here is the epilogue.
GW

Epilogue

by KnittedMerry the Magnificent

as told to Llinos

"Stop! Owww! You're hurting me!"

"Come on you dimwit!" Fred was finding it difficult to run and drag his unwilling brother at the same time. "Do you want them to get you?"

"I don't want them to get my bunny!" Titch, feeling the older boys' grip lessen, sat firmly down on the forest floor. "I want to go back and get him!"

"Well you… you can't!" Bob was red-faced and panting. "Didn't you see? There was a whole horde of them!"

"They'll roast you alive," Fred snorted, trying to grab his annoying brother's arm again. "Do you want to be roasted and all et up?"

"That girl wouldn't roast no one!" Titch sat firmly on his hands in an attempt not to be pulled to his feet. "'Twas you as was going to do the roasting – on my bunny!"

"Oh and she would!" Fred grabbed Titch by his earlobe, forcing him to his feet again or risk losing an ear. "She were a witch, that one!"

"But she was pretty!" Titch was young, but he had heard all about witches and knew what they were like. "Witches are old and ugly and fly on brooms. She didn't even have a broom."

"You ninny," Fred began pulling Titch along once more. "Witches is magick, see! They can magick themselves to look any way they want. Most likely she would make your bunny come alive and then he would have et you!"

"Wouldn't!"

"Would!"

"Wouldn't!"

"Would!"

"Wouldn't, double, double and no returns!" Titch tried to stamp his foot, but Bob and Fred were still marching him along in double quick time.

"Stupid baby!" Fred snapped. "I've a mind to leave you here and let the daft magick bunny eat you up."

All three knew this was an empty threat. Much as Fred teased and bullied his younger brother, his father's wrath would far exceed any roasting by a forest witch if he lost his sibling.

"Besides," Bob squeezed the pudgy pink hand in his. "It was all your fault really. You said we could shoot at your bunny."

"But I didn't like it!" Titch was beginning to cry. "It was horridible! And I didn't say you could set him on fire!"

"Don't be a cry baby!" Fred hated it when his brat of a brother turned on the waterworks. It usually spelled trouble for him. "And don't you tell no one what happened, about the witch and all."

They had reached the little clearing where their house stood and Fred was anxious that his parents did not blame him for his brother's tears. Of course, he was usually to blame and this occasion was no exception, but he had the broken bow to explain away and did not need any other misdemeanours to his debit.

"I won't say we saw a witch, 'cause we didn't!" Titch was adamant that the pretty girl, in spite of her stone throwing, was not of evil intent. She was merely doing what he should have done, standing up for his bunny.

"Did so too!" Fred was equally adamant. "And if you tells, you're a tell-tale tit!"

"Am not!"

"Are!"

"Not!"

Fred and Bob began to chant in the time-honoured tradition of irritating brothers and cousins everywhere.

"Tell-tale tit,

Your tongue shall split,

And all the little puppy dogs

Will have a little bit!"

Titch was equal to the taunt and chanted back.

"Same to you with knobs on!

Cabbages with clogs on

Oliphants with slippers on

And you with dirty knickers on!"

"Oh shut up you mardy baby!" Fred suddenly realised that he was really getting too big for this kind of sparring. "Just keep your trap shut and don't tell Da!"

"I won't," Titch was not about to prove them right by telling tales. "But I'm going back tomorrow and I'm going to find my bunny."

"Titch," Bob sighed in exasperation. "It's gone, forget it. You are too big for it in any case. Do you want the other lads to laugh at you?"

"They do anyway!" Titch pointed out.

Fred turned suddenly and grabbed a handful of his little brother's hair and pushed his face so close that Titch could feel his breath on his cheek. "If you dare to go back and get that bloody rabbit, I'll burn it as soon as I lay eyes on it! Geddit? Goddit? Good!"

Fred, confident now that he would be obeyed, let his brother go and turned to Bob. "Come on, let's go and see if we can nick some cider out of the press room. I'm parched."

Titch, trembling slightly from the ominous threat, felt the tears well up again as his brother and cousin took off to seek mischief he knew was barred to him. He wandered despondently into the kitchen, where his mother was busying around with the evening meal.

"What's wrong Tithemus?" His mother always used his full name. "Have you been crying?"

Titch scrubbed his sleeve across his eyes and sniffed. "No! Well a little tiny bit. Fred shot my rabbit and then some strange girl shouted at us and chased us away with stones and bunny got left behind – I think she wanted him."

"Oh your toy rabbit," She suppressed a smile. "Well you're a big lad for toys now. Your father says you can start minding the sheep on your own come Springtide. That's a very responsible job."

Titch's eyes lit up. "The sheep? On my own? Mam that's wonderful! I already know all their names and everything."

"I know love." She put her arm around his shoulder, "You're gentle with animals and that's a good thing. You'll make a fine shepherd."

"And… and perhaps…" A thought slowly coalesced as if from somewhere outside himself. "Perhaps it's a good thing that girl took bunny. She was very, very pretty and maybe she knew bunny would be safe from Fred and Bob with her."

His mother smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm sure you're right my dear."

And he was – wasn't he!

The End