Near the other side of the warren, Vervain was en route to report his findings with the General regarding Thlayli's loyalties and intentions, but his mind was still a tad disturbed by the new captain's… liaison with the outsider doe. Normally, mating would not have moved him in the slightest, but oddly enough… there was a sort of untold passion between both rabbits that unnerved and disturbed him, having seen only the does submitting without responding in such circumstances. However, his thoughts and path were halted when suddenly he hopped into another buck, his own brother, Orchis.
"Vervain... why in such a hurry, brother? You… Good Frith, you look as though you've seen the Black Rabbit," he remarks, taking slight pleasure in Vervain's expression.
"Never you mind, Orchis!" the bearded rabbit retorted. "Now, if you don't mind, I have words to speak with the General."
As Vervain was about to resume his route, Orchis blocked his path. "Not so fast, brother. You haven't forgotten our little arrangement, have you? We share any knowledge we each gather to each other, we act on said information, and the General commends us both."
Vervain growled a bit, remembering his little pact with his younger brother. "I know the pact, but this information is strictly for the General."
"As was the information regarding the escape attempt of Blackavar earlier today."
"Which Captain Campion prevented, with no part from me!"
"An unforeseen circumstance, brother. Still… we both know how the General feels about secrets and information not being reported to him first… don't you?" Orchis smirked, slyly. "I wonder how'd he feel if I told him that you were keeping secrets from him?"
Vervain contemplated this for a moment, before reluctantly giving into his request. "The General asked me to dig into the new officer."
"Oh… you mean, Thlayli?" Orchis chuckled in knowing what has been heard about him. "I heard he gave you quite a trouncing when he came…" he said before eying the tear in Vervain's ear, "like the doe who left you that sizable divot on you."
Vervain interrupted his brother by continuing, "And on his order, I trailed him today and then while he went back to Efrafa, I found a few interesting details where the homba attacked and killed those three scouts." He looked around before continuing in a hushed tone. "I needed to confirm something. I took a closer sniff at the tracks the fox was trailing. The scent was faint, but… it smelled almost like Thlayli's."
Orchis' eyes widened a bit with slight intrigue. "Really? And this is unusual, because…?"
"Because Thlayli failed to mention being chased by a homba earlier before his arrival. After all, anything out of the ordinary is to be reported, so why keep such a vital detail secret? Of course, my next instinct was to ask Thlayli about it, see if whether or not he can explain. However, before I could, I caught him in… well, a compromising position with one of our does, so I left them be as quietly and quickly as I could."
"You? You've walked in on our officers breeding with our does before, and only now this instance bothered you? Ha! Dare I wonder if you're starting to soften, brother? Or were you starting to fancy the new officer yourself, imaging yourself in the doe's place?" Orchis remarked jokingly at the thought of his brother's surprisingly vulnerability to a breeding.
"Don't you even…" Vervain scowled at such a joke his brother made. "I would never, especially not in her place! Oh… that damn Lily and all who breed her ilk! With any luck, her broods will be cursed with the White Blindness and-"
"Wait!" Orchis interrupted his brother's rant before gawking at him, the cruel pleasure with his brother's misfortunes now turned to pure envy and contempt. "Did you say Lily? The second hutch rabbit who was the one being bred by… by Thlayli?"
"Yes, it's what I saw, brother! The outsider doe and the new officer who trounced me individually were in his quarters, flagrantly showing more passion than El-ahrairah did with his many wives."
Though Orchis did not show it, his contempt and rage began to bubble furiously towards the idea of any buck having their way with… with his doe. When she and Clover were captured by the Owsla, Orchis caught more than one glimpse of her outside silflaying. Something about her beauty and spirit struck within him, making him desire this mysterious hutch doe more than anything, wanting to make her his mate and his alone. And now this hlessi officer dared to take his doe as his mate? One thing was made clear. "Brother… go tell the General what you know… but I want to be there personally when we interrogate that, that… that hufsa hraka of a hlessi!"
"It's what I intended to do, Orchis. Now stand aside."
"I will… but just one more thing."
Vervain rolled his eyes in exasperation. "What is it?"
