Vervain's new life Part 12

"Thorn!" Larch called out as she saw the familiar doe sit on a tree-stump.

At first Larch saw the smile on her old friend's face to be genuine, happy smile. But closer she got, more menacing the smile got.

Larch stopped on her tracks just in front of the grey doe, for a second her heart sunk. Had she walked right into a trap?

But Thorn's smile softened soon as she looked down on the golden doe.

"Larch, dearie. You haven't changed at all. You still run to me like you did back when we were kits."

Larch could hear a weird tone in her voice, but decided not to think too deeply of it.

"I'm just glad you are back to your senses again! I missed you so much..." she said, happily smiling.

The cackle Thorn let out made Larch's feet go cold.

"Me? Back to "my senses"? Oh Larch, you silly girl..." the grey doe swooned, leaping down from the stump, circling Larch like an elil.

"I was always right from the beginning, my dear. I KNOW Vervain is evil. I KNOW you're too blind to see it. I KNOW Rhizome is too blind to see it. And I know you are too stupid to realize it if you're not woken up properly."

The tone of Thorn's voice was so menacing Larch felt like she was talking to a fox and not a rabbit.

"Thorn... What happened to you?" she whispered, terrified.

"What do you mean "woken up properly"?"

Thorn smiled again and stood a bit further away from the golden doe.

"I know you're only together with that damn buck because you have a kit with him now. You feel obligated to stay with him for your kit's sake!"

"What are you talking about?! I love Vervain! And Red Oak! What are you---"

Larch then noticed a big, lanky brown buck walk from the bushes. There was something small and golden in his mouth. Larch's heart skip a beat.

"Mommy!" Red Oak squaked in Bark's teeth. "Uncle Bark said you were looking for me and I followed him and then he told me to stay quiet and bit me! Mommy! Mommy, what's going on!?"

Bark was clearly terrified about what was going to happen, and tried to look at Larch as apologetic as he could. But Larch wasn't looking at him at all, naturally.

"It's very simple Larch. When you don't have a kit to be obligated to, you can leave that evil buck behind you. No kit, no problem." Thorn sneered, smiling evilly.

"And you get to keep your promise you made to me, you know, to be single forever, never have kits and live freely, forever!"

"Thorn. Get away from my baby, or I swear to Frith, I WILL kill you slowly!" Larch almost screamed.

"See Larch. You're so keen on to protect this hell-spawn you are ready to kill your best friend!" Thorn said, smiling.

"You are NOT my friend! Not since you attacked Vervain! You are a vile nonce, nothing else! Let go of my baby, buck! Or you'll get the same treatment!" Larch screamed again, more furious than ever in her life.

"Don't listen to the crazy doe. Give him to me." Thorn commanded the buck. Reluctantly Bark did so.

"Is that really necessary... he's just a baby!" he tried, but Thorn simply leered him into submission.

"Thorn! Let go of my baby! Please!" Larch pleaded, panicking now. If she would jump, Red would die. But if she didn't do anything at all, Red would still die.

"Do not cry for the wicked, Larch." Thorn said as her teeth tightened around Red who squealed in pain.

"They don't cry for you either..."