Welcome to Gaia! ::

Dewberry, had lagged behind after the other's had wandered off towards the scrapes. She yawned, rather boredly as she was eventually left alone. The scrapes? Honestly? That was no place for a princess, surely! With little awareness of what she could possibly be doing, she ignored her leader's intention once again for her own personal gain, most likely abusing any such trust that had been given to the striped buck.

Instead, she had headed the other direction completely, slinking around the hill before climbing the steep slope, away from Braken-rah's watchful gaze, as well as that meddling Bramblebur.

It was quite a trek for the pampered Doe, but she eventually found her pretty little self on the top plain, not too far behind the two conversing bucks by "Zorn's rock". She wiggled her nose a little, sniffing at the pair before they seemed to notice her. From what she could see of the larger Buck, he was quite a handsome one, and certainly strong, from the look of his muscled bulk.

Again Bracken gave a weary sigh. He had seen far too much death in his life and he did not want to see any more. The chief was clearly troubled for there was a pained look in his blue eyes as he turned to the young Pepper. "You must go with Mud to the scrapes. Their leader, Bramblebur, will see to you I'm certain." Oh how he was riddled with guilt. Having to sent off a couple younglings. They could be diseased... or worse yet, they might not be and he would be sending them to their deaths. His heart ached for them and he blamed it on his carelessness. If only he had been watching more closely. "Go on now," he instructed the pair of youngsters, his voice nearly cracking as he did so.

Looking to Thyme and seeing the bloody mess on his face, Bracken frowned. "No. I believe you should be safe and it would be best for you to tend to that eye. A wound such as that might make it easier for you to catch the sickness."

Cocklebur meanwhile paused as Duskshadow came up to him and tried to encourge him.. or something. The captain stared at her for a moment before grunting. "We'll see about that when rabbits start dying," he muttered. "Everyone will regret listening to Bracken." With that he slipped into the burrows to go sulk.

_____________________Duskshadow--

Duskshadow sttod mouth gaped. she felt so rejected...

"I know how you fell bracken I feel the same just how we handle it is how we are different" she said after him not knowing if he would hear her or not, she sighed and laid where she was.

"I will be there soon pepper and mud" she said feeling her heart ache for the two.

She did not care if she got sick maybe that would help cocklebur realize how much he would miss her, perhaps not. Maybe she just choose the wrong guy, maybe she would find another. She got up thinking and trying to put cocklebur away in the back of her mid, she went to her burrow and thought long and hard.

Bramblebur gave Mud a good long look as he mulled over his words. He wasn't fond of the label of himself or a number of his group as being very ill. He felt fine, just road weary and homesick. A bit of a rest would help the weariness and having a burrow around him would make him feel more at home. He didn't really feel like arguing a point. Ivy did seem to have a little less of the smell of sickness and death on her. Plus, she also had mothering experience.

"Alright. You two can stay with Ivy. I will check in on you from time to time." He turned to the doe. "Ivy, keep me up to date on how they're doing. Hm?" The striped buck nodded to her before turning briefly to the kittens. "You two behave for Ivy, here. I hear she can be quite an enforcer." He gave a bit of a good natured chuckle before backing off to let them get better acquainted with each other.

Things looked like they were beginning to calm down. Bramblebur could practically hear the offered burrows calling his name. A nap was looking more and more inviting the more excitement built around their arrival. Even a short nap would make him feel loads better. He turned away from the scattering group, making a beeline for the scrapes. His meandering route let him go off for a moment alone to gather his thoughts and take in the sights of the down.

His easy strides and lazily focusing thoughts all came to an abrupt halt when a chilling sight caught his attention. His warm brown eyes grew wide as what he was seeing fully registered. Amita was laying there. Still, too still. Bramblebur took a few tentative steps closer, his dark tipped ears drooped low to where they lay against his back. He knew that it could happen at any time, but seeing someone he had lead, protected, and come so far with dead. It was a sight that made his heart heavy. "Oh, Amita..." He bowed his head, his voice carrying a definite note of sadness. "A friend has stopped running today..." The Black Rabbit had called on her. Bramblebur wondered how Shire was taking it, if he knew.

Dewberry's pale blue eyes blinked into a flicker as she watched this handsome buck puff up like a wren in the morning. She groomed at herself suddenly as his eyes fell on her. "I'm not sick. I made it here, didn't I? I just need a good wash, that's all!" She shot at him, defensively. "We haven't had anytime to sit and wash ourselves properly, and now we're covered in all sorts of things."

She huffed slightly and sat herself down anyway, ignoring the fear that her very presence caused the bucks that tried to ward her off. She wasn't used to being shunned so harshly, and she didn't wish to go nearly half a mile longer to get to those scrapes up the other end of the down. She had already climbed up this hill, what more did they want from their beloved princess?

She looked up at the grey sky as the drizzle had continued to fall, soaking her form through and through. Those burrows were seeming rather tempting, but she couldn't just waltz in. No that wouldn't be polite at all. She'd have to be invited by a doting male. She might be a spoiled brat who tried to get all that she wanted, but she had some form of etiquette. Maybe if she could find a buck who didn't know what was going on...

Ninebark crouched low, comfortably within the opening of the scrapes. His eyes were closed once more, but his crimson fur bristled and he let out a soft, half whine.

"Gone. Gone. Dancing the dance of death with him. No more running, small, soft, lagging one. None what so ever." He stated in a grave tone. He slit one pale pink eye and glanced about himself, but he seemed to be alone. Perhaps Vreka was still near, but he did not know for sure.

The small, ginger tabby doe bristled up with anger, hopping up and puffing herself out, almost like Cowslip did before. "Argh! You're such a pig! Stupid Buck! I'm no killer! You're more likely to kill anyone than me!! Shunning off the Chief's daughter, how dare you!" She barked at him, her small, dainty claws digging into the earth.
Luckily, she wouldn't dare strike at Cowslip, such wasn't very ladylike behaviour, and it might damage her claws, or worse, she could get wretched blood on her beautiful white coat!

"Well fine! If you wont be nice to me, I'll find someone else who'll treat me properly like a lady." She turned and flicked her tail at him in disgust, before prancing away in search of a buck who may not have just heard their argument, considering possibly heading closer to the warren's entrance, as the rabbits already on the surface knew who they were already. Though there was likely no chance of her getting as far as that, as no doubt Owsla had been alerted by Cowslip's thumping.