"When Thlayli is executed for his treason… I want Lily for myself. You can have the General's ears, for all I care. And I want you to assure no harm will come to her... especially from you."
Vervain was shocked by his brother's choice of words, sacrificing his claim on the council just for one hutch doe. However, on the other paw, one less councilor with Woundwort's ear means Vervain has a stronger chance of elevating and cementing his station in Efrafa. With a slight smirk, he was amused by the idea of using his brother's lust to control him.
"Well, if that's all, then of course you may have her after Thlayli is dealt with. Do with her as you wish; I certainly don't care. After all… her being broken after the loss of her mate is reward enough for me." Before he could hop off, Vervain's expression turned to that of a threatening one. "However… should your obsession with this outsider backfire at the expense of the warren, I'll inform the General that it was your affections that led to such things!" he warned his younger brother before hopping off.
Word spread fast amongst the does of Thlayli's true motives of breaking them out of Efrafa forever, though some remain skeptical of him, others eagerly agreed to cooperate in the attempted escape. However, Bigwig couldn't find a loophole to free Blackavar because the poor buck was heavily guarded, and he was careful to stay out of sight of the guards. Hyzenthlay organized the does to use the digging crew as part of their escape. Primrose, Clover and Lily joined them, spending all afternoon with a small group of does to create a tunnel leading to the outside of the warren.
Vilthuril kept watch to make sure no guards got suspicious, most of all Captain Campion, being in charge of the digging crew. Lily dug the fastest, not since the time Bigwig got caught in a snare, but Clover's paws started to tire her out as she dug with all of her speed.
Then, Hyzenthlay instantly decided to assist them as she came between them and buried her paws rapidly in the earth, saying, "Here. Let me take over, sisters." She decided to give the hutch rabbits a chance to trust them, something which made the two hutch rabbits feel relieved.
"Thank you," Lily said, gratefully.
Campion seemed to be muttering over the problem of a possible rainstorm approaching tomorrow and the digging job had to be done as fast as, then a minor problem occurred for the does. The problem; Nelthilta.
The cheeky Nelthilta stopped digging on her own accord, smirking cheekily and impudently at him, "Under the weather, Captain? Brace up! You may have a surprise soon. Who knows?"
"What do you mean?" asked Campion, raising his eyebrow.
"Does might grow wings and fly."
Campion looked puzzled by her words. He looked as though he were going to stop her and question what she meant, when Moss called to him and he left.
Infuriated, Thethuthinnang paused her work and gave the careless Nelthilta a harsh cuff across her face, hurting her. "You stupid little beast!" she chided. "Are you trying to give us away?! This is why nobody trust you to keep secrets!"
"I was only-" Nelthilta protested, but a silent crowd of death squints kept her quiet.
Outside the courtyard, Bigwig's anxious eyes scanned the graying sky for the gull. "Come on, Kehaar. Where is he?" he wondered.
Just then, a small part of the ground opened up beside him and the earth fell in. Seven does emerged out of the hole, shaking the dirt off themselves. It was Hyzenthlay, Clover, Lily, Primrose, Nettle, Vilthuril, Nelthilta and Thethuthinnang.
"By Frith, how long have you been digging?" asked Bigwig.
"All afternoon," replied Nettle. "What now? What's the plan? We need to move before we're spotted."
"Where is Kehaar?" Lily inquired, puzzled.
"Curse him!" Bigwig cursed, furious of the gull's foolishness to avoid showing up when they needed him. "Where is he?" His eyes studied the sky, waiting impatiently for Kehaar, but there was no sign of him nor a squawk. If he's not coming, the gull must have abandoned them out of cowardice or selfishness, that was it. Bigwig knew he couldn't trust that bird, let alone trust one to rescue them. And what of poor Blackavar? He can't leave him behind to suffer in Efrafa's claws. But he realized they had no choice but to escape on foot. He will have to come back for him somehow. "Look, we'll just have to run for it. Follow me."
The lion buck prepared to lead the does out of Efrafa when suddenly Captain Campion, sided by Moss and Sainfoin, arrived with his bucks to cut them off before they could make their way out.
