WARNING: Graphic Violence.

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Fivver is split from his brother in the chaos.

He's running, leaping over roots and small plants like a fish fighting upstream.

His brother's voice calls out, frantic.

Fivver runs away, as the other rabbits single him out. A distraction, that's what he'll be. Anything to help the others escape. Fivver cries out, hoping his brother's large ears will hear, "The river! You need to cross the river! I'll find you!"

He hope's fate won't make him a liar.

The yelling from behind him turns into a higher pitch. Fear rises and he pushes himself harder and words reach him.

"Homba-!"

The fox locks on Fivver once they hear the other rabbits calling his name.

The fox dashes through the group of chasing rabbits and they scream and scramble out of the way.

Fivver's instincts flare as the fox leaps up to him and chases him down, unintentionally freeing him from the 'bad' rabbit's pursuit. However, one of the rabbits runs with Fivver. It's mind caught up in mindless panic.

The fox chases them both.

Hazel's heart stops when he sees his little brother gets chased by the predator and taken away, "FIVVER!" It's the last thing he see's of them as he's pushed onto some floating driftwood.

"FIVVER!"

----

Hunger pulls you forward, closer to your target. You're falling into darkness as your vision tunnels on the small creature running from you. It's so soft looking. You need to catch it. It's floof of a tail flashes white and your teeth ache with the urge to bite down.

The need to hunt and threatens to drown you.

---

Fivver nearly trips as he runs further into the woods. He bumps into the bad rabbit and winces.

He gets cursed at. Fivver doesn't even have the energy to apologize.

He glances over, Fivver doesn't even have the energy to apologize.

But the other rabbit gaze sharpens into something wicked and desperate. The larger rabbit huffs a laugh...and uses its larger body to knock Fivver over.

Fivver crashes into dirt. His heart in his throat as his mind jerks to a halt. He's going to die.

Hazel-!

----

Your mind is screaming. The ache in your jaw grows as you watch the world in slow motion. The small rabbit is falling, legs tangled and helpless. You need him. Deep inside you know you need him!

You swallow and with the last of your will, you leap over the fallen rabbit.

Fangs dig into fur, flesh and bone. Warm salty blood spurts forth and flows into your mouth, coating your tongue and down your maw. You fall forward and feel your prey's cry brust from it's throat. Small claws scratch at your furry face and strong legs kick out.

STOP.

It's the only coherent thought that echoes in your head.

Your much larger paws stomp down on the squirming prey. In one swift, robotic, motion, you dart forward and jerk the little guy's neck.

SNAP

The sound fills your head and your prey stills. You drop the limp body, panting. You stare down at the creature's face, wide eyes stare back like sightless buttons.

There's movement, the shuffle of dead fern.

You snap to attention and turn back.

Through the fog that clouds your mind...you recognize the hutched down ball of fluff.

Your dream rabbit.

You watch the way it sucks in each breath. Frantic, like a drowning man.

You feel something wet drip down your chin.

The rabbit's ear flicks back, tensing.

"No!" A growl rolls out in deadly warning, "Don't. Run."

The rabbit stiffens further, but he does not flee. You're sure it's more out of fear than courage.

Your body shutters. So hungry. Narrowing your eyes, you give a final huff before looking back to your meal.

Biting and tearing flesh. Salty Blood pools into your mouth and meat settles on your tongue.

You sniffle and your vision blurs.

'It's...'

You feel a familiar sting before big fat tears fall, rolling down your face as the aching in your chest worsens.

'...Good.'

The black cloud around you begins to lift.

"You're going to eat me."

Your ears swivel to the rabbit's voice. You swallow, the shaking in your limbs lessen. What? You don't... You shake your head, "No...not...not you."

Orange slit eyes glance over to the tiny rabbit. You wait, but the little thing doesn't respond.

Another rumble comes from your gut and you whine before you continue to stuff your face. Desperate to fill your stomach. With each passing moment, your head clears.

