Deegra Village is abandoned and in ruins. There is no one in sight. Candy, Deegra, my Rabaca mom, Fluffy, and Clover are all gone. They are not in the blazing fiery village. The little huts are on fire. The small orange rabbits are not here either. I stare at the burning village in horror and panting with fear.

“Candy,” I whisper.

I run away from the castle and headed for the burning village.

My father follows. “Wait son!” he shouts.

I ignore it and keep on running towards the burning village. I make it. I look around and there is no one there. The burning village is empty. The dark gray smoke covers the entire village. I cough and I cover my mouth with my paw.

“Candy!” I call.

“Clovah’!” I call again.

“Mom!” I call louder.

I cannot shout anymore because of the smoke. My eyes start to sting. I cover my head with my hood to keep the smoke away from my face. I look into one of the huts and another one. I look behind all the huts. There is still no one in sight. I look inside each hut and no one inside them. I roughly cough and feel like I am choking on the smoke. The black smoke makes it very hard to see anything in front of my face.

I hear my Rabaca father calling out to me. “Son!” he shouts.

My dad is in the smoke and looking for me.

I run to him. “Dad, I can’t find anyone. They’re all gone.” I cough.

My dad grabs my arm. We run out of Deegra Village and out of the smoke. We head into a forest near the village. The forest is not on fire. The trees look like maple trees and they all stretch to the sky as high as they could. The trees are all orange, even the wood is orange.

I cough and kneel on the ground. My dad leans on a tree. We are a little weak from breathing all that black smoke. I feel so much regret.

Tears of emotion are filling inside of me.

“I should nevah’ have left Candy, she should have come with us into the castle.” I quietly sob.

My dad kneels next to me and pats my back. I turn to my dad. I am still sobbing quietly.

“Then why did you bring the human girl if you knew it was very dangerous?” asks my dad.

“I thought that if I can protect a small child, you might think that loyal to become the next Eastah’ Bunny. And she wouldn’t listen to me when I told her to stay home with our human parents,” I answer.

I cover my face with my paws. “But I guess I was wrong. I can’t even look aftah’ my little sistah’.” I sob.

My dad pats my back again. “Son, Every Easter Bunny had felt this feeling that you feel right now. The worry of a relative,” he says.

I push his paw off my back. “No, they don’t! They nevah’ had any brothah’s or sistah’s to look aftah’!” I shout.

“Yes, they did. All Easter Bunnies had a brother or sister to look after. Even I did too,” says my dad.

I sniff and turn to my dad. “What was his name?” I ask.

My Rabaca dad shuts his eyes and tries to think. He opens his eyes. He has that look of depression in his eyes.

“I can’t remember his name,” he whispers.

“Was he a big brothah’ or a little brothah’?” I ask.

“I think he was a big brother. It’s been a long time since I last saw him,” answers my dad.

“When was the last time you saw him?” I ask.

“About seventeen years ago, I think,” answers my dad.

I am thinking about how old I am. “I’m eighteen years old. So it was about seventeen years ago since you last saw him?” I ask.

My dad nods.

“Where did he go?” I ask my dad.

“I have no idea. Ever since the Shadow Rabbits attacked our Realm he disappeared,” he answers.

“Well, do you know where the othah’s might be?” I ask.

My dad shakes his head. “If there was a fire, then they would probably go to a lake for safety,” he says.

I think for a moment about where we can find a lake. Then I remember the huge lake that I ran by while I was racing with Deegra. I smile and then clap my paws.

“I think I know where they are. While I was racein’ with Deegra, I ran by a huge lake that is at least five or six miles from here. It’s in the east. I think that is where they are. I mean it’s the closest lake to Deegra Village,” I say.

I and my dad stand up and begin to walk out of the orange forest. Then I hear a branch snap right behind me. I turn around and there is no one in the forest.

“Son we need to go, now,” he says.

A branch snaps again. My dad stares into the orange maple forest and sees nothing. Then something is moving in the forest. It is huge and dark, like a huge shadow of a rabbit. My eyes widen with fear.

I gasp. “Shadow Rabbits,” I whisper.

My dad shakes his head. “No, it can’t be. I banished them all to Chivem Land. They cannot get used to the light. That is why they live in Chivem Land where it’s shadowy and dark all the time. Not one Shadow Rabbit can get used to any light of the sun crystal,” says my dad.

“What about nighttime? Do they come out of Chivem Land at night time?” I ask.

