Hi! Thanks for reading my story. This is my first story, so it might not be
that great. Please review, so I know what you think!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in the original Watership Down. I DO own Sergeant Pinecone, Lieutenant Willow, Scout Chestnut, Colonel Thornfoot, and Captain Swordfern.
Anway, I'll quit my babbling and get to the story. Here it goes.
The sky burned a bright crimson as the sun rose, and the moon and stars fell from sight. Flowers opened and trees and grass shone green again. The whole of the meadow could be clearly seen from Fiver's view; he was on sentry duty that night. He loved the view from the watch-hill he was standing on. You could see the whole of the down.
He was beginning to get drowsy, and his shift was almost over, so he decided to finish the dandylion he had been munching and go back to the warren. He picked himself up and with a yawn, began dragging himself back to the warren.
"If only something exciting would happen", he thought. "Then I'd get rewarded for spotting it. Captain Broom always sees things coming. I wish Hazel were here; he was always the one who noticed me."
With a sliver of hope and dread, Fiver hustled back to the top of the green hill and looked out again over the fields. Nothing. He stumbled down the hill and back across the meadow, and into the warren.
The tunnels were so confusing to him. Which was it to Captain Holly's chamber? He looked around and remembered that the tunnel with the heart- shaped rock lodged in the wall was the one. He found it, and hurried down it.
Finally he reached Captain Holly's chamber, where the captain himself, Bigwig, and Captain Broom were all in a heated discussion about the Efrafins. Fiver did not go in - he wanted to hear what was going on. He waited for a while in the corridor and caught a little of the conversation:
"The Efrafins could strike any moment," said one voice. Fiver was pretty sure that was Captain Broom. "The loss of their General will make them more dangerous. If they have no strategy, they will attack blindly, killing without mercy."
"However, if they have no strategy, they are weak," said another voice. It was Bigwig. Fiver knew that. "Without plans, they will attack frenziedly, and we can ambush them when they least expect it."
"But the Efrafin soldiers number more than our soldiers," said Captain Broom. "We could be massacred before we knew what hit us."
"Before we start making plans, we need proof that Woundwort is actually dead," said a third voice; Fiver knew it was Captain Holly. "We never actually found out what happened to him."
"He was attacked by a dog, captain," said Bigwig. "Very few have survived a dog attack."
"You forget that I was once in the General's service," said Captain Holly. "I know Woundwort. He is resourceful, cunning, and strong. He could be one of the few who has survived a dog attack. I propose that we take no militant action until we have evidence of Woundwort's death."
That sounded final. Fiver decided to go in. He went down the tunnel and into the chamber.
"Excuse me, captain," said Fiver. The three rabbits turned.
"What did you hear?" demanded Bigwig.
"Nothing, sir," said Fiver. "I just came down to tell you that my guard shift is over. You can send Captain Broom up now."
"Very well," said Holly. "Once we are finished, the captain will be sent up. Go back until he comes."
"Yes, captain," said Fiver. He bolted up through the tunnels again and out into the bright, fresh, dawn air. He climbed up to the top of the hill again, and looked out across the down.
He heard a shout. It sounded challenging. Fiver turned to his right and saw a volley of Efrafins marching toward the warren. Unless his eyes cheated him, General Woundwort was leading them.
Fiver whimpered, and then charged back down the hill and into the warren. He ran down the dim, winding tunnels and back into Captain Holly's chamber again.
"What is it, Fiver?" said Captain Holly.
"Efrafins," gasped Fiver. "Lots of them... coming right into Watership Down!"
"Captain Broom!" yelled Captain Holly. "Bigwig! Prepare our soldiers for battle! Be swift!"
Captain Broom and Bigwig bolted off into separate tunnels. Captain Holly began into the tunnel Fiver had come through.
"Good work, Fiver," he said and took off down the tunnel. Fiver followed hurriedly, and bumped right into Pipkin, who had come through a different tunnel.
"Hullo, Fiver," he said. "Where was Captain Holly going in such a hurry?"
"We're under attack!" said Fiver. "He's going to fight."
"Who's attacking?" Pipkin said, clearly worried.
"Efrafa," said Fiver. "General Woundwort is leading them."
"But I thought - he died!"
"Well, it certainly didn't look like it. I'm going to help fight. You should stay in the warren. If the Efrafins come in, you can take the escape tunnel out."
"But I can fight too!"
"No, Pipkin. You have to stay here! You're not strong enough!"
"But -"
"Pipkin, it's the best thing for you. Go now!"
Pipkin nodded his head and went back down the tunnel. Fiver followed Captain Holly back outside, where Bigwig and Captain Broom were already lined up with their soldiers. He looked down the hill. It was definitely General Woundwort. Behind him was one Fiver recognized as Captain Bulrush, and another whose name Fiver couldn't remember. He thought he could also see - no, it couldn't be...Campion! The traitor!
He didn't have long to watch them. Soon, Captain Holly cried out to Woundwort.
"Call off your army, Woundwort, or prepare to die!" he roared.
"Over my dead body!" Woundwort growled. His voice made Fiver shudder.
"That can be arranged!" Holly yelled. "Attack!"
