Vervain's new life Part 5

"Hey dude! I heard the good news! Congrats!" Pinecone shouted afar when he saw Vervain jump past.

"Thanks! Never though I'd get any, to be honest!" Vervain shouted back, continuing his jumping.

"Every buck has it in them! Take good care of 'em!" Pinecone shouted again.

"I will!" Vervain answered and kept on going.

The black rabbit was happier than ever in his life. He would be father in a month! He jumped around, looking for best food he could find for Larch, smiling happily wherever he went. Others would congratulate him and ask about how Larch was doing or when the day would be, and all aboard Vervain was just happy. But now he was working his way to meet Rhizome. He wanted to talk about something and Vervain already knew what it was about. But he didn't want to disappoint the old rabbit by not being there.

When he got to the meeting-place, Rhizome was already there. Vervain did a little bow, out of obligation and true respect over the chief-rabbit.

Rhizome smiled kindly and nodded to the young rabbit to come sit next to him.

"I know what you're going to ask. And the answer is still the same." Vervain said.

"Still won't take the place? Oh Vervain my boy, you are letting your life fly by!" elder said.

"I wouldn't say! I'm going to be a father soon after all." black rabbit said, proud.

"Why yes, taking care of kits can be hard. But they grow up fast. Soon they leave the nest and you will have nothing to do!"

"I still have Larch! I'll have plenty of time to be with her then."

"Hohoho! You really are adamant! Well, I'll be asking again in few days then."

"Don't bother, old man. The answer will be the same."

"Why do you even want me as your right paw? You have Pinecone!" Vervain asked.

"Pinecone is family, Vervain. Besides he is more of a bodyguard. Not that I need one." Rhizome said.

"Pinecone and you are related?" Vervain asked, truly surprised.

"Why yes, he is my brother's eldest son!" Rhizome said, proudly.

"Ah, I should have known, how he hangs around you so much... Any own kids?" Vervain asked.

Rhizome shook his head. "I did have a doe, and two daughters. But my mate took them away after a fight we had. She was a beauty, but also very sensitive. I miss my daughters every day, but I know they will be fine in the end."

"Oh... I'm so sorry..." Vervain muttered.

But Rhizome smiled "Don't be! I had wonderful adventures with my brothers and Cone is like my own son! I think I have lost absolutely nothing! That is why it would mean so much if you became my adviser. Within these few months you have helped us in many ways; you got Larch to finally fall in love and get a family, you made friends with Cone, you helped with the over-population-problem, and you've kept Thorn out of my fur since you got here! Everyone here likes you Vervain! You are home..."

Vervain looked down. He wanted to say yes. He wanted to take the place. But... he was afraid.

"I'm sorry Rhizome... I can't. I don't trust myself enough." Vervain said and dashed off before the elder could say anything.

Rhizome looked back at Vervain, sad and... knowing expression on his face.

---

Vervain made his way towards the farm. He tried to forget his talk with Rhizome and concentrate on taking food to Larch. Before he even got out of the forest he heard someone call his name.

"Vervain"

The black rabbit shuddered when he recognized the voice.

Thorn.

Thorn ran in front of him and stared at his with her piercing blue eyes. "You are not taking another step."

"And why am I not?" Vervain asked, sighing deeply. What did this annoying doe want of him now.

"Because the more food you keep bringing to Larch, my best friend whom YOU knocked up, the more the humans will come after us, endangering all our lives, including your "mate's" and unborn kits'!" Thorn screeched, clenching her teeth.

"How dare you speak like that? Larch chose me as her mate, not other way around! She wanted to have kits with me! And I'm only thinking her best when I take her the best quality food from the farm!" Vervain shouted, getting on his back-legs.

"Don't give me that bullshit! Larch never loved anyone before! She rejected every single male and never dreamed of a family! Then you appear out of nowhere and now she is all over you like nothing ever happened!" Thorn shouted, also getting up.

"What do you care of her?" Vervain asked, leering down at the gray doe.

"Because she and I were like sisters when we were children!" Thorn cried out. "We promised to hold on together forever! Never get married or have children! We made a promise..." the doe said, tears falling from her eyes.

Vervain almost felt bad for the doe. But he knew something Larch had told him.

"Larch said you abandoned her after your parents died! You started to lurk around alone, not letting her come any close to you! She wanted to help you and you rejected her." Vervain said, getting on all fours and walking past the crying doe.

"I'm sorry but if you screw up your own life then you must pay the consequences of it." he said as he walked away, hoping it was the end of it.

But then he felt how something got on his back and started to bite his neck. It didn't take much from Vervain to realize it was Thorn who had attacked him from behind. With one powerful throw he threw the female off his back to the ground.

"What are you doing!?" Vervain asked, slightly scared.

"I'm making sure you will never hurt Larch again!" Thorn screamed, attack Vervain again.

"What are you saying "again" for? I never hurt her!" Vervain shouted in-between dodges.

"You said that if you screw up something you must pay the consequences of it! Now pay!" the doe shouted, biting Vervain's leg.

"AAARGH!" Vervain shouted in pain. "What... consequences?" he panted, biting his teeth.

