David pulled on his ears, trying to block out the screams of the younger bucks as they ran around the room. David couldn’t stand it. He couldn’t stand hearing the screams of joy. How could anyone be so happy today? Everyone he guessed from the sound of it.

Alan was with Grace having a good time, and all the bucks in the burrow were having a great time. Well, everyone but him. This was a bad day for him; so many memories of Roy came flooding back to him. He hated this day, had hated it ever since Roy died. This should have been a happy day, a day of fun and joy, but it wasn’t, not anymore. Roy was gone and today was Roy’s birthday.

Tears filled David’s eyes and rolled down his cheeks. He heard a knock at the door and stiffened as he wiped tears from his eyes. He got up and opened the door to see a tall, grey buck standing in the doorway.

David rolled his eyes; he was not in the mood to talk, not today. “Can I help you?” David asked bluntly.

“Yes, I heard that you had a young buck named Zeke,” the buck said, his voice gravelly and slightly slurred.

David nodded, then said, “Yes, why do you care?”

The buck looked down nervously as he said, his voice cracking, “Because Zeke is my son.”

David looked back into the room at Zeke, then back to the buck before him. “Zeke is your son?” David asked, getting a little tired of talking.

“Yes, I was separated from him during the After Terrors, and then I heard that you had him, and I…I just can’t believe he’s still alive, and I want to take him home with me today.” The buck looked at David with a kind fatherly light in his eye.

David thought about Roy and how much he missed him, then about this buck and how much he must have missed Zeke. So, without thinking, he spoke, “Of course, you can take him home. Zeke, come here.”

Zeke came over and looked at the rabbit. “Who’s this?” Zeke asked, looking at David.

“Well, Zeke, it’s your father,” David said, smiling.

“My dad died,” Zeke said, cocking his head to look at the rabbit.

“Well, see, you thought I was dead, but I’m not,” the buck said, grabbing Zeke’s hand. The buck then looked to David and said, “Thank you so much.”

And before David could say anything, the buck left with Zeke. David sat on his bed, tears coming to his eyes once more as he thought about Roy.

Ky came over to him and sat down on the bed. “What was that all about?” Ky asked, looking at him.

David wiped more tears from his eyes, then said, “Some buck who said he was Zeke’s father, and he wanted to take Zeke home.”

David looked at Ky; he seemed shocked as he said, “And you let him?”

David nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I did.”

“Without any proof that he was Zeke’s real father?” Ky said, still in shock.

David looked at Ky, realizing how stupid that was. He stood up as he said, “What have I done? I’m such a fool!” David then ran out of the room, a sick feeling in his stomach. What had he done? He turned a corner and froze as he saw the grey buck holding Zeke roughly by the arm and yelling at him. Tears filled Zeke’s eyes, and David could see blood on his small face.

“Hey, stop it!” David yelled.

The buck turned on him, throwing Zeke to the ground. “No!” David cried as Zeke’s whole body went limp.

The buck started to walk towards him. “You don’t know who I am, do you freak? Well, let me tell you, I’m Alan’s father, and I want my son back.”

David backed away, “You can’t have him. You can’t have any of them, not as long as I’m here.” David felt he had to protect the other bucks. Like he was their older brother, and he needed to protect them, to save them.

The buck sneered as he pulled a bottle out of his coat. David took another step back and ran into the wall. The buck raised the bottle, which smelled strongly of alcohol, and held it over David’s head as he said, “Then I guess, I’ll just have to get rid of you, won’t I?” The buck then brought the bottle down, shattering it on David’s head.

David reeled at the pain, and the smell, then he fell to the floor as he cried out. The last thing he heard was Zeke calling his name then the world faded into a black oblivion.

Please don't be mad at me and I hope you guys liked this chapter!

Jaidie