"Attack!" Bigwig echoed.
"Charge!" Captain Broom yelled.
The soldiers charged forward, as did those of Efrafa. Soon, the two armies collided in a violent clash. Fiver hesitated, but then leapt into battle. He didn't think he'd ever been so terrified.
"'ere, what's this?" screamed a scratchy voice. A skinny old rabbit with sharp claws was stalking towards Fiver. "A little child, no less. Well, he's mine now!" The frail creature flung itself forward at Fiver, who bit it straight in the side.
"Arrgh!" it roared, and turned on Fiver again. "You've done it now. I'm gonna rip out your little belly and eat whatever comes out!" It kicked Fiver in the mouth, with a surprising strength. It hobbled towards him, and loomed over him, when an enormous rabbit crashed into its side and smashed it into the ground with a crunch. When it looked up, Fiver saw it was Bigwig.
"What are you doing out here, Fiver?" Bigwig demanded.
"I'm fighting!" Fiver protested. "I'm strong!"
"Get back to the warren!" Bigiwg spat. "Go now, before I - who is that?"
Fiver looked to the left. Two burly rabbits were chasing a small rabbit.
"Pipkin!" Fiver cried. "No!"
The rabbits chased Pipkin down into the valley. Fiver ran to the edge of the steep slope, and saw the rabbits chasing Pipkin into the distance. Bigwig bolted in front of Fiver.
"Get into the warren!" he growled. "We will look for Pipkin! Go now!" Fiver began back into the warren, but found a fat rabbit trying to fit himself into the hole, blocking it.
"How do they fit into this thing?" Fiver could hear him mumbling. He took his opportunity and bit into the rabbit's hindquarters. The rabbit kicked his back legs, and popped out of the hole.
Fiver gasped. It was General Woundwort!
"You have just sealed your doom, little one," he snarled. Fiver kicked him in the nose, making it bleed.
"Your painful doom," Woundwort added.
"Fiver!" a voice rang out. They both turned. Captain Broom was charging forward.
"Prepare to die!" Woundwort roared. The captain kicked him, sending him flying straight into the hill. There was a rumble, and every soldier on the battlefield looked up. The rock at the top of the hill, had shifted, and was now wobbling on the edge of the hill - poised very precariously. All the rabbits held their breath, Woundwort especially.
It began slowing to a stop, but then it rolled forward down the hill. All the rabbits screamed and ran, as the rock came tumbling down. Woundwort stood and started forward, but too late. The rock came down upon him. There was a brief scream before Woundwort was silenced, and the rock rolled across the meadow. Fiver saw flashes of blood as it spun, but then was pushed into the warren by Bigwig and saw no more.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in the original Watership Down. I DO own Sergeant Pinecone, Lieutenant Willow, Scout Chestnut, Colonel Thornfoot, and Captain Swordfern.
Anway, I'll quit my babbling and get to the story. Here it goes.
The sky burned a bright crimson as the sun rose, and the moon and stars fell from sight. Flowers opened and trees and grass shone green again. The whole of the meadow could be clearly seen from Fiver's view; he was on sentry duty that night. He loved the view from the watch-hill he was standing on. You could see the whole of the down.
He was beginning to get drowsy, and his shift was almost over, so he decided to finish the dandylion he had been munching and go back to the warren. He picked himself up and with a yawn, began dragging himself back to the warren.
"If only something exciting would happen", he thought. "Then I'd get rewarded for spotting it. Captain Broom always sees things coming. I wish Hazel were here; he was always the one who noticed me."
With a sliver of hope and dread, Fiver hustled back to the top of the green hill and looked out again over the fields. Nothing. He stumbled down the hill and back across the meadow, and into the warren.
The tunnels were so confusing to him. Which was it to Captain Holly's chamber? He looked around and remembered that the tunnel with the heart- shaped rock lodged in the wall was the one. He found it, and hurried down it.
Finally he reached Captain Holly's chamber, where the captain himself, Bigwig, and Captain Broom were all in a heated discussion about the Efrafins. Fiver did not go in - he wanted to hear what was going on. He waited for a while in the corridor and caught a little of the conversation:
"The Efrafins could strike any moment," said one voice. Fiver was pretty sure that was Captain Broom. "The loss of their General will make them more dangerous. If they have no strategy, they will attack blindly, killing without mercy."
"However, if they have no strategy, they are weak," said another voice. It was Bigwig. Fiver knew that. "Without plans, they will attack frenziedly, and we can ambush them when they least expect it."
"But the Efrafin soldiers number more than our soldiers," said Captain Broom. "We could be massacred before we knew what hit us."
"Before we start making plans, we need proof that Woundwort is actually dead," said a third voice; Fiver knew it was Captain Holly. "We never actually found out what happened to him."
"He was attacked by a dog, captain," said Bigwig. "Very few have survived a dog attack."
"You forget that I was once in the General's service," said Captain Holly. "I know Woundwort. He is resourceful, cunning, and strong. He could be one of the few who has survived a dog attack. I propose that we take no militant action until we have evidence of Woundwort's death."
That sounded final. Fiver decided to go in. He went down the tunnel and into the chamber.
