Then I'll just give birth to the babies here.

Rab

bit rubbed his eyes, stepped out the door, and stretched hugely. He flapped his ears, worked his legs and feet, and gave two hops.

"Another sunny day-" Rabbit murmured as he stretched, yawned, and reached for the shovel by the door, but halfway there his hand stopped.

Rabbit rubbed his eyes again and looked carefully. Sure enough, there on the little path by the door lay a yellow-and-white bundle. He had not been mistaken.

Rabbit walked closer in small steps, tilted his head to look carefully, then picked up a small twig and poked at it.

In the quiet little woods of early morning, a scream suddenly rang out: "Doctor Badger-Mole-Beaver-come quick!"

Startled birds flew up in a flurry, and even the morning mist thinned quite a bit.

Badg

er arrived to find that Rabbit and Mole had already carried that soft, furry bundle into Rabbit's house. Mole was examining it closely, while Rabbit paced in circles around the room.

"What's going on?" Doctor Badger's voice entered the house before his nose did. "Why such an urgent call?"

"Fainted..." Mole only managed a few words.

"As soon as I went out, there it was on the path by the door!" Rabbit jumped up. "Still warm, still breathing!"

"Oh, oh." Doctor Badger was already standing by the bed, his head bent together with Mole's. "Let me take a look first."

"It should be a guinea pig. Breathing is still steady." Mole said. "Body temperature is all right too, neither high nor low. But..."

"Hm?"

"I hear several heartbeats!" Rabbit was still hopping.

Doctor Badger glanced at the guinea pig sprawled on the bed, let his gaze circle around the guinea pig's big belly, and touched his own smooth slicked-back hair. He lifted the guinea pig's eyelids and looked, nodded, then lifted the guinea pig's lips and looked.

"Mm, it's a guinea pig. Not a big problem." Doctor Badger nodded. "Rabbit, go pick some of the vegetables you grow, and find a few fruits too."

Rabbit answered and ran out.

"Mole, go get some water."

"Okay." Mole slipped into the room in a flash.

Doctor Badger looked at the guinea pig slumped in a heap and chuckled. "It's been a long time since we had little babies."

Mole came back with a cup of water and happened to hear Doctor Badger's words. "Is it not serious?"

"There shouldn't be any problem, just too tired, plus not eating well." Doctor Badger touched his hair. "Probably ran away from somewhere too."

"That's good." Mole handed the cup to Doctor Badger. "I was really worried, and it wouldn't wake up..."

"Let's feed a little water slowly first." Doctor Badger turned the unconscious guinea pig over onto its back, pried open its mouth, and poured in a little water. Only after seeing it swallow did he pour in a little more.

Mo

le watched from the side, fists clenched tight. Only when he saw the whole cup of water slowly go down did he relax a little. "I'll go get another cup."

"Not for now." Doctor Badger handed the empty cup to Mole. "We'll leave the rest until Rabbit comes back."

Mole answered, clutching the cup in his hand, not even bothering that his big glasses had slid down his nose. "The eyelids moved, the eyelids moved!" He pounded Doctor Badger hard.

Doctor Badger dodged aside without a trace, then gently turned the guinea pig over again. The guinea pig's eyelids quivered and slowly opened. Its eyes seemed unfocused, turning around blankly.

Rabbit came running in with a clatter, arms full of vegetables and fruits. Beaver rushed in after him, also carrying a big armful.

"How is it, how is it?" Rabbit rushed toward the bed with the things in his arms, still shouting nonstop.

Doctor Badger reached out to stop Rabbit and casually picked a fruit from Rabbit's arms and bit into it. "Don't make noise, be a little quiet."

Rabbit said oh, put the things in his arms on the ground, and stood his ears up high. Beaver softened his steps and looked over from above Rabbit's head, still holding a pile of things in his arms.

Doctor Badger rummaged on the floor, picked up a stalk of vegetable, and held it in front of the guinea pig's nose. The guinea pig still looked bewildered and at a loss, but its little nose twitched a few times, and it opened its mouth and began to eat.

Rabbit let out a small cheer and found another vegetable stalk to hand to Doctor Badger.

Doctor Badger took the stalk, then found a fruit and put it in front of the guinea pig's nose. The guinea pig crunched and munched, and the stalk seemed to travel into the guinea pig's belly all by itself.

