(set: $name to (prompt: "What's your name", "Un Cheval Magnifique"))
(set: $pronoun to (prompt: "What is your preffered personal pronoun", "He/She/They"))
(set: $pronoun2 to (prompt: "What is your preffered objective-case pronoun", "Him/Her/Their"))
You are a Mountain/Nuttall's cottontail *(Sylvilagus nuttallii)*, a rabbit with long hind legs.
Unlike most mountain cottontails, you have white-tipped ears instead of black, and an all white tail.
Your daily tasks are simple: avoid *Powerful Wings*, the dominant eagle of the sky, for they feed on slow and exposed bunnies; hide from Frankie the Fox and Mona the Mountain Lion, who are always on the prowl for bunny-meat, and watch out for Slimy-the-Snake, for his patience is as thin as his tongue. In these rockies, they are king and queen.
You slowly begin to wake after a short slumber on the foothills on the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
"I'm heading out." Your friend Brett says, before he hops out towards the summery-glow of green-forest trees in the distance.
"See you later **$name**! Don't sleep in too long."
[["Okay, I'll slowly wake up. See you in a bit."|Slowly Wake]]
[[You hiss at him for trying to wake you|Sleep More]].
[[You listen closer to an approaching sound in the distance.|Eagle Cry]]You open your eyes and look around. Your burrow is unfurnished.
[[Think about furnishing your burrow|Thoughts about burrow]].
The woods are dense, but long patches of mountain leave you and your brethen exposed to both earthly, and airy predators. Through your system of warrens, you wonder if it's a good idea to visit your friend Alice. She lives in Burrow 2B.
[[It's a good idea, head towards Alice's Burrow.|Alice]]
You look around and notice you don't have enough greens to last the day.
[[Hop towards the outside|Outside]]."Now I know why your eyes are white-tipped." You friend hops away. You watch him disappear into the grass in the distance.
Your eyelids get heavier.
[[You sleep more|Dreams]].
[[You roll over|Slowly Wake]].
*[[You hear someone calling your name|Alice]]*.
[[You listen closer|Eagle Cry]].You are flying through the air, looking down at the mountain-forests as clear as day. The sun is warm against your skin and the sky is cool. The crisp air is wonderful and you wish you could fly.
Below, you see Alice and Clint and everyone else from the Warren hanging out near a few trees just off the main log.
You look closer at one of the bunnies; you can't place him/her; *who is that?* you wonder.
You fly lower in order to get a closer look.
**Whoa!** It's you. [[You open your eyes suddenly in disquiet|Fully Awake]].
**[[You scream from the shock.|Eagle Cry]]**The familiar call always unsettles you. Though you are intrigued. You move closer to it, using the maze of trees as cover. It must be *Powerful Wings*, the tyrranical Eagle who's always preying on you and trying to sink his talons into you.
Last week, he tried to intice you with preferential treatment from the Convocation to give up your warren.
"If only you'd tell me where everyone goes to forage all day, where you all hide all day; Why I can make you rich, $name. You would be a great friend to the air." He had sung in his silvery voice.
You would never fall for his games. Yet to be able to forage without interruptions, without anxiety and worry from the air would lift a cloud over your warren. But what about the others? Is one bunny's freedom worth the other's lives from the air?
He is so eloquent, but "$name is the most careful bunny I've ever seen," Brett always says, "$pronoun would never be swayned by the promise of comfort."
You carry these words with you and are always on the lookout.
[[Some blades of grass move unnaturally|Snake]].
You sit still, looking for a decent-sized leaf to chew on. The grass suddenly stops moving.
[[A tree in the distance shakes.|Mountain Lion]]
[[You continue on towards the meadow, past two big trees, and nibble on ferns|Silence]].You don't want your place to be nostaligic or a shrine to the past. Stuffy spaces make your claustophobic.
A few neatly packed sticks around your Burrow would like nice, and there would be a consistent theme and wooden aroma. Perhaps you might bring some back from your forage today.
[[Redecorate.|ArrangeBurrow]]
Greens would also help. Either way you can't do anything about it now.
What was that?
