Over The Hills And Far Away

by Keeralie Starflight

Chance, son of Campion and Blackberry, is accused and convicted of a crime he did not commit. One thing keeps him from saying where he really was when the crime was committed. Chance's journey sometimes almost seems to shadow that of Campion's, but at other times, his path leads him in new directions. Will he ever clear his name and return to the Down?

1. Chapter 1

OK, here goes the explanation. This entire thing is based on a song. Over The Hills And Far Away, by Nightwish. Well, other than one little line, the song is my favorite. And it gives me ideas. So this is the idea that has been most principal in my head. Originally, this was to be about Campion. But I decided, for the sake of variety, to make this story about his son Chance. Song is not mine, Watership Down is definitely not mine(if it was they would have kept making the TV series), but Chance and most all the other characters are. One more thing, this doesn't tie in to anything else I have written. As in, he is not a sibling of any of my OC children of Campion and Blackberry previously mentioned in anything else I've written. This is an experiment to see how I perform writing season three based fics. Also, this may not get updated frequently, unless like ten people review it, but I will try to get a chapter out every week or so. That said, do enjoy! (The quotes at the beginning of each chapter are verses of the song. Lyrics don't always fit, but it helps to see where I'm coming from, no?)

Chapter One:

"They came for him one winter's night.
Arrested, he was bound.
They said there'd been a robbery,
his pistol had been found."

It was early evening on Watership Down, although telling the rabbits so would have made no difference, as all they knew was that Frith had set for the night. It was deep winter, and most of the rabbits, hungry and cold, had fallen asleep huddled together in the deepest burrows. However, in one burrow close to the surface, a young buck slept alone. He was a deep sienna brown, his eyes, had they been open, would be seen as a light blue. His chest fur was a light beige color, as was his muzzle and ear tips. His name was Chance, who preferred to live alone since the death of his father and closest friend, Campion.

Chance's rest was interrupted when several rabbits burst into his burrow. Their leader blocked Chance's way to the burrow entrance as the other buck leaped to his feet. He was a large black and grey buck with cruel pale blue eyes.

"What do you have to say for yourself this time, Chance?" he asked mockingly.

"What are you talking about?" Chance asked in evident confusion.

"You're under arrest!" the other buck snarled.

"Arrest? What for?"

"You know Frithing well!" the buck retorted, "And don't say you don't know what I'm talking about!"

"Shay, what is going on?"

"That's Captain Shay to you, traitor!" the black buck snarled, leaping at Chance. However, he had not remembered Chance's unusual fighting skill, until a kick from the other buck sent him smashing into the burrow wall. Chance wheeled round to face the other two rabbits, but they were already on him, and in a moment he was stretched senseless on the burrow floor.

Shay glared down at the unconscious buck.

"You'll pay for killing Mallow-rah's kits, murdering scum!"