Watership down-
Chapter one- Darkness
Hazel slowly opened his eyes. His body ached with pain and his right foreleg was screaming. Gently, he pushed himself to his hunches. Blood dripped down his body as dried mud clung to his cuts and scratches. He knew his right leg was sprained, probably broken. Winching, he licked at the open wounds to clean them.
He was working on his busted right leg when a huge shadow of a huge rabbit covered his battered body. Nervously, he looked up and gasped.
Standing at the entrance, blocking Fraith's light with his body was General Woundwort. His rough black fur gleamed like the black rabbit of Inlay. The general's red and blinded white eyes pierced into Hazel's, searching deep into his soul. Hazel shivered and tried to move away but only backed into a stone wall of a burrow.
Just behind Woundwort, gazing at their prisoner from the entrance stood his two loyal Captains Campion and Vervain. Campion was looking over at Hazel with sadness in his eyes while Vervain sneered and realised a slight chuckle.
"Welcome Hazel," greeted Woundwort coldly. Hazel tried to stand up but his right leg complained. Vervain growled but the general ignored him. "You are in my terratry now outsider and no one can save you."
"It's not over General," challenged Hazel succeeding in balancing on one foreleg and his hunches, "my friends will come for me."
The general laughed, the volume shaking the room around him, "you will find escape impossible outsider. I have placed guards in front of your chamber. Strong guards that will destroy any rabbit that approaches. Besides, you are staying by my side so I can see your every movement."
"MAKE ME!" demanded Hazel and forgetting his leg, he made a break for the entrance. Woundwort seemed to step aside but Hazel didn't think about that. Freedom was away from Woundwort and his bullying warren.
He got past Campion and Vervain easily and broke out into the sunlight. Warren rabbits stopped eating and watched him race for the bushes. Woundwort was shouting commands but Hazel refused to listen. Catch me if you can general he thought.
His stomach was hit to the side by what felt like a boulder. He fell into the soft mud and felt a heavy body press his into the ground. A grey furred rabbit gazed into his terrified eyes. He struggled but the rabbit cuffed him in the face and rolled him on his front… so he was facing the eyes of General Woundwort.
The giant black rabbit leaned forward so his nose was almost touching Hazel's. Hazel flattened his ears.
A cry filled the air. It sounded like his name in the wind. The voice was familiar. Fiver! Hazel pushed his head up as far as he could manage. High on the cliff, close to the branch, his little brother Fiver was held by two owsela rabbits. One of them was holding the back of his throat in his teeth.
"Let my brother go!" demanded Hazel struggling to push against his captive. The guard cuffed him between the ears but Woundwort waved a paw to stop.
"Take Hazel underground. Give the order for his brother to be brought to my chamber." As Hazel was dragged away spitting and cursing, Woundwort turned to his two captains. Vervain and Campion stood to attention in front of their chief. Woundwort frowned and snorted, "what of the other outsider? What of Bigwig?"
"He escaped with two other rabbit sir. A patrol has gone after them. They have been ordered to report at sundown," reported Campion.
"May I suggest sir that we show an example to the others," suggested Vervain, "We could rip their ears and cuff them a bit."
"No," ordered Woundwort, "not yet. I want to dispose of the three outsiders together in front of their people. Come," he cried sharply, "I have a meeting with the black rabbit of Inlay processed brother of that leader."