Upon arrival, Campion's eyes were directed at the officer standing with the does. "Thlayli, what's going on here? We're waiting!"
Acting quickly, Bigwig responded quickly, "There was a collapse in one of the tunnels because of the dry weather. I moved these does out here in case there was another."
Suspicious of his story, Sainfoin stepped forward to address the officer. "On whose authority?"
"My own, actually. I heard cries for help and I acted and-"
"Wake up, Thlayli! You've been tricked!" shouted Moss.
Campion stepped forward to calm the corporal. "At ease, Moss, I need you to take three of our bucks down with you into the tunnels. See if this story of theirs is true."
Moss looked surprised at this request. "And if it's true and there's another cave-in, then…?"
"Then I'm counting on you to get yourself and those soldiers out before you're all trapped. Can I count on you, Corporal?"
"Yes, sir!" Moss responded before heading down with three of the bucks to the digging scrapes.
Meanwhile, Campion addressed the rest of his bucks. "Take these does down to the Deep Burrows. We'll hold them there until we can get all the facts about this."
As the bucks began to surround Thlayli and the escaped does, Campion's eyes locked with the lion-maned officer, as if he was trying to read his expression. However, Hyzenthlay needed to keep Campion from discovering any possibility of Thlayli being a traitor, so with a grunt she ran to attack Campion, only to stopped and held down by Sainfoin.
"Wrong move, doe," Sainfoin remarked darkly. "Let's see what good being in the Deep Burrows will do you. I heard it said that Frith will be right over Efrafa tomorrow, and he'll be giving quite a scorcher then."
As Sainfoin and the bucks lead the attempted escapees to the Deep Burrows, Campion and Bigwig were left on the courtyard.
"Well, Campion?" inquired Bigwig. "What about me?"
"What about you?"
"I know you don't trust me about all this, given the circumstances. If the roles were reversed, I wouldn't trust you either, Captain."
"Maybe, but unlike you, Thlayli, I prefer to keep reasonable doubt until we get all the facts," lectured Campion. "As far as I know, you were tricked. However, the General may not see it like that, so I'd advise not attempting more… heroics here in Efrafa. Anything of the sort could be seen as an act of treason."
"So, we do nothing, even if it means the loss of rabbits?"
"All we can do is make sure there is order and cooperation between the Owsla and the does. If all the does cooperate under our laws, the Owsla may not need to punish them at all for lighter offenses."
"And should our officers take advantage of their cooperation for their own interests… what do we do then?"
"Just because the idea is fair, it does not make it perfect. But it's not like there's a better way to handle it without risking an uprising. That being said… just watch yourself, Thlayli. Here in Efrafa, all we can do is keep order and security, even if we have to take away certain freedoms from our fellow rabbits. Don't cause trouble…" Campion's cold blue eyes narrowed, "and trouble won't come find you later."
As Campion left to rejoin the other bucks, Bigwig was left in hidden dismay, all the while wondering what might have been if that hraka gull had showed up as he promised.
Meanwhile, Vervain was relaying his report to the General who was surprised by the news.
"I'm sure of it, sire! The rabbit that the fox was chasing and led it to kill those scouts had a scent very similar to Thlayli's. Also, when I saw him with that outsider, Lily, the guards that brought her to his burrow informed me that Thlayli's intent was to 'teach her a lesson.' Of course, it could be coincidental, but-"
"Hmmm… the homba kills our scouts... Thlayli arrives to join our Owsla to fulfill the need for more officers… and then, instead of punishing Lily for her behavior, he chooses to mate with her, as if he had planned to for some time," Woundwort mumbled slowly, as if he was piecing together a theory that he and Vervain shared. "Vervain… at Frith-up tomorrow, find Thlayli and bring him to me."
Vervain gave a smug chuckle before he bowed. "With pleasure, General."
The next morning, the Efrafan does are held in their prison burrow within the Deep Burrow being crushed by the heat of the sun, though some managed to stay in the shadows to stay cool, it wasn't enough to avoid the summer heart. The escape plan failed yesterday after the does had been recaptured and Kehaar had failed to come to their aid, causing great doubt among them, believing the gull had abandoned them.
