Chapter 28
It had been more than a week since the Efrafans had left the down, and since Sam had told his friends of their enemies. Since then, Sam, Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig had been planning nonstop how to combat the Black Rabbit, but had little success. They had no idea where Alice and the Black Rabbit lived, and no way of finding out unless they decided to reveal themselves. In an effort to find the Black Rabbit's weakness, if there was ond, Sam even went to Dandelion. Perhaps there was an obscure legend he had not heard of.
"The stories never portray him as anything less than immortal," he had told Sam. "The only thing they do say, is that those who fight their death will be torn from life by force. Quite an unpleasant experience, I would imagine."
Sam could only agree. Having found nothing else, the teen decided to do the only thing he could: make sure no one could be caught unawares. Three groups of rabbits stood on the hill as Sam addressed them.
"Alright ," the teen said as he looked over the rabbits assembled, "everyone remember the story?" Nods and murmurs of agreement. "Good. Remember, for now, just tell the chief, their mate, and their captain of owsla. Who they decide to tell in their own warrens is their business. Since we don't know when or where Alice will appear again, we need to let all our allies know about her. Campion," Sam turned his attention to the first group. "You, Blackberry, Primrose, and Holly will go to…what was it the ex-Efrafans decide to call their new warren again?"
"The decided to call it Spread Wing," Campion replied with a chuckle. "Moss said it was to symbolize their new freedom. I find the name a bit strange, but I don't live there, so they can name it whatever they want."
Sam shared a laugh with him before turning to the second group. "Strawberry, Clover, Silverweed, and Fiver are going to Redstone, right?"
Strawberry nodded. "That's right. We'll make sure Hickory, Marigold, and Leafless know the whole story."
"It will be nice to see them again," Silverweed remarked. "I haven't seen any of the rabbits there, since leaving Cowslip's warren, aside from Hickory and Marigold."
Sam nodded. "Glade, Hazel, and I will be the third group, going to Buttercup's warren. Bigwig," he said, turning to the Captain, "you, Dandelion, and Hawkbit will stay behind to watch over the warren. And the 'junior owsla.' Sound good?"
Bigwig groaned. "If you insist." Ever since Sam had told his friends about Alice and the Black Rabbit, Pipkin, Blackavar, Snowdrop, and Gillia had decided that they wanted to help keep the warren safe. Of course, they were still too young; not even Pipkin was quite old enough for real owsla training. So the four of them had formed a junior owsla, with Pipkin as their captain.
Sam chuckled at the large buck's response before turning back to the others. "Now listen up everyone: you need to be really careful out there. If you run into Alice, if you even catch a whiff of human, run. Don't hide. I'm not sure exactly what Alice is capable of, but I bet she wouldn't have trouble finding you."
The rabbits nodded.
"Alright then. Everyone be careful, and try and be back before it gets dark." When he finished speaking, the groups departed in different directions, each to their assigned warren. Kehaar swooped out of the air and landed next to Sam.
"You ready to go?" the gull asked.
The teen nodded. "We're ready, Kehaar. You remember the way, right?"
Kehaar scoffed. "Of course Kehaar remembers the way! Follow me." He took off again and signaled for the rabbits to follow.
"So tell me again why Kehaar has to lead us to this warren we're going to," Glade said to Sam as they followed the gull.
Hazel explained. "The first time we went to Buttercup's warren was the night of Frith's Eve. It was snowing so hard, we didn't know which way we were going, and we sort of stumbled upon it. Luckily, Kehaar was able to get us back to the down, but I doubt any of us could have found our way back on our own."
Sam chuckled. "Not without getting lost again, anyway."
"Alright," Glade replied. She shouted to the sky, "Lead on, Kehaar."
The gull flew towards Buttercup's warren. As it turned out, the path to her warren led right past the greenhouse that Sam, Hazel, and Campion had been trapped in a year before.