“No, they do not. They are banished into Chivem Land and cannot escape. There is a great power there that no Shadow Rabbit can escape from,” says my dad.

The rabbit shadow starts to move around in the forest. It is getting closer and closer to us.

“Well, apparently this one escaped,” I say.

“But I don’t understand. I banished them. They cannot get used to the light and they cannot escape the power that holds them there,” says my dad.

I point at the rabbit shadow. “Then how do you explain that?” I ask.

My dad does not have the wits to answer. I shake my head and walk into the orange forest.

My dad follows me. “Son, what are you doing?!” he asks.

“I am goin’ to prove that the Shadow Rabbits are the one causin’ fiah’s and that their banishment has been broken,” I say.

“Son, I used a yellow crystal of light to banish them to Chivem land. They hate the light of the crystal. The sun crystal always shines in Chivem Land. They wouldn’t dare to enter the light again,” says my dad.

“Well, apparently you’re wrong!” I shout.

I keep walking into the forest. I stop and aim for the wooden staff with the Golden Egg on it. I aim it at the trees as I wait for the large Shadow Rabbit to pop out at any moment now. Smoke from Deegra Village covers the top of the forest. I can barely see anything.

My dad is right next to me. “Son, come on,” he begs.

“Why do you keep callin’ me, son? Haven’t I told you my name yet when I saw you and mom?” I ask.

My dad shakes his head.

“I know your name. We gave a name for you before you arrived in the Hunan Realm,” says my dad.

“Were you the one that send that piece of wood that had the name Jake on it?” I ask.

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“Yes, I and your mom gave you that name,” answers my dad.

“My full name is Jake Bryan Grant,” I say.

“That’s uh…a good full name,” says my dad.

“My human parents kept the name that they found when I was a human baby,” I say.

“They must be really good parents.” my dad sighs.

“You’re my real dad. No one could evah’ replace you. Bryan, my human dad, was kind to me and looked aftah’ me. When I almost went to jail, he paid for my release. I wanted to pay, but he insisted that he would pay. I don’t undah’stand why he would want to do that for me when I was offerin’ to pay for my release?” I ask.

“Maybe it’s the same reason why we sent you to the Human Realm. Because we both love you and wanted you to be safe from harm,” my dad answers.

I do a crooked smile and nod. Then a voice echoes in the forest. The voice sounds deep and rough.

“Awe, isn’t that very touching,” says the deep rough voice.

My dad and I look around the orange forest and there is one in sight.

“Who are you?!” shouts my dad.

The voice chuckles evilly. “Oh really old Rabaca, you don’t know this voice?” it asks.

I stomp my feet and grunt loudly.

“Enough! Are you a Shadow Rabbit?!” I shout.

The voice laughs. “Oh please, if I was a Shadow Rabbit then I would be hurt in the light,” it says.

“Then what are you?” I ask.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” asks the voice.

The same big shadow of the rabbit pops right in front of us.

The shadow is taller than us, it crouches like a hunchback, it has long pointy ears, and it carries a weapon. The shadow grabs his weapon and draws it out of its sheath. The shadow of the big rabbit walk’s up to us.

I am my Golden Egg in the tall shadow. The shadow does not run away or look scared. A huge Rabaca leaps out of the forest and lands right in front of my dad and me. I back away from it. The tall rabbit shadow is this tall Rabaca.

The tall Rabaca has very dark gray fur all over his body. Except his jaw, chest, and belly are light gray. He looks stronger than Deegra the orange Rabaca. The tall Rabaca is doing a gorilla posture. He has white claws on his paws and feet. His eyes are green and sharp like tigers. He has a scar on his left eye. His nose is dark purple. He wields a long wide samurai sword. He has turquoise fabric wrapped around both wrists, a dark green vine with thorns wrapping around his chest, over his right left shoulder, and around his back. The thorns are not sharp. His ears are very long and pointy. He has a dark yellow shoulder leaf pad on his left shoulder.

He has that grinning sinister smile on his face. His paw is grasping the large ninja sword. His other paw is balancing on the ground with his legs.

I am surprised to move. “That is one tall Rabaca,” I say.

The tall Rabaca chuckles. My dad moves in front and pushes me away from the tall Rabaca.

“Jake, I want you to go,” he says.

I shake my head. “Not goanna happen’, mate,” I say.

The tall dark gray Rabaca point’s away from him. “Listen to him,” he says.

The dark gray big Rabaca aims his samurai sword at my nose. “Go, I need to talk, alone,” he says.