Clover approached a weakened Hyzenthlay to say this, "Hyzenthlay..." she glanced up to make sure the guard, Chervil, wasn't listening, "Bigwig thinks there might be a spy amongst us."
"If that's true, one of the does must have informed the guards of our escape attempt," Primrose agreed, moving closer to them.
"He's wrong!" Hyzenthlay refused to believe such a thing. "These does are my sisters, my family. There's no spy here."
"Listen, at night they have two guards down here at most," Nettle suggested. "If we rush them, maybe some of us will get out."
"But even if we escaped the Deep Burrows, there'd be guards on each Mark entrance," Thethuthinnang added.
"We have to do something," agreed Clover, pleased the other does are still open to another escape attempt.
"Stop!" Hyzenthlay interrupted, sadly discouraged at the idea of escaping. "Listen to me, all of you..." she announced, catching the does' attention. "My stay of execution ends today. Before they take me, I want you to promise me one thing. Stop fighting, they will always win."
"What? No, Hyzenthlay!" Primrose objected.
"But, Sister, we must-" Nettle protested, but she was silenced.
"You all keep hoping for the winds to stop blowing when instead you should learn to steel yourself against them," Hyzenthlay urged, repeating what her tormentor Orchis once told her. "And you..." she frowned at the stupefied Lily, "stop the heroics, don't make an enemy of Vervain or anyone else. It's over. It's better to surrender yourself to Efrafa."
"Don't give up yet," Clover refused, "There's still hope."
"Hey, you!"
The startled does glanced up to see a smirking Sainfoin standing beside Chervil.
"Hyzenthlay…" Sainfoin requested, "Captain Orchis wishes to see you."
Before obeying his request, Hyzenthlay bitterly advised Clover, "There you go again with your hope, Clover. In Efrafa, hope is your enemy." The battered doe climbed out of the pit and was escorted to the Council's chamber for her meeting with Orchis.
No sooner had she left, Sainfoin turned his attention to the does and bellowed, "Now it is come to my attention that some of you have been singing. Anyone caught doing this will face severe punishment."
The does grew more discouraged than ever at this, even when Hyzenthlay's execution will happen, it will spell the end of their rebellion. Lily glowered at Sainfoin before he left, wishing how she could have torn his ears off instead of Vervain. Suddenly Thethuthinnang collapsed, worrying Lily and Clover as they rushed to her side.
"It's the heat!" Nettle explained her friend's condition. "She's exhausted!"
"What will become of us without Hyzenthlay?" rasped Thethunthinnang. "Without her to lead us, we're done for."
"We... We'll think of something." Truthfully, Primrose was at a loss for ideas when the loss of her closest alley, Hyzenthlay, is fast approaching.
"This is all Nelthilta's fault!" Vilthuril whirled around to cast a sharp scowl at her cheeky little doe, shouted accusingly, "They're aware of what we've done because of her stupid carelessness!"
"I didn't do anything!" Nelthilta grew defensive, offended.
None of the does believed her, as it was known for Nelthilta to be untrustworthy when it comes to keeping secrets from the Owsla, then Nettle scorned as she blamed her sister, "If you hadn't opened your big mouth, we wouldn't be here now! Unless... you're the spy!"
"How dare you accuse me! I am not a spy! I would never betray my friends!"
"Stop lying, you little beast!"
"SILENCE!" bellowed Chervil, as he put an end to the does' quarrel.
Coming up with a solution to save Hyzenthlay, Clover scowled determinedly as she approached Chervil, requesting, "I need to see the General."
"No." Chervil refused.
"I am the hutch rabbit with the ear of General Woundwort!"
After considering this for a moment, Chervil shrugged his shoulders and allowed Clover to be escorted by Campion to the General's quarters.
"What do we do about Hyzenthlay?" Nettle asked the exhausted Thethuthinnang and a concerned Primrose. "You heard her. They'll kill her before Frith-down. If she dies, we don't just lose a sister, we lose any chance of getting out of this place."