That makes sense, Sam mused as they walked by the glass building. I wouldn't have thought Nuthanger Farm would be wealthy enough to build a greenhouse. Or that they would really need one. But I can see it belonging to whoever owns that big, fancy house.
After nearly an hour of walking, they came to the large pond where they had battled the foxes in the winter. They skirted it, and soon came to the dirt road leading up to the house. Kehaar signaled for them to follow as he flew around the house in a path that allowed the rabbits to keep to the bushes. Sam, who was leading the way, stopped when he heard rustling coming towards them.
"Is that…It is! Sunflower!"
Sam barely had time to register the voice before something was rubbing up against his shoulder. He looked down and saw Buttercup's cream-colored form immediately next to him, nuzzling his shoulder.
"I knew you'd be back, Sunflower," she said. "I just wish you hadn't taken so long."
"Uh, yeah," Sam replied, moving a small distance away from her, "It's good to see you're well, Buttercup. It's lucky we found you, actually. I'm afraid this isn't a pleasurable visit, we have something to tell you. Something bad."
Buttercup sighed as the smile disappeared from her face. "That's too bad. I hoped you had just come to see me. Us, I mean. Very well then. Let's go to the warren and speak there. Oh, and who's your…friend?"
Noticing the hesitance in her voice, Sam turned and saw Glade glaring past him at Buttercup. He cleared his throat to get her attention. As soon as she met his inquiring glance, she shook her head and softened her gaze. "That's right, we haven't met yet. My name is Glade. I wanted to thank you, personally, for saving Sam and the others during the winter."
Sam and Hazel froze, glancing at Buttercup, who sat with a confused look on her face. "Um…yes, it was our pleasure. We rarely get visitors at our warren, so it was our pleasure. Despite the…issues during the night," Hazel looked ashamed when she mentioned their theft attempt, "it was a worthwhile experience. I met Sunflower that night, so it was worth it."
"I'm…glad you feel that way," Sam said awkwardly. "Hopefully it will make up for our bad news."
Buttercup nodded. "Follow me." She turned and walked through the bushes around the house until they were cut off at a stone wall. She poked her head out to make sure it was safe. Buttercup led them through twists and turns until the group came to the large tree in the middle of the maze that housed the warren.
Sam, Hazel, and Glade looked around in awe. During the winter, the center of the maze had been barren, but in the summer, there were flowers planted all along the edges of the clearing. There was a marble bench along one of the sides and a birdbath in the far corner.
"It's…beautiful," Glade said in awe. Sam and Hazel nodded their agreement.
Buttercup chuckled. "The humans are very talented with things like this, aren't they? It's just another benefit to living near them. Come on, we have some flayrah in the warren. We can eat first, and talk after."
Sam agreed and waved Kehaar down to tell him they could find their own way back before they followed Buttercup. As they entered the warren, another familiar face dashed up to greet them.
"Buttercup," Willowort said with relief, "you're back! What took you so long? You said you were simply going for a walk, but I thought you-" He broke off as he saw the others coming in behind her. "That's…Sunflower! And Hazel! How have you been? It's been too long. And who's this you've brought with you?"
"Hello Willowort," Sam greeted him, "it's good to see you. We've been well enough, all things considered. This is Glade, one of our friends from Watership Down. She wanted to meet the rabbits that saved us in the winter."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Glade," he said, nodding his head in her direction. "So, what brings you here today? Did you get lost again?"
Sam and the others chuckled at his joke, but Sam sobered quickly. "I only wish it was something as harmless as that. It would be better than the truth. We have some bad news and we wanted to come let you know that you should be on your guard."
"Sunflower," Buttercup interrupted, "let's leave that for later, hm? Surely you all must be tired from your journey. Come inside the warren and rest first. Have some flayrah."
Sam looked to his companions. Both had the same apprehensive look on their faces that he did. "Actually, Buttercup," he said hesitantly, "I think it would be best if we were to tell you our news and be on our way. I would feel much better if I was back at the down in case…well, I'll get to that."
