We all said goodbye to one another.

I hugged Hazel goodbye, promising him that I will take care fo Fiver every step.

Fiver hugged him tightly. He never wanted to leave him.

"Let's start then," said Hawkbit.

"By the time you get back," said Clover, "You'll have plenty of digging to catch up on."

Hawkbit groaned as he watched Strawberry and Dandelion smiling at him, striking manly poses.

We all hopped away from the waving group.

I was off one again on a journey with Fiver, Silverweed, Pipkin, Dandelion, Strawberry, Hawkbit, Snowflake, Bluebell, Hannah, Stuart, Scree, and of course, Gooseberry Shmooseberry.

…

We came across to a field at night. We all sat down.

I felt an itch in my ear. I tried to get at it but I couldn't get it.

"What's wrong?" asked Fiver.

"My ear is itching and I can't get it," I replied.

"Sit up," instructed Fiver.

I did so.

"Lean your head back"

I did so.

"Now use your foot to scratch the spot."

I did so. It felt very nice. I kept on doing it.

"You can stop now," smiled Fiver.

"But it's relaxing," I joked.

"Come on," laughed Fiver, butting me softly to stop.

"If you ever wanted to get rid of an itch," said Gooseberry. "Here's how I do it. Put your ear against this stump of the tree, then hold your paw to the ear then go up and down. No one could think of such a trick."

"I think Fiver was more of a good teacher," I said.

"Also," said Hawkbit. "How about you hold your ear against the stump of the tree and repeatedly hit your head over it?"

Hawkbit, in my experience, was quite a stinker, but on this occasion, I thought he owned that conceited bully.

Dandelion appeared with a stick in his mouth.

"If you ever needed your back scratched, Bluebell," he said. "I'll use this for you."

"Ants are crawling on that," said Bluebell calmly.

Dandelion stuck out his tongue to find ants crawling about it. He ran for the nearest pond.

Bluebell chuckled sweetly at him. "You never find a buck like that. This reminds me so much of his hiccup issue."

"Snickups?" smiled Strawberry.

"Steal my jokes would you?" I laughed.

"D'aw, selfish much?" teased Strawberry.

I charged at him playfully but then he pinned me down. I completely forgot how d=strong he was.

"How on earth are you so strong?" I asked.

"Digging," said Strawberry. "Helps a flogging ton."

At that moment, Snowflake arrived with Silverweed and Pipkin with fresh apples for supper.

"Wow!" I reacted. "They look so juicy! Where'd you find them?"

"Scree made us follow him to it," said Pipkin. "Snowflake picked the juiciest ones."

"I picked the juiciest for Fiver," she smiled. "He gave me one once."

"Why thank you," gulped Fiver shyly.

As he reached for it, Gooseberry took it saying, "Bette test it. Don't want a sour tounge. I'm off to patrol."

"See a vision of him being taken by a weasel why don't you?" said Hawkbit to Fiver. "He makes Bigwig look like a sweetheart."

"I can't make one, Hawkbit," said Fiver guiltily.

Hawkbit recalled to the day he called Fiver a curse.

"I'm sorry, Fiver," said Hawkbit. "I just hate him so much."

"Me too, Hawkbit," said Fiver. "But vengeance is not the answer."

"This is the second juiciest," said Snowflake handing Fiver another apple. "I'm sorry, Fiver."

"Oh that's okay," smiled Fiver munching it. "They taste just as nice as the ones Bark fed me."

"Bark?" asked Snowflake.

"A badger we are friends with. I hurt my leg and she nursed me by stuffing my belly with apples."

"Didn't have to drag yourself back did you?" I laughed.

"Fortunately," Fiver laughed. "I slept well though."

Dandelion came back with grass in his mouth and spat it back out.

"Vile!" he complained. "Vile, vile, vile, and…and…vile!"

"I know another trick, Dandelion," said Fiver. "Get your claws out and sooth the back gently."

"Speaking of which," said Bluebell. "My back is itching now. Could you help me please, Dandy?"

"Of course, err, Blue-ee," said Dandelion and he did so which the doe found very relaxing.

"Neat trick, Fiver," I said proudly.

"Where did you learn that?" asked Silverweed.

At that time, Gooseberry came in time to witness' it all, as well as Fiver's trick. "How did you - Err, I mean yeah! Taught him that myself."

"What an excellent teacher you are, Gooseberry," I said unconvinced.

" I came up with it myself!" said Fiver offended. "How green can you get?"

" Being Bigwig's lieutenant, I know everything to do with an Owsla. Even their sessions."

"And what sessions do you know of? Babysitting mice?" asked Hawkbit, eyeing Hannah was lying down with Stuart.

"Right here, Hawkbit!" she snapped angrily raising a tiny clenched paw at him.

"He's got a point," said Stuart Little. "They may do that when the time comes for us. "

"I am not ready for that!" said Hannah, shocked.

"Maybe save mice from a mile?" thought Gooseberry. He picked Hannah up by the tail and flung her into the hollow of a huge tree.

"What's the big idea!?" I cried.

"Testing your skills out"

I had enough. I plunged at him but then he lay back and gave me a powerful kick with his legs sending me flying. The others rushed up to me.

"You got to admit," smiled Stuart. "He's quite talented."

"Got anything nice to say?" I groaned. "If not shut up!"

"I told you he's not worth fighting," said Strawberry helping me up.

"You might have been more specific," I coughed.

"I didn't want him to make an example of anyone else," he explained.

"That's okay," I smiled forgivingly.

"Are you alright?" asked Fiver.

"How can I be okay?" I said. "How can any of us be okay with that conceited bully on out tails like a poison bramble? But no harm done, Fiver. Thanks," I added.

"Now about Hannah?" added Dandelion.

We rushed to the tall tree. It was so tall it was like a lamppost in rabbit view.

"And how do we expect to get up there?" said Hawkbit. "Get Scree to confront whatever's up there?"

We ordered Scree to see if it was safe. He flew into the hollow and we heard screeching and howling and Scree came back down.

"Demon Owl," he said.

"I've got it!" cried Fiver. "Scree, you distract the owl and persuade him to leave the hollow while we make a ladder of ourselves to rescue Hannah."

Dandelion stood first, then Strawberry climbed on his shoulders, followed by Hawkbit followed by me, followed by Silverweed, followed by Fiver, followed by Pipkin.

In there he saw Hannah petrified.

"It's alight, Hannah," he said kindly. "Get on my head."

She climbed on it as she scurried down our backs, which tickled. We all giggled but the ladder was beginning to shake. We all wobbled about until we feel, all of us landing on Gooseberry who was watching us coolly.

We all got up groaning, but relieved that Hannah was safe. Scree flew back down.

"Oh, Fiver!" cried Snowflake. "What a clever plan that was!"

"Ere, thank you, Snowflake," he said softly.

Gooseberry on the other hand, still flattened by us, watched the two furiously.

"Hannah!" cried Stuart hugging her.

"Dramatic much?" she said. "Not many owls frighten me. I saved Bigwig form one once after all."