[[Listen closer|Eagle Cry]].
[[Ignore the noise and head outside|Outside]].You enter Burrow 2B, one of the many warrens. You're not really a fan of 1B or 3C, since the owners think you are part of the new generation's normalization of laziness. They want you to go about in the world and make your way in it, but then refuse to help you whenever you ask.
Alice's Burrow is furnished nicely with greens and a few sticks in the corner. You make note of it for your own Burrow.
[[You think about your own place|Thoughts about burrow]].
You don't see Alice inside and have to backtrack through your own Burrow to get out, or risk bumping into Clint from 1B.
[[Backtrack and head outside through your own Burrow|Outside]].
[[Risk bumping into Clint|1B]].You yawn. The sun shines on your fur and warms your body. The smell of trees and grass mixes well with the mountain air.
Someone has etched a message into the tree ahead of you:
*Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.*
[[You hear an odd sound in the distance.|Eagle Cry]].
[[Sunbathe|Dreams]].
You enter 1B, which houses a faint odour of mud and damp fur. The decor is very stuffy; there is hardly any place to hop around.
[[You think about your own place|Thoughts about burrow]].
There is no one here, and you can see the sunshine peering through the hole.
[[Hop towards the sunshine|Outside]].The grass rattles and slithers. You have to move quickly, a snake only needs a second to attack and it is damn near impossible to outrun them. Thank god for your long hind legs. You hop away as fast as you can through the trees and head towards an open meadow at the base of the mountain to catch your breath.
The sound of the running water soothes you. You drink and notice a rabbit from a different warren sitting across you.
"Never seen one of you with white ears before."
[[Show him your black underbelly|underbelly]].
[[Ignore him|ignore]]."It's *unique*. Check it out, I have a black underbelly too!"
"That looks silly." He thumps his feet and looks at you. "Why don't you look like me?"
[[You shrug. This guy is out of his mind|ignore]].
[[Tell him it's because your mom was a South African riverine rabbit.|Snake behind]]
[[He hurts your feelings and makes you feel insecure.|ignore]] [[You ignore him and continue drinking.|Snake behind]]
He starts talking about something but you have tuned him out already.
[[Something stirs in the grass which attracts your attention.|Danger passes]]
He suddenly looks behind you. His dull black-tipped ears dart left and right and then he immediately takes off in the opposite direction.
You turn around and notice the grass blades unnaturally moving towards you again.
But the grass takes a shift in distance and moves towards the running rabbit.
[[Sit still|Danger passes]].You slowly move towards a tree and hear a roar that makes you jump out of your skin. It's the Earth-Pride: The ferocious **mountain lion**. You sit still and try to burrow a little hole in order to stay hidden and hope that she doesn't notice you.
You hear *Powerful Wings* again just above, beckoning Mona, the lion everyone knows to stay away from. Clint always talked about the Conference of '06, where the the air and earth both met and decided to divvy up the land. But for some reason *Powerful Wings* was always skeptical of the deal his father had made for the tribe. He thougth air superiority meant that he could be ruler of all nature.
Mona-Quick-Pounce, everyone from the smallest critter, to the most temperental fox called her. If you ever saw her eyes, it was too late.
*Powerful Wings* circled around her and around her and around her, and Mona kept climbing the tree and roaring in his distance. Of course she could not reach him.
[[You move on. This doesn't effect you|Danger passes]].
You notice a stick.
[[Pick it up.|StickRandom]]
[[Ignore it.|Back2Home]]The grass moves swiftly and quickly past you and towards the person you'd met a few moments ago. You hear whimpering for a moment, then whining and calls for help.
Then a scream that sends a chill down your spine.
*Slimy-Scale was a rogue. He liked $name for an unknown reason, and rumours were spreading that $name was trading her own safety in order to offer up $pronoun2 friends.
When you heard this, you were livid and demanded a meeting with the Warren leaders and pleaded your case. It was well received. *Slimy* had heard this and apparently had laughed.
He too, was afraid of *Powerful Wings* but had made note to tell $name that he had Mona on his side. After all, he too, was outmatched against the air.
