It was a sunny and cloudless summer day up at the Shining Wire warren.
Summer had just begun, so the days were very long. Since it was nearing the
late sundown time, the rabbits were just coming out on silflay. However,
two rabbits had been up since ni-Frith trying to open up a couple of old
burrows for a grown up litter of kittens. The two rabbits were Thistle and
Hawkweed. Since Hawkweed's haunch was still injured from the fight with the
weasel, Thistle was doing most of the digging. The two hard workers had
already opened up the first burrow, and the second burrow was coming along
just fine. That is, until Perloo and Waterfall showed up to "help" them.
Thistle swore under his breath as a huge mound of dirt came falling on top of him. He then heard laughter from Perloo and Waterfall. "Great Frith, Waterfall, do you have to screw up everything the Owsla tries to do?" snapped Thistle angrily.
"Yes," Waterfall cackled as he shoved another pile of dirt into the burrow on top of Thistle. "You might as well say that it's my "job" in the Owsla."
"Just get out of here, you two," Hawkweed snarled, "I've got to much to do right now, and I don't want any halfwit rabbits getting in the way."
"So now we have to obey your orders," drawled Perloo sarcastically, "I didn't think that you of all rabbits, Hawkweed, could give orders. And for your information, we have just as much power and authority in this warren as much as you do." With that, Perloo shoved what was left of the dirt into the burrow, completely filling it up.
"Once I tell Winters Wrath about this, I swear.." Hawkweed said, but he was cut short when Thistle burst through the dirt that was covering the burrow. He looked angrier than he did when he attacked Pimpernel.
"Oh, is little harmless Thistle mad," taunted Perloo as he had done most of Thistle's life, "is he mad because the big bad Perloo covered his burrow?"
At this, Thistle lost his nerve. With all the force he could muster, Thistle charged Perloo, and tackled him. Thistle then proceeded in cuffing and clawing Perloo as hard as he could. Perloo didn't expect anything like the attack from Thistle, yet he was there, getting beat up by the rabbit that he had always called harmless. Waterfall tried to help his friend, but he got the same treatment as Perloo did. Hawkweed finally stopped the fight when Perloo and Waterfall were rolling around in the grass, groaning in pain. Both the rabbits were bleeding. Thistle had only got a small scratch on his cheek.
Now Hawkweed had enjoyed seeing the two annoying rabbits get the crap kicked out of them, but he knew that Thistle would kill them if no one stopped him.
"That's enough, Thistle," Hawkweed said, putting himself between Thistle and Waterfall, "all you had to do was scare them, not give them the same treatment that you got from that weasel."
"Oh come one," snapped Thistle joyfully, "tell me, just tell me that you didn't enjoy seeing those two little bastards get a near death beating."
"You can be joyful now, but you're not going to be joyful when Winters Wrath finds out about this," snapped Hawkweed, "I wouldn't be surprised if Cowslip expelled you from the warren for this." Already, several rabbits had come to see what all the groaning was about. Every single one of them looked horrified.
"Whatever, Hawkweed," Thistle said lightly as he watched Waterfall pull himself up and half trudge, half drag himself up to Willow and Redwood without even sending a glance at Thistle, "they're fine."
Redwood then came over to help Perloo up. "Who do you think you are, taking out innocent rabbits for no reason, what did they ever do to you?" Redwood snarled.
At this, Hawkweed came to Thistle's defense. "For starters, Waterfall and Perloo just destroyed a burrow that we've spent hrair hours trying to open and fix up," snapped Hawkweed, "and second of all, was it or was it not Perloo that has been tormenting Thistle for what, all of his life. And let me tell you something Redwood, no one cares about these to rabbits, and yourself for that matter, and I sure would be glad if Thistle had gone al the way and killed those two trouble makers. They're a disgrace to our warren."
"What's going on hear," said a familiar voice, "why is there such a crowd here, what's up with you Redwood, what's wrong, Perloo." The voice was Mallow's. "Hawkweed, what just happened here?" asked Mallow upon seeing how battered Perloo was.
"Thistle nearly killed Waterfall and Perloo after they caved in a burrow on him," said Hawkweed tiredly.
"That's all," said Mallow jokingly, "we all knew that was going to happen long ago." Despite being wounded, Perloo threw Mallow a dirty look. The crowd of rabbits began to clear, including Perloo and Waterfall.
"Get back here Perloo, and you to Waterfall," snapped Mallow, "Perloo, this is the twelfth time you've deliberately messed with something the Owsla is doing and screwed it up. One more time, and I think Cowslip will throw you out of the warren. Waterfall, this is your fourth, and I swear, I've had it with both of you, go now."
"How about Thistle," snarled Walnut as he approached, "he had no right to beat up Perloo and Waterfall. I don't care what they did to him."
"Yeah, but we do," grumbled Hawkweed.
"Shut, up," Walnut snarled, "Thistle, I'm getting really tired of the way you've been treating my friends. If you want, we can take this out to the field." "Oh, that'll be a good one," grumbled Mallow, "Thistle, you can add another ass kick to your credit."