After two stalks went down, the guinea pig's eyes slowly brightened. It looked around at its surroundings, and its gaze gradually came into focus.

"Not a big problem now." Doctor Badger helped the guinea pig sit up and put the fruit in its hands. "Mole, bring another cup of water."

Mole, clutching the cup, zipped away.

Guin

ea pig nibbled a few bites of the fruit, then finally stopped. "Th... thank you." The guinea pig said softly.

"Eat more, eat more." Rabbit said. "No rush."

The guinea pig blinked, lowered its head, and crunched away at the fruit, its round little cheeks bunching with every bite. Only after the whole fruit went down did the guinea pig sigh. "Th... thank you."

"It's nothing, it's nothing." Rabbit waved again and again, then turned and asked Doctor Badger, "Does it need any medicine?"

Doctor Badger nodded and reached out to lift the guinea pig's lips. "You haven't been eating any vegetables or fruits lately, have you? That's not good for the babies."

The guinea pig lowered its head shyly, its hands stroking its belly. "I've been running along the road all this time, and there haven't been many proper meals..."

"Then eat some more." Rabbit brought a few more fruits and put them on the bed. "There's plenty here! Eat as much as you want!"

"Drink some water." Doctor Badger took the cup from the panting Mole's hand. "Don't eat too much all at once."

"Mm." The guinea pig took the cup, held it with both hands, and drank half. "Much better. Thank you so much."

"Don't mention it." Doctor Badger waved his hand. "You're already showing some symptoms of bleeding gums. Scurvy."

Rab

bit grabbed Doctor Badger's arm. "Is it serious? Does it need medicine?"

"No, no." Doctor Badger gently removed Rabbit's hand. "Just eat more vegetables and fruits."

"Then no problem! I have plenty here!" Rabbit turned and asked Beaver, "Right?"

Beaver nodded and fished out a piece of tree bark and held it out. "Want to eat tree bark?"

"Eat it once you're a bit better." Doctor Badger stood up. "First build up your strength, then we'll talk."

Beaver and Rabbit looked at the guinea pig with shining eyes. The guinea pig glanced at them and lowered its head shyly again.

"But there are still some things you all need to do soon." Doctor Badger turned around. "In a few days there will be several little babies."

"Huh? How many?" Rabbit's mouth fell open.

"How many heartbeats did you hear?" Doctor Badger asked Rabbit with a grin.

"Four? Or was it five..." Rabbit counted on his fingers, then suddenly understood. "Ah!"

"So make preparations early." Doctor Badger said. "Beaver, collect some wood shavings and spread them out in the sun to dry. The more the better."

Beaver nodded. "Okay."

"Mm... okay."

"Rabbit, you go collect more grass, and dry that too. We'll make a nursery for the guinea pig. As for the place, you all know that big tree root, right? Let's use the big hole underneath it for now. It needs to be raised a bit and kept dry."

"Okay!" Rabbit jumped up excitedly. "There are little babies to see again!"

"N... no." The guinea pig's voice still lacked strength. "I... can't stay here..."

"Wh

y?" Rabbit asked.

"I have to go find..." The guinea pig's voice lowered. She raised her head. "Thank you very much, but I can't stay here."

"In about three or four more days you should give birth to the babies." Doctor Badger said. "Then there's more than half a month of nursing. During this time you need a fixed place to stay."

A bewildered look came over the guinea pig's face. She touched her belly and lowered her head in thought. Rabbit saw that the guinea pig's ears had turned red.

"Stay with us for now during this time." Beaver said. "Whatever you need to find, tell us, and we'll go help you find it."

Rabbit nodded hard too. "Just tell us."

The guinea pig shook its head, then nodded, looking unable to make up its mind.

"In any case," Doctor Badger touched his slicked-back hair, "having babies is still a very important matter. It seems what you're looking for is very urgent. If we can help, just tell us."

The guinea pig raised its head and looked at Doctor Badger, then at Rabbit, Beaver, and Mole clutching the cup.

"Thank... you for your kindness." The guinea pig said. "Then I... will give birth to the babies here."

"Wonderful!" Rabbit and Beaver high-fived, then high-fived Mole too. "There are little babies again! I'm going to write a letter to tell Fox!"

Doctor Badger nodded with a smile.

The guinea pig smiled softly, looking at Rabbit and the others, its hands gently rubbing its belly. But the fear in its eyes, no one saw.

To be continued