Buttercup's ears lowered in disappointment. "But I thought…" she sighed. "Alright. We can talk now."
"Thanks," Sam responded in relief. "What I'm going to tell you is a bit…sensitive. We should probably go somewhere a bit more private. I don't want one of the other rabbits from your warren stumbling upon us while we're talking. Except for your Captain of Owsla. He should know as well."
Buttercup and Willowort exchanged a look. "We don't actually have an owsla captain," Willowort responded. "Living where we do, we've never had need for a dedicated owsla."
"So you're defenseless?" Hazel asked incredulously.
"Oh no, of course not," Willowort said. "Just because we don't have an owsla doesn't mean we don't have rabbits in our warren that can fight. Despite living so close to the humans, we have still had to deal with elil."
Sam sighed. "Fine. Then, we'll leave it at the two of you. Where can we go to speak in private?"
"Follow me," Buttercup said with a hint of sadness. She led them back out through the maze, taking a different route so they ended up on the said facing away from the house. They approached a tree, which Sam recognized to be the place the humans had set out food the previous winter. "We can talk here. None of the other rabbits ever come this way this time of year."
"That's perfect, thanks," Sam said. "Hazel? I think I'll let you take the first part."
The chief nodded as he stepped forward. "Do the two of you remember Efrafa? The warren we told you about in the winter?" They nodded. "Well, they have been dealt with. Not long after spring, they found our warren and attacked us. Luckily, thanks to…Sunflower, here, we were able to fight back and repel their attack. The day after, we followed them back to their warren and finished the fight. Some of the rabbits surrendered, and we let them go. The entire problem with the warren was caused by their chief, and some of their owsla, all of which died during the fighting. And, Sam, I believe you should take it from here."
"Hold on," Buttercup interrupted harshly, "this is the second time you've used that name: Sam. It just so happens, there's a human in that house named the same thing. What's going on?"
Sam sighed. She picked that up quick. "It's my name, Buttercup. My real name. Could you guys do me a favor and not freak out too much?" Buttercup and Willowort sat there wordlessly. Well, here it goes. Sam took a deep breath and transformed into human form. Their reactions were controlled, compared to what they might have been. Buttercup slowly backed away, shaking her head in disbelief, and Willowort moved between her and Sam, watching the teen with a wary gaze.
"Wha-what is this?" Buttercup stammered. "What happened to Sunflower?"
"Buttercup, it's me," Sam replied, "and my name is Sam. I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth last winter, but I didn't want to cause even more trouble than we already had."
Buttercup averted her eyes, which Sam swore were beginning to fill with tears. Willowort had a thoughtful look on his face before he spoke. "Why tell us now? I don't believe you three would have come all the way here just to show us this. What's really going on?"
Sam was impressed. I don't give either of them enough credit. They're more perceptive than their lifestyle would suggest. "You're exactly right, Willowort. I came to warn you." Sam told them about how he and Woundwort had faced off after the main battle at Efrafa had been won. He told them how he freed Wheatstock, and what he had been told about the Black Rabbit. "And there's still one more bit you need to know. While we were talking, another human showed up. A girl. Her name was Alice. She killed Wheatstock, and she almost killed me. But the thing that scared me most was how much she knew. She already knew where our warren was, and even named a few of my friends that she shouldn't have known. I'm not sure what else she might know, so my other friends went to our other allies to tell them the same story I'm telling you. She's out there, and you need to be careful."
Both were speechless.
Sam waited for a response, but when none came, he spoke again. "So…if she does show up here, the lot of you need to run. The best plan would be for you to come to our warren, Watership Down. In fact…" Sam looked past the house in the direction they had traveled from. He could just make out the top of the Watership Down beech tree over the tree line. "You can actually see-"
"You've told us, now go," Buttercup interrupted coldly.
Sam's eyes widened in surprise. He looked to his friends and found Hazel with the same look on his face. Glade glared at Buttercup. He turned back to the two rabbits and saw that even Willowort looked surprised at the acid in Buttercup's tone.
