Watership Down By Richard Adams
The Continuation of the Adventures of Watership Down
Disclaimer: I don't own Watership Down, Richard Adams wrote the book.
CHAPTER ONE KEHAAR'S RETURN
So Hazel went down the hill to Fiver. He told Fiver about one of the litters.
"He is just like you. He knows when danger is lurking," said Hazel
"What's that litter's name?" asked Fiver.
"I don't know but I am sure that you're the father, you look the same" responded Hazel.
Fiver thought about what Hazel said. All of sudden Hazel had an idea, a name for the litter.
"How about Fiver Jr. since he is just like you? "Asked Hazel.
Fiver looked like he was daydreaming and he said, "I agree with you, his name should be Fiver Jr."
"Fiver let's go to the warren it is time to sleep," said Hazel
"Okay," replied Fiver.
As they went in, the litters were listening to a story that was about to end…"And El-ahrairah led his people to the new warren. Everybody was happy and they had peace for a long time."
"Time to go to sleep young ones" said Vilthuril. Hazel asked if he could talk. Vilthuril nodded her head.
"Well, you know the little litter that warrened us that a man is coming?" Vilthuril nodded her head again.
"Well, we should name him Fiver Jr. This way we give respect to his father. Do you like this name?' asked Hazel.
She smiled and nodded her head in agreement. The leader always knew better. It was his job to name the young ones.
The next morning Hazel went outside the warren and waited for Kehaar. Hazel was wondering when Kehaar would come. All of a sudden out of nowhere Kehaar came.
Hazel asked "Where have you been?''
"I was on my way however, I fell in a pit and I got wounded, so I had to stay at home for few days in order to feel better" answered Kehaar.
They started to go toward the warren, meanwhile Pipkin saw them.
He run to Fiver and yelled "Guess what?"
"What is it?" asked Fiver angerly while he was lying on the grass daydreaming.
"Well, I did not mean to wake you up….but did you know that Kehaar is back?"
"Of course, I always know everything before anybody else does."
Then he saw Hazel and Kehaar climbing up the hill.
CHAPTER TWO THE BIG PLAN
As Hazel and Kehaar came up, Fiver also saw behind them Bigwig, Blackberry, Strawberry, and Dandelion were climbing too.
Hazel said "We need a new warren for the new litters. We need Kehaar to bring Captain Campion to help us to build a bigger warren. Strawberry, Dandilion, and Blackberry, you would also help to finish it up, and you too Pipkin even though you are small you can help them too. So Fiver what do you think, is it going to be Okay?"
"Um, um I am not so sure," answered Fiver.
Bigwig asked, "We don't have all day, so what is your answer?"
"I need to get going. It is getting late, I would like to reach Captain Campion's warren before dark" said Kehaar and he took off.
Fiver still did not answer. He was still kind of daydreaming. He was closing his eyes and mumbling a chant that the others could not understand.
Hazel interrupted his thoughts by saying, "Take your time to think Fiver."
While everyone left and went down the hill, Fiver and Hazel stayed behind. It was quite.
Hazel broke the heavy silence again and asked Fiver "Why did you act that way, ignoring the rest of us?"
Fiver startled, looked around, forgetting where he was and with whom.
He whispered "I was getting a massage from El- ahrairah and …"
Hazel interrupted him "What did he say?"
Fiver answered, "El-ahrairah said that Kehaar would almost die in the winter but a miracle would save him." Hazel was shocked. He was about to slap Fiver, but he heard some litters were calling him "Hazel-rah".
He turned around and saw Fiver Jr.
"Yes, Fiver Jr. what do you want?" Asked Hazel.
"I had a dream. It was about Kehaar. He was going to die and you are being chased by a fox, and when winter comes we are going to die," said Fiver Jr. "So promise us we will stay inside and we will store enough food for the winter".
"You are right, we will do it," answered Hazel.
CHAPTER THREE – THE ARGUMENT
When Kehaar got to Captain Campion, they talked about the new warren.
Suddenly the Captain shouted "Why should I help these beasts, they took almost every does and killed lots of rabbits. Unless they give back the does, and if they have any litters they should send them too."
"I'll deliver the message to Hazel and I'll let you know what he said. Maybe you want to come with me?" asked Kehaar.
Captain Campion spoke "Why should I fly with a bird! Birds are known Elil to rabbits. So my answer to you is that I am not coming with you, but you should be careful too because the winter is coming very soon. Why don't you stay here for a few days, rest and get plenty food for your tummy."
'Maybe it is a trap' Kehaar thought
"No" he answered to Captain Campion, "I have to leave"
CHAPTER FOUR – THE WINTER BREAKS OUT
As Kehaar started to fly, snow started to fall down and the wind was blowing. He felt that he was loosing control. He fell on the ground " I am dying " he shouted but no voice came out. He saw a human body coming closer and closer.
"What's happening? Who is this creature?"
Suddenly every thing went dark. Kehaar tried to see and to stay awake but he could not resist this feeling of numbness.
Later in Water Ship Down warren the rabbits were cold more than ever. Hazel was standing out side watching to see any sign of Kehaar, but no trace of him.
Fiver Jr. spoke "Hazel-rah come inside the warren or else you will catch a cold and you might die, so, please came inside"
"Okay" answered Hazel in a sad voice.
