In the rabbit world, there are many rules. Rules, for example, on eating etiquette. These rules were very strict; we follow them our entire lives. However, I clearly wasn’t a rule follower, because I had, again, broken one of the most important rules, “Don’t approach predators.” Oh, well.

“Frost!” I called. The gray-and-white puppy jumped out from behind a tree. Her face lit up as she saw me. “Hi, Sachiko!” she said happily. “You managed to get away?”

I nodded.

“Then let’s play chase!” She bounded away.

I was about to follow, when I heard noise behind me. Turning, I saw one of my siblings running toward our house. “Uh-oh,” I said. “I believe I’ve been caught.” Then I started walking back to my home, anticipating punishment, yet happy I had gotten away. I walked back into the tunnel that led to our home.

When I entered our home, Mother’s angry face greeted me. “Hi . . . ?” I said.

Mother wasn’t as brief. “Why were you playing with a wolf?” she growled, sounding scarily like a wolf herself.

“Frost is a dog, not a wolf!” I protested.

 “Even worse!” Mother declared. “I forbid you from talking to her, Sachiko!” With that, Mother stormed off, and I curled up on my moss bed, saddened. Then, hearing noise in the tunnel, I looked up.

There was some scraping in the tunnel. Suddenly, Frost’s head appeared in the entrance.

Mother looked up, tensing.

Before any of us could speak, she said, “I’ve come to warn you! There are hunting dogs in the forest, and I think they’re after you1” Mother wavered, unsure. Frost added, “Hurry, they’re almost here!”

Mother thought quickly. “We need to make another tunnel.” She approached the wall opposite of the entrance and started digging. Everyone else joined in. Eventually, we reached the surface.

Frost poked her head through. “Over there!” she whispered and then ran toward a large tree.

We followed. Once we were safe, Mother sat down, thinking. “I think, just in this case, we can make an exception to the rules.” She smiled. “You did save our lives.”