"I-I'm sorry?" the teen responded.
"You heard me. I told you to go. Now that you've done what you came here for, there's no reason for you to stay. We may live near humans, but you're a fool if you think we trust them. I can't believe I asked you to stay with us. If I had known what you really were, I wouldn't have even allowed you into the warren! A human has no place among rabbits." She turned back towards the maze and began to walk away. "Leave. All of you. You are no longer welcome at this warren."
The Watership Down group watched as she bolted to the maze, not looking back. Glade shook with rage at Buttercup's words and looked like she wanted to follow. Sam placed a calming hand on her shoulder, making sure she did not start any trouble. Willowort sighed and looked back at the group.
"I apologize for Buttercup's harsh words. We truly are grateful for the information you've given us, and we will be on the watch for this Alice you spoke of." He turned towards the maze as well and began to walk away.
"Thanks, Willowort," Sam said in relief. "At least someone around here trusts me."
At his words, the rabbit stopped and look back at Sam with hard eyes. "Don't mistake my words for trust, human. You have deceived us. You've infiltrated our warren. And for all we know, by coming to speak to us, you may have made aware the very creature you sought to protect us from. There is a difference between coexisting with humans, and living with them. Buttercup is right: there is no place for you here."
Hazel stepped forward and faced Willowort. "If that's the way you feel Willowort, then so be it. If Alice comes, I would advise you to run to our warren in the high hills," he gestured in the direction of Watership Down. "But should you need anything else, you will find no assistance from us."
"Hazel!" Sam exclaimed in shock, "What are you-"
"I will not stand for such treatment of anyone in my warren," the chief responded without taking his eye off Willowort. "If they cannot accept you, then they cannot accept the rest of us."
"We have never needed outside help in the past," Willowort said, "and we will not ask for it now. Should the other human appear, we will defer to the one who can most likely deal with her," he looked at Sam. "In any other event, do not expect to hear from us again." With that, he turned and followed Buttercup into the maze, leaving the Watership Down group alone.
The group watched him go. Hazel turned back to Glade and Sam. "Let's go," he said in a much kinder voice.
They snuck back around the house in silence. Sam was depressed, thinking about what Hazel had told Willowort. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, breaking the pervading quiet. Glade continued to glare at the ground while Hazel looked at the teen in confusion.
"Why are you sorry, Sam? You didn't do anything."
Sam replied, "If I hadn't-"
"Stop."
Sam and Hazel glanced behind them and saw the Glade had stopped walking; she shook as she stared at the ground. She raised her head to look at them, and the pair saw rage written on her face.
"Just…stop it, Sam. I'm sick of you putting yourself down because a foolish group of rabbits can't see who you really are. It doesn't matter if you're a human, or a rabbit, or whatever! You're one of the kindest beings I've ever met, and if they can't look past your exterior to see that, then they don't deserve you as a friend. I'm proud to know you, Sam, and I know everyone back at the warren feels the same. They have no right to decide if you have a place with us or not, because we decided long ago that you do."
"Glade…" Sam said, stunned.
She let out a deep breath and gave Sam and Hazel a small smile before joining them. "I feel better now; we can go." Hazel nodded and walked ahead, leaving Sam and Glade to follow at a distance.
"Thank you, Glade," Sam said, smiling at the doe. "That meant a lot. It helps to know that, no matter what else happens, you're on my side." He nuzzled against her as he spoke.
"I always will be, Sam," she replied. They walked for a while in companionable silence, following Hazel as he led the way back to the down. Suddenly, Glade chuckled. "You know, I was about to beat the tail off Buttercup before you stopped me."
"And that's particularly why I stopped you," Sam said, chuckling as well. "The situation was already bad enough. The last thing we wanted to do was get in a fight."
Glade replied innocently, "Maybe the last thing you wanted to do. I think she deserved it."
