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Aurelia, a young Appalachian cottontail with fur the color of sun-baked earth, had always felt a little… different. While the other young rabbits in her warren chased each other through the meadows, she preferred the quiet solitude of the whispering pines. While they chattered excitedly about the best places to find clover, she found herself drawn to the stories whispered by the elders – stories of a magical cathedral, bathed in light and color, where animals found solace and belonging.

The story that captivated her most was the origin story, the tale of the “Shattered Midnight Mushrooms.” It told of a tiny fairy, Lumina, who, long ago, stumbled upon a moonlit clearing and, with a touch of magic, captured its beauty in the very first stained-glass window. It was said that Lumina’s creation, a scene of vibrant red mushrooms nestled amongst green moss and beneath a dark blue sky, held a special power, a whisper of the fairy’s magic that could grant wishes and mend broken hearts. This window, unlike the others, featured no creatures that you could see, just four red mushrooms illuminated by starlight and under the protection of the oldest oak.

Aurelia, with her quiet spirit and yearning for connection, clung to this story. She longed to find the “Shattered Midnight Mushrooms” window, to touch the cool glass, and to whisper her own secret wish. A wish for wholeness, for a place where she truly belonged, a place where her quiet heart wouldn’t feel so out of place.

One crisp autumn afternoon, as the leaves swirled around her like a fiery dance, Aurelia set off on a pilgrimage to the cathedral. She followed a winding path, her little paws tracing the whispers of the wind, her heart pounding with anticipation. The forest seemed to hold its breath as she journeyed, the trees leaning in, the sunlight dappling the path in shimmering patterns.

Finally, she saw it: the cathedral, its stained-glass windows ablaze with a myriad of colors. She crept inside, the air cool and still, the scent of ancient stone and forgotten magic filling her senses. She wandered through the echoing halls, her eyes wide with wonder, until she found it – the rectangular window, bathed in golden light, depicting the “Shattered Midnight Mushrooms”, four lonely mushrooms nestled against the old oak tree.

She reached out a trembling paw, dusty and sore from her journey, and touched the cool glass. The mushrooms seemed to pulse with a gentle light, and the dark blue sky shimmered with a life of its own. Aurelia closed her eyes and whispered her wish, her voice barely audible in the vast silence of the cathedral.

I wish… I wish to find where I belong. I wish to be whole.

As she spoke, a surge of warmth flowed through her, and the world around her dissolved into a whirlwind of colors. She felt herself changing, becoming lighter, more ethereal. When her vision cleared, she found herself within a circular window, her fur now a mosaic of browns and creams. The golden light bathed her, and a wreath of purple and orange flowers, woven with shimmering leaves, framed her perfectly.

She was no longer just Aurelia, the quiet cottontail who felt different. She was Aurelia, the stained-glass cottontail, a part of the cathedral’s magic, a testament to the power of wishes and the enduring spirit of Lumina’s first creation.

And then, she saw them. The Midnight Ladies, three tiny stained-glass ladybugs, their shells gleaming with crimson and black, fluttered around her, their voices like tinkling bells.

“Welcome, Aurelia,” they chirped. “Welcome to your new home.”

They led her through the cathedral, introducing her to the other animals who had found solace within the stained glass. There was the red fox, his fur a fiery blend of orange and gold, his eyes forever curious. And Jasper, the cardinal, his feathers a vibrant crimson, his song a melody of hope. And Gilead, the gentle brown bunny, his fur speckled with the colors of the dandelions he loved.

She met Nyx, the red-morph screech owl, her feathers a mosaic of red clay and burnt Sienna, her gaze sharp and protective. She met Elvis, the eastern screech owl, his blue feathers shimmering like twilight, his golden eyes full of cheerful humor, and Delilah, the graceful deer, her coat a soft blend of browns and tans, her gentle gaze radiating wisdom.

“Shattered Cottontail” is a Gansai (Japanese Watercolor) depicting a young brown Appalachian cottontail bunny sitting on her back haunches. She looks young and is surrounded by a wreath of flowers. Her name is Aurelia.

This and more paintings from the “Shattered” series will be offered for sale summer 2025 along with. Prints will also be offered in the future. 

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Check out my other paintings at www.tobitokens.com or find out a little more about me at About Tobi!  Visit Disclosures to find out how I establish these short stories.