Perkin One-Eye watched grimly as fires sprang up around First Warren. He stood atop the palace roof, fists clenched at his sides. Even as he yearned to act, he knew he had no resources to employ. The city had been virtually stripped of defenders, and even the full might of Natalia’s army and navy might have been daunted by the forces now assailing them.

Knowing that the invaders would soon be upon him, Perkin took a stairway down into the palace. He moved through the corridors, where a few servants scrambled to secure valuable heirlooms, manuscripts, and artwork. The royal family had already departed with the majority of the palace guard. Most were accompanying the nine elder sons of Jupiter and their sisters.

But another group, the most trusted officers, were escorting the queen and her youngest children. The youngest daughter had been secluded, to the point that even most of her own siblings were ignorant of her existence. And the youngest son, not much older, had a secret of his own. Their safety was paramount, and had his duty permitted it Perkin would have gone with them himself.

As he descended the steps leading to the main entrance to the palace, Perkin’s thoughts turned to his own wife and son. It saddened him to think that he would probably never see them again. He had hoped the young buck would be able to grow up in peace, perhaps as a close friend of the young prince and princess. Instead, if he survived this day, Perkinson would doubtless face a life of struggle against their enemies.

Opening the front doors to the palace, Perkin walked out into the city square. As he did, a small group of wolves burst into the area, their eyes intent on the palace. Perkin stopped some distance in front of the doors. In one swift, fluid motion, he drew the two swords sheathed across his back.

The sight of him froze the predators, and Perkin allowed himself a small smile. He didn’t care much for the “hero of a hundred battles” moniker some rabbits bestowed upon him. But it was true he had fought against wolves and raptors, and even traitor rabbits, many times. There was a certain usefulness in being so well known to your enemy that the mere sight of you gave them pause.

Even as he thought it, one wolf stepped out from among the hesitating members of his pack. Perkin’s single eye met another single eye, this one a cruel and calculating red in color. The wolf held a spear loosely at his side, but it was easy to see he was ready to leap into action at an instant’s notice. And Perkin had been on the receiving end of such action before.

“It’s been a while, Redeye.”

“So it has, One-Eye,” the wolf snarled. “This must surely be a painful day for you. Perhaps even worse than the day we first crossed paths.”

Rolling his eye, Perkin snorted. “Don’t flatter yourself, Garlackson. You took my eye; I got over it. That day pales in comparison to this.”

Frowning, Redeye lifted his free hand to his own empty socket. “And I suppose you took no satisfaction in doing this the second time we met?”

“Bitter disappointment, actually,” Perkin responded. Seeing Redeye looking perplexed, he almost laughed. “I was trying to end you, Redeye, and your long reign of terror against my kind. Did you think I was trying to even some score?

“Your eye was hardly payment for all the suffering you’ve caused over the years. I never failed my king or my kingdom more than the day I let you escape with so minor a wound. Still, it seems I may have the chance to rectify the mistake at last. Or perhaps you think you can finish the job of blinding me today?”

“Nothing would give me greater pleasure, son of Perkin. Except, perhaps, to slay your fallen king’s precious and pathetic offspring. But I am only one commander of this invasion. And Lord Gern has business with you himself, I think.”

Just as if he had heard his name, a massive eagle descended upon the square. Perkin recognized the short sword and mallet gripped in his talons and the black helm that all but covered his white head. He had last seen them flying over the ruined eagle colony of Dell Beck. The colony that Perkin himself had successfully destroyed shortly before Gern’s arrival.

Hatred spewed from Gern’s eyes as he surveyed Perkin One-Eye, making even Redeye’s glare seem paltry in comparison. Looking into those eyes, the Lord Captain knew he could not hope to win a fight with the dreaded raptor. But Perkin decided that, if he must lose life or liberty this day, he would sell them dearly. And so, with speed that had made him a legend, he sent one of his swords spinning at Gern while launching the other at Redeye like a spear.

Without waiting to see whether his attacks were at all effective, Perkin turned and bolted for a corner. Dropping onto all fours, he raced around the palace and came to the rear of the building. Perkin briefly contemplated the lattice on the rear wall, wondering if he should make his way back up to the roof. However, he recognized that even if he made it up the wall, he would be stranded on the roof with Preylords above him. As such, he raced into the field, passing the hidden door to the old palace cistern.

Remembering the portal, Perkin recalled when he had shown it to Prince Whitbie, then a small buck. It might have made for an ideal escape route, but he had no time to dig out the door leading down into it. Unfortunately, that left him with an open, well-kept field. Perkin couldn’t help but wish that it had been left unattended, as tall grass might have at least given him some concealment from his pursuers.

Ultimately, of course, that mattered little. A massive shadow suddenly covered Perkin, its winged shape unmistakable. Before Perkin even had the chance to decide whether to dodge left or right, he felt a devastating blow to the back of his head. It sent him tumbling across the grass, and he landed in a limp heap facing back towards the palace.

Perkin wasn’t at all surprised to find that he could no longer move. He was frankly amazed that the blow hadn’t killed him instantly. As Gern landed before him and Redeye and his wolves came up behind the eagle, Perkin hoped it wouldn’t take much longer to do so. It was easy to imagine that whatever Gern intended to do to him next, it wouldn’t be pleasant.

“So the famed ambusher of my kind falls, just as his king fell before him!” Gern sneered with pleasure. Perkin, though his body was all but numb, felt a stab of pain at how the villain referred to Jupiter. Gern then turned to address the wolves. “Find the rabbit king’s family, Garlackson! Lord Morbin wants them accounted for!”

“At once, Lord Gern,” Redeye replied, and began barking orders to his wolves in their own hateful tongue. Watching them leave, Perkin could only hope that he had gotten the queen and her children away in time. It wasn’t up to him anymore.

Gern began walking towards him, still awkwardly gripping his weapons in his talons. The sight might have been funny had Perkin not known what the raptor no doubt intended to do to him. Or rather, he thought as his vision began to grow dim, to his lifeless body. As Perkin’s life began to slip away, his eye once again glanced in the direction of the hidden cistern door.

I did what I could, old friend, he thought to Jupiter. By the grace of Firstfather, may my efforts not have been in vain. And may the door I could not use perhaps be of use someday to some other rabbits. Perhaps to my son and yours…or if not to them, then to others who will fight to free this city from those who take it this day.