While our two best friends were struggling to shed themselves of the river water which had accumulated on them in their ordeal, so as to perform their best in the Three-Legged Championship Races, a new menace had arrived in the land of Rocksylvania, in the form of Mr. J. Enoch Eagle. Mr. Eagle quickly established himself as Lord of the Day, so that all the residents of Rocksylvania now had reason to stay indoors at all times. This became evident as too many of the population were disappearing during the daylight hours, and it was finally realized by all that there was a new predator in the land.
The presence of Mr. Eagle had a great impact on the lives of the citizens of Rocksylvania as they couldn't tend their crops, fish, shop, or do any of the other ordinary day to day things that they had all taken for granted. It was one thing to have to stay indoors at night, but to stay indoors during the day was simply unheard of! Of those that dared to venture out, very few returned home, and it was only a matter of days before the kingdom began to show signs of neglect. Crops died as there was no one to tend the gardens, stores shut down as there were no customers, and banks and other businesses were forced to close their doors, as well. And meanwhile, the two best friends, Miss Mousey and Mr. Bobby Bunny, were completely unaware of the conditions at home.
The very next day, after a good night's rest, our two young friends soon found themselves at the Waterton Fairgrounds, where the three-legged races were being held. After several rounds, it was down to two couples, Miss Mousey and Mr. Bobby Bunny versus Mr. Harold Hare and Miss Eloise Tortoise. It was obvious to all, from the beginning, that this was no contest. Our two friends won easily, retaining their championship for the 4th year in a row. As they had hardly spent any physical energy on the race they decided to enter the sack race. Each contestant was given a burlap sack in which they were to hop from the starting line to the finish. Mr. Bunny was known as one of the great hoppers back in Rocksylvania, and he proved to be the best in Waterton too. We won't mention Miss Mousey, though, as the last Mr. Bunny had seen of her, she was lying face down on the grass, her head protruding from her sack. Fortunately for her, all that was injured was her pride.
The afternoon was spent in a shopping spree for Miss Mousey, and a few hours at the local fishing hole for Mr. Bunny. When they met for dinner it was decided that they would leave the very next morning for their homes in Rocksylvania.
Just outside Waterton, the pair met up with their old friend Mr. Oliver Otter, who assured them of their safety in crossing the river, as he proudly displayed a new, much more trustworthy, insect-free, log. With some hesitance, especially on Miss Mousey's part (as she had not forgotten her previous trip across the river)they took their places in the little niches that had been carved out for them to sit, and they set out for the other side. This time, the trip was uneventful, so the three friends bade each other goodbye.
It was a long and tiring walk home, and as it was approaching nightfall as they arrived in front of the oak tree, Miss Mousey and Mr. Bunny didn't notice the closed shops or the dying gardens. Nor did they notice the lack of the usual bustle around their little village. They were just too tired to care. So they said their goodnights and each retired to their own bed.
The next day passed in peaceful slumber for our two friends as they were thoroughly exhausted from their trip. Miss Mousey was the first to awake, and looked around her apartment. She had forgotten what a mess she had left it in before leaving for Waterton, but now was time to do something about it. She still had not ventured outside her home, and had received no visitors.
Very late that afternoon, that time of day when the sun says "Goodbye" but the night has yet to say "Hello," Miss Mousey opened the front door of her apartment and peeked out. It was now past her usual dinner time and she was hungry, but she had no food in her kitchen to eat. She was naturally a cautious soul as her mother had taught her to be, so she looked towards the sparse woods. No creatures stirring there! Next she looked to the lawn, and sitting there was her best friend, Mr. Bobby Bunny, enjoying a meal of bird seed that had fallen from the birdfeeder hanging in the tree. "Seeds!" she thought, "that would make a tasty dinner!" and she couldn't think of anything better than to have dinner with her best friend.
While Miss Mousey and Mr. Bunny ate and conversed, they had no idea that they were being watched by the two lords, Mr. Owl in the tallest branches of the sycamore, and Mr. Eagle high above in his aerie. It wasn't quite dark enough for Mr. Owl to see well, but as he turned his head, he spotted the little bunny and the little mouse, and his tummy was already making rumbling noises. Overhead, Mr. Eagle caught an updraft and circled higher, searching for a last careless creature before he retired to his aerie in the tall pine tree. His sharp eyes swept the woods and spotted Old Owl on the move. Looking towards the river he saw Mr. Beaver gnawing on some strangely shaped wood, and then he spotted Miss Mousey and Mr. Bunny in the open grass. A slight shift of wings, a couple of flaps, and he began his plummet towards the earth. Just as the two predators reached the young friends, Mr. Bunny saw a shadow and looking up, realized that they were about to become dinner. "Quick!" he screamed to Miss Mousey, "Follow me!" Fortunately the hole to his apartment was right beside where the two friends had just seconds ago been enjoying their repast, and he leapt into the opening. Miss Mousey followed, but not being as good a jumper as her friend, she almost didn't make it. Mr. Eagle and Mr. Owl snapped at her at exactly the same time, but it was Mr. Eagle who made contact. And that is how Miss Mousey lost her tail.
