The prison that Rabbit found himself trapped in had five cells along the southern wall, while the jailer’s desk was on the northern wall. Each cell that was separated by a meter apart was twelve feet by fifteen feet and the bars went straight up to the ceiling as opposed to forming a cube. Near the bottom of the bars in the door to the cell, an opening was made for a bowl of food to come through every meal time. A bowl currently sat there with berries and lettuce in it, a favourite of Rabbit’s, but Rabbit didn’t really feel like eating it.

Wolf’s whimpers died down and an abrupt snoring started from the jailer.

Rabbit then saw Stag squish his snout between the bars, which meant that he wanted to say something in confidence so Rabbit moved closer to hear what Stag had to say.

Stag spoke in a snooty poetic voice, “Rabbit, dear Rabbit, you’ve yet to touch your food. We’ve been worse for wear as Worchester becomes the harbinger of uncertainty. Leaving his lab is like losing one’s mind I’m afraid. Though we mustn’t give up hope, you should eat.”

Stag had become Rabbit’s only confidant during the years of imprisonment, even though Rabbit used to hate Stag, and truly Rabbit still kind of disliked him. When Rabbit was little he would get together with Bear and Wolf and make fun of Stag and Horse for being the only quadrupedal of the beast-men—and they didn’t wear any clothes—such an embarrassment. That initial revulsion pushed Stag and Horse closer as a couple, and they’ve been nearly inseparable ever since, which is irritating when being their best friend because they will straight up leave you out of their conversations. Rabbit felt like the move to being Stag and Horse’s best friend was necessary though, it beat hanging out with the brutes as he sometimes referred to Bear and Wolf.

Bear, Wolf and Rabbit used to be the playful bunch during exercise time. However, Bear and Wolf became aggressive towards Rabbit, who was clearly weaker than them, and would gang up on Rabbit until he was never ever the winner of anything, which was too real for playtime.

Rabbit smiled, moved over to the food in front of the gate, and started picking at it.

Stag clopped his back foot against the stone floor to get Rabbit’s attention and said, “Am I right, or am I not right?”

Horse heard the clop of Stag’s foot and clopped over to the edge of the cell herself, “Exercise is soon, darling.”

“I’m talking to Rabbit at the moment, honey.” Stag answered Horse.

“Oh, okay then.” Horse trotted around her cell a little.

Rabbit wasn’t feeling like eating though. More food was heaped in front of Rabbit’s human-rabbit face while he clicked his incisors together but eating seemed pointless. Rabbit felt like he really didn’t need the energy anyway. More food, even his favourite food, was now a hassle to eat even when he was hungry.

“I’m not really hungry.” Rabbit stared at the bowl in front of him.

“Ah, but Rabbit something will change soon, you must believe.”

Rabbit started picking at his food. He didn’t want to eat, but it wasn’t worth Stag lecturing him so.