Challenge to Efrafa Part 2

As it seemed to be over an hour since we left, we arrived at the stone hedge that closely resembles to one previously from our way to and back from the farm. We than saw Kehaar landed next to the gap that we'll hop and climb through.

"The other side of woods, old stone road, follow me!" Kehaar pointed out the directions to Efrafa, as he was our over-watch for direction and scouting enemy patrols ahead.

"Yet, be right with ya. Soon, as I grow some wings." Hawkbit said as he flapped his arms, as he pretended to be a bird. Kehaar fly off ahead to continue to give us direction.

I than got behind the left side of the stone hedge and I cued everybody to get behind the hedge. I than started to give them hand signals, as I pointed myself and Bigwig to check the corners. He than gave me a confusing look, as he was trying to figure out what I was doing and I repeated the same signal.

"What does that mean?" Bigwig asked.

"He was saying to enter and check corners." Tyler answered.

Bigwig entered first and checked the corners and I followed soon after to see the corners were clear. We than started to hear the train horn whistles in the distance.

"We can hear the iron road." Bigwig pointed out.

"You mean railroad tracks." I corrected.

"You know what I mean. Either way, we're on the edge of Efrafa. On your toes everyone." Bigwig than ordered us to remain alert, as the rest of the Owsla entered through the hedge.

"You do have a weird way of doing signals, other than just climbing through or hopping over." Hawkbit said.

"You never know what's there." I rebuttal-ed. I than saw Hazel and Fiver were the last ones and I waited, as everybody else moved on.

"No visions yet, Fiver? It'll be nice to know, if we're going to come through this alright." Hazel asked.

"I can't see anything ahead of us. Just a gray mist of possibilities." Fiver answered.

"I wouldn't worry about it Hazel. It's only a one way plan to find out." I added.

"You two are a great help!" Hazel exclaimed, before turning towards Fiver. "What I really need to know the future, you can't tell me!"

Fiver looked down upon his older brother's upset. I felt a little jumped from Hazel's outburst.

"I'm sorry, you two. I didn't mean it." Hazel than apologized.

"Hey, it's okay." I forgave him.

"I know. You're worried, aren't you?" Fiver figured about Hazel's outburst.

Hazel sighed. "Everyone's risking their lives for a promise I made."

"Don't forget Hazel, we agreed to fulfill the promise. It's not going to be your liability from your idea. You're the leader and anybody could make a mistake." I added.

"Andrew's right. Being a leader means doing what you think is right, then living with the consequences." Fiver stated.

Hazel than hopped to the top of the gap of the hedge and looked back at us. "This trying to be right all the time gets tiring."

We than followed Hazel. "You know Hazel, trying to be right is different from doing the right. One is way: trying to make an effort to be right and another is doing whatever a person believes it is the right way to do and go." I said.

"Just trust in Frith's guidance and strength, and we'll be able to pull through with this." Fiver encouraged Hazel.

"You're right, Fiver. Thank you." Hazel smiled and hugged his little brother. "And you, Andrew." he than turned towards me with a smile.

"I'm your friend and Fiver's your brother. We're behind one hundred percent." I smiled back, as we catch up with the rest of the Owsla.

The morning started to become midday, as we arrived at a farming field and we're possibly near Efrafa. Hazel told Kehaar to go ahead and meet us at the river, as the rest of us continued on. When we came to the woods, I heard a rustle from one of the bushes nearby. I didn't bother to go near, as I fear it would be the Efrafa patrol.

"Guys, I think we're being followed." I alarmed in a whisper to the Owsla.

"How can you be sure?" Bigwig asked.

"I saw bushes rustle and it stopped. It may be Efrafa patrol or elil." I feared.

"We just have to be on our best guard, Andrew." Hazel said.

We than continued through the woods. Each passing moment, Bigwig sniffed for scent, until he recognized one.

"Got something?" Tyler asked.

"Fox! Over the tree!" Bigwig discovered the scent in a whisper. "Move!" We started to move quicker.

"Sneaky ones they're." I said.

We than came by a log and Hawkbit stood next to it and lie down, so everyone could hop on top of him to hop on the log. After I climbed onto the log, I spotted the fox was hiding in the bushes.

"Bigwig, behind you!" I alarmed Bigwig, the fox is coming out of the bushes. Bigwig than hopped over the log and told everyone to run for it. We continued to be pursued by the fox. We than arrived at a small stream to find a place to hide.