The teen laughed at her words. "Well…maybe a little. Though, it still would have been a bad idea."
Glade's laughter faded as she went deep into thought. "Sam?" she said, haltingly. "There was one thing Buttercup said that surprised me. I didn't know she…asked you to stay with them. To leave us. You didn't tell us that part."
"She didn't think she was asking me to abandon you guys for them. From her point of view, it probably looked like Hazel and the others decided to be rid of a human loving member of their warren. I didn't think it was important because I never actually considered agreeing to it, so I never told any of you."
"You never considered leaving?" she asked quietly.
"Of course not," Sam replied with a smile. "I could never leave you guys. And besides, I promised you I'd be back."
"You're the best, Sam," Glade said, leaning against him as they walked.
The teen laughed. "I know."
"Aw, how cute."
The group stopped as a new voice seemed to emanate from all around them. Glade and Hazel looked around quickly, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. Sam froze immediately, having heard the voice before. He was the only one not surprised when Alice emerged from the foliage behind them. Her blade was slung casually over her shoulder, the sun reflecting off its orange body and wicked edges.
"It's been a while, Sammy-boy," Alice said, walking towards the group. She was smiling pleasantly, but Sam could see her black eyes swirling with hidden emotions.
"Not long enough, if you ask me," Sam replied guardedly.
Hazel moved back so he was close to Sam and Glade. "I take it this is Alice?" he whispered.
Sam nodded. "This is her."
"She's the one who hurt you so badly?" Glade asked, anger tingeing her voice. She glared at Alice and slowly walked forward.
Sam's eyes widened in alarm as he shifted to human form and ran in front of Glade. He held out his arm to stop her while keeping an eye on Alice, who had stopped her advance to watch with a bemused look on her face. "What are you doing, Glade?" he whispered fiercely. "Stay away from her. She's too dangerous."
"But-"
"Hazel," the teen said, "I need you to take Glade and get out of here. Go back to the down, I'll deal with Alice."
Hazel looked at him in surprise. "Are you sure, Sam? Glade is right when she says that the last time you two met wasn't very good for you. You shouldn't fight her alone."
"I was tired last time," Sam responded. "It was the day after the cave fight, and the same day as the actual battle at Efrafa. And I had just finished fighting Woundwort. By the time she showed up, I was almost tapped for energy. But this time," he said with a flourish as he brought his hands up, both glowing yellow, "I'm at full strength. I'll be alright, I promise."
The chief still looked unsure, but eventually nodded. "Alright, Sam. If that's what you think would be best, I'll listen to you. Just be careful. Glade, let's go."
Glade shook her head. "You go, Hazel. I'll stay and help Sam.
Hazel was about to respond, but Sam beat him to it. "No, Glade," the teen said forcefully, "you are going back to the down with Hazel. Let me handle this."
"No! This is what I was talking about, Sam. You're one of us, you don't have to do this alone."
"Getting bored!" The three turned and faced Alice, who was idly swinging her blade. "I get violent when I get bored, just lettin' ya know!"
Sam's eyes narrowed as he spun back to face Glade. "You're leaving, Glade. Now."
"But-"
"Get out of here, Glade!" Sam snapped. A hurt look flashed on her face before she nodded quickly, then turned and ran towards the down. Hazel gave Sam a sad look before he followed her. Sam sighed as he watched them go. Fantastic… he thought sarcastically.
"Aw, what's the matter, Sammy-boy?" Alice asked, drawing Sam's attention back. "Lovers' quarrel? You know, that's really not how a gentleman should treat his lady friend. But I suppose you have been living with a bunch of animals for a while."
Sam brought up his hands and launched a Frith Beam directly at Alice. A smirk crossed her face as she jumped out of the way, leaving the beam to blow harmlessly into a tree.
She's still fast, Sam thought, but at least I can see her this time.
Alice smiled brightly. "Hey! That was a lot stronger than you did last time. That's a relief, actually. I was worried that killing you would be so easy, I wouldn't even have to try." She put a hand to her face and scrunched her brow in concentration. "You're impressing me left and right today. You should have been on our side by now, but here you are, totally fine. Interesting."
