Sisters of Ruin

Aftermath

Aftermath“Plume! Thank the White and Grey, you're alive!” Rox cried, throwing herself into the brown rabbit's chest. The last time Rox had seen Plume he'd been charging the green dragon Malachite all alone and Rox had feared for his life. Plume grunted in pain and shock but couldn't stop the grin that manifested itself on his normally acerbic face. Eridan had dropped the black rabbit off at a point far enough away from the fires where she could enter the warren undetected.

“I'm a little battered but I'm ready to take on those evil bastards again.” Plume stated with venom. Rox pulled back slightly and Plume's eyes widened at the expression on his leader's face. “What? What's wrong, Rox?” Rox's mouth quivered, not wanting to speak the words. She took a moment to look about at the rabbits wandering terrified all around her. She grabbed Plume's paw and led him to an unoccupied hole. “What, Rox?” Plume repeated, his fears mounting.

“The dragons.” Rox said, her voice weak. She cleared her throat and straightened her neck. “Cast saw what they did…they found their way to Ellie's home.” Plume felt a streak of cold enter his body and he sat back on his haunches. “They killed them, Plume!” Rox sobbed. “Even her brot…” But Rox couldn't physically finish the sentence, her mouth refused to utter the word and Plume, though the thought was ridiculous, was glad of that. He slowly rose, moved to Rox and encircled her in his forelegs, his staff dropping, forgotten, to the dirt floor. Out of view of the rest of the warren Rox let her tears run freely and her emotions full rein. Her heart felt torn as her body convulsed with each cry of grief. Plume's face felt wooden and his mouth heavy. He could not think of one platitude or thought to give voice to. He remembered when Rox's mother, Storm, had been killed by a fox and though understandably devastating he knew instinctively that was the way of the world, parents will die before their offspring. To hear about such a young one dying by such a heinous act was almost beyond his comprehension.

“Rox?” Another voice came from the entrance to the hole. Plume looked up and with a great deal of relief saw it was Cast, Rox's father and keeper of magic for the rabbits. The old white rabbit looked utterly worn down from his heroic attempt to save Ellie and Cole earlier that day but Plume saw fire in the rabbit's eyes, eyes that had witnessed through magical means the destruction of Ellie's home and family. Rox took a moment to compose herself and turned to face her father, leaving Plume to retrieve his staff. The grief still burned her eyes and the fiery anger she felt rushed with abandon through her mind. Cast, though fully prepared to accede to his daughter's orders, knew the next words from Rox's mouth would alter the destiny of his race for good or bad. Staring at her father instilled a small amount of calm in the black rabbit and Rox took a quivering breath. Her responsibilities as leader, not only of this warren, but warrens like these throughout the world, came to the fore. Though she would aid her friend however Ellie asked, her duties must conserve as many rabbits as possible or every living thing would face the slow death of the world itself.

Cast entered and laid a paw on his daughter's shoulder just as Plume joined the small group.

“Send word to all warrens about what has occurred here today.” She instructed her father. “Tell them their lives are under threat but under no circumstances are they to engage the dragons.” Her eyes found Plume and she continued speaking while studying the warren's protector. “All our young and their parents will relocate to the nearest warren including those who wish to leave.” Plume's eyes widened in expectation. “I'm committing those who volunteer to remain to help Ellie, in whatever she wishes to do next.” Rox's voice had dropped to almost a whisper as all three rabbits contemplated their immediate future.

“I'll see to it.” Cast responded, breaking the heavy silence. “Plume, will you organise the relocation of the families?”

Plume looked back and forth between Rox and her father before simply nodding and leaving the two of them alone.

“Am I doing at least one thing right, father?” Rox asked with a small snort of derision.

“You always ran your own way, Rox. But in doing so you found Ellie and all that comes with it.”

“Well, we failed to save the world. If we're lucky enough to survive the attacks from the dragons, we still have to survive mankind.”

“We can never know the consequences of our actions, Rox. We just do what we can.”

Rox sighed and slipped her paws onto her father's shoulders.

“Thank you.”