It was the scuffling that woke me - a noise like gravel being scraped away, followed by high-pitched squealing. I pulled on my dressing gown, grabbed the torch from the nightstand, and headed downstairs.

In the moonlight, two small creatures - hares - were fighting each other. Caught in the torchlight, they froze then ran off. There was silence, then the squealing started again.

I found one of the hares caught in a hole in the fence, the wires tight around its neck. I freed it, asking it, "Was this worth it, brother hare?"

It wriggled free, and ran off into the night.