Dodgers

Timi was asleep, nestled in his nook amongst the twisted roots of the silver birch that grew above him. He liked to sleep, it was the only time he got peace. When he was awake he was plagued with constant worry that he wasn't a good enough rabbit to be living in the burrow.
His mother tried to reassure him he would get his confidence back one day and he would rise to be Burrow Chief.
"The best Burrow Chief that Hollow Downs has ever seen," she proclaimed.
Timi didn't see that ever happening.
"You learnt your lesson when you were very young, Timi," his mother said. "You know now never to venture onto the farmer's land, especially when he's out with his gun and his sheepdog."
He had learnt his lesson, but because of it the thought of the unknown dangers lurking out in the big world made Timi tremble like a leaf in the breeze. And so he stayed where he knew he was safe-in the deep, dark tunnels of the burrow.
He was content, curled up with his black nose nestled inside his fluffy white tail, gently snoring, when a thump to his rump jerked him awake.
"Wakey, wakey, droopy ears," said a familiar, cocky voice.
Timi stirred and slowly opened his eyes. It was Curr:Timi's brother.
"Come on, it's a great day outside," said Curr, hopping over the roots on the floor of the burrow. "And I've just discovered a great new game. I call it 'Dodgers'."
Timi looked up. He was desperate to go outside but the terror he felt was like a leash tying him to the ground. He couldn't move.
"Not today," Timi said. "My leg is sore. I want to rest it."
"Timi, you're always saying your leg is sore. I know that farmer scuff it with a bullet but you can't stay inside forever."
Timi knew he was right.
"Come on, Timi," Curr wailed. "If you don't want to see me play dodgers why don't you come to the entrance of the burrow and watch me slide down the hill. I have a fresh slide that I pulled from the farmer's rubbish."
Timi leapt up onto his rump. "Curr, you shouldn't go down there. Not during sun time. He'll get you."
"Not if I have my wits about me," said Curr, stroking his whiskers. "So what do you say? Will you come to the entrance?"
Timi knew Curr would badger him until he agreed. Curr was a determined rabbit. So cautiously Timi hopped through the tunnels of Hollow Down until he reached the circle of daylight at the head of the burrow. A summer breeze blew inside fluttering the veil of roots that hung over the entrance.
"Come on," yelled Curr as he poked his head inside the entrance.
Timi inched towards the roots and just poked his nose though them. He couldn't see Curr but he could hear him.
"You can't see anything from there," called Curr. "Come out further."
Timi pushed his head out, as far as his ears and looked about.
Curr was sat on his rump, a little to the left of the burrow, with a small, empty packet underneath one of his front paws. He was at the top of the steep grassy slope that led down into the heart of the field where a group of black and white cows were happily grazing.
"Watch this, Timi," said Curr as he hopped onto the packet and whizzed down the slope with his ears flapping behind him.
The sight of Curr having fun made Timi angry. He longed to do what his brother could do. But the image in his mind of the red-faced farmer staring down the barrel of his gun reminded Timi that he was not an audacious rabbit. He was governed by a much stronger force that tenacity. He was governed by fear. But rather than face it and give it a swift kick with his hind legs, which was what Curr would do, he darted back down the burrow to the safety of his nook. And there he stayed for the rest of the day. But when night fell he was woken by a panic-stricken voice.
"Timi, Timi," it called.
Timi lifted up his sleepy head. "What's wrong?"
"It's Curr," said the voice. "He's in trouble."
Timi's eyes flicked open to see Silver standing over him. Her ears were back and she was shaking so much Timi felt the earth beneath him tremble.
"What's happened?" Timi asked as terrifying thoughts of what had befallen Curr sent his mind into a spin-Had he fallen down a hole? Was he trapped in barbed wire? Had he been attacked by a wolf or a dog?
"We were playing on the black path dodging the bright eyes as they whizzed up and down," Silver whimpered, wiping a tear from one of her black-glassy eyes with a paw. "Curr was leaping back and forth across the path but he got stuck and now he can't move."