When you had first moved into the warren, Brett had warned you that one bite from *Slimy* would paralyze you.*
It is quiet. *Too* quiet.
[[You listen to the silence|Silence]].
[[You move away from the noise and head towards home|PW takes Slimy]]."$name! How've you beennnn?" *Slimy-the-Snake* suddenly pops up through the grass.
[[You ignore him|Ignore Slimy]]
[[You ask him about his day|Ask Slimy How he is]]You back away and ignore Slimy. He slithers near you for a little while, inticing you to talk to him.
"Come on $name, don't be like that. Hey I've got to eat too." He suddenly pops out and blocks your route. "Don't worry, I never come to talk to you when I am hungry. **That'd** be a different story if I did."
"Slimy, leave me alone. I just want to forage a few leaves, snack on some ferns, and then get back home before dark."
"Oh this is definitely not the place for a little bunny after dark," he moved in between blades of grass, making himself disappear, and then suddenly popping out behind you, "*Anything* can happen then! And what would you do if I am not there to say… keep that tyrant away, or to tell Mona where the deer are?"
You look around for an exit. There must be a way. He is making you uncomfortable.
[[Try to hop **over** Slimy.|Over Slimy]]
[[Try to back away from Slimy.|Back Slimy]]
[[Tell Slimy to leave you alone.|Go away Slimy]]
[[Offer him information about a different Warren.|Slimy NotU]]"Slimy you scared me! Don't do that!" You position your legs to run away if he gets any closer.
Slimy smacks his lips together and you make note of his sweeping tongue.
"Have you given my offer any thought?" he asks you and circles and slithers around you in the grass.
"No I haven't."
"Well, $name, you should definitely think about it. You make a deal with me. I can keep Mona off your back, and once you're with us, she will also make sure *Powerful Wings* doesn't do anything… fiiiishhhyyyy."
[[Tell Slimy where your warren is.|Slimy Your]]
[[Don't tell Slimy anything.|Ignore Slimy]]
[[Tell Slimy about a different Burrow.|Slimy NotU]]
[[Try to get away from Slimy.|Back Slimy II]]"If I tell you where my Warren is, will you promise that I will be safe from *Powerful Wings*, Mona, **and** you Slimy?"
"Why $name, I am offfeenndeeed at the mere sssssuggestion. Have I been anything lesssss than an upsssstanding gentleman?"
You are too smart for his games.
"You need to answer the question."
"Why we would be the best of friends. You know what I would say to *Wings* and Mona? I'd say *well that $name? $pronoun is an standup person!*"
"Okay. Go to the big log in the opposite direction of the three weird trees."
Slimy keeps cirling you and listening.
"When you get to the log, go towards the little bend and then away from the meadow. Six paces to the left will be one of the burrows. Once you find that one, you will be set."
"$name! I never thought this would happen. This is the end of a beautiful friendship!"
"End?" You ask, now scared and getting ready to run.
"Did I say *end*? I meant beginning." Slimy slithers backwards and disappears into the grass.
[[You are curious. You start to head home.|Back2Home]]
[[You wait until night.|DeathMona]]
[[You pick up a stick.|StickRandom]]"Fine Slimy," you say as you back away a little. You keep your eye on his neck. You have seen him attack before.
"I know where a Burrow is. Go past the big tree, do you know the one I'm talking about?"
Slimy slithered closer, "Yes I doooooooo."
"Then behind those three weird trees, you know the one. Where the best is kind of triangular and just before the big mountain hill."
"Yesssss?"
"Eighteen paces between the mountain and that trianglular base, **that** is where the other warren is."
"Why $name. You have been an amazing help. I'll be sure to tell Mona and *Wings* if I see them."
[[Back away from Slimy|Back Slimy II]]
[["I have to go now." You tell Slimy and try to hop over him.|Over Slimy]]
You hear flapping wings.
[[Be patient listen to the sound.|PW takes Slimy]]You hop over Slimy and try to get away. He immediately circles around and cuts you off in anger.
He shows you his teeth and his tongue, encircling you between his scales like a survival ring.
