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Thyme frowned at Cocklebur as he shouted at Mud, “By Frith! Does it make him feel tough shouting at a kitten like that?” he had not meant to voice this question, and his ears lay back as he wondered if it had been heard or not.

As Bracken came over, Thyme sighed, hoping that their chief might calm Cocklebur down before he could do anything violent, “Sir, forgive me” he bowed his head apologetically to Bracken, “I’m afraid I don’t fully understand the situation sir. I only ran down here to see if the young fellow and the lovely doe he’d bumped into were alright, I meant no harm sir”

Her mouth opened in horror when she heard the sentence that befell the kitten. For simply touching her? If he died she'd never forgive herself, and now his own warren was throwing him into the Black Rabbit's paws! She understood, but was there really no other way?

"No, no you mustn't! He's just a kitten..."

She rose a paw to step forward and around Bramblebur, but froze as she realized there was no way for her to win this fight. For the good of an entire warren, he must be cast out. But he was just a kitten, and this wasn't fair.

"Bramblebur, let me take care of him. I'll take him a little ways away from the others. Maybe if he doesn't touch the others, maybe... Oh I don't know. But I have to try."

She looked at him, pleadingly, and then turned her gaze to Mud once more. She wouldn't let him die. There was enough death already.

She would have argued with Ninebark if she heard him, but her focus was too intense on the battle over the kitten's life being forfeit to be straining her ears towards whispers.

Thyme let out a high pitch squeak as Cocklebur’s claws slashed across his face. He wasn’t expecting that with the Chief standing there so it took him completely off guard. He took a few steps back from the two males, cringing slightly as the chief told Cocklebur off.

Once he was sure Cocklebur was gone he sat back on his haunches and began to clean his wound, “Forgive me sir, I must learn to hold my tongue and keep my thoughts inside my head” the scratches stung like crazy and his left eye seemed to be bleeding. He wondered if it’d clear up ok or he’d lose the sight in that eye, all he knew for sure was he couldn’t open it properly.

As Bracken answered his question he sat up, alert and suddenly full of concern, “So, they could be diseased? Goodness!” he glanced over in the direction the lovely doe had run off in earlier and sighed, “So that’s why she acted the way she did, she didn’t want us to get infected” he turned back to Bracken, “I didn’t come in contact with her sir, but do you think it would be wise for me to go back to the warren after what’s happened here? I don’t want to infect anyone sir” he resumed cleaning the wound on his face anxiously.

Rosewood sat at the top of the hill, hearing and seeing everything that had transpired. She let out a gasp each time bodies collided, the largest of which when she thought that the Owsla Captain very well may attack their Chief. Next to her, Birchwood sat stoic and silent as ever. Inside she knew that there must be a sort of turmoil, wanting to defend the captain, but knowing his allegiance lay with Bracken-rah. He never showed a hint of it, but she knew, as his surrogate family, she most definitely knew.

It felt as if she were holding her breath. When she heard the verdict she exhaled with a squeak. The poor kitten! Already maimed, he now had to live with the possible diseased! Oh what was to happen to poor Mud, whom she'd known since a kitten. She expressed her displeasure by shaking her head and quivering all over. That's when Birchwood's deepening voice chimed in.

"It's going to be all right. Ultimately."

It was all she needed to calm herself.

Sparrow had in all this time decided to just huddle by Zorn's rock, watching as things unraveled in the warren's ground around him. He didn't need to get involved, didn't want to. He had warned them of death, that they should be feared and watched. He had done his part, and wanted little to do with such "Diseased" rabbits. Or that was the rumor that was spreading around now. He could easily believe it, he could smell it on the wind, and Zorn stood as smug as always.

It wasn't just the disease that bothered Sparrow, oh no. The lopped bunny and especially the Pitch black doe that traveled with them was nothing to be laughed at. Not only did a rabbit who looked like the Black Rabbit of Inle choose to follow them, voluntarily or otherwise, but Ninebark most certainly had a painful resemblance to Zorn-rah himself!

And what's more these creatures that seemed to represent not only some of the thousand and symbolic forms had been practically welcomed by Braken-rah without any thought of the other's in the warren. The illness would kill them all, for sure. If not now, much later when their dead bodies had carried it deep into he roots of their tree.

"I can't take it.. No.. I can't.. Something must be done! Can't you see what they're doing? What they represent? Frith above have mercy upon our bones! It's a test, a test I say! We're being taught a lesson I know it.." He whined his ramblings. He had grown still and quiet through his fear, but his madness was rising once again. No doubt it would simply add to the drama if one would just leave him to simmer in his own fear and confusion.

Bramblebur was sitting up on his hind legs, watching what was unfolding with sharp interest and worry for all involved. It would have been ideal for his group to have rested before even thinking about even getting near the residents of the down. Instead, two youngsters were going to have to stay with them and there was obvious tension between Bracken-rah and the brutish Cocklebur, plus the fighting. It all made his fur want to stand on end and left his mind and heart racing. He would hate to see such young lives risked by having to stay with them, but the needs of the many...

When Ivy spoke directly to him, the buck shook himself from his thoughts. Bramblebur nodded, absently scratching an itch on his chest. "That would probably be best. I'll do what I can to help with them. The kittens Mud and Pepper will need all the care we can offer them."

A little warm, if concerned, smile was offered to Pepper when he glanced back at Bramblebur and Ivy.

Bramblebur glanced to Ninebark as he drew near. He made a thoughtful sound at his words before looking back to the tense gathering near by. He kept his voice low, speaking strictly to those in earshot. "We will do what we can with those who end up having to stay with us. We must welcome them and treat them as one of our own, for by some way or another, the would have joined our number." The striped Captain sighed softly. "Perhaps, there is some good in the bad. It will give us a chance to learn how this warren lives and how the rabbits that call this place home feel about things."

Cowslip listened curiously as the speckled rabbit rambled in an automatic tone and shivered visibly. He was half tempted to press up against the quaking rabbit, but something kept him from doing so, perhaps fear of startling him, instead of bringing him comfort.

"The man places? If they bury ones with no souls, wouldn't that mean us, too? If you are comparing that to the does and bucks down there. They are beneath the earth, just as we are." He pointed out to the calmer, yet whimpering creature.

"Things will turn out for the better, you will see. They may look and smell grim, now, but things will tun out." He spoke with a confidence that he did not feel. Oh, how he really felt that sturdy inside.