Chapter 23

Judy found Nick sitting in a lawn chair under a dark, lonely bridge.

“Night howlers aren’t wolves. They’re toxic flowers. I think someone is targeting predators on purpose and making them go savage.”

“Wow,” said Nick. “Isn’t that interesting?” He got up and walked off, but Judy followed.

“Wait, listen! I know you’ll never forgive me. And I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t forgive me, either. I was ignorant and irresponsible and small-minded. But predators shouldn’t suffer because of my mistakes. I have to fix this, but I can’t do it without you.”

Nick sighed but still refused to look at her.

“And after we’re done, you can hate me, and that’ll be fine, because I was a horrible friend and I hurt you...And you can walk away knowing you were right all along, I really am just a dumb bunny.”

Nick didn’t respond. It was awkwardly quiet until, suddenly, Judy’s voice played back on a recorder. “I really am just a dumb bunny. I really am just a dumb bunny.”

Nick emerged from the shadows, holding up her carrot pen. “Cheer up, Carrots. I’ll let you erase it...in forty-eight hours.”

Judy’s eyes welled up with tears. Nick shook his head. “All right, get in here.”

She put her arms around Nick and hugged him tightly.

“You bunnies are so emotional,” said Nick. “Are you just trying to steal the pen? Is that what this is? You are standing on my tail, though. Off, off, off.”

Nick and Judy climbed into the pickup truck.

“Oh! I thought you guys only grew carrots!” said Nick, grabbing a basket of blueberries and popping a few into his mouth. “What’s the plan?”

“We’re gonna follow the night howlers. Know this guy?” Judy asked, holding up a picture of Duke Weaselton, the crook Judy had busted in Little Rodentia for stealing flower bulbs.

“I know everybody,” said Nick.

第 23 章

在一座昏暗的、孤零零的大桥下，朱迪发现尼克坐在一把躺椅上。

“夜嚎者不是狼，是一种有毒的花。我觉得是有人在故意加害食肉动物，让他们发狂。”

尼克说：“哇，听起来真是有趣啊?”他站起身走开了，但朱迪跟了上去。

“等一等，你听我说!我知道你永远不会原谅我，我不怪你，我也不能原谅自己。我是那么无知，那么不负责任，那么鼠目寸光。但是食肉动物却不能因为我犯的错而承受这么多。我得挽回这一切，但没有你我做不到!”

尼克叹了口气，但还是没有看她。

“事情办好之后，你尽管讨厌我，没有关系，因为我这个朋友做得太糟糕了，伤害了你……你可以离开，你一直都是对的，我确实就是只笨兔子。”

尼克没有回答。突然朱迪的声音从录音机里回放出来，打破了尴尬的沉默：“我就是只笨兔子。我确实就是只笨兔子。我确实就是只笨兔子。”

尼克从暗处走了出来，拿着她的胡萝卜笔：“开心点，胡萝卜!我会让你挽回的……在48小时之内。”

朱迪眼里噙着泪水。尼克摇摇头说：“好了，过来。”

她伸出臂膀，紧紧拥抱着尼克。

尼克说：“你们兔子感情真是泛滥。你是要偷这支笔吗?是这样吗?你踩在我的尾巴上了，下来，下来，下来。”

尼克和朱迪爬上那辆小卡车。

“哦!我还以为你们只种胡萝卜呢!”尼克说着，抓过一篮子蓝莓，塞了几颗到嘴里。“我们的计划是什么?”

“我们要找到夜嚎者。你认识这个人吗?”朱迪拿出一张威斯顿公爵的照片问道，这个人因为偷花根在小型啮齿动物镇被朱迪揍过。

尼克说：“我谁不认识啊。”