Quolin had never felt so tired—he wanted to sleep some more but that tiny voice in his head urged him to open his eyes. His skin felt dry and cold. It was summer, for goodness sake! Where was the cold coming from?
He blinked the sleep from his eyes, shivering as he struggled to adjust to the freezing temperature in the strange cabin. His brain felt like scrambled eggs as he took in the dimly lit cabin with an open window. The sky was too blue as snowflakes fell.
His breathing changed rapidly. He'd gone to bed the evening before when it was summer. How could it be winter now? What in the world….
The earth quaked under him, forcing him to sit up, his heart beating wildly. “You, cheat!” A deep, rumbling voice followed by laughter broke the silence. “Think you can beat me, Snowtail? We'll do it again.”
Quolin's almond-shaped eyes widened in shock as they took in the most bizarre sight. Two towering, muscled bunnies sat at a great slab stone table in the centre of the cabin. They had their big forepaws clasped and ready to arm wrestle.
Their coats were thick, fluffy and white like the flurrying snow. The bigger bunny had one eye with a patch of grey fur while the other, just as big, was flawless. There was no stain on his coat. Their ears perked up as they strained and flexed their muscles on the slab table.
“Ha! We can do this as many times as you wish, Flurrypaws. I'll still beat you,” Snowtail chuckled, baring sharp fangs that could break a tree apart.
Quolin whispered, "Where am I?” His voice came out hoarse and shaky. Good. His voice still worked in this strange dream. "Where am I?” He tried again.
“Sssh!” Snowtail said, his eyes darting around the cabin. “Do you hear that?” Flurrypaws followed his gaze and both bunny eyes landed on Quolin who was squatting on his haunches.
"Whoa, a human in our realm! Not again," Snowtail exclaimed.
“Ha, that's a good sign,” Flurrypaws said. He knelt before Quolin who had backed into a corner of the cabin. “We won't hurt you. How did you get in here?”
Quolin shook his head. “I…I have no idea. What's this place? Where am I?”
The two giant rabbits exchanged a glance, a silent chat passing between them. “You are in Toronto Valley, a summer retreat paradise for bunnies.” Flurrypaws answered with a grin. “You must have fallen through the portal from your world into ours. What's your name?”
“Portal. Portal?” Quolin repeated more to himself while his eyes were fixed on the bunnies. “Impossible! Yesterday was summer. I went to bed after the neighbourhood block party …and …and now, I'm here…with you and it's winter!”
The bunnies glanced at each other again. “Stop looking at yourselves and say something! Where am I?”
“Look, young man. We told you already. You're in our world, our retreat paradise to be specific and it's still summer here.”
Quolin stood up and waved at the open window. “It's snowing outside. How's this summer?”
The bunnies broke into a booming laugh. “It snows during our competitive games and stops when a winner emerges and marries the princess.”
“The princess?” Quolin covered his face and groaned into his palms. “This is a strange dream.”
Flurrypaws chuckled. “How about you enjoy this dream,” he air quoted, rolling his eyes, “while it lasts. I have a contest to win.” He motioned for Snowtail to join him at the table and they clasp paws again, resuming their game. The snow flakes increased outside.
“Grab that fur blanket close to the hearth or you'll freeze to your death,” Snowtail grunted, baring his teeth. Quolin pulled the blanket over his shoulder and sighed at the warmth that enveloped as he watched the bunnies arm wrestle.
“Are there other bunnies in this competition?”
“Oh, yes. It's almost time and my brother, Flurrypaws, must win because Princess Wispy is his best friend. We can't let any other bunny have her.”
“Oh.” Quolin thought the bunnies were crazy but as he watched them groan and their muscles bulged, he realised they were serious. He offered a few tips from the times he arm wrestled with his grandfather some years ago and Flurrypaws won against his older brother, Snowtail, twice. They cheered and laughed.
The bunnies served Quolin some hot ginger ale which warmed him up in no time. Then a loud horn sounded outside the cabin. “What's that?”
“It's time! Wish me luck, Quolin. Or do you want to watch?” Flurrypaws asked shyly.
“Sure, if other bunnies won't mind.”
“Gah! We're a free lot here. Come on!” Snowtail said, urging them out of the cabin.
It was quite a sight to see a sea of gigantic bunnies of different colours, milling around while tall and sturdy contestants lined up before the platform. Quolin's gaze fell on a plump bunny, draped in a shiny damask robe and wearing a crown on his head, seated in a chair. Beside him sat a beautiful bunny with blue eyes and red lips, also wearing a crown. Her eyes never left Flurrypaws. She must be Princess Wispy.
At the sound of a horn, the wrestling began. The crowd cheered and the snow flurries almost turned into a blizzard. The contestants pushed against each other with such powerful strength that shook the ground.
Flurrypaws was exhausted when he was paired with another bunny for the final round. Quolin urged him to stop so he wouldn't injure his paws but he vehemently refused, his eyes straying to meet Wispy's.
The horn blew again, eliciting a deafening roar and applause from the crowd of bunnies as Flurrypaws was declared the winner. Princess Wispy jumped down from the platform to embrace her champion.
As the celebration continued, Quolin felt warmer and realised it had stopped snowing, and the sun was out and high in the sky. He screeched as he was lifted up in the air. Flurrypaws sat him onto his shoulder. “Thank you, Quolin. I wouldn't have won my best friend's hand without you and my brother's help.”
Quolin chuckled. “You’re welcome. Now, I would really love to return home. This experience has been most illuminating.”
Snowtail and Flurrypaws led Quolin down a snowy landscape to a whirling circle of golden light hovering in midair behind their cabin. “Is that—?”
“Yes, Quolin. It's your way home. Every once in a while, the universe blesses us with a human to make our world complete. We are glad you came. Here, take this to remember us by,” Snowtail said, pushing a small, round glass ball into Quolin's palm.
As he stepped into the portal, he hesitated for a moment, debating whether the experience was real or not. He woke up with a gasp on his bed, a plush, stuffed bunny tucked beside him.
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