*Powerful Wings* swoops a little lower and Slimy looks around to spot where the extra gust of wind came from. He scans the trees. This gives you a chance.
[[Slimy is distracted. Hop over his scale-ring and try to get away.|SlimyDeath]]
*Powerful Wings* lands on one of the tree branches near them. You and Slimy both hear the branch creak.
A terrifying whooshing sound shakes the grass blades beneath and the tree leaves above them. The wind howls.
[[You're frozen stiff in fear.|PW takes Slimy]]
[[Don't move.|PW takes Slimy]]
[[Call out to *Powerful Wings*.|DeathPW]]You slowly to backtrack but Slimy's tail is too close to yours and you nearly trip over.
"Where are you going?" Slimy asks and gets closer. "Come on $name, it'll be good for you if you help me."
Slimy looks behind him, then up, and touches his head against the grass.
"Shhhhhhhhhh. $name, do not make a sound."
[[Trust Slimy|PW flies over]]
[[Slowly keep backing away from him|Back Slimy II]]
[[Don't listen to him; hop away and throw your leaf at Slimy|PW takes Slimy]]"Slimy, go away. I have made myself clear. I don't want to tell you anything."
"But $name, we have been friends for so long. Why are you being mean to me?" He made sure to show his teeth longer than he needed to.
"They are my friends! I am not going to betray my friends."
"Who *isn't* your friend $name? You can't be friends with everybody. That's not how it works!"
You think about the warren past the two trees far away from the big log.
"Well, the other Warren definitely isn't…"
"There is *another* warreeeeennnnnnn?" Slimy's eyeballs widened. "You know $name, if man can be disobidient and live comfortably, why can't **you?** You should take some some time for $name, and no one else. No Warrens or burrows or talking snakes or singing eagles."
[[Tell Slimy where it is.|Slimy NotU]]
[["No there isn't. Go away.|Back Slimy II]]
[[Say Nothing.|PW takes Slimy]]*Powerful Wings* expands his wings and dominates the skyline. The slits of his black wings coloured in the setting sky. He calls out to someone, somewhere. He flies left and right; the eagle's mile makes lame philosophy smile.
He swoops across the sky and lands on a tree nearby. You make a mental note of it and stay far away from it. You feed on a few ferns and notice a perfect stick for your burrow.
[[Pick it up.|StickRandom]]
[[Ignore it and head home.|Back2Home]]
[[Cut through the meadow.|BackHomeMeadow]]You begin to back away from Slimy the Snake and try to head home. You move along the meadow and collect a leaf.
[[Carry it with you|A leaf]]
[[Drop it for a stick instead|Stick]]
*Powerful Wings* swoops down in the blink of an eye. You are frozen in fear but *Wings* moves so swiftly you barely notice.
The sky is black for a second. You notice Wings' massive talons hold onto Slimy's scales and rise up towards the sky.
"I thought we were friendsss!" Slimy hissed to the both of you.
[[You head towards home in shock.|Back2Home]]
[[You pick up the stick near you for protection.|StickRandom]]You carry the leaf with you and hop past the triangular treeline.
*I must be near the other Warren*, you think to yourself.
The sun has begun to set. You don't want to be caught on this side of the treeline when it gets dark.
[[Wait until dark anyway.|DeathMona]]
[[Head home.|Back2Home]]
[[Drop the leaf for a stick.|StickRandom]]You dropped the leaf because you want to grab a stick. You begin to search for one that would fit well with your burrow.
[[*This* one looks okay. You pick up a stick.|Stick1]]
[[You pick up one of a litany of sticks.|StickRandom]]
[[None of them are to your fancy. You go back for the leaf.|A leaf]]You start to head back home with your stick. After a few minutes you start to get tired.
[[Continue towards home.|Back2Home]]
[[Rest until the weather cools a little.|DeathMona]]
[[Look up and note where *Powerful Wings* is above you.|PW flies over]]You pick up a stick. It is heavy but it will be perfect for your burrow. You hope Brett will like it.
