The hare recoiled. What was this? A status? It looked so cool!

He looked back at the tall things and squeaked: 'Cool status!'

The middle one nodded: 'Very. We all have status. What's yours say?'

The hare turned back to his status, thought for a minute, then squeaked: 'I don't know!'

The left one squawked: 'You can't read?'

'No! What's that?'

Before the tall things could answer a large shadow passed overhead. The tall things started squawking loudly at the shadow, much to the hare's dismay. Then he decided that shouting at the shadow seemed fun, so he joined in, too.

'Mom!' they squawked.

'Mom!' he squeaked.

The shadow descended and became a slightly smaller brute than the first brute he'd seen. It wasn't red like the first brute, but green, like the tall things. He liked the color of her feathers, which were darker than the tall things. He hopped closer to the brute and sniffed at the brute's side. It smelled like the wind!

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The brute squawked: 'Little hare, why aren't you dead?' Its squawk sounded different. Older, more pronounced. It sounded like the first brute's squawk, but less...brutish. This one was more refined.

The hare squeaked back. 'Dunno. What's dead?'

The refined brute cocked its head as it peered down at the hare: 'Do you truly not know, little hare?'

The hare shook his head: 'Tell me, tell me!'

It made a weird noise and turned its head to the tall things: 'Why didn't you eat the hare?'

The things looked at each other, shuffled a bit, and looked at the refined brute. The left one squawked: 'Not food.'

'Not food? The hare is not food for you?'

They shook their heads in unison.

The refined brute made the weird noise again and gently poked the hare. 'If not food, then what is he?'

They thought for a moment before shrugging. 'Friend?'

The hare squeaked his agreement. He didn't know what a friend was, but it sounded cool! And he liked cool things!

'You want to befriend a falcon?' the refined brute mused.

The things nodded. The hare nodded. The refined brute shuffled her wings and sighed. 'This is what happens when I'm not around to supervise you...Fine. Don't eat the hare.'

The hare squeaked: 'Yay! We're friends now!'

The refined brute snorted and grabbed him in its claws. 'Come, little hare. A nest is no place for you.'

They rose up into the air once again. The hare squealed with wonder. He loved flying! It was amazing! He wished he had wings like the first brute, the tall things, and the refined brute. All he had were these long ears. But...they kind of looked like wings.

He spread them horizontally and let them flap about in the wind. Again, he squealed with delight. Flying! Finally flying!

And then the refined brute dropped him.