You can taste it. Meat...it's so good. Drool builds up. Salty, chewy...meaty. You wide, feral eyes lower. Tense muscles relax and soon- too soon- all that's left is blood, fur, and bones.

Wait.

You blink.

You look to the side and the rabbit is still staring at you. Eyes so wide they reflect your own bloodied muzzle back at you.

You lift a paw and Fivver jerks, and you can't stop the small growl that slips from your throat. The..urge to run...chase...it buzzes at the back of your mind. You need to be careful...he can't run, not now. Not when you can still taste blood.

He stills.

You lick your chops, ears pressed back. "S-sorry."

He just stares at you.

"Y-you s-speak common..." His voice trails off. He's trembling.

You step closer, a foot away, "Yeah...I know." You can see his breathing pick up, and he's huddled down so small. He's so small...

"I...must leave...please I-"

"No." Not when you just found him.

You both stare at each other.

The trees above you shake and a few leaves fall around you. Sunbeams shine through and hit the world around you in bright streams of warmth.

He throws himself away from you and you strike. Mouth open.

-----------------

"Fivver! My brother! I need to go back!" Hazel's voice is sharp and panicked.

A gruff voice cuts through the mess of Hazel's emotions, "Get it together Hazel." The voice is commanding and Hazel snaps to attention, eyes meeting the large form of the ex-Owsla officer, Bigwig. His voice was cold, "He's as good as gone."

Pain.

Hazel snapped boiling with defiance, "No!" He stared back, nearly stomping his foot but having enough will to stop and remain standing tall, "My brother will meet with us."

The group was quiet. Bigwig scrutinizing the other.

He huffed and looked away, toward the field, "That Hoomba's got him in it's jaws. That fates something even the fastest rabbit can't shake, let alone someone so small and weak."

Hazel's hackles rise and a few of the rabbits lower themselves.

"Bigwig you-!"

The large rabbit looks back, ears raised, "You believe he'll follow us? He'll find his way back to us?" He looks forward and takes a hop forward, "Then he'll have to find us on our journey. It's dangerous to stay in one spot for so long, we cannot wait for him."

He narrows his eyes and glances back, "Are you willing to risk our safety so freely?"

Hazel stills, a cold calmness taking hold of him. The weight of his decisions are crushing and he feels the group's collective stares on his back. He fights not to buckle and his words turn defeated.

"No...I..." He thinks of Fivver, Fivver running away from a mad fox. And his eyes shut, "My brother will find us."

---------------------

You feel drool pooling and dripping from between your sharp canines, dampening the stuff of fur in your mouth.

The rabbit in your jaws is limp, eyes closed.

It's heart is slow, steady, like waves on a serene beach.

You walk forward, blood still coats your muzzle, no longer warm. You need to clean up.

A few plants snap and break as you pass. You're not careful, too focused on getting to your burrow.

If your mouth was free, you are not sure you would be able to even speak. Even after all this time, with your own goal of talking with this small rabbit. Words would fail you. You're moving on auto pilot, a creature that's numb to the world.

You take a turn and your burrow should just be up the hill-

You pause.

The ground beneath you is soft and the world is quiet. Not even the sound of songbirds fill the ambience of the still forest.

You blink and your slit pupils zero in on the tree above your burrow.

A familiar figure stands before it. Hutch forward and stare at you from a distance.

You can't see their face, but they twitch and lower themselves further.

Taking in a shaky breath, you step back, ears flat.

Treering takes a single hop closer, still a ways away, "Red..?"

You turn and run.

----------------------------

A Monster.

You're a monster!

The weight in your jaws feels like the swaying thread of your humanity.

The thread tightens, a second from snapping.

You run, as fast as you can.

You feel full, and that only makes you feel worse. Like the meat inside your stomach is a heavy stone of guilt. You feel sick, yet you remember. With each savory bite, you had never felt so good.

The taste, the smell, the feeling.

A true predator.

Your vision blurs and you trip over a gnarled root.

A yelp escapes you and the small, limp rabbit goes flying as you skirt and tumble forward.