[[Wait until night before you head home.|DeathMona]]
[[Head home immediately.|Back2Home]]
[[Hop towards the meadow and take a shortcut.|BackHomeMeadow]]Critters make noises. You hear the owls hoot for attention all around. Not a creature stirs in the night. You hear a fox and a wolf howl and it makes the fur on your back stand up.
You start shaking.
"Who is that? Slimy is that you?"
You start to move quietly towards the other Warren, perhaps one of them would be kind enough to lend you a little sleeping spot in exchange for your leaf for the night.
When you turn around, two yellow eyes glint in the darkness. It's Mona. And she is hungry.
"You should not be out here all alone $name." Her nostrils flare up as she brings her eyes close to your face.
"Sorry Mona. It won't happen again. I'm trying to get home."
"We all are." Mona opens her mouth.
[[Try to run away|MonaDeath2]].
[[Stand still in shock.|MonaDeath2]]
[[Tell Mona about the other Warren|MonaDeath2]].
[[Promise Mona you'll help her get *Powerful Wings*|MonaLife]].
You start to head home. You hop past the meadow and cut through the mountain area. You know the trees and keep an eye on the sky in case *Powerful Wings* is nearby, but press on.
You drink some water to quench your thirst. Just across the water you notice a rock engraved with *momento mori*. You wonder who put it there.
You stop for a snack and eat some more ferns. You hop up the rocky mountains.
Looking down at the forest beneath your paws, you bask in the view.
[[Wait and watch the sunset.|DeathMona]]
[[Take a shortcut home through the meadow.|BackHomeMeadow]]
Mona is hungry. She is not going to listen to what you're saying. Her teeth bite into your skin like a hot knife on butter.
Your eyelids get heavy and you feel wet and weak.
[[You close your eyes.|GAMEOVER]]Mona's teeth stop right in front of your cheek.
"What do **you** know about *Wings*, $name?"
[[Tell Mona about **Powerful Wings**|Tell Mona about Eagle]]
[[Don't tell Mona anything|MonaDeath2]]
[[Try to run away.|MonaDeath2]]
The life of a rabbit is a difficult one. And not one for the faint of heart.
As prey, you must be both faster and smarter than the Earth and Air and Water predators in order to survive.
[[Restart faster and smarter|Awakenings]]."Mona!" you say, heaving.
Pacing as if there were a cage around you, Mona traces her own steps in circles over and over. Her powerful soft strides are like a dance around the center, where you stand paralyzed.
"Don't waste my time $name."
"How do you know my name?
"Slimy told me, that sly, sneaky, smooth-talker. He thinks I'll help him with Wings. Then once Wings is out of the way, who do you think he'll be going for next?"
"What?"
"The enemy of my enemy and all that, $name."
You get an idea.
"I've only seen Wings close to the Earth on two occasions."
Mona waltzes around, flattening the blades of grass under her claws. The dance continues.
"Either when he swoops down to hunt, or to talk to Slimy."
"He talks to Slimy?"
"Of course Mona. Didn't you know?"
Those sparkling yellow pupils constrict. Mona stands still for a moment.
She growls slowly, turns out, and disappears in between the trees.
[[You exhale and head head home.|Home@Last]]
[[You call out to her until she turns around.|MonaDeath2]]Slimy notices you trying to get away and turns around immediately. He hisses and inches closer to you and lifts his neck up and keeps his gaze on your hind legs. You try to jump away but he immediately pounches towards you and rubs his scales together. His teeth pierce your fur and skin with relative ease.
You begin to lose feeling in your muscles. You're out of breath.
[[You close your eyes.|GAMEOVER]]"*Powerful Wings*!" You call out. "Help me!"
"What are you doing $name?! Are you an idiot?" Slimy slitheres back through the grass in circular movements.
The wind above you picks up. You feel a close presence. Suddenly the jungle is quiet.
You feel talons on your back and suddenly notice you're no longer on solid ground.
"Am I flying?" you ask yourself.
"Yes $name, you are." Powerful Wings' voice booms out above you. You feel the breeze against your face and you rise above the trees. Looking down you see members of the other Warren stand up and look up at you in awe. You notice Brett and Clint stop hopping towards the mountain terrain and look up.
