Bugloss' grin faded, and he turned to the Old Badger. “Sorry about this, mate.” And with that, he leaped onto the officer. I turned away as soon as I heard the distinctive snap, and a hiss of, “Get him.”

     I dashed away, heart pounding in my chest, only to hear the paw-steps of rabbits behind me. I made it out to be Woundwort – who else? He was plump, yes, and seemed to be quite slow, and so I paced myself, believing that I could easily outrun him.

     But then I saw Daffodil, bounding down the run with a snarl forming on his lips. He leaped for me as soon as he was within range, but I dashed aside at the last minute. Even so, I felt claws sink into one of my hind legs and rake down it, leaving four, searing scores through the flesh. I cried out, but didn't stop. I was probably in shock from what I'd seen, adrenaline pumping through my veins. I made it out of the warren and past the line of bushes before I felt my pain catching up to me. The small droplets of rain were turning into sheets, and weighing me down more with every second.

     I heard shouts and cries from behind me, and dragged myself forward another few steps. I didn't know whether it was rain or blood that was trailing down my hind leg and onto my feet. It was probably both. I heard the rustling of the undergrowth just a few rabbit-lengths away, and groaned as I heard voices. I whipped round, a snarl planted firmly on my face, determined to stand my ground at any cost.

     I saw Bugloss first, followed by Daffodil. They waited before Woundwort bounded through, grinning. Frith above, how I hated them all. How easily I had been fooled. I spat on the ground at their feet before turning around again and trying to dash away, but no sooner than I had I turned round, I felt a large shape – probably Daffodil – leap onto my back and pin me to the ground, claws digging into my shoulders and forcing me to remain still.

     “Not a smart move, Blackthorn.” I could hear Woundwort's voice, growing ever closer. It was little more than a low growl, barely audible over the rain and the rumbling thunder in the distance. He came up from behind me and stood directly before me, glaring with a ferocity that made me grimace. “I would have thought you would have more sense than that.”

     “I would have thought you'd have more sense than to believe I'd go down so easily, Corporal,” I spat back, eyes narrowed to match the older rabbit's glare.

     “Enough tormenting him, Woundwort,” I heard Bugloss chuckle from where I couldn't see him. “Let us kill him now, and get this over with. The less rabbits who know what you did, the better.”

     Woundwort considered this, then grinned. “Very well. Let's see how well General Sundew's legendary nephew can fight.” And with that, he danced away, while Daffodil released his grip. I turned to face them, and saw Bugloss moving towards me. Daffodil was at my side, grinning. Weighing up my options, I decided to face the larger foe first.

     I leaped straight at Daffodil, who reared up and, to my surprise, was quick enough to knock me over and come crashing down on me at the last second. Fighting for breath beneath his weight, I drew my hind legs up to try and scrape at his soft, undefended underbelly, while he drew his head down to try and bite at my throat. Without thinking, I drew my front paws up and drove my claws straight into his neck. I felt him gag, and noticed a few drops of blood spatter my forehead, but the weight looming over me grew limp and I pushed myself up, knocking Daffodil aside. He was still alive, no doubt, but he was surely weak now.

     I had no time to think before another weight crashed into my side, knocking the breath out of me as quickly as I had regained it. I was bowled over, but leaped straight back up, only to feel a single claw hook into my back and tear a deep line through it. I kicked up some mud behind me in an attempt to deter my attacker, but it was to no avail. I felt him jump onto my back, and I jumped forwards, kicking to try and throw him off. His hold on me loosened, but his claws once again dug into me, and I felt them run all the way from my shoulder to my back before my attacker let go.

     Whirling around was a bad thing to do. I felt a sharp pain run from beneath my right eye to the space just above the other, in a red rift coursing over my face. I cried out, but the attacker didn't care. He leaped forwards while I, blinded by pain and blood, was vulnerable. I felt teeth tear into my right cheek, ripping the skin and fur off in a single, brutal bite. I heard a cruel laugh before I was free again.

     Bugloss was standing in front of me, totally untouched. I felt tears trail down my cheeks, and the bite wound stung with an anger that made me tense up. The adrenaline was back, and I spat on the ground before readying myself to leap at Bugloss. The older rabbit chucked at me, spitting curses and insults at me. I'll bet he didn't even see me coming. I swept my foreleg at his jaw with all the might I could muster. I heard a cracking sound, and felt bone give way beneath my strike. A howl of pain rang in my ears, and I landed again, my paw practically screaming in agony. I hardly dared to look up, but when I did, I saw Bugloss' jaw hanging at a strange angle, his face contorted into a mask of extreme pain. He lashed out at me with both front paws, but I dodged and dove at his chest, sinking my teeth into his throat and not releasing him until I felt his struggling cease.

     When it was over, I turned around.

     Woundwort was looking at me, horror and rage evident in his eyes. I searched around for Daffodil, and saw him lying limp on the ground, blood pooling at his throat and trickling from the corners of his mouth in rivulets. My last remaining opponent let out a terrible roar and charged at me. He looked soft and weak, but he was still fresh, while I, though once strong, was now a wreck. I didn't know how I was still standing, to tell the truth.

     As he reached me, I saw his paw draw upwards, and then rake down my throat and at my chest in a single swipe. White-hot pain tore at my neck, but I barely felt it. My limbs flailing, I tried in vain to swipe at his face, his body – anywhere I could. It was only after I heard him laugh that I realised there was no point.

     “Weakling,” he taunted. “You failed your uncle, you failed your warren. How sad you must feel, how pathetic, knowing that your valiant efforts were all for naught.”

     This was it. I could die here, without trying, or I could try one last time to avenge my uncle. I suppose my mind was already made up. I dashed round to Woundwort's side and with all my mustered strength, attempted to bowl him over. He barely stumbled, but this was a window of opportunity that I couldn't pass up. I aimed, hardly stopping to think, and grabbed his muzzle and the back of his neck, holding him in place so that I could bite down. I heard a squeal of agony as I drove both my teeth down, and after blood started to warm my lips, I fell backward and simply gave up.

     When I opened my eyes, I saw him on the ground, clutching at his eye and crying out. Blood gushed over his paw and down his foreleg, and I couldn't help but feel mild satisfaction.

     “You!” He pointed his bloodied paw at me, revealing the horror beneath that I had wrought on his face. “Get away from here! Never return, or I swear by the Black Rabbit I will tear out your heart!”

     I obliged.

     I never returned there, and despite the fact that through some miracle my wounds were healed, I never forgot that night. I would be haunted forever, constantly being brought back to the time when Efrafa, mighty Efrafa, was, albeit indirectly, destroyed in a single night.