WARREN OF THE WOLVES
Number of Rabbits: 001
Servings Needed: 002
Next Request: Now
Three Moons Ago...
the warren of the west was facing its doomsday, and nothing could prevent their quickly-approaching demise.
everyone had been picked off by the hawks - well, almost everyone. the second, ripley, and two apprentices named blink and flicker remained - along with, of course, our lovely protagonist, mercy. they’d been holed up in a tiny, cramped den for the past three sunsets, as a means to protect themselves from the nasty old birds who’d killed off so many of their brethren. however, three does and a buck could only last so long in such a small den before hunger panged their empty bellies, ripping rumbles from them as they cowered in fear.
ripley was the first to get fed up with her growling stomach. “we can’t just stay here forever!” she argued with mercy. “if we just cower and hide for the rest of our lives, we’ll starve to death in this damned den!”
mercy quickly stole a glance towards the apprentices - the brother and sister were shaken by the mere thought of such a horrid death, their ears flattened against their heads. she eyed ripley carefully. “what do you suppose we should do then?” she challenged. “if we go out there, it’ll end all the same as the others - we’ll be scraps in those birds’ talons within minutes!”
“i don’t think you understand me, mercy,” ripley growled, stepping towards the doe angrily. “i’m not taking the coward’s way out, and by god if you’re still with me then you’d agree! the warren of the west cannot go down without a fight! what would baron think if he heard you right now?”
mercy flinched at the mention of her father’s name. baron had been the previous leader of the warren of the west, and was among one of the first to fall to the gluttonous talons of the hawks.
blink seemed to notice mercy’s discomfort fairly quickly and quickly stepped in between the bickering does, raising his voice as much as he could without drawing unwanted attention from the avian predators outside the den. “ripley, stop it,” he demanded. “this arguing isn’t helping anyone. we need to—”
“oh?” ripley turned towards blink with a sudden fury in her eyes. “the pipsqueak thinks he can challenge his leader? go ahead, runt - try me. i’ll make sure you—”
“that’s enough!” the other rabbits turned toward mercy as she panted heavily, her eyes closed as she mulled over her options. finally, she looked towards ripley, a look of defeat in her eyes. “what’s the plan?”
…
it had been a fairly simple plan, and honestly mercy doubted it would work anywhere as near as good as ripley was confident it would. they would split up; zig-zagging and watching each other’s backs as they ran to the storage den across camp. once there, they would go into the tunnels that had once served as the healer’s den - that way they’d have enough rations to survive the next few winters.
mercy anxiously eyed the outside, shuddering as shadows flew overhead. she wasn’t sure if those were simple crows or hawks she saw, but she knew she was about to find out, whether she liked it or not.
ripley peeked out cautiously before dipping her head back in the den to murmur softly, “on the count of three, we zig-zag to the storage den. keep an eye out for each other - don’t get eaten. understood?”
the apprentices nodded and ripley looked to mercy. the former gatherer sighed heavily and dipped her head in a nod. “got it,” she huffed.
ripley looked satisfied with her response, and slowly began counting down. “one…”
mercy could hear her heart beating rapidly. they were really about to do this - they were about to risk their lives to survive another day in hiding.
“two…”
what would happen once the food storages ran out? they also had to get water somehow… mercy shivered at the mere thought. they were going to die in captivity; captivity from these horrid flying menaces.
“three!”
mercy almost didn’t hear her second as the three took off across the camp. shaking her head of the thoughts, mercy sprinted after them, leaping from side to side to throw off the hawks’ aim. she could hear their wings beating overhead, their cries of delight as they saw food in the open.
that was around the time everything descended into chaos.
the last she’d seen of blink, he was a little ways ahead of ripley. mercy turned her head to check on flicker when she heard a blood curdling shriek.
fearing that blink had been caught, she and flicker looked over to him, only for flicker to cry out in horror while mercy could only stare, speechless in shock.
blink’s back leg had been bitten deep - not by a hawk, but by ripley herself. they could tell because his white fur hung in a clump in her mouth. the buck limped as he whimpered, eyes widened in the realization of what had just happened.
