Here's the next chapter,,,, 👀 I had SOO much fun writing the action scenes in this bit. :) I'm thinking I'll post two chapters a week, with them being shorter I'm pretty sure I'll be able to keep up on that, (plus I finished editing chapter 10 today. 🙈) Enjoy! If you have any feedback at all I'd love to hear it! _________________________________________________________________

Weezie half dragged the wounded buck out the cell and around the corner, out into the torchlit dirt hallway where two very alarmed officers stood staring at the door- or rather where the door used to be. An edge of fear came to their alarm as the two rabbits stepped through the doorway. One buck took a defensive stance, drawing his sword from the scabbard at his side, while the other cried out, scrambling backwards then turning to run. Percy let go of Weezie, pushing off of her to lunge at the fleeing buck. He just barely managed to grab him, knocking him off balance and causing the two bucks to roll across the floor. Weezie gasped in horror. Percy had a slight upper hand from tripping him, but surely with how weak he was this would be the end of her friend.

The other buck slowly edged towards her, sword bared.

"Get back in there," he growled, never taking his eyes off the struggle.

Weezie looked wide eyed from the fight to the soldier. Percy needed help, but how could she get past him? She raised her hands in submission, taking a couple steps backwards toward the cell, but his attention was wholly on the fight happening in the hall. Weezie thought she might be able to risk it. Just as she got ready to dash past him and into the fray, the fight ended. One buck rose from the floor, holding the other's sword in his hand. The flickering shadows darkened his brow as he stood, fiery orange and frightening in the torchlight.

The buck paled, holding his sword out in front of him in an attempt to intimidate, only making him seem all the more feeble in comparison to the power of presence Percy currently commanded.

"Percy," he said, staggering backwards, "s-stand down and surrender. There's no way you can win." He glanced briefly in Weezie's direction as he spoke. "You- uh, I-"

She realized in a flash he might try to use her as a hostage if she didn't move right then, but Percy must have seen this too. As Weezie jumped backwards, losing her balance on the cell door and falling back onto her rump, Percy lunged forward, catching the officer's sword with his own and knocking it to the side. With the buck's front exposed he sent one leg out, striking him in the chest and knocking him over. The buck caught himself, scrambling to reach his sword, but the tip of Percy's blade was already to his throat.

"You know I would do it." Percy said, low and dangerous as the buck's eyes bulged in terror. He drew his hands back quickly from the sword, begging for mercy by the posture of his hands.

"Weezie, take his keys." Percy said, not taking his eyes off the buck. Weezie obeyed immediately, clambering over the door. After a moment’s hesitation she snatched the keys off the officer's belt and held them up for Percy to see.

“Open one of the cells.” This she did, scrambling to her feet while gripping the heavy ring in one hand. “It’s going to be one of the silver keys,” Percy said as she reached the nearest door. “If anyone's in there let them out." Then to the officer he said gruffly, "Get to your feet.” He obeyed quickly, keeping his hands up where Percy could see them.

Weezie made sure no unfortunate rabbit was in the cell before stepping aside and telling Percy it was ready. He merely nodded his head towards the door, raising his eyebrows expectantly at his prisoner. The buck followed the unspoken direction, glancing wide eyed in Weezie's direction as he passed her.

"Weezie. Can you drag that other buck in here?" Percy asked, stepping up next to her to guard the door. "He's not dead don't worry."

Don't worry? Weezie thought as she dragged the unconscious buck towards the open cell with a good deal of grunting. You just disarmed and knocked out two other soldiers with your head cut open. I don't even really know whose side you're on or if I can trust you. I don't really even know who you are or what you did to get locked up! Don't worry?

Percy just stood and watched her until she had him just about to the doorway, where he commanded the other buck to finish dragging him into the room.

Weezie pulled the door shut and locked it. She had to admit she got a certain amount of pleasure from locking away the evil rabbits, but the thought was entirely lost from her mind the moment she turned around. Whereas moments before Percy had seemed all-powerful and unstoppable, now he looked like he was only seconds away from passing out. Slumped against the wall, legs slipping out from under him, he was staring vacantly off at nothing, mouth slightly open and breathing labored. Weezie cried out and rushed to his side.

"Percy! Are you- are you okay?" she asked, catching him under the arms as he began to slide over.

"Hh?" He said without opening his mouth, finally blinking and meeting Weezie's gaze, seeming to wake up from his stupor.

"Are you okay?" she repeated, looking at him intently in the eyes. Percy blinked slowly, greater recognition present after the effort of peeling them open again.

"We need to keep going," was all he said, wrapping his arm around Weezie's neck and using her support to stand up. Weezie frowned but didn't really want to argue.

"Which way?" she asked.

"Straight."

Percy adjusted his grip on the sword handle and the two began to make their way down the hallway, Weezie mostly dragging him with his head resting on her shoulder. They went up a short flight of stairs, at the top of which Percy softly warned her to slow down.

"Daggler's office is just around the corner. It's unlikely he will be there, but there's almost always someone in there regardless." Weezie nodded, shifting Percy back up from where he had slid to. Carefully, she peeked around the corner.

"What are we dealing with?" Percy asked. Weezie frowned.

"There's three guys I can see, one's at the bottom of the stairs- I think his name is Rimby? He's talking to an ugly grey guy with a white face, and there's another buck, just kinda brownish, leaning in the doorway." Percy nodded along with the descriptions.

"We're going to need the element of surprise if we're going to get through, and we need to knock them all down or we'll be pursued. Rimby shouldn't be too much of a worry since he's already wounded, but Gordon and Rall are decent swordsmen."

"So what do we do?" Weezie asked quietly, glancing back at their opponents nervously.