"You guys, wait!" we heard Tyler's voice. We stopped and came back to him. "We could hide behind this small fall."

Hazel put his paw through the fall and reveals a hiding place. "Good thinking, Tyler. We can hide behind it and the water could mask our scent. Quick!"

One by one, we started to go through the fall. Tyler kept his Zune and his headphones tightly zipped in his vest backpack and went through into hiding. I had to unstrap my travel pack, as it would take much room and I placed it by a bush, so I remember to come back for it. I than saw Hazel hop through the fall.

"Come on, Bigwig and Andrew. There's plenty of room." Hazel called out.

"Are you coming?" I asked Bigwig.

A snarl came from the fox finding our track. "Get in there!" Bigwig exclaimed. I went through the fall and I saw Bigwig leaving the stream, as the fox followed.

"Is he coming?" Hazel asked.

"No, he went off to hide else where I suppose." I shook my head. Hazel than peaked out through the fall to see the area was clear.

"We'll wait until the fox's scent is further away." Hazel said. Everyone waited to hope that Bigwig would come back. I went to see Tyler and he's a bit nervous.

"First time getting chased by a fox?" I asked.

"No." he said.

"I'm sure Bigwig would come back and he's tougher than a fox and quick too." I comforted.

A scream shouted from the distance, before another came.

"Bigwig." Hazel said.

"That doesn't sound like his scream back in Cowslip's." I refused to believe.

"What if it did got him?" Blackberry asked.

"Well... I'm sure there's another plan, but I doubt it." I said. Hazel than poked his head through the falls and sniffed, before coming back.

"It's safe to come out now." Hazel said.

We than hopped out of the fall and have no sign of Bigwig or the fox coming back. Hazel seems desperate that Bigwig hasn't come back.

"I'm afraid that he has stopped running." Hazel feared.

"Don't talk like that Hazel. I'm sure he's clever enough to maneuver the fox and he may be on his way back here now." I comforted.

Before Hazel could say another word, we heard rustle from a bush and turns out to be Bigwig. We were relieved that he managed to escape from the fox, as everyone was happy to see him. However, I looked at Hazel and he was a bit stern at him.

"We thought we lost you that time. You ol' digger you." Hawkbit said.

"Takes more of a fox and a couple of Efrafa Owsla to bother me." Bigwig boasts.

"An Efrafa patrol?" Tyler questioned.

"Yes lad, but they wouldn't be able to follow us, because they were taken by the fox." Bigwig answered.

"That was an idiotic risk!" Hazel exclaimed sternly.

"What's tickling your ears?!" Bigwig questions Hazel, as he comes face to face.

"You're no use to us if you're dead!"

"And what was I suppose to do? Let the fox find the rest of you huddling behind a waterfall!" Bigwig shouted.

"He might not found us." Hazel explained.

"That's your trouble, Hazel. You wanted the world safe and nice. Well the world isn't like that, get use to it." Bigwig scolded.

"Enough! Look, we're alive that's all it matters! Hazel found a good hiding spot. Bigwig could have hid, but the fox was probably around the corner and spotted him. If he would have gone through the fall and been observed by the fox, it would have got all of us. As if the fox would have peeked through." Tyler stood up and I had to give him credit. "If we're going to Efrafa, we need to go now and less arguing."

Both Hazel and Bigwig sighed after hearing Tyler's spot.

"He's right, now let's get going, unless you think it's too dangerous." Bigwig said and went off ahead. We couldn't be able to go off unless everybody follows Hazel. Hazel began to think until he shook his head and proceeded on, as we follow them both.

We than arrived at the bridge and we spotted Kehaar underneath it, as he's trying to catch some fish.

"Alright, we made it to the bridge and Kehaar is here. However, what's up with your ears Tyler?" Bigwig questioned

"Me?" Tyler asked.

"Yes, because you came to help us and I thought that you may have some connection to Efrafa." Bigwig wondered.

"For me taking their side, no. However, me ended up being there yes." Tyler shook up his nerve and answered.

Everyone listened to Tyler's story about how he came to Efrafa and how he got out.