"Gah!" You groan and lay on your back, squinting up. You're heaving. Your lungs shutter.

"I'm..." Your bloody muzzle is pointed to the sky. Red pointing towards an expanse of blue. Beautiful, if you weren't so horrendously ugly. Your voice is cracked and hoarse,"I'm...Sorry!"

You try to breathe but it comes out like wheezing breaths from a beached fish. You're downing and the world wavers. You cough and gasp, rolling away from the blue above and onto your stomach.

"Please..." You beg, a stream of tears fall and mix with the blood on your face. Pink tears fall. "...I'm so-sorry!"

Your throat tightens and you inhale, "I'm—!"

The sound that leaves you is harsh and high pitched. A cry from a wounded animal. A cry from a wounded you. It cuts through the forest and alerts any other being near. A warning, a plea.

A crying....met with silence.

You're trembling, breathing heavy as you stare at nothing but the forest floor.

"....Please..."

The skittering of claws and high pitched chittering.

You snap your head up and freeze at the sight of Treering's gaze. He's grasping the side of a tree, claws digging into the bark.

He's panting whole body moving with each breath.

No.

The blood on your face feels like Sin. Caught red handed.

You scramble to your paws and—

"—Wait!"

You turn to stone, mouth open with empty words as you stay and stare back.

Treering looks back, the fear on his face as plain as the blood on your face.

Oh how you must look.

The being he had encountered the first time, the being he had feared. Now something much worse. A true monster. A creature that took lives. That's you, an enemy to his drey.

This friendship...

More tears fall and your ears fall back.

...Was never meant to be.

"R-Red."

Treering leaps down and stands up, reaching out to you. His tail flickers. His voice comes out quiet. A whisper, like only you're meant to hear.

"Red, please..."

You shut your eyes and hear him suck in a deep breath.

"Please..."

Leave me?

Don't hurt anyone else?

Calm down?

"...Don't leave me."

Your eyes snap open and you look up to Treering's teary face.

Pain blossoms from your chest and a whistle like whine escapes you, "W-what...?"

Treering raises both his paws and takes another step closer, "I- I saw everything—"

"THEN YOU SHOULD BE TERRIFIED OF ME!" You snarl, baring your teeth.

Treering jerks back.

You crumble and more tears fall, "I-...I am...!" You cry and whimper, wilting and closed off to the world. The tightness in your chest worsens.

"Red.."

Your ears lift but you can't look at him.

You hear him take another breath and it still wavers.

"I...I saw you, choose to...attack the other Rabbit...I—"

A bark of painful laughter falls from your mouth, "Choose?!" You look up and glare at Treering.

His tail is raised but he doesn't move.

You sneer, and blink back more tears, "I still...I still killed him—!"

"—A-and!?"

You startle. Eyes wide. "What do you—?"

Treering glare back, bringing a hand to his chest, "Y-you think...You think you're like me?" His body is taught with energy, but he stays standing still. "Y-you think...that you could fight who you are? I saw you starve Red! I saw you fight!"

He shudders and he hutches forward, eyes glossy, "And it was wrong!" He shakes his head, "Chi-chk, If...if I had helped you earlier, kii-chikk, tried to convince you—!" He sniffs and your heart aches as he rubs at his face. "Maybe none of that, chii, would've happened the way it did!"

Your jaw drops and you gape at him.

He curls into himself, shoulders shaking, tears falling like raindrops, "I-I'm sorry!"

No, this is your fault. This-!

"—Don't leave...Don't leave, Red..."

You...

You press your nose to the top of his head.

Treering gasps and looks up to you.

Both your eyes are wet and pain sparks from both of them. Raw emotion has worn you down and you lay down in front of Treering.

Your voice is scratchy, "I'll...I'll try..." You sniff, "I'll try...for you, I'll try."

You can barely see past your tears.

But you feel Treering as he hugs your bloodied snout, "Thank you...!"

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Lol Fivver in the background unconscious, RIP