Aye; and it's not like we know who those 'hares' were that freely left with the Imperials after they tried to take them out of the forest. They could have been male or female. It can be assumed that the platoons were dispatched in full units and weren't 'separate' from one another. With males being the first line of defence then it can also be assumed that it was the males that destroyed them before they even reached a village as it would make zero sense for them to let imperials go who knew the exact location of their villages. Of course, it can be said that it was female wood-wardens did the slaughter - but the females tend to be guarding the villages and 'bodyguarding'. It also doesn't make sense for a female to let an enemy go who knows the location of her community.


So, whoever left with the Imperials was either some of the males who actually decided to ask the imperial questions instead of slaughtering them like the rest of their squad; which makes sense if you wish to know more about your enemy that is imposing on your homeland. Or females who took the opportunity to use the chaos to leave the villages and be guided back to the Rabanaster. Though that raises the question of why a female would leave the wood with someone who's whole platoon has been slaughtered and is clearly the enemy? A good storyteller could probably figure it out, of course, lots of possibilities.

But the story about the 'hares' is telling - it could be a hint that some Viera have joined the Imperial forces either to spy/infiltrate or because they actually believe in what the Imperials are doing - or that some used the opportunity to join 'civilisation'.