"Don't worry he will came back with good news" said Fiver Jr. They walked back to the warren, suddenly FiverJr. smelled a fox coming toward them.
Fiver Jr. shouted, "Run run there is a fox on our way".
Hazel run to the bushes so did Fiver Jr. Hazel was watching but he could not see much in the darkness. He waited for the elil to go away, when a sudden cry came from the litters in the warren.
Kehaar felt cold. He was covered with white snow. It was a beautiful blanket. The human was not around. Kehaar got up on his feet and clean himself from the snow. Suddenly he saw a movement in the snow, he started to limp.
"Stop! I am a rabbit and my name is Cowslip. I live near by. Do you want to come to my warren to warm up? I have lots of friends that will take care of you, would you came with me?" But Kehaar couldn't answer; he was shivering from the cold. So, Cowslip just took his wing and they walked to the warren. There, Cowslip introduced Kehaar to General Woundwort, Silverweed, Toadflax, and Threarah who once was a chief Rabbit in Hazel's warren.
As soon as Hazel reached the litters, the rabbit was already dead. Hazel tried to hold back the tears and said, "My heart had joined the thousand for my friend stopped running" (a rabbit proverb) Fiver Jr. was standing next to Hazel, a tear rolled down on his cheek. Strawberry, Dandelion, Blackberry, and Pipkin came running towards them yelling "what happened?"
"A litter was killed by a fox," answered Hazel.
"Did you know him?" asked Fiver Jr.
"No, but he was my responsibility" Hazel said.
"It is always your responsibility" Bigwig who entered that moment said," You don't have to blame yourself for every thing that happened here".
At that moment Captin Holly came outside shouting, " I have a plan! I have a plan everybody!"
"Stop screaming, we are prying for this litter that died" Said Fiver Jr.
But Bigwig cut him off. "What is the plan?" he asked.
"Since Kehaar has not come back yet we have to go out and look for him. We should send Bluebell, Acorn, and Blackberry to snoop around and to see if they can find any trace of him. We can also send Hawkbit to spy in the next-door warren maybe he is there hiding" answered Captain Holly.
Hazel look astonished and asked " What warren?''
Blackberry said, "We found food in the warren next door three miles north from here. Nobody was there, so we took all the food. We can put it in our storage for the rest of the winter.
CHAPTER FIVE THE DESION
Meanwhile Cowslip took care of Kehaar's wounds. When Kehaar felt better he flu back to Captain Campion to try to convince him one more time to join Hazel. When Captain Campion saw the bird he said, " Okay you are so persistent, I will help Hazel to built a big warren. We will combine our warrens together. We can be a very strong warren together and nobody will be able to bit us." When should we leave?"
"Now" answered Kehaar.
So Captain Campion sat on Kehaar back and together they flu over the forest. Captain Campion was a bit afraid but he did not show it. What his rabbits will think of him if they knew that their chief was a coward? No, nobody can find out the truth about him even though it was the first time that he was flying. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine that he was in his warren. But Kehaar kept talking to him, and showing him interesting places in the woods. Captain Campion would answer him in short syllabus "ahh", "yap" and, "I see".
From time to time Captain Campion picked through his paws and saw some tall green trees or different kinds of birds who waved to Kehaar and said "Hello". It took another half an hour and they descended to the ground.
When they got to the ground they were met by a group of rabbits. Captain Campion recognized right away Hazel.
"Hello Hazel" he said.
"Hello to you" answered Hazel "Will you help us?"
"I have a better idea, why don't we combine our warrens. We will be stronger together to fight off any elil or human that would attack us. We can build a tunnel that will connect the two warrens. If we need to expand them we can do it together" answered Captain Campion.
"I agree, let's start," said Hazel. They shook their paws and informed their communities.
CHAPTER SIX THE MAN, THE GAS, AND THE NEW WARREN
Months later, the two communities settled in their combined large warren. A word came to Hazel {he was still the chief rabbit and Captain Campion was the vice chief} that a warren two kilometer from Watership Down had been gazed by a human. Lots of rabbits died including General Woundwort. Very few rabbits survived and they needed a shelter.
"Of course we will let them in" said Hazel to Captain Campion "we need also to find a solution to protect our community in case this crazy human decides to come to us."
"I have the perfect solution," said Captain Campion. "In my old warren we have some old dungeons that were built long time ago. Nobody has used it for some time and the entrance is close, so we will have to dig it. We can hide there till the danger will pass. What do you think?"
"I like the idea. Let's go and tell the others." Said Hazel.
So all the rabbits went down to clear the entrance to the dungeons. Groundsel was the chief digger so he was promoted to be a Captain in the Owsla. They stayed in the dungeons for the whole season, and in the spring they send Silver outside to check if the danger is over.
"It is over" he announced.
Mean while Hazel grew tired and old. He lived more years then any rabbit had lived. When he was ready to retired he appointed Silver to be the chief rabbit. Hazel was the El-ahrairah of his rabbits. He led them to the new warren so they can live happy and secure. The rabbits in Watership Down lived in peace forever.
"And so my children now you know our history" said Fiver Jr. to his litters "we should always remember great Hazel and grandpa Fiver."
"Dad, we will always remember your story, and we will tell it to our litters." agreed the new litters.
THE-END