"And it's not just Hyzenthlay who will die soon," whispered Vilthuril, "I heard one of the guards mention that Blackavar will be killed next after Hyzenthlay is executed."
Lily pondered over this situation, pacing back and forth as she tried to figure out a plan to save Hyzenthlay, Blackavar and the other does all at the same time. Tears threatened to sting in her eyes, confused and angry. How could their escape attempt fail so easily? How did the guards know? Who is the spy amongst their rank? Why did things have to happen this way? If only Hazel was here because he knew out to come up with a plan to everything. Hyzenthlay's words had an effect on her as she gradually realized there might be no chance nor hope of escaping Efrafa. Pausing under the shade from the scorching sun, Lily began to weep softly.
Meanwhile, Clover had climbed up through the open entrance to the General's burrow, and this time, she was prepared to speak up for herself and prepared for the sacrifice she was willing to make, instead of growing fearfully silent as she once did during her first encounter with the chief rabbit.
"I've come to make a deal," she said.
"So, you do have a voice," said Woundwort, his blind eye blinking upon her entering.
"I'll consider being your queen, but on one condition," Clover offered, bravely. "Hyzenthlay must live." She hoped the giant rabbit would agree to her deal, but what he said next was not what she hoped.
"No, I'm afraid you have misunderstood the situation," Woundwort rejected her offer, chuckling as he approaches her, threateningly. "I am not a rabbit who makes deals. Either you choose to become my queen, or you live out your days in the Deep Burrows... it matters little to me which."
He backed her up toward the hole, forcing Clover to slip and fall out. The General stared down at her with a dark scowl, before he retreated back to his burrow.
"Don't try to make deals with him to save the does," Campion advised, escorting her back to the pit. "You need to learn to accept your place in Efrafa."
Dejected, Clover didn't bother to make a retort nor did she try to speak.
Meanwhile, Bigwig had been in a proper fit since his attempt to help Clover, Lily, Primrose, Hyzenthlay, and the other does escape became a flop since their "secret weapon" failed to arrive on schedule. Of course, he was not just worried for the does in general, but he was especially worried about Lily. Even though Campion said he did not suspect him, Bigwig still had to keep on his paws since his death could very well endanger Lily's life. He had to do all he could to protect his mate without arousing suspicion. However, his thoughts were interrupted when he heard a dark bearded rabbit clear their throat from right behind him.
"Thlayli! I was looking all over for you," Vervain remarked as he hopped over to him.
"Really? Thought after the last thrashing I gave you, you'd want to avoid me."
"Oh yes… you thought you did well to impress the General," added Vervain, smirking wickedly. "But interest is not the same as trust. And somehow he doesn't trust you fully. And you know why? It is because I don't trust you fully, Thlayli."
"What's this about? Unless you got something to say, I'm to help Sainfoin with morning silflay and-"
Before he could continue, two guards, Avens and Thunder, blocked his path, issuing a growl from Bigwig.
"That won't be necessary, because I was instructed to escort you to the Chief's burrow. General Woundwort wants a word with you," he cackled darkly before smugly telling the officer. "You're under arrest!"
"Psst! Lily!"
A familiar voice brought Lily out of her weeping; her ears pricked up as she searched the pit for who said her name. No doe was looking at her and no one spoke to her.
"Behind you!"
To her surprise, there was Hannah hiding within a small crack in the wall at her feet. The mouse put a finger to her lips, gesturing her to be silent.
"Hannah!" Lily began to cry again, but this time with tears of joy.
"Quiet, lass! Lower yourself to the ground," the mouse advised in a whisper, "don't let those weirdos hear you. I just managed to sneak in on Hazel's orders to check up on you, Clover, Bigwig and the does."
Lily carefully got on all fours, her face kept focused on the crack and out of the guard's sight. "What happened to Kehaar? He was supposed to show up yesterday!"
"I thought you knew," Hannah replied, baffled. "He didn't show up to meet the rest of us at the river. I think something's wrong. We assumed the Efrafans suspected what was going on and attacked Kehaar."
