Here's the next chapter! I was a little worried the internet wouldn't let this go through but yee,,,,

Also now you guys are caught up to where my Mom left off lol!

I hope you guys enjoy it! :D

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Whit got the paperwork put together at a surprising speed.

"This is the farthest I can take you; I'm sorry I can't help you get to the cart, that would draw too much suspicion. But here, Weezie, take these with you just in case anyone tries to stop you.” He said this casting an uneasy glance to Percy who was dozing on Weezie’s shoulder. Whit had multiple times tried to convince him to see a medic, but every time he had cut him off. There was simply no time. “Besides, it’s likely most of the people we are avoiding will be at the hospital,” he pointed out, earning a grim smile from the white buck.

Whit had assisted them to a quiet servant’s hallway down the stairs they had limped past earlier and through what looked like a kitchen storage room. Up the next flight of stairs, Whit had said, would be their destination. The goal was to sneak past the guards altogether and get into the cart without anyone noticing and possibly recognizing Percy. For this reason also Whit had taken his uniform jacket. Just in case they were caught, Weezie had been outfitted with the proper paperwork to have the two of them sent north. They were now ready to go, having resumed their previous position, Percy’s arm drawn over Weezie’s shoulder with her hand behind his back lifting up on his belt. After the plan was thoroughly explained to Weezie, Whit kneeled down in front of her, looking her earnestly in the eyes. “Please,” he said, brows pulled tightly together. “Take care of him?”

Weezie nodded seriously. “With my life.” Percy grunted his disapproval but Weezie continued. “I’ve lost my family, my farm, everything really. Percy’s all I’ve got now so…” She trailed off, looking down to the ground. Whit placed a firm hand on her shoulder. “Thank you.”

He straightened up, touching his ears, eyes and mouth. “May the leapers light your path.” “And your feet find the next standing stone.” Weezie replied after him, tears starting in her eyes. “Thank you, Whit. Maybe- I hope we can meet again someday.” Whit nodded. “Perhaps.” “In the Mended Wood.” Percy mumbled, eyes closed. “In the Mended Wood.” Weezie repeated with a sad smile. “I like the sound of that.”

The afternoon sun was high and hot, reflecting bright off the palace's white marble walls, imbuing the gravel underfoot with its heat. The canvas topped carts were parked all in a line, heavy cords of rope tied to the head of each one. Standing alert and milling about were several soldier looking rabbits in spiffy uniforms, strutting self importantly through the groups of slaves prepared for shipment. Weezie had grown up in this world, she had told herself time and time again that this was normal, but she still had to swallow down the sickening feeling in her belly from such a sight. “Okay,” she said quietly, mostly to herself as she wasn’t sure if Percy was even awake anymore. “All we need is to wait for an opening and we’ll slip into one of those groups.” She gave a short determined nod and readjusted her grip on Percy's wrist. They were crouched hidden behind a low stone wall that edged the stairs she had come up after bidding Whit farewell. The cobblestone courtyard spread out from there, well trimmed shrubbery growing along the tall stone wall separating the palace grounds from the rest of City Square. The sturdy wooden gates had been pulled open, ready for the cartloads of rabbits to rumble through. She knew there was limited time for them to get in there, it looked like the only thing they were waiting on before leaving was sorting out which bucks were going to pull the carts and which ones would ride, but she patiently waited for her opening, face drawn to a determined glower.

She became distracted from her close watch of activity when a wailing broke out on the other end of the courtyard. A white furred doe was trying to push through the harsh guards, reaching her arms past them calling out, "Godfrey, Godfrey!” repeatedly. One very distressed young buck, his hands bound together stepped forward from his group, pleading with her at the top of his lungs to go back and for the guards not to hurt her. Weezie hated to look away, but she needed to use this as her chance to get through while everyone else would be looking the other way. “Alright, hang on,” She said into Percy’s ear. She scurried as quickly as she could with her burden, darting into the nearest crowd of slaves. She stood anxiously in the middle of the group, hoping no one would question them and wondering if she should wait to be assigned a cart or just try getting Percy into one. Before she could decide the guards started shouting and directing the rabbits around. The group she was standing in was assigned a cart, and together they made their way towards it, climbing in single file. There were guards everywhere, some dressed in the uniform of First Warren's guard, some in a uniform Weezie didn't recognize. She was glad Whit had remembered to take Percy's jacket off- the chances he would be recognized were slimmer. She did her best to appear inconspicuous with the filthy buck draped over her shoulders as the line moved further and their turn drew near.

"Hold on there."

Weezie started and her heart raced in alarm as she looked up at the burly buck roughly grabbing her arm.

"We're not taking rabbits too weak to stand." He said, pointing a stubby finger in Percy's direction. "And that buck there ain't standing." He was dressed in the unfamiliar uniform, his fur an ashy grey with splashes of black.

"You have to take him," Weezie said, surprising herself by her boldness. "I have a document here specifically saying he is to ride these carts to the northern camps."

The buck's nose wrinkled in disapproval. He looked up over Weezie's head to the First Warren guard standing behind her who was now wearing a huge smirk.

"Well let's see it then," he growled. Weezie reached into Percy's pocket, pulling the folded piece of paper out and handing it to the officer. She kept her face a cool confident mask hoping he wouldn't notice her trembling hand and call her out on her bluff. With a sidelong glare at the smirking guard, he unfolded the paper and read it, glancing up to Weezie and Percy a few times throughout. He grumbled something incoherent and shoved it back into Weezie's chest.

"You'd better hold on to that," he said menacingly, then stalked away.

Weezie felt a little lightheaded from relief, and couldn't help releasing a sigh as she turned back to the cart entrance. She and Percy were the only ones left to load now on that particular cart. The guard just stood there watching her struggle with the huge step, still smirking. Weezie puffed as she tried, she tried, to get Percy up into the wagon, but despite how sturdy and strong she was, she'd met her match at actually lifting him over the edge. The anxious rabbits inside just watched, wide eyed.

Would no one help? Weezie thought in disbelief. Are they all really that scared?

Finally one buck edged forward, casting a nervous glance to the guard who stood smirking.

"Here," he said, holding out his arms. "You lift under the legs and I'll get his shoulders."

"Thank you," Weezie said, looking to him in gratitude.

Between the two of them they easily managed getting him into the cart, the tightly packed rabbits squishing a path for them as they carried him over to a seat in the corner. Weezie thanked the buck again who nodded and bounced back to his seat. She squeezed in next to Percy, letting him lean limply against her, her shoulder as a pillow and her arm around his waist to prevent him falling forward. She was finally able to get a good look at him and was relieved he was still breathing. She patted his shoulder and settled back into her seat.

"What happened?" A nearby doe asked in fearful awe.

"I don't really know, " Weezie admitted. "I think he must have done something to cross the guards but I don't really know what that would have been. I only just met him an hour or so ago."

It struck Weezie as the doe nodded and looked away; it hadn't really been that long since she was hopeless and trapped in a cell, digging at the walls awaiting her death. Now here she sat, on a cart rumbling away to the outer world- the world outside First Warren and everything she'd ever known.

Moving aside part of the canvas to form a sort of window, Weezie watched the buck-drawn carts as they began pulling out through the gate and into City Square.

Tears stung the corners of her eyes as she tried to hold them in, this was her world, her home. Her mother. Her sister. Her farm. She knew that she would never see any of them again. She held Percy close as their cart began to move with a ****, shouts of the guards ringing through the air. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks while Percy slept fitfully at her side.

Despite the pain she felt in her heart, there was a seed of hoping growing there. A hope that maybe, soon, she would be free.