Flashback begins

I was trying to find my way around, as I was out at the fields. I than spotted a group of rabbits that I would find out later they were from Efrafa. They surrounded me and despite of them being tough and they were some many rabbits. I had no choice to surrender to Vervain and his Owsla.

"What do we have here?" Vervain questioned.

"I'm Tyler. Tyler Damien. Please, I don't want any trouble. I came here from another part of the world and I kinda lost my way." I answered.

The Owsla looked at each other and whisper among each other until Vervain spoke what I thought he was kind. "We're going to take you to our warren, Efrafa. And there, you'll tell us everything you know to our leader, General Woundwart."

"I'll go with you. Just please don't harm me." I said cringed in fear.

"Nothing to worry about. As soon you're in Efrafa, you'll be right as rain." Vervain creepingly patted my head.

They than took me to Efrafa, where they had me greeted to their leader General Woundwart. He appeared frighteningly looking, but it didn't stop me from facing him and asking him, if I could stay here.

"Who are you?" General Woundwart asked me.

"My name is Tyler Damien, sir. I came from another part of the world and I lost my way. I came with your Owsla, for I was certain that I could find sancu-" I turned around to see the Owsla was curious about my special vest backpack.

"Please, kindly don't stare at my stuff like that." I begged the Owsla surrounding me. General Woundwart told them to clear away my space, as I turned back towards him. "Anyway, I was hoping that I would find sanctuary here, sir."

General Woundwart smiled and had a rabbit named Campion escorted me to a burrow, where I was given shelter. However, I only stayed here only for a day after I decided to wander around to see other rabbits were fearful, as they were being victimized by the Owsla. They even had certain times that we could go outside, until we have to come back in. Most of the rabbits starved, but mostly attacked from their Owsla tearing their ears and/or clawing at them. I knew I had to make an escape, so I decided to go at nightfall when everyone is nearly asleep. I managed to reach the outside above ground, until I was being spotted by Vervain and his Owsla. I ran for my life and I continued to run, suddenly a fox came out of no where from the bushes and gained his speed to pounce on two Efrafa Owsla rabbits, as I continued to flee, until I was far enough to be away from there.

Flashback ended

"In the next day, I still wandered in the woods, until I was being trapped into a cage by a human and I was taken to the farm, where I met my newly adopted mother, Clover and later on you guys." Tyler summarized his story.

"There's nothing to fear about it now." Hawkbit said.

"We would make sure that you wouldn't be caught by them and send back." Hazel said.

"Still, I don't understand why are you trying to go back for? You had a choice to stay with your mother and the rest of the Owsla." Bigwig questioned.

"I wanted to save other rabbits, who doesn't deserve to be treated this way." Tyler answered. Bigwig didn't had any words, until he nodded his head and approved.

Although, Tyler managed to keep some of the details about being from another world was concealed. Bigwig still had questions about Tyler, but he decided to slide it, because we're at an important mission that we need to do. We went downhill underneath the bridge and met up with Kehaar.

"Kehaar. You were supposed to meet us at the plank bridge." Hazel told Kehaar.

"Plank bridge gone." Kehaar said.

"I know it's gone. We were waiting there for you."

"You're here now. Cross this bridge." Kehaar said, before ducking his head for more fish, as he was trying to bob for some apples. We went back up and cross the broken bridge to the other side. Bigwig started to sniff around the trails.

"Efrafa patrol. Fresh scent." Bigwig revealed the scent.

"They must be guarding the bridge time to time." I said.

"Yes, as they just left." Bigwig added, before sniffing again. "Ohhh, I'll bet Bobstones to beach nuts, Woundwart got his troops watching all the bridges."

"So they'll be back soon." Hazel figures. We than went downhill to hide underneath the bridge once more. Hazel than begins to doubt about the plan itself.

"We have to rethink this raid." Hazel was hesitant.

I was shocked to hear that he was second guessing of the plan itself or the approach of the plan. Bigwig was still determined however. "We came to get Primrose, Blackavar, and Sandy. What's to think about?"

"Getting away in one piece." Hazel answered. I didn't really thought about how to get out and everyone started to think twice.

"Hazel's got a point. Let's rethink it back home. Hmm?" Hawkbit suggested. Bigwig growled at him, as Hawkbit was feared from him.

"But we can't think back at home, we need to just quickly think about our getaway." I said.

"I've just have about enough of you. I say we get it done, now!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"Well wait a minute-" I tried to speak.

