Author's Note: I would like to thank Gotham317 for his idea for this chapter.
Soon after reconciling with my brother, Captain Holly and I returned to the warren to see the warren is being decorative for the wedding. The Honeycomb was decorated in greens: like leaves and line of bushes. He than had me go to my burrow, as everyone else is getting ready. I hopped along the tunnel, as I heard some giggles and laughs from another burrow. I peeked to see the does were chatting with Thethuthinnang, as they're prepping her for the wedding. She glanced at me, before looking at the rest of the does. They started to giggle, as they whispered.
I than continued along my way, until I reached back in my burrow. It was quiet, but I started to prep myself for the wedding. At the same time, I was too overly excited at the same time. I was even nervous, but happy. The first to come was Bigwig. His hair was almost like it was brushed. However, I wouldn't say it was combed, like a young boy going to Sunday school.
"Hello Kevin." he greeted.
I was bit surprised that his hair wasn't too messy. "Bigwig... you do look like a cute doll."
"Hey, watch what you say." he warned me.
"I'm sorry, Bigwig." I apologized. "However, you do look handsome."
"Yeah... well Strawberry thought it was a good idea to look handsome." he spoke.
"Say, how are you two getting along? It's been awhile since I remember you two silflayed together." I wondered how things went with him and Strawberry.
"We're mates now." Bigwig answered.
"Seriously?"
"I am. And I can't be anymore happier." he said.
"Congrats to you, brother." I went over and nuzzled him. "Why didn't you guys say something about it?"
"Well..." Bigwig looked around to see no one is around. He leaned towards my ear. "It is only for Hawkbit and Dandelion not to know, until we have kittens."
I chuckled and shook my head. "You know Bigwig, eventually they'll find out about it soon. However, it won't be coming out from me."
"Thank you." he spoke.
"If you don't mind telling me, how did you two become mates anyway?" I than asked Bigwig on how he became interested of Strawberry.
"I'm not a real storyteller. I could just remember the times we had together." he stated.
"It doesn't have to be a story, but just a short and the main detail."
After taking some deep breaths and sighed from his exhale. "Alright... I'll tell you." I sit up straight, as I listen to his story.
Of course we first met her back in Cowslip's Warren. After we welcomed her and finding our home at Watership Down, we all dug to make a warren. Although we bucks can't be great diggers, but I watched Strawberry dug sufficiently better than the rest of us here. Eventually, after freeing the doe, we found out that our warren has been built. At first, I wouldn't think that Hawkbit and Dandelion would have dug by themselves. They told me that they had help from Strawberry. She showed up all dirty from digging and ordered the two to resume their work. I was surprised to see Strawberry gave orders to the two bucks; and of course, one of them would try to become mates with her. I simply complimented her that she took control, while we were gone. She than showed me to my burrow, where I would be sleeping. It had good spacing and I thanked her.
"Wow, I guess I missed all the action while I was with Captain Holly, