I really don't know what I think about this chapter, so I apologize... I just hope I get a burst of creative energy tonight! Sorry for typos... Blessings, A. R. -----------------------------------------------------------      Laurel sighed with relief when she reached the end of the tunnel. She was careful around the curtained tarp and didn’t ram her head into the stone above her. As she pulled it away and staggered out of the tunnel, she found the room just as full as last night. But this time, a few rabbits offered her welcoming smiles. Everyone was still quiet, but Laurel felt their greeting and was warmed by it. Finding a place to stand in the back, Laurel removed her prey mark and looked around, taking in every sight she could see.      She could see the Tunneler at the head of the fire, his ancient pickaxe laid across his lap. His unseeing eyes stared into the flames, the orange tongues reflecting in his milky white eyes. Laurel wondered when he had lost his sight, and what he had been able to do before he was resigned to the fate of Tunneler.      More shuffling noises from the tunnel brought Laurel out of her thoughts and she saw Dylan stagger to his feet. He gave her a smile and was about to go sit at a bench when he realized that all spots were taken…. Except in the back with Laurel. He turned bright red as he shuffled over beside her and removed his scarf, swallowing repeatedly.      Laurel wanted to laugh at his nervousness but was unable to, as the Tunneler rose to his feet and struck the pickaxe against the stone floor. Everyone rose as the Tunneler began the meeting.      “I am the Tunneler, and I am the truth. Hear me and help me, and our children’s children shall be free.” All the rabbits echoed back their bit and all sat down. Laurel snuck a glance at Dylan and smirked when she saw his blue gaze on her. But really, her heart was pounding like a racehorse. She didn’t know why she felt like this around Dylan.      The Tunneler inhaled before beginning. “Now, we all probably have information that will somehow aid our work; but we have to share something significant.”      The Tunneler's face lit up with a smile, and Laurel could tell that he was trying to remain as calm as possible, despite the excitement that filled him and many others.      “On the outside, Jupiter’s Heir has been made known and is preparing to fight against Morbin.” The room broke out in excited murmurings and whispers as everyone processed this news. Laurel  felt her breath come out in uneven bursts of enthusiasm. Her heart was pounding with excitement and she felt tears filling her eyes. It was too good to be true; the Mended Wood was coming.      She pressed her mouth tight, trying to be as quiet as possible as the room tried to suppress their emotions to hear what the Tunneler had to say. Dylan was laughing at her, though he made no sound. She tried to glare at him but it dissolved into a smirk.      But as she looked ahead and continued to listen to the Tunneler, she wondered why she kept letting her guard down around Dylan. She had to be careful! But she kept finding herself being herself around him. Was that such a bad thing? Well, yes; she had to stay alive, keep her family alive. Was she being a fool? Laurel didn’t know what to think. But she knew one thing: she might not be acting as careful as she should be.        The meeting was more uplifting than last night, Laurel thought. The room felt like it was full of sheer excitement and renewal of hope. Every time someone shared some new fact and information, everyone began to whisper and murmur, and it took forever to get everyone’s attention to quiet down and listen. It was such a contagious thing, this spur of renewed vigor. It fueled the Flame in everyone’s hearts.      Near the end of the meeting, the Tunneler raised his hands for silence.      “We all have learned many good things this evening; however we all must be extremely cautious. The Administration sounds like they are scrambling for some sort of cover and will take the brunt of Morbin’s wrath. But that leaves many of you- the servants of many in Akolan- in a very hazardous situation. Be careful as you go out this evening and in the days to come.” And the meeting was dismissed.      Laurel looked up and spotted Melody and Harmony, whispering and chattering to each other about everything and anything. Laurel smiled. A hand rested on her shoulder and she turned.      Dylan smiled, looking over to where the Tunneler sat, who smiled as he heard the different conversations in this secret room. “Now’s your chance. Ask him what you absolutely positively need clarification on.” Laurel smirked at him and nodded, heading towards the ancient rabbit. She squeezed and dodged between rabbits that lingered still, their tense conversations full of excitement and joy.      The Tunneler smiled and nodded as Laurel approached and she suddenly felt nervous. Did he know she was here? That she had questions for him?      “Miss Evergreen, I hope that you heard the news tonight,” he greeted, motioning her to sit at the empty space beside him. Laurel complied quickly and quietly, clasping her hands in her lap.      “I-I did, sir… it’s completely, well, invigorating isn’t the right word, but it’s so… exciting!” She exclaimed, smiling at the gentlebuck beside her.      The Tunneler smiled and nodded, saying nothing for a minute. “It truly is good news. It renews the flame for many.” He mused, his old, gnarled hands gripping the pickaxe in his lap.      “Do you seek answers, Laurel?” He asked softly, his unseeing eyes watching her with a gentle intensity.      Laurel was about to nod her head but remembered that the Tunneler wouldn’t notice.      “Yes sir, and I’m told you may have answers to some of my questions,” she answered.      The Tunneler chuckled. “We shall see… I still am just an old rabbit, young doe.”      Laurel smiled, but something unsettled itself from within her. What was it? Fear of finding out things she had never known? Learning about her parents' involvement with the Cause?      Inhaling deeply and trying to bury the feelings of anxiety, Laurel began.      “Does my mother no longer support the Cause? Is that why my parents stopped talking to me about things and my dad would sneak out after dark?”      The Tunneler sobered, looking towards the rest of the room where rabbits still visited. He didn’t respond for a moment.      When he did, his voice was a low, rattling whisper. “Its hard to say, Laurel. Your mother did support the Cause for a very long time, and often imported some valuable information time to time. However, I am not sure where she is now. She did begin to step back when the stress began to mount with all the sudden arrivals. But when your father began to step further out into the field, so to speak, she began to withdraw even more. By the time your father was… taken out, we hadn’t heard from Fern for nearly a year.”      The old rabbit turned to her and tried to smile. “So to answer your first question, we don’t know. Now, if she were to begin speaking with Vitton for example, then we would have to be extremely cautious around her, you especially. But as far as we can tell, that hasn’t been the case.”      Laurel nodded, but she still felt a twinge of worry as she thought about the night before. Her mother seemed to believe what she said, that she was just working late. And today would strengthen her case. But would it work in the future?      “Now Laurel,” he interrupted her thoughts. “We of the resistance watch out for each other; there are already many watching out for you. But if we hear of anything such as a warrant for ones arrest, or anything for that matter, we will warn you. However that doesn’t mean you wont be approached by the administration. In that case, you must not give any information whatsoever.” The Tunneler warned. Laurel swallowed and nodded.      The old buck seemed convinced enough and sat back, smiling. “I am sorry. That probably wasn’t anything you were expecting to be told.”      Laurel smiled. “Its alright, it will help me that’s for sure. But may I ask one more question?” The Tunneler smiled and nodded.      “If I am to be cautious around my mother, what do I tell her? I feel like I wont be able to lie to her every single time I’m here for meetings, but like you said, I cant risk telling her.”      The Tunneler looked up, his brow furrowed in concentration. “That is a good question, Laurel. You’re right, you will not be able to lie the whole time, but you also cannot tell her where you really have been.” He frowned. “Other than saying you were called out to help someone, I’m not sure you can say anything else. Unless, of course, your master takes you places such as councils. Then you could say you had to run an errand on his behalf. But such occasions are rare.”      Laurel swallowed. She hadn’t gotten any answers. Well, no; she did. But none of them helped in any situation.      Unable to think of anything else to ask him, Laurel got to her feet and curtsied.      “Thank you, sir. I wont take anymore of your time.”      He smiled. “If you have anymore question, miss Evergreen, we shall do our best to answer them.”      Laurel turned to walk away and froze.      The Commandment.