By Julie

Slowly, carefully, sniffing the path ahead of him, the small rabbit takes small bounds through the white luster in the woods. Looking up from the path, he spots another rabbit peeking cautiously at him from behind a bush covered with snow. He takes small, careful steps toward the other rabbit. Wordlessly, they join each other, hopping occasionally over piles of snow. They stop for a minute to nibble on a strand of uncovered grass. Suddenly, they both spot something. Ears prick up, eyes scan the snowy woods. A crunch of snow fills the air. They take off through the snow in leaps of glee, away from the winter noises of the forest. As they reach the edge of the woods, they gradually slow, look back and forth with their eyes, prick up their ears, but no sound comes. They are alone. With another burst of joy, they leap out into the field! Minute after minute, they hop around each other, in and out of the snow, hop near and far, playing and chasing. Finally they slow down to catch their breath and look up at the sky, raining white fluffy bits of snow. It is darkening, and the rabbits are tired and out of breath from playing, and wet from the white fluffy snow that has covered their world. Wordlessly, they bid each other good-bye and walk, stopping every few seconds to nibble on a blade of grass or listen for more winter sounds, to their separate rabbit burrows. Each takes a last glance at the field and the forest of their home, covered with white freeze and long rabbit footprints. Each knows – they will be back as soon as they can. With one last, quiet step, they are in their warm rabbit burrows.