I look at my dad and he nods only once. He points away from me. I sigh and walk into the forest. I look back at my dad and the tall Rabaca. They are just staring at each other. They do not turn around to see me. I leap onto one of the orange trees. Then I jump onto another one. I hide behind the branches and listen to the conversation under me.

My dad hits the big Rabaca’s chest. “Why have you come back?!” shouts my dad.

“I have returned,” answers the tall dark gray Rabaca.

“How I imprisoned you from this Realm, you’re not supposed to be here,” says my dad.

The tall Rabaca laughs. “Did you think that some imprisonment will stop me, brother?” he asks.

My rabbit ears rise and I quietly gasp. “That big bloke is my uncle?” I whisper.

The tall dark grey Rabaca puts his large samurai sword back in his sheath behind his back.

He puts both paws on the ground. “After I escaped, it gave me time to train in Chivem Land, where I’ve been hiding all these years. I’ve trained myself so that I would become the Easter Bunny,” he says.

My dad hits the big Rabaca’s arm.

“Listen, big brother, you know that our father chose me instead of you to become the Easter Bunny. So it’s too late, Dronko,” he says.

I chuckle. “His name is Dronko? That sound like a drink or somethin’,” I whisper.

Dronko gently pushes my dad. “You listen to me, little brother. I have found something hidden in Chivem Land, the Shadow Rabbits. They serve me. They cannot escape Chivem Land because of the stupid sun crystal and that power that you or your wife had made,” he says.

“I knew it!” shouts my dad.

Dronko grabs his long samurai sword and pulls it out. I gasp and my eyes widen with shock. I am very worried about my Rabaca dad. Dronko aims his sword at my dad’s chest.

“Since the father isn’t here. I will become the Easter Bunny,” he says.

My dad slowly pushes the sword away from his chest.

“You have not been chosen. I have. And I’m still the Easter Bunny. So killing me won’t make you the Easter Bunny,” he says.

Dronko moves his sword back to my father’s chest. My father loses his balance and falls on his back. He is not scared and he does not try to run. Dronko uncurls one of his fists to show something. He holds a dark gray leaf in his paw. It looks like the same leaf that I found near the Tree of the Realm. I put both of my paws in my jacket pockets and there is nothing in them.

I gasp. “Oh crikey. I must have dropped it,” I whisper.

Dronko shows the dark gray leaf to my dad. The dark gray leaf falls onto my dad’s nose. My dad pants in fear as he stares at the dark gray leaf. He shakes it off.

“No! No, it can’t be!” He shouts.

Dronko presses his ninja sword onto my dad’s tummy. My dad grunts and shuts his eyes tightly.

Dronko laughs evilly. “Yes, it’s happening. If you are still the Easter Bunny, the Tree of the Realm will still be colorful. But it is dying, which means you’re too old to be the Easter Bunny anymore and you had lost your power. And that means that I will become the next Easter Bunny. After all, I am next in the bloodline,” says Dronko.

My dad feels the pain of the sword on his tummy. A bit of red blood is bleeding out of his fur. I cannot stand to watch my dad suffer anymore. I jump off of the branch and land on Dronko’s head. Dronko moves the sword off of my dad’s tummy. My dad grunts in pain. Dronko tries to grab me, but I am dodging his grasp. Dronko runs towards an orange pine tree. He was about to hit me. I jump off of Dronko’s head and land on the ground. Dronko hits his head on a tree and the tree falls onto the ground. I run to my dad. His furry tummy is a little red because of his blood.

“Are you all right, dad?” I ask him.

My dad slowly sits up.

“I told you to go,” he says.

“I nevah really listen to my human fathah’. So I don’t listen to you. Besides, your brothah’ would have killed you,” I say.

I help my dad stand up on his legs and put his arm over my back.

“Son, we need to inform the others about the Tree of the Realm,” he says.

“What’s so bloody important about that huge tree? I know that it is the source of springtime. But why is it so important to the Eastah’ Bunny?” I ask.

Before my dad can answer, Dronko punches my dad in the face.

I turn around and Dronko stares at me. “So, this is your long lost son?” he asks my dad.

My dad groans and sits on his behind. “I’ve never seen this Rabaca before,” he lies.

I roll my eyes. “Oh come on dad. Like he’s goanna to fall for that lie? He has huge ears and heard what we’ve been sayin’,” I say.

