A Marmot's Life

For days the Marmot labored to make his home underground. It was his first home and he wanted it to feel like it was really his. He knew he would need several rooms, at multiple levels, so he used sticks and rocks to reinforce the walls. Using crushed flower petals and various berry juices the Marmot painted a beautiful mural of the nearby mountains on the wall of his bedroom. He then went to the bees for wax to make candle lanterns out of. The bees, always happy to see friend Marmot gifted him a tiny plastic teddy bear full of honey as a house warming gift. They always were so industrious. He made a bed and a couch out of some discarded fabric he found on the trails and some wicker chairs out of stiff grass stalks.

One day the Marmot invited his friend  Rabbit over to see his bitchin new pad. Rabbit was always reckless, but steadfast. A fun friend to party with, Rabbit brought over some cherry wine to celebrate his friends success. They laughed and carried on for hours, reminiscing of their childhood. They lived in the same burrow network back then. It never seemed like they had any time for each other as adults.

Eventually it came time for Rabbit to leave. Marmot, flush in the face from wine, insisted upon walking his friend to the surface. The two stumbled to the mouth of the burrow, leaning against each other for support. Hiccuping and gigling at inside jokes.  The moon greeted them as they exited into the cool night air. A brisk wind blew across the steppes. They looked up at the stars and shared a drunken sigh. The world was truly a beautiful place.

Suddenly something quickly jerked Rabbit away from Marmots side. Marmot turned and stumbled falling back in terror at what he saw. Before him a large Corsac Fox was whipping Rabbit back and forth by his neck. And it wasn't just doing the Nay Nay. Blood began to splatter across the Foxes brilliant white fur, creating a grizzly site. It's narrow eyes locked in direct contact with Marmot's wide eyed stare. He felt wet as his bladder evacuated from the fear. The Fox threw Rabbit to the ground before stepping on his chest and attempting to rip its arm off with his powerful jaws. Marmot finally found his feet, the horror sobering him quickly. He dove into his hole, the shrieks of agony coming from his friend chasing him down. He kicked hard at the ceiling, desperately trying to collapse it. Damn his inability to hang hinges on dirt! If only there were a faster way to close the entrance. Blood was starting to cascade down into the hole. His friends blood. The thought of it made him sick. I mean Bird Eggs are one thing, but other Mammals? Why? His minds racing was abruptly interrupted by his friends paw landing on his face as he stared at the blood in shock and bewilderment.  The sight of his friends paw sitting in his lap with meat and bone sticking out of the other end was too much. Marmot felt a wave of vertigo before he fell to the ground. His tiny heart beating ever faster. He struggled to breath. His heart! His heart! Faster and faster it went until..
Poof. A dull thud in his chest was the last thing Marmot would ever feel. He was much luckier than Rabbit in that way.