"Excuse me, captain," said Fiver. The three rabbits turned.
"What did you hear?" demanded Bigwig.
"Nothing, sir," said Fiver. "I just came down to tell you that my guard shift is over. You can send Captain Broom up now."
"Very well," said Holly. "Once we are finished, the captain will be sent up. Go back until he comes."
"Yes, captain," said Fiver. He bolted up through the tunnels again and out into the bright, fresh, dawn air. He climbed up to the top of the hill again, and looked out across the down.
He heard a shout. It sounded challenging. Fiver turned to his right and saw a volley of Efrafins marching toward the warren. Unless his eyes cheated him, General Woundwort was leading them.
Fiver whimpered, and then charged back down the hill and into the warren. He ran down the dim, winding tunnels and back into Captain Holly's chamber again.
"What is it, Fiver?" said Captain Holly.
"Efrafins," gasped Fiver. "Lots of them... coming right into Watership Down!"
"Captain Broom!" yelled Captain Holly. "Bigwig! Prepare our soldiers for battle! Be swift!"
Captain Broom and Bigwig bolted off into separate tunnels. Captain Holly began into the tunnel Fiver had come through.
"Good work, Fiver," he said and took off down the tunnel. Fiver followed hurriedly, and bumped right into Pipkin, who had come through a different tunnel.
"Hullo, Fiver," he said. "Where was Captain Holly going in such a hurry?"
"We're under attack!" said Fiver. "He's going to fight."
"Who's attacking?" Pipkin said, clearly worried.
"Efrafa," said Fiver. "General Woundwort is leading them."
"But I thought - he died!"
"Well, it certainly didn't look like it. I'm going to help fight. You should stay in the warren. If the Efrafins come in, you can take the escape tunnel out."
"But I can fight too!"
"No, Pipkin. You have to stay here! You're not strong enough!"
"But -"
"Pipkin, it's the best thing for you. Go now!"
Pipkin nodded his head and went back down the tunnel. Fiver followed Captain Holly back outside, where Bigwig and Captain Broom were already lined up with their soldiers. He looked down the hill. It was definitely General Woundwort. Behind him was one Fiver recognized as Captain Bulrush, and another whose name Fiver couldn't remember. He thought he could also see - no, it couldn't be...Campion! The traitor!
He didn't have long to watch them. Soon, Captain Holly cried out to Woundwort.
"Call off your army, Woundwort, or prepare to die!" he roared.
"Over my dead body!" Woundwort growled. His voice made Fiver shudder.
"That can be arranged!" Holly yelled. "Attack!"
"Attack!" Bigwig echoed.
"Charge!" Captain Broom yelled.
The soldiers charged forward, as did those of Efrafa. Soon, the two armies collided in a violent clash. Fiver hesitated, but then leapt into battle. He didn't think he'd ever been so terrified.
"'ere, what's this?" screamed a scratchy voice. A skinny old rabbit with sharp claws was stalking towards Fiver. "A little child, no less. Well, he's mine now!" The frail creature flung itself forward at Fiver, who bit it straight in the side.
"Arrgh!" it roared, and turned on Fiver again. "You've done it now. I'm gonna rip out your little belly and eat whatever comes out!" It kicked Fiver in the mouth, with a surprising strength. It hobbled towards him, and loomed over him, when an enormous rabbit crashed into its side and smashed it into the ground with a crunch. When it looked up, Fiver saw it was Bigwig.
"What are you doing out here, Fiver?" Bigwig demanded.
"I'm fighting!" Fiver protested. "I'm strong!"
"Get back to the warren!" Bigiwg spat. "Go now, before I - who is that?"
Fiver looked to the left. Two burly rabbits were chasing a small rabbit.
"Pipkin!" Fiver cried. "No!"
The rabbits chased Pipkin down into the valley. Fiver ran to the edge of the steep slope, and saw the rabbits chasing Pipkin into the distance. Bigwig bolted in front of Fiver.
"Get into the warren!" he growled. "We will look for Pipkin! Go now!" Fiver began back into the warren, but found a fat rabbit trying to fit himself into the hole, blocking it.
"How do they fit into this thing?" Fiver could hear him mumbling. He took his opportunity and bit into the rabbit's hindquarters. The rabbit kicked his back legs, and popped out of the hole.
Fiver gasped. It was General Woundwort!
"You have just sealed your doom, little one," he snarled. Fiver kicked him in the nose, making it bleed.
"Your painful doom," Woundwort added.
"Fiver!" a voice rang out. They both turned. Captain Broom was charging forward.
"Prepare to die!" Woundwort roared. The captain kicked him, sending him flying straight into the hill. There was a rumble, and every soldier on the battlefield looked up. The rock at the top of the hill, had shifted, and was now wobbling on the edge of the hill - poised very precariously. All the rabbits held their breath, Woundwort especially.
It began slowing to a stop, but then it rolled forward down the hill. All the rabbits screamed and ran, as the rock came tumbling down. Woundwort stood and started forward, but too late. The rock came down upon him. There was a brief scream before Woundwort was silenced, and the rock rolled across the meadow. Fiver saw flashes of blood as it spun, but then was pushed into the warren by Bigwig and saw no more.