Book I
- Tegast's sobbing after finding his entire tribe slaughtered, including his parents and little brother.
- Becker lamenting over the death of Saron in chapter 9. Made worse by the fact that he believed she died hating him.
- Sergeant Oflal's death, especially after Lieutenant Hollis is forced to tell him straight up that he's about to die. His final words are nearly heartbreaking.Oflal: "Do you…d’you think it’s nice? The Dark Forest, I mean."Hollis: "I’m sure it is mate…I’m sure it is."Oflal: "Yes…a nice, peaceful forest…peace…"
- Tegast being reunited with Danik in chapter 10, only to find out that he was hallucinating and holding a small boulder.
- The death of Longfang in chapter 13. The moment he realizes he's been hit with two arrows, he goes from being a hardened, fearless corsair, to a desperate rat who starts crying and slowly coming to the realization that he's going to die.
- Urthquake finally reveals his tragic backstory in chapter 16. He used to be married and had two kids, and he couldn't have been a happier badger. But one day, vermin attacked his family and threatened to rape and kill them in front of his eyes. So Urthquake offered to take their place, and he willingly let several vermin rape him multiple times in front of his family's eyes so they'll be spared. The vermin murdered his family anyway, making sure that he watched them all die. Little wonder as to why he hates vermin so much...
- The massacre at Tearmann, which ends with the death of several recurring characters, along with dozens of innocent beasts, children included.
- Lakler's reaction to Elonv's death. At first, he jokes and casually brushes his death aside. But the second he starts to dig a grave for him, he freezes and gets teary-eyed. And when Ashlyn spots Lakler and asks him who the dead hare was, Lakler nonchalantly says he was jus an old friend, and then he starts sobbing as Ashlyn holds him close.
- Urthquake confiding in Major Fenson in chapter 23 that he finally found happiness, only to have the vermin snatch it away from him yet again. Guy can't ever catch a break...Urthquake: "When was the last time you were happy? Can you even remember?"
Book II
- The death of Ishlin in chapter 27. Made all the worse since the chapter revealed that he's a Shell-Shocked Veteran struggling to deal with his demons, and that his last words were that he wasn't ready to die yet.
- Benrath Brugo's backstory. His parents were murdered, he was raped and abused by Log-a-Log for several years (to the point where he developed Stockholm Syndrome), and right when he finally mended fences with Jurlick, the shrew responds by manipulating monitor lizards into gang-raping him—with his father joining in.
- The death of Tike Bonson in chapter 35. He was the only idealistic hare in the Long Patrol, and he's brutally tortured to death by Angus just so he can prove that beasts like him have no place in a world like Mossflower. Honward having to watch it all happen only made it worse.
- Even before then, Angus asks both hares who he should kill, and Honward breaks down crying and confesses that he should die, because he feels like it's far too late for redemption.
