Vervain's new life Part 4

Vervain told Larch everything. From the beginning to end. At some points he wanted to sugarcoat things for his behalf, but he couldn't lie to Larch. He wanted to be straight. He knew that it would end badly to him, but he didn't want to keep Larch in shade of his past.

He told how as a young buck his warren was attacked by Woundwort and he and his fellow rabbits were forced to leave their homes to join Efrafa.

For many seasons Vervain was a slave, digging and starving. So was many of his fellow rabbits. And those fellow rabbits were planning on an escape. Vervain was afraid of Woundwort, he was afraid that he would get killed by that beast of a rabbit. That was why he turned his back to his fellow rabbits and told Woundwort about the planned escape. When the escape-attempt happened, Woundwort believed that Vervain had told it to him out of loyalty and made Vervain one of his corporals.

With his cunning mind and silver tongue Vervain was able to make himself an Captain of Efrafa. But life in Efrafa was changing him. His fear of Woundwort was making him do awful things to others. In order to protect his own feelings he became a bully. He took his own fear and agony in others, only making himself become the most hated captain in Efrafa, only one hated more than him was the General himself.

Vervain told how, when the General was defeated the first time, he ran and dreamed of new start somewhere where people didn't know him. Somewhere where his past didn't matter. But those dreams were crushed by the fact that Woundwort was alive still, and forced him to join back in his owlsa. But even under General's force, Vervain didn't stop dreaming of the new start. He even got bit courage to talk against Woundwort, for example when he destroyed the Red Stone warren, wanting to give them a warning beforehand.

When the Black Rabbit finally took Woundwort, and almost everyone in Black Haven, Vervain was finally free. He ran for days, hoping to find someplace to live, and start over.

"But no matter how far I run, my past is part of me. That I can never escape..." Vervain said, feeling tears in his eyes. Larch had listened his story quietly all this time, becoming more and more shocked as he story went on. But unlike Vervain thought, she was not upset with him.

"What an horrible creature that general was! Why would he want to force rabbits under his control like that! We rabbits have enough troubles without any horrible bastards like him!" Larch asked.

"I don't know. He never told me. I suppose he was just crazy in the head..." Vervain sighed. Then he felt how Larch pressed her head under his chin.

"I'm so sorry you had to go trough all that, Vervain!" she sobbed. Vervain felt his heart stop with joy.

"You... You're not mad with me?"

"Of course not! You were forced and scared! You knew you were doing wrong! And you are sorry about what you did." Larch said.

Tears flowed down Vervain's cheeks. Tears of joy.

"Thank you..." he whispered. Larch smiled sweetly to him and pressed her head under his chin again.

The two rabbits did not know that Thorn had heard the whole thing. And she was not nearly as open as Larch was...

---

After Vervain had calmed down, the two rabbits made their way to Rhizome's burrow, where Pinecone was too, to accompany the elder on his supper. They shared Thorn's worry of the warren becoming too big and angering humans.

"Oh, she has been here countless of times already." the elder said. "She keeps telling me to chase off some rabbits and stop stealing from humans... But I can't chase anyone off like that! And sometimes we need to steal in order to survive. It's not like we get all our food from the farms! There are clovers and dandelions all over us, and as long as we keep them fresh, we will do well over the winter!"

"True." Larch said. "Food should not be a problem to us. But over-populating the warren can be a problem..."

"You know, you could form expeditions from volunteers!" Vervain suggested. "You could sent the volunteering rabbits all over the surrounding area to find even better places to live and form their own colonies! That way this warren won't over-populate, and if we even need help, there will be friendly warrens all around us!"

"What an wonderful idea!" Rhizome shouted exited getting on his feet. "I'm sure there are some young rabbits who would like to see the world and form their own colonies! I'll make a meeting about it tomorrow! Thank you Vervain, you are a genius! Maybe now Thorn will finally stop nagging to me about this issue..." the elder said, smiling.

Larch smiled to Vervain too, and placed her paw on his. Vervain blushed and smiled back. He supposed that he still had his cunning mind and silver tongue after all these years, and they could also come up with good ideas, not just evil ones.

Next day Rhizome did the announcement of the expeditions to the rabbits of the warren.

And what do you know, many young rabbits loved the idea, formed small groups and left on their ways withing few days. The warren was still big, but not too big to worry about over-population. There was more food and space for everyone, and after hearing that this was Vervain's idea, people seemed to start liking him more. He got much more smiles and appreciating gestures around him then ever before. Rhizome even asked if he wanted to become his right paw. But Vervain declined for now. He was still getting used to this all. Plus he wanted to spend more time with Larch.

First time in his life Vervain was home. Despite some rabbits, like Thorn, still not trusting him, he was happy. Rhizome was kind to him, Pine Cone had become his close friend and he had Larch. Everything seemed to be almost perfect...

Too perfect.