"I doubt that because Kehaar wasn't attacked by the guards," responded Lily. "We got caught by the guards when we tried to escape. I think what Clover said about a spy tattling on us to the guards is the reason why we-"
"A spy, you say?" Hannah's expression darkened. "Funny you should mention that, because on my way here..." the mouse double checked to make sure nobody was listening, "I recently passed a doe reporting to the guards about your involvement with the breakout. I believe they said her name is Nettle, and one of them said she did the right thing telling them about it."
"Frith and Inlé!" Lily gasped, her eyes enlarged in horror and disbelief. Just recently, Nettle had been called away by the guards for something important one of them said as an excuse, and then she put two and two together. "Nettle is the spy!" Now it all made sense. That's why Campion and the guards found them so easily. Nelthilta was not the reason their plans were betrayed. Nettle just needed to use someone for a scapegoat. If that is true, it can be the reason for every escape attempt had failed. This piece of information put a spark of hope in Lily's heart as the wheels in her brain began turning like clockwork. She was thrilled to have inherited cunning and trickery that El-ahrairah gave her or she wouldn't have come up with such a brilliant scheme to use this info against Nettle and the Efrafans.
"Uhh, lass? Are you alright?" Hannah noticed the doe's facial expression had frozen in a mixture of relief and bewilderment.
"I think El-ahrairah has given me an idea!" Lily beamed, though she kept her voice quiet so not to alert the guard. "Hannah, I'm very glad you are here because I have a job for you..." She leaned in close enough to whisper her plan in the mouse's ear.
Hannah's features lit up. "Okay, I'll do it!"
And with that, the mouse scurried off through the small tunnels and tiny spaces to find the imprisoned Hyzenthlay. She was careful not to be seen by the Efrafan guards, for who knows how they will take to a mouse in their warren. In that instant, Hannah overheard some voices within the Council's chamber and one of them she recognized as Bigwig's voice. Something must be wrong, it could involve Hyzenthlay, so the mouse decided to go investigate.
Hannah followed the sounds to an open crack just above the chief's burrow, where to her horror she saw Bigwig surrounded by the Efrafan captains and the Council and facing General Woundwort on his pedestal. "That is the biggest rabbit I have ever seen!" the mouse whispered in dread.
"So Thlayli… tell us," Vervain interrogated. "On your travel to Efrafa… have you had any troubles along the way?"
Bigwig looked around, figuring that Woundwort did not want to take chances with him, or else he would not have called forth his strongest bucks and a few strongest members of his Council to surround him.
"No trouble I couldn't handle myself, sir." Bigwig wished he didn't have to call Vervain 'sir,' it sickened him.
"Really?" Woundwort calmly turned to Vervain. "Tell Thlayli what you told me yesterday."
Vervain smugly looked toward the hlessi before approaching him and addressing the General and his fellow Owsla and Council. "Thlayli was outrunning a fox before coming here… the same fox which killed Sentries Mallow, Gorse, and Thistle on the Wide Patrol," he stated as he slowly circled the larger buck. "Do you deny it?"
"No."
The General looked at him with a blank expression. "No?"
"I don't deny it, but I didn't know those rabbits were Efrafans. They only told me to stop, but I kept running and-"
"And you didn't tell us this yesterday? Here in Efrafa, everything outside the ordinary must be reported to me. So, why didn't you?" The General inquired in a dangerously soft tone.
"Because I thought there was nothing unusual about a hlessi running from a homba," replied Bigwig, keeping calm. "And like I said, I had no trouble with the homba, as I managed to evade it. Those bucks that died were killed for being in the way."
Vervain gave a loud chuckle. "Oh, how convenient. You know, Thlayli, for someone who is supposed to be a good storyteller as well as a good fighter… this story, by far, sounds the most unimaginative. Still, let's try another story. How about the one where you were 'tricked' into an escape attempt yesterday by one of our does? Sergeant Sainfoin informed me before Frith-down how you were unwittingly helping them escape from Efrafa from a tunnel. Do you deny this?"
"No, I don't. But if I may, Captain Vervain…" Bigwig responded, "you make it sound like I meant to help those does escape. As if you're questioning my integrity as Owsla."
