From the quiet and cold of the dark cave and the length of time that this creature had been still one would have thought he was dead but for the slow rise and fall of his chest.

No, this creature was not dead, merely in a deep hibernation in a winter longer than most. Many seasons passed yet the frost that framed the bear’s face and hung from his coat like razor sharp icicles did not thaw.

Then one day a little red rabbit bounded curiously up to the mouth of the cave. The little red rabbit innocently prodded the sleeping bear, causing some of the ice to crack and splinter. At first the bear lay still as ever but as a light warm breeze entered the cave carrying the scent of the rabbit, his nose twitched for the first time since winter began.

It was a marvellous scent indeed, bringing with it promise of summer and joy. The bear drank it in and felt his senses sharpen as the ice crystals around him slowly blunted from the warmth that had entered the cave.

The bear yawned, he had been sleeping for so long and the winter had been almost too cold to bear. The sunlight was shining into the cave and the bear got slowly to his feet, shaking off the last of the ice before taking the creature in.

It was a little rabbit. A young innocent looking creature with bright red fur and beautiful eyes. Oh that fur, how lovely it was. Soft, sweet smelling hair that caught the light and sparkled like morning dew. She seemed to radiate warmth and joy that flowed around the cave melting the frost and the heart of the bear. He was instantly taken with the rabbit, for this was the effect she had on every poor creature she encountered.

Upon seeing that the bear had her attention, the little red rabbit skipped up to the bear and prodded him again. The bear snorted and swiped at the rabbit, deliberately missing her. The bear could never hurt this creature that seemed so full of warmth and innocent happiness. And so the bear and the rabbit played together until the night came and the rabbit bounded out the cave to a sweet smelling forest and starry sky.

The next day the bear woke feeling different, he felt better than he had for many seasons and couldn’t quite work out why until the little red rabbit bounded into his cave again bringing with her the same warmth and glow as the day before. Something about the little red rabbit made the bear feel glad to be awake. Not many creatures ever liked the bear and sometimes the bear felt deadened and hopeless, cold and wanting nothing more to sleep for a very long time, but when with the rabbit the bear felt like something more.

The little red rabbit came to see the bear every day. And each time the bear felt a stupid grin cross his face and laughter and joy flood through himself as he talked and played games with the rabbit. When the rabbit came to see the bear he felt like she genuinely liked him for who he was and didn’t want to hurt him like the serpents that slithered around the forest outside. When she was talking to him and smiling the bear couldn’t help but smile back and feel content to be in her company. Everything she said seemed to have been said with complete sincerity, and the bear felt like he had something to stay awake for. Oh that poor naïve bear…

When walking in the forest one day taking in the air and golden sunshine the bear saw in a clearing the little red rabbit playing their game with a snake. The little rabbit was laughing and prodding and the serpent was hissing with glee. The bear, hurt and confused walked into the clearing so that the rabbit could see him but she didn’t stop. She merely grinned maliciously at the bear, knowing that she was hurting him and continued playing with the serpent.

The bear’s ears drooped and he turned to go back to his cave. He felt betrayed and wounded as he knew the little red rabbit was deliberately hurting him. As he walked the places where his feet touched the ground froze over and it felt like his heart was bein