"Shut up and get out of here, you stupid outskirter," snarled Walnut.
"Your wish is my command, captain," Mallow said sarcastically. He left Hawkweed, Thistle, and Walnut to bicker with each other as he went to find Winters Wrath. He knew that Walnut would eventually start fighting with Thistle, so someone should be there to break it up. Eventually, Mallow found Dogwood and told him about what happened. As Dogwood walked over to were Thistle and Walnut were now screaming at each other, Mallow went on silflay.
None of the rabbits out on silflay noticed that Mallow was even there. But that didn't trouble the good-natured rabbit, he was long used to it. After eating a couple mouthfuls of grass, Mallow went to his family's burrow, which was the furthest from the center of the warren. It rested about fifty yards away from where the farmer used to leave the rabbits their food. He thought of just going to sleep and getting up when the Owsla meeting at ni- Frith the next day came. That was before Pimpernel dropped into his burrow.
"Want to get something to eat?" asked Pimpernel, "you're not going to sit in your burrow for the rest of the day, are you?"
Mallow was Pimpernel's only friend in the warren. Mallow had literally made it illegal in the warren for any rabbit to make nasty comments at Pimpernels expense. Any rabbit that said something bad about Pimpernel would get a severe punishment.
"Actually, I was," said Mallow tiredly, "but I guess I could use a little bit more to eat." The two rabbits then headed for the outskirts of the warren, where there were many cowslips. Several rabbits were there, munching on the grass and clovers. Three had found a few cowslips, and were about to eat them. Mallow and Pimpernel came up and began to eat grass, next to the three. That's when trouble started brewing.
"You know, you embleer prisoner, one of these days someone's going to kill you," snarled one of the rabbits eating at the cowslips at Pimpernel, clearly unaware of Mallow.
"Yeah," put in the second one, "you're going straight to hell."
"What's that I hear," snarled Mallow, "are some negative rabbits in the need of a beating?" All three of the opposing rabbits took off at once. It wasn't until Mallow and Pimpernel were heading back to the Great Burrow for the daily story that Pimpernel spoke.
"Hey Mallow, why do you stick up for me? I mean, no one else does, and almost all of them are ready to put me down any way possible. So why haven't you joined in the crowd?" "It's because I know how you feel," Mallow replied as they reached the Great Burrow, "I went through the same thing. I lived in a warren that was destroyed, and me and my family had to move out here."
Corona, who was making sure that no fights broke out in the Great Burrow, heard the conversation, and decided to yell out something.
"That sounds interesting, Mallow," yelled out Corona, "why don't you tell all of us about it."
Mallow immediately backed away, but the rabbits protested, and Mallow eventually agreed. Mallow went to the center of the burrow and began to speak.
Thistle swore under his breath as a huge mound of dirt came falling on top of him. He then heard laughter from Perloo and Waterfall. "Great Frith, Waterfall, do you have to screw up everything the Owsla tries to do?" snapped Thistle angrily.
"Yes," Waterfall cackled as he shoved another pile of dirt into the burrow on top of Thistle. "You might as well say that it's my "job" in the Owsla."
"Just get out of here, you two," Hawkweed snarled, "I've got to much to do right now, and I don't want any halfwit rabbits getting in the way."
"So now we have to obey your orders," drawled Perloo sarcastically, "I didn't think that you of all rabbits, Hawkweed, could give orders. And for your information, we have just as much power and authority in this warren as much as you do." With that, Perloo shoved what was left of the dirt into the burrow, completely filling it up.
"Once I tell Winters Wrath about this, I swear.." Hawkweed said, but he was cut short when Thistle burst through the dirt that was covering the burrow. He looked angrier than he did when he attacked Pimpernel.
"Oh, is little harmless Thistle mad," taunted Perloo as he had done most of Thistle's life, "is he mad because the big bad Perloo covered his burrow?"
At this, Thistle lost his nerve. With all the force he could muster, Thistle charged Perloo, and tackled him. Thistle then proceeded in cuffing and clawing Perloo as hard as he could. Perloo didn't expect anything like the attack from Thistle, yet he was there, getting beat up by the rabbit that he had always called harmless. Waterfall tried to help his friend, but he got the same treatment as Perloo did. Hawkweed finally stopped the fight when Perloo and Waterfall were rolling around in the grass, groaning in pain. Both the rabbits were bleeding. Thistle had only got a small scratch on his cheek.
Now Hawkweed had enjoyed seeing the two annoying rabbits get the crap kicked out of them, but he knew that Thistle would kill them if no one stopped him.
"That's enough, Thistle," Hawkweed said, putting himself between Thistle and Waterfall, "all you had to do was scare them, not give them the same treatment that you got from that weasel."
"Oh come one," snapped Thistle joyfully, "tell me, just tell me that you didn't enjoy seeing those two little bastards get a near death beating."