"Not your integrity as an Owsla officer, Thlayli, but your loyalty as an Efrafan officer!"
"Well, to answer, my first thought was that losing our does meant losing our diggers. A cave-in would have been costly on our digging crew, so of course I acted first. To tell you the truth, I think I may have been trying to impress Captain Campion."
"If you want to start impressing someone, you better start with me," grunted Woundwort.
"After all, if we had no does to dig, we'd be forced to… because bucks don't dig," Bigwig continued to defend himself, which surprisingly got a murmur of agreement from some of the Sergeants and a few of the Captains and some of the Council members. "But let me make it clear: I was not a willing part of their plan!"
"Hmmmm… perhaps your incident with the homba was mere coincidence… and just maybe you were an unknowing pawn of Hyzenthlay's latest plans… but it cannot be sheer luck that this hlessi… and the outsider doe who did this," Vervain pawed at his ruined ear as he announced, "to me… were rutting in his burrow on his first day!"
At those words, Bigwig felt a nerve being struck in his core, but even though he tried to keep a straight face during this interrogation, he let out a faint growl and his claws nearly came out. How could he not have seen Vervain witnessing his secret relationship with Lily? He glanced a secret look at Campion, who's blue eyes gawked in shock and disbelief upon realizing the truth of Thlayli's involvement with the homba.
"It seemed those two were friendlier with each other than any Efrafan officer with a doe would be. Could it be…" Vervain smirked wickedly, "that Thlayli and the outsider knew each other? Then perhaps... Thlayli is really affiliated with the rest of the outsiders involved in Holly's warren, our sworn enemy?!"
As the Owsla and the Council started to begin to doubt the new officer's trustworthiness, Hannah herself was getting worried that Bigwig was being dug into a hole that even he might not be able to dig himself out of. Suddenly, a sound broke through the commotion among the officers: a slight chuckle that slowly and steadily turned into a roar of laughter, and it was coming from the new officer on trial, unnerving the prosecutor himself.
"What's this? If this is your attempt to… Listen here, you…" Vervain tried to get a word in, but the laughter was starting to grate on him before hopping towards the lion buck and getting into his face. "WHAT'S SO FUNNY?!"
And then, Bigwig started to settle from his laughter before looking at Vervain with a deathly calm stare. "What's funny is that I never heard a rabbit tell a story better than me… and now I have, because I'm looking at him… right now. You sure can spin a yarn when you're out for revenge, can't ya?"
Vervain suddenly backed up as the new officer turned the accusations onto him, before turning to the General for some assistance. "Sir, sir! The prisoner is out of order!"
But the General said nothing, releasing only a low growl as he was silently intrigued to see where Thlayli was going with this.
"You know you can't beat me in combat, so you tear me down by spreading lies and twisting truths! Well, I've only one thing to say about that: if I'm to meet the Black Rabbit today because of it… then I'll TAKE YOU WITH ME TO MEET HIM!" Bigwig declared in raw anger.
Even though Avens and Thunder tried to hold off the officer, Bigwig simply pushed them off before pouncing onto the cowardly Vervain, pinning him to the ground with blood in his eyes and a snarl like a badger's. "I've had a bellyful of you, my son! I'll do to you what I should've done the day we met!"
"Oi, Bigwig, don't do anything stupid!" Hannah whispered, frightened and praying for his well-being.
As Bigwig prepared to make the fatal blow, Campion and Sainfoin rushed over to hold the raging lion buck back.
"Don't make it worse, Thlayli!" Campion warned as he and the Sergeant dragged him off Vervain, who was practically terrified of being so near death at such a ferocious rabbit.
It was at that moment General Woundwort finally made his move, jumping off the pedestal to address the officer and the ground shook as his massive feet made contact with the earth. "Enough! I've seen and heard all I needed to. Campion, Sainfoin… hold him still!"
The two officers obeyed as Bigwig looked with a glare in his eyes at the General, who approached him and raised a paw like an execution with his ax. Vervain watched as he eagerly awaited the sentencing of the buck who trounced him twice, while his brother Orchis among the crowd eyed the sentence with sadistic pleasure, knowing that without Thlayli, Lily will have no buck to protect her… that is, until he takes her for himself.
