The rabbit had been run over minutes before. Its pink eyes were glazed and blood stais white fur. Unnaturally fur, for it had just escaped from a bath. It still smelt faintly of lavender water.
A tall, curiously pale young woman stood over the rabbit. Her night-black hair, fashionably bobbed, was hanging slightly over her face.
She wore no makeup or jewelry, save for an enamelled school badge piulation navy blazer. That, coupled with her long skirt, stogs and sensible shoes, identified her as a schoolgirl. A e uhe badge read 「Sabriel」 and the Roman 「VI」 and gilt proclaimed her to be both a member of the Sixth Form and a prefect.
The rabbit was, uionably, dead. Sabriel looked up from it and back along the bricked drive that left the road and curved up to an imposing pair ht-iron gates. A sign above the gate, in gilt letters of mock Gothinouhat they were the gates to Wyverley College. Smaller letters added that the school was 「Established in for Young Ladies of Quality.」
A small figure was busy climbing over the gate, nimbly avoiding the spikes that were supposed to stop such activities. She dropped the last few feet and started running, her pigtails flying, shoes clag on the bricks. Her head was down to gain momentum, but as cruising speed was established, she looked up, saw Sabriel and the dead rabbit, and screamed.
「Bunny!」
Sabriel flinched as the girl screamed, hesitated for a moment, the down by the rabbit』s side and reached out with one pale hand to touch it between its long ears. Her eyes closed and her face set as if she had suddenly turo stone. A faint whistling sound came from her slightly parted lips, like the wind heard from far away. Frost formed on her fiips and rimed the asphalt beh her feet and knees.
The irl, running, saw her suddenly tip forward over the rabbit, and topple towards the road, but at the last minute her hand came out and she caught herself. A sed later, she had regained her baland was using both hands to restrain the rabbit—a rabbit now inexplicably lively again, its eyes bright and shiny, as eager to be off as when it escaped from its bath.
「Bunny!」 shrieked the younger girl again, as Sabriel stood up, holding the rabbit by the scruff of its neck. 「Oh, thank you, Sabriel! When I heard the car skidding I thought . . .」
She faltered as Sabriel hahe rabbit over and blood stained her expet hands.
「He』ll be fine, Jath,」 Sabriel replied wearily.
「A scratch. It』s already closed up.」
Jath examined Bunny carefully, then looked up at Sabriel, the beginnings of a wriggling fear showing at the back of her eyes.
「There isn』t anything uhe blood,」 stammered Jath. 「What did you . . .」
「I didn』t,」 snapped Sabriel. 「But perhaps you tell me what you are doing out of bounds?」
「Chasing Bunny,」 replied Jath, her eyes clearing as life reverted to a more normal situation.
「You see . . .」
「No excuses,」 recited Sabriel. 「Remember what Mrs. Umbrade said at Assembly on Monday.」
「It』s not an excuse,」 insisted Jath. 「It』s a reason.」
「You explain it to Mrs. Umbrade then.」
「Oh, Sabriel! You wouldn』t! You know I was only chasing Bunny. I』d never have e out—」
Sabriel held up her hands in mock defeat, aured back to the gates.
「If you』re baside within three minutes, I won』t have seen you. And opee this time. They won』t be locked till I go baside.」
Jath smiled, her whole face beaming, whirled aro