"You can be joyful now, but you're not going to be joyful when Winters Wrath finds out about this," snapped Hawkweed, "I wouldn't be surprised if Cowslip expelled you from the warren for this." Already, several rabbits had come to see what all the groaning was about. Every single one of them looked horrified.
"Whatever, Hawkweed," Thistle said lightly as he watched Waterfall pull himself up and half trudge, half drag himself up to Willow and Redwood without even sending a glance at Thistle, "they're fine."
Redwood then came over to help Perloo up. "Who do you think you are, taking out innocent rabbits for no reason, what did they ever do to you?" Redwood snarled.
At this, Hawkweed came to Thistle's defense. "For starters, Waterfall and Perloo just destroyed a burrow that we've spent hrair hours trying to open and fix up," snapped Hawkweed, "and second of all, was it or was it not Perloo that has been tormenting Thistle for what, all of his life. And let me tell you something Redwood, no one cares about these to rabbits, and yourself for that matter, and I sure would be glad if Thistle had gone al the way and killed those two trouble makers. They're a disgrace to our warren."
"What's going on hear," said a familiar voice, "why is there such a crowd here, what's up with you Redwood, what's wrong, Perloo." The voice was Mallow's. "Hawkweed, what just happened here?" asked Mallow upon seeing how battered Perloo was.
"Thistle nearly killed Waterfall and Perloo after they caved in a burrow on him," said Hawkweed tiredly.
"That's all," said Mallow jokingly, "we all knew that was going to happen long ago." Despite being wounded, Perloo threw Mallow a dirty look. The crowd of rabbits began to clear, including Perloo and Waterfall.
"Get back here Perloo, and you to Waterfall," snapped Mallow, "Perloo, this is the twelfth time you've deliberately messed with something the Owsla is doing and screwed it up. One more time, and I think Cowslip will throw you out of the warren. Waterfall, this is your fourth, and I swear, I've had it with both of you, go now."
"How about Thistle," snarled Walnut as he approached, "he had no right to beat up Perloo and Waterfall. I don't care what they did to him."
"Yeah, but we do," grumbled Hawkweed.
"Shut, up," Walnut snarled, "Thistle, I'm getting really tired of the way you've been treating my friends. If you want, we can take this out to the field." "Oh, that'll be a good one," grumbled Mallow, "Thistle, you can add another ass kick to your credit."
"Shut up and get out of here, you stupid outskirter," snarled Walnut.
"Your wish is my command, captain," Mallow said sarcastically. He left Hawkweed, Thistle, and Walnut to bicker with each other as he went to find Winters Wrath. He knew that Walnut would eventually start fighting with Thistle, so someone should be there to break it up. Eventually, Mallow found Dogwood and told him about what happened. As Dogwood walked over to were Thistle and Walnut were now screaming at each other, Mallow went on silflay.
None of the rabbits out on silflay noticed that Mallow was even there. But that didn't trouble the good-natured rabbit, he was long used to it. After eating a couple mouthfuls of grass, Mallow went to his family's burrow, which was the furthest from the center of the warren. It rested about fifty yards away from where the farmer used to leave the rabbits their food. He thought of just going to sleep and getting up when the Owsla meeting at ni- Frith the next day came. That was before Pimpernel dropped into his burrow.
"Want to get something to eat?" asked Pimpernel, "you're not going to sit in your burrow for the rest of the day, are you?"
Mallow was Pimpernel's only friend in the warren. Mallow had literally made it illegal in the warren for any rabbit to make nasty comments at Pimpernels expense. Any rabbit that said something bad about Pimpernel would get a severe punishment.
"Actually, I was," said Mallow tiredly, "but I guess I could use a little bit more to eat." The two rabbits then headed for the outskirts of the warren, where there were many cowslips. Several rabbits were there, munching on the grass and clovers. Three had found a few cowslips, and were about to eat them. Mallow and Pimpernel came up and began to eat grass, next to the three. That's when trouble started brewing.
"You know, you embleer prisoner, one of these days someone's going to kill you," snarled one of the rabbits eating at the cowslips at Pimpernel, clearly unaware of Mallow.
"Yeah," put in the second one, "you're going straight to hell."
"What's that I hear," snarled Mallow, "are some negative rabbits in the need of a beating?" All three of the opposing rabbits took off at once. It wasn't until Mallow and Pimpernel were heading back to the Great Burrow for the daily story that Pimpernel spoke.
"Hey Mallow, why do you stick up for me? I mean, no one else does, and almost all of them are ready to put me down any way possible. So why haven't you joined in the crowd?" "It's because I know how you feel," Mallow replied as they reached the Great Burrow, "I went through the same thing. I lived in a warren that was destroyed, and me and my family had to move out here."
Corona, who was making sure that no fights broke out in the Great Burrow, heard the conversation, and decided to yell out something.
"That sounds interesting, Mallow," yelled out Corona, "why don't you tell all of us about it."
Mallow immediately backed away, but the rabbits protested, and Mallow eventually agreed. Mallow went to the center of the burrow and began to speak.
