The mother rabbits always told their kittens about the evil General Woundwort, and how if the kittens didn't behave, he would come get them. It was believed by most of the rabbits that he was killed during the raid on Watership Down. The legend of Woundwort was passed down through generations of rabbits until it became entangled in the old stories about El-Hrair-Rah.
But General Woundwort did not get killed by the dog from Nuthanger Farm. He crept away, looking worse than poor Blackavar after his punishment for trying to run away. He should have died. He thought he did die. He crawled for what seemed like an eternity, losing blood all the way. He wished for the Black Rabbit to come for him. Finally, he came upon another warren.
The once great and imposing General was met at the borders of the warren by a large gray rabbit, who was obviously a member of the warren's Owsla.
"Who goes there?" The rabbit barred the battered rabbits way forward.
The General tried to push himself up to all fours, but failed. "I am called General Woundwort, survivior of the warren Efrafa. I come from a massacre. A dog atacked me. Finish me now, if you want. But do it quick, so I don't have to freeze first."
The rabbit was taken aback by this proclaimation. This battered old rabbit was the legendary General Woundwort? But Efrafa was hrair miles away! It couldn't be, but here he was, facing him, in the flesh.
The gray rabbit stepped aside, and told his Owsla, which had come up behind him with astealth that even Woundwort himself had to admire, that he himself would escort the guest to their Chief Rabbit, Sunflower.
"Yes, Cypress. We will continue to watch the borders." The rabbits dissipated.
"It's procedure, you see, that we take all guests of the warren directly to him," Cypress told Woundwort as he limped slowly towards the hole that Cypress had indicated. "Plus, we have to get you underground before you bring elil all around us. You reek of blood. However did you get so far alone?"
Woundwort looked at Cypress with his one good eye. "With luck, young Captain of Owsla, with luck."
"I'm Cypress, Woundwort. It's an honor to meet you."
They had been going deeper and deeper underground as they talked, and presently they came to the burrow of the Chief Rabbit. General Woundwort could tell by the smell of the burrow that the Chief was younger than he was, and sick, too. He took note of this, thought to himself, "A fine warren this is, and it's just right for the taking. My luck seems to rival the very trickery of Elil-Hrair-Rah at times."
Cypress broke him away from his thought by nudging him. "My uncle will see you now."
"Your uncle? You're related to the Chief Rabbit?" Woundwort couldn't believe his luck. The young officer was already star-struck by him, maybe he could use him somehow...
"Chief Rabbit Sunflower, this is hlessi that wandered into the warren. He claims to be General Woundwort, sir." Cypress' voice held a menace that hadn't been there on the walk down. Unease began to form in Woundwort's mind.
"You are General Woundwort? You? What brought you here of all places? You don't know who I am... do you?" The Chief Rabbit didn't smell familiar, nor did the General recognize the rabbit's voice.
The once-fine General was beginning to feel apprehensive now. "Don't know you? I've never met you before in my life!"
Sunflower stood up, and his immense size struck Woundwort for the first time. The Chief Rabbit was larger than Woundwort.
"Ah, the fine General Woundwort. The most feared rabbit in history. You are the Destroyer of Warrens, the Killer of Kittens, you are a murderer and a coward. I was a mere kitten when you attacked Nutley Copse. You remember Nutley Copse, don't you, General? You attacked us with no warning, you and your Wide Patrol. You yourself killed our Chief Rabbit, you took our does for Efrafa. You killed both of my parents, General. I barely escaped with my life. I wandered for days, until I found my way here. Now, long after I gave up my hope for revernge, now you come to me and you are a sad case, General. I should have my nephew rip you to shreds. I shall not, however. You, the scourge of my life, shall dig a burrow for yourself by the main entrance where you shall stay until you die. You shall not eat, you shall not do anything without my permission. You are mine now, General." The roomy burrow bagan to spin and the General fell to the ground , unconsious.
But General Woundwort did not get killed by the dog from Nuthanger Farm. He crept away, looking worse than poor Blackavar after his punishment for trying to run away. He should have died. He thought he did die. He crawled for what seemed like an eternity, losing blood all the way. He wished for the Black Rabbit to come for him. Finally, he came upon another warren.
The once great and imposing General was met at the borders of the warren by a large gray rabbit, who was obviously a member of the warren's Owsla.
"Who goes there?" The rabbit barred the battered rabbits way forward.
The General tried to push himself up to all fours, but failed. "I am called General Woundwort, survivior of the warren Efrafa. I come from a massacre. A dog atacked me. Finish me now, if you want. But do it quick, so I don't have to freeze first."
The rabbit was taken aback by this proclaimation. This battered old rabbit was the legendary General Woundwort? But Efrafa was hrair miles away! It couldn't be, but here he was, facing him, in the flesh.
The gray rabbit stepped aside, and told his Owsla, which had come up behind him with astealth that even Woundwort himself had to admire, that he himself would escort the guest to their Chief Rabbit, Sunflower.
"Yes, Cypress. We will continue to watch the borders." The rabbits dissipated.
"It's procedure, you see, that we take all guests of the warren directly to him," Cypress told Woundwort as he limped slowly towards the hole that Cypress had indicated. "Plus, we have to get you underground before you bring elil all around us. You reek of blood. However did you get so far alone?"
Woundwort looked at Cypress with his one good eye. "With luck, young Captain of Owsla, with luck."
"I'm Cypress, Woundwort. It's an honor to meet you."
They had been going deeper and deeper underground as they talked, and presently they came to the burrow of the Chief Rabbit. General Woundwort could tell by the smell of the burrow that the Chief was younger than he was, and sick, too. He took note of this, thought to himself, "A fine warren this is, and it's just right for the taking. My luck seems to rival the very trickery of Elil-Hrair-Rah at times."
Cypress broke him away from his thought by nudging him. "My uncle will see you now."
"Your uncle? You're related to the Chief Rabbit?" Woundwort couldn't believe his luck. The young officer was already star-struck by him, maybe he could use him somehow...
"Chief Rabbit Sunflower, this is hlessi that wandered into the warren. He claims to be General Woundwort, sir." Cypress' voice held a menace that hadn't been there on the walk down. Unease began to form in Woundwort's mind.
"You are General Woundwort? You? What brought you here of all places? You don't know who I am... do you?" The Chief Rabbit didn't smell familiar, nor did the General recognize the rabbit's voice.
The once-fine General was beginning to feel apprehensive now. "Don't know you? I've never met you before in my life!"
Sunflower stood up, and his immense size struck Woundwort for the first time. The Chief Rabbit was larger than Woundwort.
"Ah, the fine General Woundwort. The most feared rabbit in history. You are the Destroyer of Warrens, the Killer of Kittens, you are a murderer and a coward. I was a mere kitten when you attacked Nutley Copse. You remember Nutley Copse, don't you, General? You attacked us with no warning, you and your Wide Patrol. You yourself killed our Chief Rabbit, you took our does for Efrafa. You killed both of my parents, General. I barely escaped with my life. I wandered for days, until I found my way here. Now, long after I gave up my hope for revernge, now you come to me and you are a sad case, General. I should have my nephew rip you to shreds. I shall not, however. You, the scourge of my life, shall dig a burrow for yourself by the main entrance where you shall stay until you die. You shall not eat, you shall not do anything without my permission. You are mine now, General." The roomy burrow bagan to spin and the General fell to the ground , unconsious.