Chapter Twenty-Nine: Why Believe?
As Woundwort watched Campion stumble away with Blackavar, the black rabbit felt someone touch his arm.
"General?" someone asked.
It was Balsam. The grey buck shifted from paw to paw nervously as his Chief turned to face him.
"Yes?"
"Um, last night Fir and I captured a prisoner. We would've brought her to you then, but..."
"I see. Very well, where is he?"
"It's actually a she, General," Fir said, appearing out of one of the burrows with Pearl.
The General inspected Pearl for a few moments, then narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"You look familiar...what did you say your name was?"
"Pearl, sir."
"Where do you come from, Pearl?"
"Darkhaven, in the far south. It was destroyed by fire..."
"I am familiar with Darkhaven, Pearl. You will be well treated here. Fir! See this doe to a private burrow, and make sure she has everything she needs."
"Yes, General. Come along, Pearl."
"As you wish, Fir."
Woundwort looked almost regretful as he watched the doe leave.
"Darkhaven," he said to himself, "A doe from Darkhaven."
Campion had decided that it would be most unwise to leave Blackavar alone all day, so he declared himself off duty, and stayed in the prison burrows unti lthe appearance of Twinleaf, Phlox, and Bigwig.
"Frith and Inle!" Twinleaf roared, "On top of everything else, now Blackavar's, um... What is wrong with Blackavar?"
Campion explained, and when he had finished, Twinleaf stood in silence for a moment, before making an announcement.
"I'll kill them all!"
Bigwig chuckled.
"Now you sound like me, old timer."
"Listen, I'm not old, and I will kill them!"
"You really sound like me now..."
"I do not!"
"And I wake up to the sound of my father-in-law arguing with the Captain of Owsla," Blackavar muttered, "Lovely."
"Blackavar!" Campion said, "Good to have you back. Although if you'd woken up while I was passing a boring day here, I would have been happier."
"Can't you ever look on the bright side?" Phlox wondered.
"Is there one?" Campion muttered.
"So morbid, aren't you?" Blackavar said, "Oh, Frith, my head hurts..."
Hazel, Moss, and Fiver had appeared while the conversation was taking place. Fiver inspected the slash down Blackavar's face.
"You're going to have a lovely scar there," Moss announced.
"Moss, do you have to tell him that?" Campion asked, "He's already been beaten up today."
Moss cast a slightly unfriendly glance at Campion.
"Well, forgive me for speaking out of line, sir."
Campion glanced at his friend in surprise.
"Moss, what..."
The grey rabbit said nothing.
"I see," Campion said, "Well, if it means anything to you, I'm sorry for not standing up for you. I've never been hypnotized, but I'm told it's quite unpleasant. I'd best be going, Hazel-rah. The General will want to know where I've been all day."
"Be careful," Hazel called. As soon as Campion had gone, he turned angrily on Moss.
"I hope you're ashamed of yourself, because no one should know better than you that Campion is nothing if not loyal to what he believes in!"
"I don't even know what I believe in anymore!" Moss said angrily. "Efrafa has taken everything from me! My family, my mate, my best friend! They're dead, Hazel, dead, or I never see them, or I'm starting to doubt I ever knew them. Don't speak to me about belief, because I'm not even sure I believe in Frith and the Black Rabbit themselves anymore! Or El-ahrairah either!"
Gasps of surprise and horror greeted this announcement.
"Moss...you don't mean that?" Bigwig gasped.
"Yes, I do," the grey rabbit growled, "And you won't convince me any different!"
Watership Down...
"Truffle! TJ! I know you took it, you little terrors!" Hawkbit yelled.
Blackberry poked her head out of the burrow.
"What have they taken?"
Hawkbit flopped down on the grass moodily.
"My breakfast. They're not even going to eat it, I know it. They're just...terrors!"
Blackberry sighed.
"I'll deal with this. TJ and Truffle! Front and center!"
The two small bucks trotted out of a bush immediately, and stared innocently at Blackberry.
"Yes, ma'am?" TJ asked.
"Did you take Hawkbit's carrot?" Blackberry asked.
TJ shook his head.
"Nope! Ain't seen his moldy carrot!"
Blackberry eyed the two bucks for a few minutes, until Truffle blurted out,
"TJ told me it would be funny! I didn't want to take it, but he made me!"
"Truffle, be quiet!" TJ muttered, "Now she's gonna yell at me again!"
"Yes, I am," Blackberry said, "TJ, you have been told, time and time again, do not steal your warren-mates food! I expect better of you!"
"You expect?" TJ muttered, "I don't even know what that means, and anyways, you're not my mother!"
Truffle cocked his head in confusion.
"She's not?"
TJ kicked at an acorn moodily.
"No, she ain't. Our mother and father are somewhere else, just like Gilia's. And Frith only knows if they'll come back, that's what Captain Holly says."
"Why did they leave?" Truffle asked.
"I don't know!" TJ screamed, "Ask her, I don't want to talk anymore!"
The little buck burst into tears and raced off into the warren.
Upon seeing his big brother crying, Truffle burst into tears as well.
Leaving Blackberry to comfort Truffle, Hawkbit snuck off after TJ, for once not thinking up a sarcastic remark.
He found the little rabbit curled up in Blackberry's burrow, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Hey, um, TJ, what's wrong?" Hawkbit said awkwardly.
"I w-w-want my m-marli!" TJ cried.
"Oh," said Hawkbit, "Well, uh, I'm not sure what to do about that, old son."
"Why did my marli leave, Hawkbit? Why doesn't she want me?"
Hawkbit blinked.
"You think your parents don't want you?"
"Why else would they leave?"
"TJ," Hawkbit gasped, "They left because an embleer tyrant named General Woundwort threatened to kill everyone if they didn't! They left because they love you!"
"They did?"
"Yes."
"Oh. What are my parli and marli like?" TJ asked, "I don't remember them very well."
"What do you remember?" Hawkbit asked.
"I don't know!" TJ yelled, "That's why I'm asking you!"
"Okay, okay, sorry," Hawkbit muttered, "Well, your parli is the biggest bravest rabbit in this warren, but don't you ever tell him I said that! He's a grumpy old buck, but he's got a good heart, if you can find it."
"What about my marli?"
"Your marli. Hmm, well, she's little, but fierce. She's almost as grumpy as your father, but in a different way. She's just as brave as he is, and together I think they could take over the world if they wanted to."
TJ giggled.
"Really?"
Hawkbit nodded.
"Oh, definitely."
The little buck had stopped crying.
"Thank you, Hawkbit. I better find Blackberry and say I'm sorry."
"You do that, old son. I'll just go get myself another carrot!"
