Chapter Sixteen

Young Prisoner

“It’s not that bad, just a few scratches and cuts and of course he’s still unconscious from the fright,” Blackberry said, surrounded by Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver and Campion in one of the spare burrows near the entrance to the Honeycomb.

“He must have a very weak heart,” Bigwig chuckled, gaining more pleasure from this than he should.

“It was me, I scared the life out of him,” Campion grinned, feeling the same as Bigwig.

“So, will he be alright Blackberry? How soon do you think he’ll wake up?” Hazel asked.

“He’ll be more than fine and he could wake up at any time. We might as well leave him, he could get a big shock finding himself here,” Blackberry said reasonably.

“Probably faint again,” Bigwig muttered.

“Right let’s go. Any volunteers for guarding this burrow?” Hazel questioned,

Silence filled the burrow, and the rabbits shuffled awkwardly from side to side.

“Okay looks like its Hawkbit and Dandelion, it’s an excuse for them to get out of the patrol anyway.” Hazel shrugged.

“Don’t we need someone strong and reliable to guard Vervain?” Fiver asked innocently.

“That would be us thank you Fiver,” Hawkbit said angrily coming down a run beside the burrow.

“Oh didn’t see you there Hawkbit,” Fiver stuttered before leaving mumbling something about spring digging.

“Well if any of you see Dandelion or even Strawberry on your travels tell them to come down here won’t you?” Hazel asked.

The other rabbits left underground to welcome a bright, warm clear day on the down. Hazel’s kits were playing tail tag with Swift, the most energetic of Campion and Blackberry young kittens.

Blackberry, Campion, Hazel, and Primrose lay down in the grass and listened to their young ones playing with the sound of Pipkin pestering Bigwig in the background.

“Bigwig what position will I be in the owsla? Do I get to boss Hawkbit, Dandelion and the others around?” Pipkin asked continually.

“Pipkin breathe, I will have to put you in the same rank as the others at first before I’m sure of your talents,” Bigwig answered, annoyed at having been interrupted from sleep.

“Kids, why don’t you spare Bigwig from Pipkin and have a big game of hide and track?” Blackberry suggested drowsily, ready to fall asleep in the midday heat.

“What a great idea!” Mallow agreed.

“Pipkin come and play hide and track with us!” Iris shouted across to the buck.

“Thanks Blackberry,” Bigwig whispered, joining the group as they lay in the sun.

“Ash aren’t you going to play?” Campion asked the young black buck, who was standing over by the warren entrance.

“Amm….” Ash hesitated.

“Go on Ash, it might be fun,” Blackberry insisted, anxious that the buck would actually interact with rabbits other than herself and Campion.

“Well okay…” He joined the others in a circle as they decided who elil would be and where the boundaries of hiding were.

“No further than the fence at the bottom of the hill and no one is allowed underground, and Gillia is elil, let’s go!” Pipkin indicated to the bottom of the hill then quickly split off from the others to hide.

“Hazel?” Hawkbit asked. “It’s Vervain, I think he is waking.”

Hazel and the others hurriedly made their way back down to the burrows.

“Ahh Campion! Hazel….?!” Vervain stuttered.

Campion growled, in a position to pounce, when Hazel stopped him.

“Sorry Hazel, he made my life hell in Efrafa and Darkhaven and he also tried to kill Blackberry. It’s just a bit hard for me,” Campion sighed.

Hazel smiled. “I know but we need him.”

Hazel turned to Vervain. “How did you get away and where are the others?”

Vervain just lay whimpering causing Campion to growl again. “Answer him!”

This time Hazel did not tell him to stop, he was too intent on listening what Vervain was about to say.

“Myself and many hrair others got away as soon as the sky split so we didn’t look into the face of the Black Rabbit.” Vervain paused then continued, “We travelled aimlessly for moons looking for a warren that would take us in.”

“What happened then?” Bigwig asked.

“Winter was coming and we still hadn’t found a warren so the others decided to build one near the iron road and all was going well until they kicked me out in the cold winter,” Vervain mumbled.

“Why were you kicked out?” Fiver questioned.

“I’m not answering you, you runt!” Vervain stuttered angrily.

