Erebus pushed his way into the kettle where Rhizome’s body was. Something in his desperation caused the herbalists to duck out of the way as the black rabbit examined his friend. Gurin watched, still a little awestruck. It was not every day one spoke with Death.

The eldest rabbit watched Erebus. Their graying whiskers and ear tips definitely belonged to Gurin’s mentor, Alvis. The scent was the same, a nose-blinding mix of many herbs, with a slight hint of wisdom. He alone nudged the black rabbit away from Rhizome. “Who are you? What do you think you’re doing?”

“Erebus. I’m making sure he’s okay.” He pushed past Alvis and placed paws on Rhizome’s chest. “His heart is beating. Breathing is good. He’s just not there.”

“The basin is judging him.” Alvis grunted. “Are you a seer?”

“Not as you mean it.”

Mange spoke up, “He’s Death’s paw.”

The statement stopped all other sounds for a moment. Erebus ignored them, checking Rhizome’s eyes, and putting an ear to his chest. “No secondary drowning. Do we have your herbs to thank for that?”

“Yes.” Alvis flicked his ears toward Gurin. “Apprentice, what are you doing with this one?”

“It’s a long story. Rhizo—the rabbit you looked at—kind of convinced me to defy Fate and we came here because of a vision that Mune had that was for another seer.” Gurin gestured at Erebus. “I’m not sure where he came from but he saved Rhizo from drowning.”

Alvis flicked an ear. “Death can do that?”

Erebus remained focused on Rhizome. “Not really.”

The older rabbit tilted his head to the side and looked past Gurin to Mange and then he sniffed. “You brought predators down here. Or they brought you.”

Eitan had just managed to get into the large kettle. “I’m here to help Rhizome.”

“I meant the invaders,” Alvis chided. “You’ve only eaten bugs and you smell like a rabbit.”

“Sir, please, Ghostpaw is the rightful king now. He underwent the ordeal of water.” Mange whimpered a little. “Yes, we’re more militant now, but he has come to respect Starbasin. We all have.”

“Yet, he still keeps the council of Bia. You still answer to her. She works very hard to prevent our voices from being heard.” The older rabbit accosted Mange. “You are just following orders. Well, your orders have been to subjugate us. Make us serve you. But the basin cannot be taken that way. Nor can Bia use Ghostpaw to take it by proxy. You have taken our food, threatened to starve us last winter. Only the grace of the stars prevented that from being a disaster, and the stress of it made our seer mad with grief. And then, Bia executed her own seer.”

“Bia isn’t like that,” Mange objected. “Your seer saw only death last winter, but she was wrong. And Thistle… Bia saw that she was calling disasters to the warren. The Phantom, boars, the deer that destroyed what little food we had last winter.”

“Those who take ownership of the basin are repaid in the spirit of their actions.” Alvis grunted. “All will be made clear in time. Perhaps, your king will be spared his fate, if he has truly accepted his place. But, despite you being so nose-deaf, I need you to smell the truth of my words: she will be his death if she does not repent. The basin will make sure of it.”

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Mune spoke up. “How? It was an incredible natural cave, but what makes it so powerful?”

“Every few seasons, it holds the image of Lady Moon or Lord Sun,” Erebus said, only half paying attention. “Perhaps it acts as a link to them.”

Alvis nodded. “Only a seer can predict the sky. And, Bia refused to allow a basin-watch to inform the warren if an occurrence happens.”

Gurin sighed. “I wasn’t here long enough to witness one. With my false-nose, I couldn’t become a proper herbalist. Maybe we will be here longer. There must be something we can do about this occupation.”

“No,” Alvis said. “We will not act until it is time. If this is a test, then we must endure. It is a test for them, as well as us. And I know who will survive.”

“I don’t want to wait and do nothing,” Gurin insisted. “The vision said there would be a tragedy. Something horrible is going to happen.”

“Death is personally in the warren, although this is not the form I expected him to take. I’m sure whatever is coming will be similarly unexpected.” Alvis looked at Erebus and flicked an ear toward Mange.

“How do you know he’s actually Death?” Gurin bowed his head.

Alvis cuffed him. “I taught you better. He has no scent.”

Gurin sniffed. The scents were mixed together. He closed his eyes and remembered Alvis’ training. The ability to find specific scents by removing what was known. Familiar rabbits, the ground, the slight hint of water from the well below. The fresh breeze through the entrance run that carried the slight smell of flowers and woods. Everything found its place. “I smell… darkness. Like shadow. But, shadow doesn’t have a scent.” Another scent was present, something that didn’t match back to a physical form. “Who’s there?”

Light specks, like dust, floated into the room. They flowed around the group causing several of the rabbits to startle before settling into a cloud over Rhizome. “Interesting. I expected my brother to notice me first. I bring a message. Fate wishes you to know the well will hold the ring of fire. It is your best route back.” The lights faded. “Good luck, brother.”

For a moment, Erebus’ eyes went wide. “What day is it?”

Gurin blinked and asked, “What do you mean?”

“It’s almost mid-spring.” Alvis answered.

“You need calendars,” Erebus grunted in frustration. “What is the moon like?”

Alvis said, “The Lady was hidden last night.”

“No, no.” Erebus shook his head. “It’s today. Maybe it’s tomorrow, but there’s no way to tell from here.” He thumped his head on the ground. “We need to get Rhizome to the basin of stars before mid-day.”

“Why?” Mune cut in. “What happens at mid-day?”

“A solar eclipse.” Erebus hit himself in the head at the language barrier. “Once in many seasons, the Lady hides both the Lord and herself. This time it will be visible in the well. Starbasin will hold both Sun and Moon. Light and Dark, Life and Death. If it’s a door back for me, it will also be open for Rhizome.”

Gurin shook his head. He didn’t understand. Like the herbal training, he lacked whatever sense was needed to figure it out. “But he’s here?”

Erebus paused for a moment. “His body is empty. It’s alive, so he can come back, but he’s not actually in there. I think, perhaps, we switched places. It’s just a guess, but it makes sense. Fate always had a kind of poetic logic.”

Mune raised an eyebrow. “You’re just making this up?”

“No,” Erebus said. “Not really. Both of my parents will be in the well in effigy. If I’m there, they’ll either help me or tell me what I need to do. If they help me, I’ll bring Rhizome back to his body. If not, this will make them aware of what’s going on.” He sighed.

The only way to make sure Rhizome’s body was in the basin was to get Ghostpaw and Bia to agree to it. Gurin didn’t know how bad Bia was, but if Thistle had saved Eitan’s life, then it must’ve been Bia who called disasters to her warrens. He had dismissed it before, but when Gurin had seen her, when Rhizome had almost drowned, her paws smelled like so much blood.