"What are you talking about?" Sam asked incredulously. "I would never join your side."
Alice giggled, her moment of seriousness over. "Well of course you wouldn't choose to join us. That's why Master told me to give you a little bitty cut somewhere. It takes over most animals in a few hours, but He figured you would take a bit longer. You know, being the Messenger, and all. To be honest, I was hoping you would have met me half-way back to Darkhaven, covered in your friends' blood." She flashed Sam her signature sweet smile.
Sam looked terrified at the prospect of being forced into service under the Black Rabbit. "So…so that's what was happening to my leg? You were trying to take over my mind?"
Alice tapped her finger to her chin in thought. "Well, I wouldn't really say your mind, more like your soul. After all, what's point of having thralls if they're so far gone that they can't see what we make them do? Her smile widened into a look bordering on insanity. "Hearing their minds cry out in anguish is just…fantastic. They're always so guilty."
A look of revulsion crossed Sam's face. He shook his head slowly. "How…how can you think that way? I know that the Black Rabbit is in your head, but can't you fight it at all? Let me help you. I can free you with my Frith Beam, if you let me."
Alice's eyes widened slowly and she hesitantly spoke. "You…you could do that? You can fight him? If you can free me, I would be eternally grateful. Thank you so much."
"Really?" Sam asked hopefully. "Do you mean it?"
Alice stared at Sam for a moment before she burst into laughter. Sam glared as she spoke. "You believed that? Oh, wow, you're really gullible. Master was right: the good guys are stupid." Sam swore and launched a Frith Beam at Alice, which she dodged with a side step. "Aw, no more talking?" she asked with a giggle, readying her sword, "Fine, I'm game for a fight. Try and keep up, Sammy-boy. This time, I'll cut you enough to make sure you turn."
Sam hardly had time to react when Alice launched herself at him, her sword an orange blur speeding towards Sam's face. Sam threw himself to the left and felt air whiz by his face. He grimaced as the dark blade nicked his arm, drawing blood. "I thought you were trying to turn me to your side," Sam said desperately. "It doesn't seem like taking my head off is very conducive to that."
"Oh, oh you thought…" Alice giggled. "Master doesn't need you alive to turn you to our side. The darkness is more than enough to sustain you. "In fact, it's actually easier to turn you if you're dead, because then you can't fight back."
Sam's face turned a shade whiter. This day just gets better and better.
He lifted his hands and fired a barrage of energy balls at Alice. The girl smirked before jumping to the side, dodging the first two blasts. She looked up and saw one flying at her, too close to dodge. One swipe of her sword later, the halves of the ball flew to either side of Alice. "Nice try," she said to Sam. "But not nearly good enough. Got anything better?"
Sam charged a Frith Beam in each hand, and fired one at Alice. The girl jumped high into the air, avoiding the beam. Sam smiled, and launched the second beam where she was going to land. Alice's eyes widened in fear as she saw that the beam would hit her before she could make it to the ground to dodge again. Sam watched as the beam hit her, and stopped. Once the brightest of the light diminished, Alice still stood where she had landed.
Sam gaped in amazement.
She stood in a defensive pose, her sword held in front of her. She breathed heavily from the exertion of blocking the beam. Suddenly, a crack appeared in her sword. Sam watched with a grin as the sword broke into pieces, leaving just the hilt and six inches of the blade intact.
Sam laughed as a scowl crossed the girl's face. "Looks like we're even now."
She scoffed. "Even? For this? Please, Master can just make me a new one. And this," she held up the hilt and what little of the blade remained, "is more than enough to beat you." Alice rushed Sam in a tackle, sending him flying and leaving a deep gash on his shoulder.