“blink, no!” flicker quickly changed course to run to her brother’s aid, but mercy scruffed her immediately, holding her back as a hawk swooped down and snatched a hold of blink. mercy would never be able to unhear his cries as he was carried away.
flicker sobbed hysterically at the loss of her brother while mercy stared blankly, fury rising in her throat as she quickly nudged the young doe forward. “go, go! i’ll deal with ripley - get to safety!” she commanded, and the apprentice whined a response, making a beeline back for the starting den.
as mercy charged ripley, she could hear a cry from the hawks and flicker screaming. she didn’t dare turn around.
mercy slammed into ripley’s side, clawing the second’s face as she roared with anger. “how could you do that?! he was a child, ripley - a child! he didn’t deserve to die!”
ripley struggled to kick the raging doe off of her. “it’s survival of the fittest, mercy!” she spat. “your father would’ve done the same thing!”
mercy stared, her blood boiling. “my father would’ve done the same as me,” she muttered.
ripley gazed up at her, confusion evident in her eyes as mercy got off of her. however, just as she was about to bolt, her look turned panicked when she felt the doe’s teeth dig into her tail, dragging her back into the fray. “mercy! what are you doing?!”
“i’m not allowing blink and flicker to die in vain,” she hissed through clenched teeth. “i’m going down, quite obviously - and i’m dragging you to the land of fallen stars with me.”
ripley was frantic as she clawed at the ground, trying desperately to find purchase to get away. “you’re insane!” she cried, her tone growing more and more distressed. “mercy, please! i don’t want to die, please!”
mercy waited patiently, allowing ripley's cries to fall on deaf ears as she eyed the hawks circling overhead. finally, as they descended upon the two does, mercy quickly released ripley's tail and darted off into the woods.
“mercy! mercy you traitor!” she heard the second scream after her before a loud shriek pierced the air.
and then there was silence.
—
it had been three moons since the betrayal. three moons since ripley’s selfish ways had cost mercy the only company she’d been blessed to have left. now she was all alone; left to fend for herself against these rabbit-hungry hawks. wasn’t an entire warren of rabbits enough to quench their bloodlust? apparently not - these damned things wouldn’t be satisfied until the whole forest was barren, it seemed.
the doe had found refuge in an abandoned fox den just by the thunderpath. it certainly wasn’t home, but she was grateful to still be alive. you never look a gift horse in the mouth, after all.
her ears pricked up as she heard a caw from overhead. the hawks were back - they’d been circling this area for about a moon now; mercy figured they’d picked up on her scent and were waiting to snatch her up, just as they had done with all of her friends and family.
she wanted to cry at that. she was the sole survivor of that genocidal wipeout - the survivor’s guilt would be setting in any minute now, and she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to survive whilst knowing that fact.
the doe shuddered, contemplating stepping outside of her hiding place when sharp talons pierced her ear, drawing a shrill shriek from her lips. mercy staggered backwards, pressing her back against the dirt wall as she felt the sting from her now-ripped ear. she heard the blood thrumming in her ears, her breaths were shallow and close to hyperventilation as three large hawks perched at the entrance of the den, cackling as they stared her down.
“aw, what’s the matter little bunny?” the largest purred, hopping forward to try and get another swipe at her. “you’re afraid to die, just like your cowardly comrades were?”
“it’s only natural selection, dear…”
mercy squeezed her eyes shut tight. oh, what would baron do in a time like this? she thought deeply back to a time where she and her father were training together; he was still a second to one of the former leaders, jacquelyn - she’d become an elder after an injury left her back leg lame.