"Run at them, fast as you can,"

"What?" Weezie asked, not sure if she'd heard him right.

"I've got to get to them quick as possible before someone runs for help."

Weezie looked down at her companion. Barely upright, limply resting against her, and obviously in great pain.

"Are you sure you can do this?" She asked dubiously.

"There isn't an option, Weezie. Remember what we did to get that last hinge knocked out?"

"Yeah?"

Percy lifted his head and looked her in the eyes. "Run at 'em."

So Weezie ran, dragging the limping buck alongside her.

It looked like Rimby was engaged in a story, judging by the animated gesticulations and mildly interested expressions of his listeners. He was the one to notice them first, breaking off from his narrative with a look of utter shock. The other two bucks turned to look at the cause of his alarm, the grey buck letting out a yelp that might have been meant to be, "What?"

Gordon had just enough time to recover from his surprise and draw his sword before Percy was on top of him. Holding on to Weezie for support, he clashed swords with the grey buck until he succeeded in disarming the soldier. In one quick motion the sword clattered out of his hand and its wielder to the floor, clutching the gash in his arm. Percy hardly stopped, rolling off Weezie to connect his powerful back feet with Rall's head as he rushed towards them. The brown buck crumpled from the blow as Percy landed painfully beside him.

Rimby stood stunned on the first few steps of the stairs.

"You are not-" he spluttered, reaching for his sword. "You are not coming through." He held out the blade in front of him, not exactly a clean sword, and added almost in a whisper, "You're supposed to be dead."

Percy grimaced, pushing himself to his knees. "You're going to have to try a little harder than that," he said, attempting to smirk through the pain.

"Very well then, I'll take off your head, you loathsome traitor." Rimby said, his eyes flashing as he stepped off the stairs and towards the orange buck.

"No!" Weezie screamed, throwing herself at him in a fury. Rimby sidestepped her lunge, a look of disgust on his face. She recovered quickly and whirled around, attempting to kick him in the shins. It didn't matter if it hit, she just needed to buy Percy some time to get to his feet. With a repulsed grunt he whirled around, dodging her blow and landing a solid punch to the side of her face with his off hand. Weezie crashed to the floor, holding her face as it throbbed with hot white pain.

"Ugh, you must be Airen's girl," he said, scrunching up his face like he smelled something bad.

"Should I grab her, sir?" Gordon, the gray buck asked, holding his wounded arm tightly to his chest.

"Don't be ridiculous, you're useless. I'll handle these two myself."

Weezie remained huddled on the ground. Her face still hurt, but maybe she could bluff it hurting more so he would forget about her. He was barely putting any weight on the bandaged leg and Weezie was pretty sure if she could just strike him there he would go down and buy her and Percy enough time to get away.

Percy had made it to his feet, swaying slightly where he stood but clutching his stolen sword tightly as he faced the approaching swordsman.

"You disgust me," Rimby said, taking an awkward step with his bad leg.

"Everyone disgusts you. I'm nothing special," Percy replied. His gaze flicked to Weezie and back again, but it was enough to reveal he was worried about her.

"What is even wrong with you." Rimby shook his head, keeping his eyes on the orange buck.

"Wrong with me? How many innocent lives have been taken at the end of your blade, Rimby. You side with traitors and liars and assist to enslave your own people and you ask what's wrong with me?"

"You were one of us," Rimby said softly, with a dangerous edge to his voice. "That makes you the traitor then really," With that he went at him, Percy barely blocking the powerful blow and nearly falling over again.

"I will take you down," Rimby said, slashing repeated and pressing him back into the wall, "Then I will kill that doe and you can watch it. And then! I will take off your miserable head!" There was no time for Percy to dodge the kick that struck him in the chest and sent him into the wall. Weezie saw her chance and sprung at him, kicking his leg just as he attempted to bring his sword around. It caught on Percy's blade, both swords clattering to the floor as Rimby crumpled under his bad leg. Weezie rolled out of his reach and up to her hands and knees, watching in anxious suspension as the two bucks lunged for their swords. Percy landed heavily on his belly, scrambling to grab the handle and just barely managing to roll around and block Rimby's heavy overhead strike. Weezie shot a glance to Gordon, who was still sitting against the wall clutching his arm, eyes wide with alarm. Rimby got to his feet, obviously struggling with his wounded leg. In that unguarded moment, Percy lashed out with his leg, sweeping Rimby off his feet and back onto the ground again, using this as his chance to roll off his back and into a crouch against the wall. Rimby sprang up again, now furious.

"Will you just die already!" He spat, leaping toward him with outstretched blade. Percy parried the blow, knocking it to the side and Rimby with it- he'd put a bit too much force into his strike. One hand on the wall for support, Percy knocked back each blow of Rimby's sword with calm determination chiseled into his face. The more he blocked the more angry and wild Rimby's swings became, until at last he left his front unguarded for a moment too long.

Rimby gasped, falling to the ground at Percy's feet never to rise again. Percy stared down at him with such a look of mixed emotions on his face it was hard to tell what he was thinking.

"He's- he's dead?" Weezie asked, clambering to her feet.

"Yes," Percy panted, looking at his fallen once-companion for a moment longer before seeming to snap out of it.

"Let's go," he said.

"What about him??" Weezie pointed to Gordon, who grinned nervously.

"Ugh. Get a rope from the room around the corner and tie him to the wall. If you give her any trouble," Percy menacingly gripped his sword handle. Gordon shook his head hurriedly as Weezie scrambled back around the corner.

She made sure it was good and tight, stuck her tongue out at him, then ran back to Percy's side.

"Now let's go," she said, resuming her position of support.