nknown: Yep, it was about time… Well, that is why they picked Vervi and Birch, because they are grumpy anyways…so they could probably trick Mallow and he might believe them. (But for the record, I made this up a long time ago with my little sister, which is why some of it makes no sense.) Yep, Leo and Honey are back! Oh…I cannot tell you that yet… Yes, Bower takes care of Vervi. *says nothing about crushes* You'll see… ;)

Chapter Twenty-One: Spies, Part Three

The next morning, Birch, Vervainia, and Mint set off for Efrafa. All three were nervous, but Mint was doing a much better job of hiding it. She had always been a loner, and, having spent some of her young life in Efrafa under General Woundwort, she knew what she was getting into, and accepted it. Birch and Vervi, however, were younger than Mint, and were not old enough to remember Efrafa.

"Remind me again why I let them talk me into this?" Birch muttered to himself.

"Because they think you're useful," Vervi said, rolling her eyes, "Aren't they perceptive? And, by the way, I mean that in the most sarcastic way possible."

"Oh, really?" Birch asked, "Why'd they pick you? Did they think an ugly doe could convince Mallow she was coming to join him? Lilac is prettier than you, and they say evil is supposed to be ugly."

"Are you two going to fight all the way to Efrafa?" Mint asked, "If you are, you may as well both go home. I can handle this on my own."

Birch and Vervi fell silent, but Mint knew they were still shooting hateful glances at each other.

She sighed. This was going to be a very long walk.

"Strange friends you got there."

Mint jumped.

"Who's there?"

There were two of them. A tall white-furred buck with green eyes and a jet black buck, whose eyes were a startling red.

"Only us, we're random travelers traveling where we want to travel," the white buck said.

Mint was silent. This friendly rabbit and his quiet companion, who had apparently come from nowhere, were seriously unnerving her.

"You have frightened her," the black buck observed, speaking in an utterly expressionless voice.

"Didn't mean to."

"I'm sure you did not, but you have."

"Who are you?" Birch asked from behind Mint.

"I'm Marsh," the white rabbit said, "And this is Inle."

Holland, Honey, Leo, and Olivia's search for dinner had now become something more of a rescue mission, due to the fact that they had met a hutch rabbit named Mistletoe. She was a small grey-furred doe with forest green eyes and a mischievous nature. She also hated her hutch, and wanted to get out, which was apparently a common trait among hutch rabbits that passed Leo's path. That was done easily enough, with the help of Leo's unintentional abilities, but as they were about to leave, Mistletoe stopped them.

"There's another rabbit, inside the house," she said.

"What's a house?" Leo said blankly.

"That," Holland replied, pointing at the object in question, "I've only been inside one once or twice. They seem hard to break into."

"Not this one," Mistletoe argued, "I've seen the cat go in an opening on the door."

"Wonderful," Holland grumbled, "There's a cat."

"I think we should do it," Olivia said, "Strength in numbers, right?"

Leo nodded.

"It'll be fun!" he said enthusiastically.

"Oh, fine," Holland grumbled, "Let's go."

"Not all of us," Honey said, "Someone should stay here. That way, they can come and help if they're needed. Leo had better go, and Mistletoe…and someone else. I'll go."

"No, I will," Holland growled, "You wait here with Olivia. We'll be back."

The brown and white rabbit stalked off, leaving Leo and Mistletoe to follow after him.

Mint wasn't sure what to think of Marsh and Inle. The two bucks seemed an odd duo, as Marsh was hyperactive, and Inle completely emotionless. However, it turned out that these two were also headed for Efrafa, and so, Mint had reluctantly agreed to travel with them. She hoped they weren't dangerous. She, Birch, and Vervi might be the ideal spies, but they weren't fighters. As they walked along in awkward silence, Mint could feel Inle stealing glances at her. It was creepy; knowing that the strange-looking buck was watching her when he thought her back was turned.

Finally, Mint had had enough. She turned and gestured to Inle, and, as she had hoped, the black buck moved up to walk next to her.

"Why do you keep staring at me?" Mint asked.

"You seem very familiar," Inle replied, "There is a rabbit staying in our warren that very much resembles you."

Mint gasped.

"Could it be my mother?"

"This rabbit," she said carefully, "Describe it."

Inle glanced at her, his strange eyes shining with something like curiosity.

