A miniseries ficlet that I wrote on a whim. I woke up with a thought (several headcanon things that are vaguely present here) and this is the result. The dream at the start is a reference to another miniseries fic I'm writing. ...is referencing something that is yet to exist a thing...? If not, it is now!^^
Before I forget the !ACTUAL NOTE!: this takes place immediately after the Battle of Watership Down (so before the epilogue).
Enjoy!
Bittersweet
'Brother! You came!' 'If I didn't you'd just sneak into the Council chamber again.' Orchis happily hopped around his brother. 'That was fun! If I become a Captain like you, will I sit there too?' 'Perhaps, little brother, perhaps.' Vervain stretched out a paw to stop the darting young buck, 'For now, stay out of there.' Orchis stopped, shuffled his paws, and guiltily looked back at his brother. 'Was the General angry?' 'He wasn't happy.' 'Is he ever?' Vervain laughed - a deep rumbling sound, like thunder that broke on a clear day; it was loud and unlooked for but Orchis loved it. His brother affectionately nuzzled his head between his ears. 'Where is mother? I want talk to her about starting your training.' His voice was warm.
A sense of utter happiness cursed through Orchis' body and in that instant he knew.
He was dreaming.
At the lucid realization the dream began to fade despite Orchis' desperate attempts to hold it there; to enjoy it just a little while longer. Distant voices echoed; some he knew, some he didn't, but not one he wanted to hear.
"I don't like this. We should just kill him."
"She wanted this."
"Still-"
"Are you sure, Hyzenthlay?"
The dream had fully gone. Orchis tried to move but found even the smallest movement send a surge of pain along his entire body.
"He's waking up."
"Alright then. We'll be in the next burrow over if you need us."
"Thank you, Hazel-rah, but that won't be necessary."
Hyzenthlay. That had definitely been that Inlé-cursed traitor of a doe. Orchis waited a moment longer until he was certain the other rabbits had left before opening his eyes. The doe sat close-by, just out of paw's reach, looking down at him. Orchis felt furious at the sight; wanting nothing more than to reverse it but he was no fool and knew he was at a disadvantage. The real question was: why was he still alive? Why hadn't they just killed him -as he had heard Thlayli suggest?
Biting down the pain, he moved so he could better look at his enemy and then spoke in as calm a tone as he could manage, "Hyzenthlay." And then spotted another, smaller, doe next yet a little behind her. Orchis recognized her as that relentlessly hopeful and most loyal of Hyzenthlay's fellow conspirators but her name escaped him.
"Thethuthinnang." Hyzenthlay said. "Her name is Thethuthinnang."
"Most devout traitor." Orchis nodded at Thethuthinnang, then turned back to nod at Hyzenthlay, "And murderer."
She ignored his words, "Captain, you're good at interrogations, are you not?" She continued without giving Orchis a chance to reply, "Then let's have one, shall we?"
Orchis let out a laugh and instantly regretted it. The laugh turned to a gasp of pain. Thethuthinnang averted her gaze, clearly uncomfortable with seeing another rabbit convulse in agony; even if it were a rabbit so hated as Captain Orchis. Hyzenthlay had no such issues it seemed and stared straight at him.
"Now, Captain, no need for torture just yet." she said. "I haven't even asked my question yet."
"Ask it then and be done with it." Orchis replied through gritted teeth.
"What did you say to Nettle to convince her to spy for you?"
Orchis laughed, "Say to her?" Out of all the things she could ask, this had not crossed his mind, but he didn't mind answering this one at all. "I didn't need to say anything to convince her."
"What do you mean by that?"
"What do you think? She was most willing to spy for me." Granted, Orchis had not expected it at the time and of course he had been suspicious of Nettle's willingness but he soon discovered it was quite genuine. "I was doing her a favour really."
"He's lying! Nettle was one of us. She hated Efrafa more than anyone! She came up with plans all the time."
"Did she now?" Despite the pain it brought, Orchis laughed a little,"A spy jealous of their target is the most eager spy there is, it seems."
Hyzenthlay stared blankly in front of her; deep in thought. Orchis was almost impressed with the way Nettle had so thoroughly fooled these does into thinking she was one of them. "Yes, she proved more useful than expected. If only she hadn't been tricked..."
Thethuthinnang's ears perked up at that, "But she wasn't. No- she was waiting for us at the correct exit, wasn't she, Hyzenthlay? You told me she addressed you."
"You're right." Hyzenthlay turned back to Orchis. "It would seem you were the one tricked by your own spy."
Orchis pushed back his annoyance. "And yet she isn't here."
"Her absence can be remedied." Hyzenthlay replied coolly.
"Can it really?" Orchis laughed darkly and much to his satisfaction saw a flicker of doubt in Thethuthinnang's eyes as she turned to Hyzenthlay. The so-called leader of does didn't reply. Orchis pushed further, "Speaking of absentees, I don't see your fellow murderer around. Holly, was it?"
Thethuthinnang took a step forward, "You-" but Hyzenthlay silenced her.
"Ah couldn't make it, huh? What a pity."
Thethuthinnang cast a worried look at Hyzenthlay but she herself barely reacted.
"It is a pity, isn't it?" She said. There was not a trace of sadness or anger visible on her muzzle- no instead she gave him a pitying look. Mocking. She was mocking him! Orchis scraped his claws across the burrow's floor. Oh how he wanted scratch that look off her muzzle.
"Could we skip the pleasantries and get to the part where you take your revenge?"
"Revenge? You mean like you so desperately wanted to avenge the death of your brother on the ones who caused it?"
"Hyzenthlay's not like you." Thethuthinnang intervened, "She's a better rabbit than that." That doe truly was blind to any of Hyzenthlay's flaws - could she not see that revenge was being had this very moment? Why else keep him alive at this point?
"Foolish doe." Orchis answered.
"Enough, Thethuthinnang." The smaller doe swallowed whatever fluff-brained remark she had planned to say next. "Perhaps I am or perhaps I am not. Either way, you would not be the rabbit to kill. Captain Campion would be the rabbit I then seek."
Orchis remembered the meeting before the battle where Campion had had the nerve to call that murderer a decent rabbit. But then he goes and kills him, robbing Orchis the chance of ever getting his revenge. To make matters even worse, Campion was most likely leader of Efrafa. He vaguely remembered seeing the General jump at the dog before he passed out whilst that coward had run away before the dog had even arrived. And to top it all off, here he lay, bloody, bones broken, frustratingly helpless at the mercy of that murderer. Orchis couldn't stand it any more; having Hyzenthlay mock him had been the final straw. There was one rabbit left he could get revenge on and if he was to die here - which he didn't doubt he was- then he would be sure to bring his brother a welcoming gift in the Shadowlands.
With every bit of strength left in him, he lifted himself up on his front paws and launched himself at Hyzenthlay. Yet his hind legs were lame and his strength greatly diminished and instead of the gratification of feeling his claws rake through Hyzenthlay's pelt; he instead felt the disgrace of crashing muzzle-first onto the ground. Frustration and anger overruled the pain; overruled any reason. He groaned and growled but try as he might could do no more than turn his head slightly to see Hyzenthlay hop closer. So close and yet he couldn't attack her.
"Thethuthinnang, get Thlayli and tell him we're done here." When the doe had left she brought her muzzle down to his and whispered,
"So disappointingly easy to break you were."
Why am I torturing Orchis my fav and insulting Thethuthinnang whom I adore? I don't know either.^^;;
Anyway, hope you enjoyed!
Chibiscuit~