Sam ignored the pain and focused on finding his bearings. He noticed the trees had thinned considerably. Oh no, he thought, his fears confirmed. I thought we were further from the down than this. Alice had flung Sam out of the woods and onto the base of the hill that housed Watership Down. He could clearly see the tree from where he sat.
"Why do you look so worried, Sammy-boy?" Alice asked as she stepped out of the tree line. "Could it be because we're getting so close to your friends? Oh don't worry, I'm sure they'll be happy to see you." Sam stood and backed up as Alice closed in. "Did you know that the process of taking over your mind leaves no outside traces? All your wounds will be stitched up by the glorious darkness, and no one will be the wiser." She gave a cruel chuckle. "Your friends won't know the difference until it's too late. They'll be dead before they even comprehend what's happening. All by your hand." Sam stumbled on a rock and fell to the ground as Alice kept advancing on him. Terror shone on his face as the girl stopped in front of him, holding what remained of her sword in her hand. "You lose, Sammy-boy,"
Alice raised her blade into the air to stab Sam. The teen closed his eyes and waited for the pain. I'm so sorry, everyone, he thought, I hope you make it out. But he knew they had not. If anything, they were probably on the way with reinforcements to help him. Sam waited…but felt nothing. Hesitantly opening his eyes, he saw Alice's blade suspended in the air, not moving. Her face held surprise, which quickly dissolved into anger.
"What. Is. This?" Each word was accompanied by a downward stroke, attempting to hit Sam. But each stopped with a flash of light. Alice growled in anger. "What are you doing? This isn't fair!"
Before Sam could answer, a voice drifted on the wind. "WASTE NOT YOUR EFFORTS, CHILD OF RAGE. BY MY POWER, I DECLARE THE MESSENGER SHALL FOREVER HAVE SANCTUARY FROM THE DARKNESS OF YOU AND YOURS. RETURN TO YOUR HOLE; YOU WILL FIND NO VICTORY THIS DAY."
Sam watched as the darkness in Alice's eyes expanded until they looked like two small black holes staring back at him. She threw what was left of her sword to the ground, where it stuck in the dirt for a moment before it dissolved into a cloud of black smoke. She reached out a finger and pointed at Sam, sparks flying from where the tip of her finger grazed the barrier. "Don't think this is over. You can't hide up there forever, and as soon as you leave, I'll be there. You will die," she pointed further up the hill. Sam turned and saw a group of rabbits running towards him, "they will die. I will kill you all. Wait and see." When Sam turned back, she was gone.
"Sam!"
The teen turned to his friends and saw Bigwig in the lead, followed by Hazel and the entire owsla. "Hazel told us what happened," the captain said. "Are you alright? Where's Alice?"
"She's gone," Sam responded. "She ran off after she wasn't able to…kill me."
"You beat her?" Hazel asked, impressed. "How did you do it?"
"Interesting story about that, I actually-" Sam broke off as Campion and Holly walked past him, eyeing the tree line. He ran in front of the pair and held out his arms. "Hold on."
"Something wrong, Sam?" Holly asked.
"Let's just go home," Sam replied. "Everyone should hear this, it's important."
Hazel's ears went down, as did some of the others'. "Alright, Sam. Whatever it is, we can handle it."
Sam smiled. "Don't look so depressed, everyone. For once, I actually have good news. Mostly."
"…and that's the story," Sam said. He and the others stood at the top of the hill. The sun was just about to set, bathing the hill in deep red. "It looks like we actually have something going for us."
The rabbits were talking animatedly at the news. From where he stood, facing them, Sam felt a change in the mood that had been affecting his friends for the past week. Security replaced feelings of restlessness and unease.
"But don't start taking Alice lightly," Sam warned. "Don't forget, if she cuts you with her sword, she'll turn you to her side. We still have to be careful."
"I have a question," Silverweed said, causing the others to fall silent. "You said you heard a voice talking to Alice?" Sam nodded. "Did you recognize it?"