Dronko was going to grab my rabbit ears, then I jump right over him and land behind him. Dronko swings his fists but he misses. I jump over him and slap his ears. Dronko is now ticked off like an angry gorilla. Dronko tries to punch me over and over again. But I dodge every punch. I do a cunning smile. Dronko swings his sword at me. I dodge every time.

“Small ones are quick and big ones are slow mate!” I laugh.

No matter how many times Dronko tries to punch or cut me, I dodge his attacks.

“What are you gonna do now, uncle?” I mock.

Uncle Dronko stares at me with his sinister grin. He reaches under the fabric that is wrapped around his left ankle. He pulls out a red flower.

“Awe, now that’s a beauty,” I say.

My dad shakes in fear and crawls away from Dronko. “Jake, stay away from that red flower!” he shouts.

Dronko throws the red flower at my dad and it hits his nose. Red pollen pops out of the red flower. My dad lets out a few sneezes. Then he starts panting with fear and shakes. I can hear his heart pounding very fast. My dad whimpers. He is paralyzed. Dronko throws another red flower at my nose. I hold my breath so I won’t breathe the red pollen from it. Dronko punches my stomach and I release my breath with a cough. I can smell the red pollen with its spicy scent. I fall onto my back and pant.

My heart is beating very fast and I am shaking too. “What kind’ a flowah’ is that?” I whimper.

Dronko drops the red flower and aims his sword at my face. I am too scared to move.

“It’s the red flower of fear. Once when you sniff it, you will feel very afraid.” He chuckles.

I crawl away from Dronko and lean my back against an orange tree. I shake and whimper.

“Please, don’t hurt me,” I beg.

Tears are flowing down my face. Dronko puts his sword away and places his paws on my neck.

“So you’re the son of my little brother? Well, I could say I’m impressed, but it would seem that I’m not. I’m a bit disappointed,” he says.

My dad tries to calm his heart as he breathes normally. He notices a white egg from his purple satchel on the ground. He crawls to the egg.

Dronko removes his paw away from my neck. I am still panting and shaking with fear. Dronko pulls out his sword and aims at my chest.

I cover my eyes with my long rabbit ears. “No, no, no, no, no. Please don’t hurt me.” I beg.

Dronko presses his sword onto my tummy. I groan in pain and cry loudly. Dronko chuckles evilly.

“If my Shadow Rabbits didn’t kill you when you were born, then I will! You will not stop me from releasing the Shadow Rabbits! You should know before you die, I was the one who caused some villages to burn! I was the one who took all of the red small rabbits from Trodant Village! I was hoping that I could find you! But it turns out that you were never here in this Realm! I couldn’t find you because of your human form and there are so many humans in the Human Realm! And now you’re here again! And once when you die, the Rabbit Realm will fall and winter will never end in the Human Realm! Ever!” shouts Dronko.

The sword slowly cuts my furry chest. I am bleeding from the cut.

I groan loudly. “Please don’t!” I sob.

My dad throws a rock at Dronko to get his attention. Dronko moves his sword off of my chest. I cover my chest with my paws to stop the bleeding. I am still terrified and still shaking. I sob while covering my face. Dronko was about to attack my dad. My dad points to a yellow light crystal. Dronko covers his eyes and roars loudly. The light from the yellow crystal is hurting his eyes.

“Chivem Land,” my dad whispers.

He throws the white egg and it hits Dronko’s head. White smoke from the egg covers his body. As the smoke clears away Dronko disappears with it. My dad stands up and walks up to me.

I am still scared and still shaking. “Dad, he tried to kill me. Why?” I ask.

My dad grabs some orange leaves that are on the ground. He presses the leaves on my wounded chest.

“I know son. It’s because he wants to be the Easter Bunny. He became very angry and very jealous when my father chose me to be the Easter Bunny and not Dronko,” he says.

I groan as my dad presses the leaves onto my wound.

“Dronko told me that you’re too old to be the Eastah’ Bunny and that you had lost your power. Clovah’ also said that you’re getting to. Does that mean that I am the Eastah Bunny now?” I ask.

“Not yet. If you were, then the Tree of the Realm would not be dying right now,” says my dad.

“So if the tree dies, so does spring?” I ask.

“I’m afraid so,” answers my dad.

I am sobbing some more. “How long does this red flower last?” I ask.

“Only a few minutes, no sense walking to Keaple Lake now,” answers my dad.

My dad grabs another white egg. “Keaple Lake,” he says.

He drops the egg. White smoke from the egg bursts out and covers us. My dad and I teleport over a lake. We fall in.