"Alright, say we do get them out and Woundwart sends his army after us." Hazel said.

"Then Kehaar does his hawk act to keep them occupied. We run like mad back here." Bigwig added.

"That would be enough, but I do-"

"Right! And there's an Efrafa patrol blocking the bridge! Then what?!" Hazel questions.

"Would you STOP INTERRUPTING AND LISTEN TO ME HAZEL AND BIGWIG! SHUT UP!" I had enough and I had to silence them. "What if I tried to start an uprising."

Everyone gasped from what I thought was radical.

"A uprising against Woundwart?! How?" Bigwig asked.

"I'll try to motivate a certain group of rabbits, who are against him that could inspire others." I answered.

"Not everyone is going to believe you." Hazel disagrees.

"Not everyone would you're right. However, we could gain some of the rabbits' trust. It would start to get some ideas into place." I explained. "And that Hazel, they could try to stall their Owsla long enough to make our escape."

"And leaving others to suffer?!" Fiver questioned my plan.

"We can't pin point if all would suffer. Some may be successful to escape, some maybe captured, or some would be dead in combat. It may cost a sacrifice, but it won't be vain." I went on further.

"You'll talk but no action. I'll watch for the bridge patrol, while Hazel is decides on how fast we should run away." Bigwig moped and went off.

I shook my head, as he was trying to rush it. "I'll be back Hazel and try to reason with him."

"I'll join you." Tyler followed me also.

"Be careful." Hazel warned us. Tyler and I nodded our heads and tried to catch up with Bigwig.

We climbed up to see Bigwig entered the woods and we started to follow him. As we tried to be stealthy as possible, Bigwig stopped and sniffed us out, and the next is that he pounced on top of me, as Tyler dodged a near miss.

"What are you lots following me?!" Bigwig's patient was thin.

"We had to see you and try to explain that our plan would work. It's just we need to find our way out though." I answered.

"And you suppose your little revolt will be the answer?"

"No, he was trying to say is that we need to find our escape route to get back home, in case we're being perused." Tyler explained.

Bigwig sighed, as usual. "I'm sorry I was rough, but we can't just think it through again. We need to take our action!"

"Yes, but how are we going to get in?" I asked.

"You two give yourselves up, as I take you both in." Bigwig suggested.

"What?!" me and Tyler exclaimed.

"Think about, I'll be trying to fit in with their Owsla, as you two would be trying to gather some rabbits with high spirits to make a revolt." Bigwig explained.

"Still, when I was there, not many would stand up to them." Tyler added. "They're too fearful to fight back."

"We just need to encourage them and lift their spirits to create a just cause." I stated.

"We'll find their patrol and we'll surrender ourselves, as I try to join them." Bigwig planned.

Someone in the back of my mind, I felt like that I know how it's going to turn down for Bigwig, presuming the worst of him. Bigwig and Tyler started to head their way towards Efrafa.

"Bigwig."

"What is it, champ?" Bigwig said.

I didn't have one: the guts or trying to explain that it may not entirely work, if they caught him. "Nevermind, it's nothing."

"You still coming and going to plan right?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah... without doubt." I didn't understand why I began to think twice.

Maybe I was starting to become fearful that nobody would trust us, or Bigwig would get the serve punishment if he was caught in a dragnet between me, Tyler, and the maybe the rest of the imprisoned Efrafa rabbits willing to fight. When we arrived at Efrafa, Tyler began to shiver, as he had told us about his short stay there. We were than rounded up by one of the rabbit's names that I remembered from my first encounter, Campion.

"You'll be presented by General Woundwart and do not try to trick him." Campion warned us.

"Oh no, we'll won't double cross our boss now, won't we." I was being a smart-ass, as if I was being caught. Even Bigwig remained in character, as he even slapped me on the back.

"You'll watch your tongue!" Bigwig scolded. Tyler didn't have to say it twice, as he remembered and he wanted to forget about it, but he was certain to even his score.

Campion presented himself to General Woundwart and chatted about their new prisoners and a new Owsla rabbit. Bigwig than went first, as me and Tyler followed and we stopped next to Campion and Vervain. Tyler turned his face away from Vervain's face.

"General Woundwart! Bigwig, sir! At your service." Bigwig greeted himself and our mission is underway...

To Be Continued...

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas into this episode.