"What do you mean he can't move?"
"He's stuck in the middle of the black path. Eyes are whizzing all around him. He's terrified, Timi. He's curled up into a ball. You have to help him."
Timi shuddered at the thought. "You have to tell our parents. They'll know what to do. They'll do something," he said, trying to make out that the wisdom of the elders was Curr's only hope.
"They're not here, Timi. They're out foraging. You have to do something."
"Why can't you help him?" he said.
Timi felt every one of his words pierce his conscience. They spluttered from his mouth before his brain could stop them.
"He's your brother, Timi," Silver pleaded. "He needs you, or he might die."
That was it. That was the catalyst. The idea of Curr dying and leaving Timi without a brother was more than Timi could bear. He would sooner die himself than see his younger brother hurt.
He sprang out of his nook and bounded through the tunnels of the burrow until he was out into the chill sting of night.
It was the first time Timi had ever seen the night. But he had no time to take it in or to be afraid by it. He pushed his apprehensions about the unknown deep down inside him until he was almost stepping on his fears and scrambled down the hillside.
Behind Silver he darted across the field, weaving through the legs of the black and white cows and round steaming, stinky cowpats toward a mesh fence in the distance. He pushed himself beneath it, after Silver, and then wove down through tall grasses to the edge of the black pathway.
Timi managed to keep his fear at bay, thinking only of the safety of his brother, but when his nose caught a noxious scent that smelt like burning Timi was reminded of the farmer's tractors. He could feel every cell in his body begin to freeze. He wanted to turn tail and run back to the cover of the burrow but the terrified cries of his brother thawed his fear.
"Timi," Curr cried. "Help me!"
Huddled in the middle of the black pathway, trembling, tired and weak, whilst loud beasts with brilliant white eyes zipped all around him, was Curr. One of his back paws was wedged within the slates of a grate. He was struggling to pull it free.
Timi had no idea how he was going to get to Curr but he knew he had to. He searched deep down into his very soul for the brash confidence he once had; the confidence that led him down to the farmer's shed that day when he was just a young bunny. He didn't have a care in the world then. He was curious, and bold. He was invincible. Instantly Timi felt a change come over him. He started to feel taller, and stiffer. He felt his ears prick up, his neck stretch and his shoulders broaden. He took a deep breath and watched the bright eyes. He deduced that the bigger and brighter they were the closer they were and so when a break came, when the eyes were far enough away, Timi took a deep breath. He bounded over to Curr and huddled beside him just as a large beast with four eyes roared past. Timi's heart thumped in his chest as a gust of wind, in the wake of the beast, ruffled his fur and a cloud of fumes choked and burned his throat. But he didn't care. He was glad he and his brother were still alive.
As Timi turned to examine Curr's paw his back legs skidded on something on the black path. It was a sticky, black, slippery substance that had a shimmer of rainbows running through it. An idea flickered into life in his mind and suddenly he felt empowered. He scooped up some of the black stuff and rubbed it onto Curr's back paw.
"Give that a wiggle now, Curr," cried Timi as beasts continued to roar up and down the path.
Curr wiggled and tugged at his paw and suddenly it popped out from the grate.
"I'm free," Curr cried with delight.
"Not quite," said Timi. "We still have to get back to verge."
With Silver watching on, pacing up and down through the grass, Timi waited until the beast's eyes were small and shouted to Curr, "Now!"
Timi and Curr darted across the black path as fast as they could and leapt onto the verge, collapsing in an exhausted heap on a mound of spongy moss.
"Thanks Timi," Curr spluttered between breaths.
Timi twitched his nose and whiskers. "The same to you."
"What do you have to thank me for?" asked Curr. "I made you risk your life to save me."
"And because of that you saved me from fear, from spending my life curled up in the burrow. You made me strong again. You made me feel important."
Curr sighed and climbed onto his Timi's belly.
"So that does that mean you'll come hill sliding with me tomorrow?" Curr asked.
"Only if you can find another slide," replied Timi.