More eagles begin singing as you fly towards their Convocation. The Air-Elders welcome you as *Powerful Wings* flaps his massive wings and slows down near the edge of one of the nests.
Little eaglet beaks poke out and look at you.
A sharp pain shoots through your neck. When the eagle hears the rabbit's call, he comes immediately, but not to help.
[[Your eyelids get heavier. You close your eyes.|GAMEOVER]]You cut through the meadow and ascend the little slopes on the mountain. Halfway up, you can see your Warren in the distance and a group of rabbits also heading home.
"It's getting dark." Brett hops beside you.
"Yeah." You say and keep hopping.
"How's your day been?"
"It's been okay."
"That's good to hear. I had to outrun Frankie the Fox."
"Really? Where?"
"On the other side of the barren oak tree."
"I had to keep my eye out for Wings, and I also ran into Slimy."
"Whoa. Sounds like a busy day. I'm glad you're okay."
"Just a little shaken up." You notice Brett looking at some of his friends to his right. "But I'm all right. You can say hello to your friends if you like. I'll see you at the Burrow. I had a stick with me for a while too. Was thinking of redecorating."
"Wow. That's cool! I'll see you at the Burrow then."
[[Enter your burrow|Home@Last]].
[[You feel something big closing in behind you. Turn around.|Tell Mona about Eagle]]
You enter the area of your own warren. Near home at last. You hop as the sun sets.
If one bite from Slimy could paralyze anyone, what would happen if Slimy bit *Powerful Wings* or Mona? Who would be king then?
You put your head down on your leaf and begin to wonder. Could $name lead the eastern slope of the Rockies over Frankie, Slimy, Mona, and *Powerful Wings*?
[[Yes, $name can be king or queen.|OntoPart2]]
[[No. That is ridiculous. A bunny can't be the king or queen of the jungle!|GAMEOVER2]]You believe in yourself, but remember that the measure of a person is what they do with power.
You refused to ask anyone for anything, especially from those more powerful than yourself. You are thus in a position to seize the Eastern Slopes for yourself, for your Warren, and for your brethren.
[[You **can** become, the Bunny Who Would be King.|TBD]] The first step towards leadership is not to a slave to yourself. You must plunge into the sublime seas, dive into the depth of your soul, and swim as far as you are able so that you awake renewed with self-respect and power. And with an experience than may explain your existence.
Do not be afraid to lead, no matter your size, beliefs, or creed. All it requires is belief in yourself, and belief in your power.
[[Begin anew.|Awakenings]]
[[You're insane!|GAMEOVER]]You have come far, and have survived. You are an iron-willed bunny.
Your story however, is *to be continued*.You want to move some things around.
[[Move Brett's sticks to the left for the fengshui.|Stick left]]
[[Move Brett's sticks to the centre of the burrow.|Stick middle]]
[[Don't touch his sticks but organize the greens.|Greens]]You move the main stick to the left, but something feels off about it. You might also have to do something with the greens to create a more symbiotic and natural environment.
[[It looks good, head outside and hop through the open air.|Silence]]
[[Redecorate the greens.|Greens]]
[[Move the sticks to the middle.|Stick middle]]You move all the sticks to the middle. It suffocates the space and now you seem to have no space for the greens. The contrast feels off.
[[Fix it later. Go outside.|Outside]]
[[Hop through your burrow and into the sunshine.|Fully Awake]]You organize the greens as if they were a flower. It is a modest and minimalist decor.
The place is looking like a home now. You don't move too many things around without Brett.
You hop outside and move deeper in the woods. Chewing on a leaf on top of a big log, you notice a message carved on it:
Your little lungs inflate with the onrush of the scenery-air, mountains, trees, water. The pace of nature is patience.
[[You breathe.|Silence]]You're now fully awake in the sunshine and ready to begin your day. You yawn. You decide not to go to sleep too late so you can wake at dawn tonight.
[[You hear a noise in the distance.|Eagle Cry]]
[[A tree shakes in the distane and sparks your curiosity.|Mountain Lion]]
[[The grass moves unnaturally a few paces ahead.|Snake]]