She-Who-Loves-Me calls me Skyler. She says that when the sky was falling, Im the piece she caught. We met in a concrete warehouse on a cold and cloudy January afternoon. I was one of a hundred fifty-seven rabbits who were seized from a backyard rabbit breeder. Im a purebred American Fuzzy Lop rabbit. But being a purebred is no guarantee of an easy life, especially if youre one in a hundred fifty-seven.
The seizure was made after the breeders neighbors realized that the breeder hadnt been around in a while. We were starving, dehydrated, filthy, and many of us were very ill and/or wounded. All of us were traumatized. So, the rescue crew packed us up into a bunch of dog crates and carried us to the warehouse. Up until that time, I didnt know there was any other place except the breeders hutches. I wasnt scared
I was terrified.
The warehouse was cold. There were multiple rabbits in each cage, segregated by the best guess at the gender. I was in a cage with another rabbit, a real bully. You may think that cute fluffy rabbits get along with everyone, but youd be wrong. Rabbits have a very strict hierarchical society. Older, stronger rabbits stake out their territory and make sure the younger or weaker rabbits do not intrude. Rabbits defend their territory with teeth and claws and blood will flow. I was neither the older nor the stronger and the bites through my ears, the scabs on my back, the hunks of missing fur, and the split upper eyelid proved that. I was a pretty sorry site.
The bully rabbit was having some fun with me. I tried to burrow down into the straw covering the floor of the cage. I thought maybe if I could just dig deep enough, the bully wouldnt be able to get to me. I was wrong. The bully leapt onto my back and sank his razor teeth into me. I was trying to dig away from him, but he held on until a hand reached into the cage and scared him off. The same hand scooped me out of that cage.
I had been so terrified for so long, I was about ready to just give up. I was tired of having to fight the other rabbits for every mouthful of food and every lick of water. I couldnt sleep because I never knew when a bully rabbit would attack me. My whole body hurt from the bites and scratches. And, from hunger. The only comfort I could remember ever receiving was when my mother would nuzzle me and I was taken from her more than a year earlier. I thought that if this is the end of me, just let it come quick.
She held me close while another person put some ointment on my scabbed ears. And, She talked quietly, rubbing my nose. She cradled me in her arms for a while after that. I expressed my gratitude the only way I knew how, I licked her neck a few times. Then, She put me in a smaller cage with clean straw, food, and water. I was alone in the cage. No other rabbit was in there with me. I had never had a whole cage all to myself. I was still terrified, but at least I didnt have to deal with bully rabbits, now. I could eat and drink my fill. I didnt know how long it would last, but I was determined to make the most of it while I could.
For the next few days She would visit with me, talking quietly trying not to scare me. She would make sure my cage was clean and stocked with food and water. Shed put her hand out to me. I really wanted to go to her. I wanted to trust her, but I was too afraid. She seemed to understand.
Some days later, She scooped me out of the cage and put me in a box. I was terrified all over again. Strange noises and smells, weird vibrations and movement. When She finally opened the box and let me out I was in a new place. I didnt know there were so many places in this world. This one was very different than any Id seen. It was much bigger than the hutch, but much smaller than the warehouse. I had a two-story condo in which to eat and sleep and a whole room to run in. Id never had enough room to actually run. My leg muscles were not very strong and it took a while for me to get the hang of it. Now, to me, nothing feels so wonderful as stretching out my legs in a flat-out run, banking my turns, and throwing myself into the air in a flying binky.
About 18 months passed and She would sit on the floor and feed me treats and talk to me, but I still could not make myself trust her. When She was in the room, Id creep along the walls to get where I was going. If She held out a hand toward me Id bolt for a hiding place. I knew She wouldnt hurt me, but I just could not make myself take that final step and trust her.
One day, I wasnt feeling real good. I didnt want to eat the treat She offered. I was crouched under her computer table so She crawled under the table, too. Normally, I would have bolted before She got close to me, but I was slow off the mark this time. I was trapped. She put her hand on my head, very lightly, and did the oddest thing. She rubbed my nose very softly with her thumb. Over and over, for a very long time, She-Who-Loves-Me rubbed my nose and spoke softly to me. I was mesmerized. I had not felt this way since my mother had nuzzled me so many years ago. I closed my eyes and understanding flowed into me. Skyler really means, He-Who-Loves-Her.
