So, this is deriving from the usual style of “what will happen” to “what should happen”. I have my own thoughts about the next book, concerning The Green Ember and Smalls, but I really think that through all this drama and romance and blah blah blah, we should be focusing on the hugest triumph of the third book: the capture of the First Warren.

What Princess Emma is known for is sometimes making what seems to be sort of irrational decisions led mostly by emotions, but considering the sudden weight of responsibility, and her family’s tragic history, then she would have many emotions overpowering her at the wrong times, which can easily happen to anybody.

But, her military leading had successfully won back the First Warren, and she has made some good decisions so far. Her sparing of a former traitor’s life shows her to be a kind and merciful ruler and boosts up her public image. Her ordering of a celebration raises morale and really helps the joyful reality sink in: they’ve won!

Now, what remains is what to do next? This won’t be long, just some notes on the smartest courses of action to take and look for when the next book comes out.

First of all, after the party’s over, they need to tend to the sick, injured, and dead. Morbin’s armies have retreated to lick their wounds, so they don’t need many defenses; it’s not a priority now. She needs the strongest rabbits (the least injured) to take out the bodies and bury them (shovel in one hand, sword in another), and have all the medics tending to the wounds of others with Emma herself supervising. The unharmed women and older children can help with some of that, while others can cook food and make provisions for the hungry soldiers. After some time, they will need to start rebuilding the walls, and the workers will needed to be are at ALL TIMES. In the watch towers, there will be soldiers with long-range weapons, ready to pick off any stray wolves that come through the Black Gap, and the birds of prey that may try to get close.

Now, this may sound kind of brutal, but the Black Gap is actually a really good strategy. The birds are easy enough to see from far off, and the Wolves have nowhere to go where they can’t be seen. So, in that way, the First Warren may be restored to its former glory, and the rabbits would have a large advantage of fortification over Morbin’s armies.