"Stop talking and fight me, Captain of Efrafa!"

In that second Vervain realized that Thorn knew about him. About his past. Had Larch told her? No, she promised to not tell anyone, and why tell a doe who clearly hated him? He trusted Larch more than anyone in the world. Vervain remembered how he had confessed right after Thorn had left him and Larch alone, and the cunning rabbit realized that the grey female had stayed and listened!

Vervain felt his blood boil, like when it did when he worked in Efrafa whenever people didn't do as he said. It was very similar, yet different. He had been afraid of this feeling for so long, and now it was back. He knew he could not fight it any longer. In order to survive he had to let it take over. In his mind he told himself "You are just protecting yourself. There is nothing wrong in it! Fight!"

"Very well..." Vervain hissed. "I'll show you how Efrafa-rabbit fights! Pray for Frith that I won't show you how they KILL!"

With that Vervain dug his teeth in Thorn's neck. The doe did not seem faced about this and the fight got more and more violent as the seconds ran by...

---

Vervain was thrown to the ground violently. How did this small doe have this much power? Maybe Vervain just never was too strong of a fighter. He was always a runner after all. The black male panted and looked up to the doe, also panting but clearly victorious.

"I heard what you told to Larch. She may be stupid enough to believe in you, heck even that old fool Rhizome may be even after I told him what I heard! But-"

"You told Rhizome!?" Vervain gasped out. Rhizome knew all this time, maybe even before he first asked him to be his second in command! And yet... and yet...

"Yes, but that old idiot is too soft. I..." Thorn hissed, raising her claws. "Am not. Goodbye Vervain."

"Thorn!" a strong voice shouted as something big placed itself over Vervain, protecting him. Vervain took a moment to recognize the voice, for he could not look up. "Rhizome?" he whispered the same moment Thorn shouted the very same name "Rhizome!?"

"That is as far as you go, young lady. Fighting to resolve a personal conflict I can allow in my warren. But killing is an absolute no!" the old rabbit said, more stern that Vervain had ever heard him speak.

"Move aside, old man! Or I shall do the same to you I will do to him later!" Thorn shouted, enraged.

"You know I will not move." Rhizome said with a deep, challenging tone in his voice as if asking "Do it, I dare you!"

Thorn was quiet for a while, still holding her paw up, until she finally screamed and slashed.

"Rhizome!" Vervain shouted panicking. But the elder did not make a peep. The slash had hit right on his right eye, leaving two nasty scars. The eye was fine, for Rhizome had closed it just in time. But when he opened it again and gave the doe hateful leer, Thorn was thrown back by it. Shocked of the non-existence reaction of her attack made the doe take few steps back. Just when she was about to bolt and run, something big slammed itself on her, holding her in place.

"Oh no you wont, ye she-witch!" said the deep voice over her. It was Pinecone.

"You coward! Fight me one on one!" Thorn screamed, fear turning into anger again.

"No more fighting." Rhizome said. "You have endangered the life of your fellow rabbit for no reason, tried to kill him, threatened your warren chief and attempted escape. You are lucky, Thorn. Many chiefs would feed you to the farm-dogs for these crimes. But I wont."

"Unca-Rhiz, ye ain't saying you're letting 'er go!?" Pinecone asked, shocked.

"I will chase you off, Thorn. Just like you always wished I would do to others, who had done nothing wrong. Your fear of over-population was a true one, but the methods you wanted to use were not right. Thus you shall have that as your punishment." the old rabbit said with more authority in his voice he most likely had lacked for years until today.

"Why aren't you punishing him!? He is the criminal here!" Thorn screeched, clearly not caring that she was to be chased away, only that Vervain didn't get his.

"Vervain has done bad things in his past, that is true. But I trusted he had changed. I gave him an opportunity, and he has not shown any reason for me to give him any punishment. If he was what he was before, he would have taken the place I offered to him, but he declined it dozens of times. He loves Larch and Larch loves him. I'm not taking a loving mate away from another, especially if there is a child on their way!" Rhizome told her.

Vervain felt like he wanted to cry. Rhizome had trusted him. Larch had trusted him. And he was actually able to keep that trust. No matter how much Thorn had tried to sabotage his living here, they had given him a chance...

"It is settled. You are leaving this evening, Thorn. Feel free to use this time to say goodbye to those who you hold dear, but Pine will be following you, making sure you don't break any havoc anymore..." Rhizome said, much calmer than before.

"No need to wait 'till evening." Thorn said, getting up now that Pinecone was not lying on him. "I'll leave right now."

"Don't you even want to say goodbye to your friends?" Rhizome asked kindly, like he was talking to anyone else.

"I don't HAVE any friends! The only friend I had is now his BITC-"

"Don't finish that sentence of I'll ask Pinecone to sit on you again!" Vervain shouted, getting up himself.

"I'd advice you to keep your mouth too, young lady." Rhizome said. "Besides I'm sure Larch wants to say goodbye to you..."

"Tch. Fine. But after that I WILL leave!" Thorn said, bitter tone in her voice.

