Starbasin

It was two days before Rhizome was strong enough to go above ground. Notch refused to let Rhizo leave any earlier, something about making sure there wasn’t an infection. Thankfully, Notch was a master herbalist, and his care made sure the injuries were almost healed by then.

Rhizo hopped out of the warren into the cool night. The scents of spring hung in the air; flowers, fresh mud, and wonderful grass. There was no hint of the weasel that had mauled him. No hint of any predator at all.

The Lady Moon hung high in the air, hiding half her face amid her countless children who sparkled in the clear night sky. Her light illuminated the berry bush whose roots held the ceiling of the warren together. Only a few rabbits were out in the late night air. There was only a little shelter from predators, and the field around the bush had been exposed since a nearby tree had blown over in a storm. The few who were out huddled around lookouts, scanning the sky for owls and the ground for wolves.

That is, except for a lone rabbit lying on her back in the center of the field. Stargazer stretched out, vulnerable and completely unprepared for any predator that might happen along. Perhaps her visions would warn her if one approached. Perhaps she knew something the others didn’t. Such was the way of seers.

Rhizome hopped up to the smaller tan rabbit with black ear-tips. He sat there a while, first looking at Stargazer, then the night sky, then back again. “Aren’t you worried about owls?”

Stargazer started and flipped up onto her hind legs. “Aaggh! Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

“I’m sorry.” Rhizo lowered his ears and dipped his head to the ground. “Clearly, you were looking for visions, and I interrupted. I guess my arrival wasn’t in them.”

“It should have been.” Stargazer rolled her eyes. “Get up. I serve the warren, and that means occasionally getting awkward questions. It’s really okay. Please ask.”

“But you’re a great hero. I shouldn’t impose.”

Stargazer gave Rhizo a light cuff with one forepaw. “I’m just a rabbit, like you. I am lucky to be blessed with these visions. Luckier still to understand what they mean. But, I’m not great. I can’t save everyone. I can’t save those I see die. I can’t change what Fate has woven into the future. Neither can you change what happened. Still, what can I help you with?”

“Um, I kind of made a deal. To tell someone about my life. But, I haven’t done anything important.” Rhizome shook his head.

“It’s okay that you had an issue when you saw the weasel. Many would not have had the courage to sound a warning. It is nothing to claw yourself over,” Stargazer said. “What matters is what you do now. Do you want to save rabbits in the future?”

“I hadn’t thought of it. My stamp didn’t chase off the weasel, it got me mauled. That’s my worth. I don’t really want to go out and get myself killed.”

“I understand.” Stargazer nudged Rhizo lightly with a paw. “At least the weasel was the last predator we will see until the Lady moon is full. It is a shame that Whitepaw had to die before the watch could kill the weasel.” The hero sighed and shook her head. “If I had been in the warren, even I could not have saved Whitepaw. No matter if you sounded a warning or not, the result would have been the same. At least Fate permitted me to see the weasel’s death, and Prince Twilight blessed us with no further casualties. If you want my advice, go back to your world of grazing and forget about if you could be a hero. Surely the one you made a deal with will understand.”

“I suppose.” Rhizome didn’t like the idea of telling the black rabbit he had nothing interesting to share. Although, as he pondered Stargazer’s words, a curious question came to mind. A thought that, hadn’t Whitepaw visited him that morning to thank him. Could that have been Death, bringing the spirit of a child he couldn’t save? “Why do you think I’m here?”

“What? You’re ashamed that you saw the weasel and hid. My visions told me that much. And, it’s okay not to be a trickster. There’s no shame in being afraid.” She nudged Rhizo again.

Rhizome was about to object, but Stargazer’s eyes went wide. The seer flopped onto her side, gaze staring upward. Rhizo almost bolted, but waited for her insight.

“In the story, the hero seeks the basin full of stars to find his voice and witness a great tragedy.”

There was a long moment of silence. Rhizo finally asked, “Are you okay?”

Stargazer got to her feet. “Sorry, they can come on suddenly. Must’ve been a bad one. So, I’d say forget about being a hero. There isn’t much to learn from our stories.”

“Thank you, wise lady.” Rhizo tried to hide his frown. Something was wrong. Stargazer was never mistaken. The future could not be changed. Yet, she was wrong about the past. Still, talking further wouldn’t uncover if the kit had lived or not.

Rhizo headed toward the other grazing rabbits. It’d been a while since he had a proper meal, and he spent time eating, and moving between the few groups. When he got to the largest gathering, in the center of the group, he noticed Whitepaw.

The single white paw against the rest of his black fur was unmistakable. While the moonlight gave him a slightly indistinct outline, a quick nudge with a nose confirmed to Rhizo the kit was real.

“Oh, hello Rhizome.” Whitepaw’s ears perked up. “Feeling better?”

Fear gripped Rhizo. What could this mean? He stammered, “It was nothing. I just saw a danger and let everyone know.”

“Thank you again for saving me. I was too close to the forest. If you hadn’t gotten the weasel’s attention, he would have dragged me off.” The kit sighed and shivered with remembered fear. “I’m worried he’ll come back.”

“Didn’t the watch stop him?” Rhizo asked.

“No. He fled after he got you. When he realized the watch was coming.”

Rhizo swallowed. He looked to the other rabbits and back at Whitepaw. Stargazer was a well known seer. Stargazer’s visions were never wrong. Whitepaw was supposed to die. The weasel was dead. Except that’s not what happened.

“Are you okay, Rhizo?” Whitepaw was scared, ears back. “Do you need to rest?”

“I’m sorry,” Rhizo blurted out and ran from the group; his sudden hops startled a few of the rabbits there. He headed away from the briar, away from the warren in the direction he had been attacked. This was his fault.

As the smell of the warren faded, Rhizo tried to pick up the weasel’s scent. His nose wasn’t all that sensitive but it was passable. The scents were old, but vague memories of the attack guided him. Rhizome had been dragged back to the warren this way. A few more hops and Rhizo found the place he was attacked. Where he saved Whitepaw.

Desperate, Rhizo sniffed all along the area. The scents were too old. Rhizo wasn’t a tracker and he didn’t have an herbalist’s nose. He was just a warren rabbit, a nobody. One of the nameless many who get eaten by predators. More were going to die because Stargazer hadn’t seen the actions of such an insignificant rabbit.

Rhizo called into the night, “Why didn’t you tell me? You were there for Whitepaw, not for me. You had no idea I was dying.”

“No need to shout. He heard you.” The voice was soft and came from the darkness itself. “I said I was surprised. What did you think I meant?”

“Visions can’t be changed,” Rhizo objected.

“You wish it was that simple?” The two red eyes appeared again. “Nothing to surprise. All things preordained. Precious life is worth more than that.” They closed, fading back into the night.

“Come back here!” Rhizo shouted before he realized who he was shouting at. Defeated, he slumped to the ground. “The trail is too old. I can’t follow it.”

“They erased the scent with an herb, long-ear.” Rhizo looked up to spot the weasel who had spoken in Lapine. The weasel looked at the rabbit and hesitated. “I know you.”