“now remember, mercy darling,” baron had said to her. “as a rabbit of the west, you must not fear the unknown. as long as you believe in them, the rabbits of the rising sun will guide you to victory. there’s nothing they’ll refuse to help you with.”
in recent times she’d found it hard to keep her faith in the rabbits of the rising sun, seeing as the entirety of the warren had been wiped out by hawks. however, when she felt another talon scratch at her, trying to draw her out of the corner, she knew she had to do something. she wouldn’t die a cowardly heretic; she’d die with true faith in her ancestors.
with a roar, mercy lunged at the largest hawk, catching him off guard as she toppled him over. the two rolled in a flurry of feathers and fur out of the den, the other two hawks standing in shock as this little rabbit viciously attacked their leader.
it wasn’t long before the hawk’s comrades managed to pry her off of him, and by then he was bloodied and battered, his beak chipped from her bite. he spat at her, readying his talons when suddenly, a giant blur of black and grey slammed into him.
the other hawks and mercy watched in horror as the largest hawk was tossed into the air by the biggest wolf they’d ever laid eyes on. he had a piercing golden gaze with scars littering his pelt, the most prominent and distinct being on his face. his jaws snapped down on the now-limp predator, a sickening crunch causing mercy to wince in fear.
she heard the other hawks flutter and flap away, but the wolf was quick - lurching forward and leaping over mercy, he caught one of them by the leg, earning a distressed cry as he dragged it down, killing it swiftly.
mercy could only stare in absolute awe as the wolf licked the blood off his maw, turning to face her. he bared his fangs in a curled smile, chuckling raspily. “now now, pet,” he rumbled, “no need to fear me. i’m no big bad wolf - though you do look mighty tasty, and i haven’t had rabbit in a long time…”
mercy quickly found her voice, backing away into the den again as she quivered frantically. “pl-please don’t eat me, sir! i beg of you! i am the last remaining survivor of the warren of the west - i can’t let my father’s legacy die with me without having restored my warren to its former glory! please!”
the wolf paused. “a warren, you say?” he murmured. “...humph. i won’t eat you if you explain your story, pet. you have five minutes.”
and so mercy spilled her guts, occasionally coming close to breaking down but just narrowly managing to calm herself - after all, she really didn’t want to irritate the same wolf who had just killed the predators that had damned her warren. when she finished, the wolf had lowered himself so he was slumped against the ground, staring directly at her as he dragged one of the dead hawks over to him.
“hm. so you’re looking to restart your warren, eh, pet?” he purred, taking a bite out of the bird. mercy flinched.
“yes sir, it is all i want.”
“alcatraz.”
“hm?” mercy glanced up, ears twitching slightly.
the wolf chuckled in response, tail flicking as he continued on with his meal. “my name,” he said, “is alcatraz. and i can help you restore your warren—”
“really, si—mister alcatraz? you’d do that?”
“yes. all you have to do,” at this he chuckled in a gravelly tone, eyeing her with piercing yellow orbs, “is make a deal with me, my pet. can you do that?”
mercy nodded excitedly. “yes, mister alcatraz! of course! thank you!”
he laughed heartily and sighed, glancing over to the doe lazily. “from now on, you shall be known as the warren of the wolves. and these, my pet, are the terms you must agree to…”
—
• Mercy makes a deal with Alcatraz and founds the Warren of the Wolves
• Mercy goes on a border patrol.
• Mercy goes on a gathering patrol.
• Mercy requests Alcatraz’s assistance in finding a healer.
Leader:
MERCY | 23 MOONS | DOE | X
Lives: ★★★★★★★★★
Second-In-Command:
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Healer:
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Scouts:
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Gatherers:
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Apprentices:
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Nurses:
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Kittens:
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Elders:
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]X[/url]
Allies:
Warren Name | Username
Warren Name | Username[/quote]
Enemies:
Warren Name | Username
Warren Name | Username
Borders
North | Warren Name | Username
East | Warren Name | Username
South | Warren Name | Username
West | Warren Name | Username
Medicine Store
Herb | Usage
Herb | Usage
Food Stock:
Chickweed | x0 | 1 servings
Turnips | x0 | 2 servings
Wild Strawberries | x0 | 3 servings
Carrots | x0 | 3 servings
Spinach | x0 | 4 servings
Broccoli | x0 | 4 servings
Spinach | x0 | 4 servings
Fallen Apples | x0 | 4 servings
Mentors:
Mentor | Apprentice | No. of training sessions | Moves
Mentor | Apprentice | No. of training sessions | Moves
Deceased Rabbits:
Rabbit Name | Cause of Death
Rabbit Name | Cause of Death
Family:
Name and Name | Kittens
Name and Name | Kittens
