Darius kept running through the forest, his small feet splashing on the wet ground. But then his foot caught on a root and he tripped, falling hard.
"A-ah!" he cried, his knees scraping the dirt. Red bruises started to show, and his hands stung from the fall.
He sat still for a moment, rain dripping down his hair and face. His chest hurt from running and from worry.
"Mommy…" he whispered, his voice shaking.
Suddenly, the black bunny in his arms jumped free. It landed on the wet ground and started hopping away.
"Lara!" Darius shouted, his eyes wide. "No! Don't go! Lara!"
He scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pain in his knees, and began chasing after the little bunny in the rain.
"Wait! Lara, wait for me!" his small voice echoed through the trees as he tried to catch Lara, his steps unsteady but desperate.