The teen shook his head. "Sorry, I didn't. Though, I was thinking about that. I have a theory, but it might be a stretch." The rabbits looked at him expectantly. "I think it might have been Frith." At his words, all the rabbits fell silent. "Well…" Sam continued, beginning to feel foolish, "Who else has that kind of power? The Black Rabbit might, but why in the world would he block his own servant? Prince Rainbow could have been able to do it, but he…" Sam looked away, sadness written on his face. "The Black Rabbit got him. Unless there's someone I'm missing, that leaves only Frith."
"It doesn't matter," Hazel said, stepping forward to stand next to Sam. "What matters is that we have protection from Alice as long as we stay on the down. Tomorrow we'll go and estimate where this barrier ends. For now, let's get some sleep." The sun had set while they spoke, and the down was shrouded in darkness. Everyone agreed and began to head into the warren for the night. Sam was about to go as well, until he was stopped by Clover.
"Sam," she said quietly, "do you know what's wrong with Glade? She's been really quiet all day." The pair looked over to the doe, who was standing at the edge of the hill, instead of having joined the others in the warren.
Sam sighed. "I'm pretty sure that's my fault. Don't worry, Clover. I'll talk to her."
Clover smiled. "Thank you, Sam. I know you'll make everything alright. Good night."
Sam watched her go, and then turned back towards Glade. Unsure of how to proceed, he sat next to her and watched the moon rise.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.
Glade glanced at him, and then looked at the ground. "You've never yelled at me like that before."
Sam gave a pained smile. "I've never needed you to listen that much before." Glade shot him a confused look, so Sam continued. "I didn't want you to get hurt, Glade. I know you're mad at Alice for what she's done, but that doesn't mean you should risk your life. I was just…scared, that she was going to hurt you."
"But I could have helped you!" Glade said desperately. "You don't need to fight alone."
"Glade…" Sam sighed. "I know you're there for me. I know that. But this is why I was brought here. I was meant to fight the Black Rabbit and any of his minions. It's my job. I just…need you to trust that I can do it."
Glade glared at him. "You know I trust you, Sam. I've made that very clear. It's just…I don't want anything to happen to you, either."
"Then how about we make a deal? I won't hesitate to ask for your help, or anyone's, if I need it. But in return, if I tell you to go, you'll listen. Does that sound fair?"
"No," she pouted, then gave him a small smile. "But I supposed it's the best I'm going to get. I'm sorry, Sam."
He gave her a hug and she nuzzled his face in return. "Don't worry, we're good. Come on, let's go get some sleep." She nodded and the two walked back to the warren. As they were about to enter the burrow they still shared with Pipkin and Clover, Sam noticed Bigwig, Holly, and Campion still awake and talking in the main chamber. "You go ahead, Glade," Sam said. "I'll be right with you." She nodded and continued into the burrow, while Sam went to talk to the three owsla members. "What's going on guys?" he asked.
"Hello, Sam," Holly replied. "We were just discussing how to adjust the warren's defenses in light of the new information you've given us."
Bigwig continued, "Most of the patrols are going to be discontinued. Sentry positions inside the barrier will take their place."
"Some patrols will still be run outside the barrier, but those will mostly be the four of us, with Glade and Strawberry helping out, if needed," Campion finished.
Sam nodded, impressed. "You got that figured out in a hurry. Actually, though, I came to ask if I could get some extra training."
Bigwig's eyes widened in mock-amazement. "You? You miss even more training than Hawkbit does. What brought this about?"
Sam chuckled. "I skipped training because I was getting the job done with no problem. But now…that isn't the case."
"Well, what kind of training do you want?" Holly asked.
"Let's begin with speed," Sam responded.
A/N: Hey everyone, as always, sorry about the long waits between chapters. My Christmas break wasn't quite as productive as I had predicted, but now that I'm back at school, hopefully I'll focus on writing a bit more.
One more thing. I never say this enough, but I want to thank my beta reader, For The Kingdom, for going over all my chapters. You guys really don't realize how rough this story would sound if I didn't have her help.