"I can't watch!" Refusing to watch her friend's death, Hannah shielded her eyes from this horrid sight.
The moment the Chief's claws raked across the rabbit in front of him, all were shocked by the decision, but none more so than Vervain and Orchis, both whom saw that the new officer had survived… with only a shallow scratch on Bigwig's right shoulder. Not hearing a cry of anguish from Bigwig, Hannah removed her paws from her eyes and instant relief swept over her, placing a paw on her chest to calm her racing pulse.
"Your probation period is over, Captain Thlayli… of the Right Shoulder Mark. There is no fear in you, even when your honor as an officer was being questioned. If your loyalty matches your courage, you'll do well in Efrafa. And… as far as your outsider doe is concerned, what you do with her is none of my concern, though I believe you will give her strong kittens for Efrafa's future." Then Woundwort leaned in very close enough to warn him, "But betray me, and I promise you, Captain… that I will kill you myself… and grind your bones to dust."
As Bigwig nodded in agreement with those terms, the General turned around and was about to head back to his burrow until he stopped to speak to a dumbstruck Vervain. "As for you… you are relieved of your command, Vervain. Report for guard duty in the Deep Burrows at Frith-down."
It only took a moment for the realization to dawn on Vervain that this hlessi had just stripped him of any future chance of glory in the Owsla, silently glaring at him as he hopped off to his burrow in a silent fit, while the new Captain was being congratulated by a few of the Owsla and Council members, especially Campion and Sainfoin.
"Well, Thlayli… you're one of us," Campion said, sincerely. "Well done."
"I know I said it'd take you a while to earn my trust…" Sainfoin agreed, "but I'll gladly give it, knowing you put that hufsa in his proper place."
"Thank you…" Bigwig remarked before glaring at Vervain as he made his way out, "though I can't say I'm looking forward to a promotion."
"Don't mind Vervain, Thlayli. He's just upset that he lost his captaincy due to his own lies. You've earned your place with us," Groundsel asserted.
At that moment, Orchis stepped forward to the new officer. "Only because you are all soft-bottomed idiots to even believe a hlessi over a loyal officer of Efrafa." He turned to Bigwig with a deep glare. "You may be one of us now, but you've a yona's mile to go before you can earn my trust. However, I know just the way you can start. For now, enjoy the rest of your day, Captain Thlayli," Orchis told him, adding venom into the title before hopping off, leaving Bigwig somewhat disturbed, drowning out the platitudes from the other Captains and Sergeants and Council members, along with the concealed Hannah who was unsure whether to feel relieved that Bigwig was no longer in danger of being caught or worried that he may have just gotten himself further into trouble.
No time to show whether feelings of concern or relief were true for her, as Hannah knew she had to find Hyzenthlay. She was running out of time. The doe's execution will start who knows when, but Lily's plan had to be carried out in action. Scurrying in and out of small secret passageways, the mouse found a lonely battered doe confined in a prison where only one guard, Bartsia, stood at bay. Careful not to make any sound, Hannah threw a tiny pebble at the dozing doe's forehead, awakening her with a start.
Hyzenthlay was amazed to see a mouse gesturing her to be silent and to come closer, never having seen any other creature of different species in this Frith-forsaken place. "Who are you?" she asked in a whisper.
"My name is Hannah, and I've come with a message from Lily," Hannah replied, creeping beneath the rocks to get closer so to whisper in the doe's ear. "I just discovered that one of your does is a spy, her name is Nettle-"
"Yes, I know." Hyzenthlay's eyes shut, dismayed. "I overheard her talking to the guards about our plans. I can't believe she... I trusted that doe..." her voice quivered, with a broken heart.
"It's alright, lass." Hannah tenderly pat her cheek for reassurance. "Lily's got a plan to save you. Now, here is what you will do..." As the mouse began to explain the escape plan in the rabbit's ear, Hyzenthlay's eyes widened. If she could use this against Nettle and the Efrafans, this just might work.