"She is tall, with white fur and black paws. By my observation, she is very quiet, but will speak her mind when she thinks it important. Her eyes are black."

Mint stopped dead in midstride and turned on Inle.

"Where are you from, exactly? What was this rabbit's name? How did she come to your warren?"

"Outcast Down," Inle said as if it didn't really matter, "Her name was Pearl, and she was banished."

"That's my mother!" Mint yelled.

"I thought so. The other rabbits with her are also from your warren?"

"Yes. But…then why are you here?"

"No," Inle said, "You first."

Mint paused. If she told Inle everything, and he wasn't what he seemed, everything would fall apart. But if he really knew where her mother was… She was aware that Birch, Marsh, and Vervainia were watching them. But she wasn't sure what to do. For the first time, she could not let go and trust her instinct. This Inle was beyond that somehow.

Inle stared at the strange, bold doe. He was sure he could trust her, but he did not know if he could make her trust him. Being a very strange-looking rabbit with a very strange mode of speech, Inle knew that very few would be willing to trust him.

But he wanted her to trust him. There was something about this doe.

He took a deep breath and looked straight into Mint's eyes.

"Whatever I say, you need to believe me," he said. He didn't just say it because what he planned to say was ridiculous. He said it because he might have to reveal something he hadn't planned on.

"When I was a kit, I was abandoned by my parents," he said. That wasn't exactly true, but the real story was honestly unbelievable. "The Chief Rabbit of Outcast Down found me. He and his mate let me stay there. There are not many rabbits on Outcast Down, and Vine-my foster father-thinks that Efrafa could be a threat. Efrafa is…"

"I know," Mint told him, "Go on."

"I would do anything to keep my family safe," Inle said, knowing how expressionless he sounded, but unable to help his strange voice, "So Marsh and I asked my father if we could go as spies to Efrafa."

He paused.

"There. I've told you everything. Your turn."

Mint looked at Birch and Vervi.

"I think I can trust you, Inle…"

Leo had never been inside a human dwelling before, and he was quite intrigued by it. However, he had to keep moving to keep up with Holland and Mistletoe, who were apparently unfazed.

"So, where's this other rabbit?" Holland whispered.

Mistletoe sighed.

"I'm not completely sure. I haven't seen him in a while."

As if on cue, they heard a voice that seemed to come from nowhere.

"Mistletoe? That you?"

"Toby?" Mistletoe asked. "Where are you?"

"Cage on the table," said the voice, "Jump up, it's not far, girl."

"Jump?" Holland echoed nervously, "Jump where?"

"Follow me," Mistletoe said, "Don't worry, Holland. It's perfectly safe."

"I barely even know you," Holland retorted, "How do I know I can trust you?"

"You can trust me."

Holland took a deep breath.

"All right. Come on, Leo. Leo?"

Holland looked around, and finally spotted Leo above him.

"Come on, slowpoke," Leo said, winking at the spotted rabbit.

"Slowpoke?" Holland growled, jumping up beside Leo, "You're asking for it!"

"Hello? Who are you, and why are you fighting?"

Leo and Holland turned, and found themselves staring at the strangest rabbit either of them had ever seen. He was brown, which was normal, but he had a very strange bright pink…thing…on his head. It stuck straight up between his ears, and although it looked like fur, they weren't sure what it was.

"Don't worry," the strange rabbit said, "It's dyed."

"What does that mean?" Holland asked.

"It's complicated," Mistletoe said, "Hey, Toby."

"Hey, Mistletoe," Toby replied, "What up?"

"We've come to get you out," Mistletoe said, "If you want to come."

"Sure. The hair experiments are starting to get old."

"Are they speaking Lapine?" Holland whispered to Leo.

"Don't know," Leo replied.

"Holland, Leo," Mistletoe called, "Come help me with this."

The two bucks trotted over to where Mistletoe was examining Toby's cage.

"How do we open it?" Mistletoe asked, "I don't want to start a fire."

Holland stared at the cage.

"Hold on," he said, "Let me look at it."

"Why?" Leo asked.

"I've got an idea," Holland said, tugging at a protruding bit of the cage with his teeth, "I'm good with this kind of stuff."

As if to prove his point, the latch popped open.

"See?" Holland said smugly.

"Nice," Mistletoe said admiringly, "Now let's go…oh, Frith!"

"What is it?" Holland asked. Then he saw it. The cat, poised to spring at Leo.