---

Many rabbits had gathered there where Pine was keeping Thorn. They had heard the sounds of fighting and rumors of Rhizome exiling someone, and many wanted to see it themselves. They were not surprised to see who was leaving.

"She was a bomb waiting to explode." one said.

"Yeah. Too bad she had to explode on Vervain." other said.

"I've heard rumors that he used to work for some crazy rabbit before. But on his time here he has been a good lad!" third one said.

"Yeah, even Larch likes him! If you are good in Larch's books, then you can't be too bad!" the second one said.

"Yeah! Besides, people change!" the first one proclaimed.

"Indeed. And Thorn too. She was such a sweet kit back then." the fourth one joined the conversation.

"She must have gone crazy after her parents were killed by humans." third one continued.

"Hmh." first one simply hummed.

"Life of a rabbit can be hard. You have to accept that..." second one whispered.

Vervain stood close by, hearing everything. He felt sorry for Thorn, but then again he wanted her far away from his mate and kits. As he was taken care of by two medic-rabbits, Rhizome soon came with Larch. She was well fed and looked strong, no sigh of abuse or stress, and those who had their suspicions of Vervain were then convinced that she was indeed happy with him. Larch had to walk slowly, she was expecting after all, and Rhizome walked close by to support her.

Larch already knew what had happened. It had shocked her, but even she knew something like this was bound to happen. She saw her old best friend and her mate afar. She ran straight to her mate.

"Vervain! Are you alright?" she asked, nuzzling his neck gently.

"I'm alive, sweetie. And don't you worry, I've gone though worse than this..." Vervain answered, voice sore.

"I'm glad to hear that..." Larch said in her quiet, sweet voice. She then turned to Thorn, and took few step towards her.

"Why would you do this, Thorn. Why would you hurt the one I care about the most?" she asked.

"Wasn't I supposed to be the one you cared of the most, Larch? Remember the promise we made?" Thorn hissed.

"I remember and I tried to live by it. But you kept pushing me away. You abandoned me first, Thorn. I thought you didn't want to be around me anymore, so the promise we also made was invalid now..." Larch said, honesty in her voice.

"Besides, you can't help it when you fall in love. I wished you would have seen it too one day... I still do..." she continued.

"Don't give me that sweet-talk!" Thorn sneered, and Pinecone took her ear between his teeth to make sure she would not attack the other.

"You fell in love with a criminal!" the grey doe then shouted.

"I fell in love with a lonely rabbit with no home and no-one to call a friend! I love the caring, smart and handsome mate of mine! And I will always thank the Frith that he is the father of my kits!" Larch said, louder than usually. Tears started fall on her cheeks.

"Right now Thorn, I'm afraid you are bigger threat to my children than Vervain will ever be." the golden doe whispered.

Vervain came to his mate when he heard her speaking louder than usual, despite the medics telling him to stay put. He took the crying doe in his paws and gave a look to Thorn. He was not sure if it was anger of asking for forgiveness. And at the moment it didn't really matter.

"Leave Thorn. For your own good." Larch finally said.

Thorn didn't say anything. She then turned around and started to walk away. Everyone stared at her, waiting for her to dash back and attack or ask for forgiveness, but neither happened. Instead she turned her head and gave a hateful leer at the one doe she once called her sister, and her mate who she still believed was behind her exile. She didn't say a thing. But the look she gave shouted "You have NOT heard the last of me!".

Soon she disappeared behind the trees and bushes, Pinecone followed her tracks to make sure she really did leave the area, and everyone else slowly left to continue their day, muttering and whispering about how this had to happen and how things would turn out. Only three who didn't leave were Vervain, Larch and Rhizome.

"I'm sorry it had to end like this, Larch. I know she was important to you." Rhizome said.

"Don't be sorry Rhizome. This was bound to happen one day. I just wish it wasn't from hurting my Vervain..." golden doe said, wiping her tears.

"I should have seen it coming too. I was just hoping she was just little weird..." Vervain muttered. Then he turned to Rhizome.

"You knew? About me and..." he asked, and before he could finish Rhizome answered.

"Thorn came to me before you and Larch came to tell me about your worries with over-population. I believed her, even thought I'm sure she exaggerated most of it. I saw good in you right away and I wanted to give you a chance. So I did. When I gave you the possibility to be my right paw, I was happy you declined it. I kept asking to make sure you were still going good. But I truly meant every word when I asked you. You are smart, fast-minded rabbit with a lot of potential. In my heart I wished you would one day say yes after you would get comfortable here. But I understand if you don't want the place at all." Rhizome said.

Vervain felt tears in his eyes again. "Thank you. For giving me that chance. I just wish you would have told me you knew..."

"I didn't want to scare you. But either way, you have showed you have changed. That is what matters the most. Pinecone says he too trusts you like a mountain, and he is not as stupid as he looks you know? If he and Larch trust you, so do I." the elder said, too tears in eyes, landing his paw on Vervain's shoulder.

Larch snuggled under the black rabbits chin to show her support too. Vervain was happy. He was indeed home.

He just wished his presence didn't chase someone else from her home either...