“Vervain answer!” Campion shouted, getting close to being unable to control himself.

“They said I was bossing them around too much, and that they were tired of that and that they wanted to finish Woundwort’s destiny alone, together,” Vervain finished, still shaking from the towering Bigwig and Campion above him.

“Let’s leave him, he knows nothing,” Hazel said, his voice strained.

Everyone arranged into a circle on the down, to discuss the matter of part of Woundwort’s army still living and looking to avenge their chief.

“I say we attack and get rid of the problem before they do the same to us,” Bigwig said fiercely.

“They haven’t attacked us so far, maybe it was just words to use against Vervain,” Hazel reasoned.

“Or else they’re plotting something,” Campion pitched in.

“We should at least send out a few patrols to see if we can find their new warren before they attack, it would give us an edge,” Bigwig replied.

“Okay, fair enough Bigwig, I’ll have a think about who is best to send on the job,” Hazel nodded and went back to his burrow to think.

“Okay lads, time for a training session,” Bigwig announced.

Strawberry, Campion, Blackavar, Holly and Bigwig set off down the hill.

Rosa and Spring giggled quietly as Gillia passed the bush they were in, oblivious to them hiding there.

Swift crawled into the bush and started whispering frantically to his sisters, “There’s a big buck over by the fringe of the forest. What will I do? Should I tell Hazel?”

“Don’t be silly Swift, you just want us to get caught. Now go away before they find us,” Rosa whispered back furiously.

Swift was undecided, should he leave the buck and go and warn Hazel? Or, he could get the buck to come back to the down and impress all his friends?

Yes that’s what I’ll do, Swift thought, returning to the edge of the forest.

“You! Kitten you’re coming with me!”

Swift struggled as the white buck lifted him up.

“You don’t understand, I’m here to bring you back to my warren,” Swift said, writhing and twisting as he was lifted up by the scruff of the neck.

The rabbit just ignored him and started hopping in the opposite direction to the warren.

 “Right I’ve decided who is going on the trip,” Hazel announced on the down.

“Ivy, Fiver would you like to give it a go?” Hazel finished.

“Oh I’d love to Hazel! What do you say Fiver?” Ivy cried.

“Well… it would be nice to have a change of scenery,” Fiver agreed.

“Great, whenever you’re ready you can leave and remember if you spot the warren, report back. Do not enter the warren.”

The two rabbits left straight away.

“Hazel are you out of your mind?” Bigwig asked incredulously.

“I’m just trying to help Fiver grow up Bigwig. They’ll be fine, they have each other.” Hazel smirked at the last bit and left.

Bigwig sighed and shook his head while Spartina laughed.

“Primrose? Have the kittens returned yet?” Blackberry asked.

“No not yet…. Oh wait there they are now.” Primrose pointed towards the edge of the down.

“I won Pipkin, I was last found!” Iris said.

“It’s not really a win or loss game Iris, whoever was found first is elil for the next round,” Pipkin explained.

“Come on children, silflay then naptime,” Blackberry said gently to her kits.

“But where’s Swift?” Campion pointed out that he wasn’t with the others.

“They never found him,” Spring answered.

“Did you tell him the game was over?” Blackberry said worriedly.

“Yes we shouted it over the down and into the forest but he didn’t come out,” Pipkin answered.

Campion and Blackberry exchanged the same worried looks before hoping down the hill together.

“They’re worse than you Hazel!” Bigwig exclaimed.

“Worse, what do you mean?” Hazel asked with interest.

“They are more protective about their kits than you and Primrose!” Bigwig chuckled.

“Maybe they have a reason to be worried,” Primrose said, surprising Bigwig by appearing between him and Hazel.

“What do you mean? Swift’s probably just hiding and got a bit carried away or something.”

“I hope your right Bigwig,” Hazel said quietly.

 “He’s been here all right,” Campion muttered, scoring the ground for tracks or scent.

“Campion! Look at this!” Blackberry cried.

They were clear struggle tracks and an unknown scent.

“I think I recognise this scent,” Campion sniffed.

“Do you think it’s from a Darkhaven?” Blackberry asked.

“Could be….. or worse….. let’s go!” Campion said with increasing urgency.