(Very incomplete) Thistledown and the Stoat Quandary 🐰🌿

~Part 1~

    Thistledown hopped out her burrow in a rush. She's promised her acquaintances for a delightful breakfast. In her mouth , a whole bunch of gorse shoots. She springed from meadow to meadow and hedge to hedge alongside her loyal mate Suckleberry before finally arriving at the hollow for a pleasing breakfast with her friends. She neatly laid down the gorse shoots on an old tree stump with her mate's aid. Then, she waited. She waited. And she waited. After waiting for quite some time she got into a series of questions. Had her friends forgot about her? Had she came to the hollow on the wrong day? Had she arrived in the wrong spot? No, that couldn't happen. Moments passed and she could finally hear her confidante nutmeg calling out for her. " Hallo over there. Thistle dear, how are you?" Nutmeg the squirrel said as she scurried over to Thistledown. Thistledown asked the squirrel why she was late. "I had to preen this tail of mine. Beauty is important in society". The vain squirrel replied. Nutmeg is a lovely squirrel. But the beauty of hers made her vain and proud of herself. Suckleberry looked around and asked Nutmeg what she had brought for the breakfast. To which Nutmeg replied, "Oh heavens, was I supposed to bring food! Silly me." Thistledown shook her head and tried to fake a smile. No matter how ditzy Nutmeg may be, Thistledown would always remain patient with that squirrel. "Now, where's that hare gone?" At that moment, in the distance, the trio could hear the voice of their friend Hawkbit whom was a rather speedy hare. Hawkbit sprinted to them with a whole stack of dandelions and hazelnuts nipped firm in his teeth. He placed them on the stump and began to spoke, "Morning old friends. It's been quite some time since we've last had a pleasant arrangement like this. Sorry I'm late, most of the time I'm early like I always was but today, I'm an awful but late since it took me some time to grasp all these food in my mouth. Of course, if I had already knew how I would've been here ages ago." Hawkbit explained to them. Suckleberry was one of Hawkbit's most trusted companion. They met last summer in a field. The four woodland critters began eating on the lovely meals that had been brought. They chatted for an hour or so at the stump. "Lovely morning" cried a shrill voice from above. When the animals looked up, they saw a chaffinch flying past them with a warm smile. Thistledown waved her paw to the chaffinch. "Those finches always flying above us. How rude of them." Hawkbit said. Hawkbit is a rather dashing hare that could dash from place to place but, he's quite boastful and proud. Once they had finished their meal they each set off their own homes. Thistledown hugged her old friend Nutmeg and waved farewell to Hawkbit. As they parted, Suckleberry wondered whatever is happening at the burrows.

    Back at the burrows, Thistledown went down the rabbit hole with her mate and they settled down at their chambers. Thistledown and Suckleberry lived closest to the burrows' entrance. So they never get much rest. They'd have to be the rabbits that answered any visitors. As the two were about to sleep, a familiar voice called out from the entrance. It was the Berry-giving Hedgehog. Every morning, the Berry-giving Hedgehog would give out fresh berries to the rabbits,squirrels, hares and hedgehogs. "Good morning Hedgehog", said Suckleberry. "Where'd you get these berries?"  Hedgehog replied, "At the blackberry bush near the Western Woods. Though I must warn you I won't be going there again." "Why don't you want to go there?" Suckleberry asked. "I heard some rustling nearby. And this awful snarl. Whatever made that sound must be a vicious creature. Scared the life out of me it did." replied the Berry-giving Hedgehog. Thistledown gulped. She was a bit scared. Suckleberry and Thistledown brought the berries down and passed them to the other rabbits that lived in the burrow. Suckleberry spread the tale to the other rabbits so that they'd avoid going near the Western Woods. Back at their chamber questioning each other on what the creature could be. Thistledown thought it could be a wildcat. Suckleberry thought it might be a polecat. Either way, there's a creature that lives near the edge of the Western Woods. Whatever it was, it must be a savage predator. Later at dusk, Suckleberry  decided to go out with Thistledown for dinner. When they returned, they saw Mr.Swallow having a chat with one of the rabbits. The pair walked to the Swallow and asked it what's the news. Mr.Swallow replied, "It's a stoat chaps. One of the local squirrels reported hearing one stalk him. There's also a hare that reported he was chased by a stoat near the Western Woods. Just to warn you rabbits to be careful and never go out alone especially near the woods. These stoats love eating rabbits." Thistledown and Suckleberry looked at each other in shock. It must have been the creature Berry-giving Hedgehog heard!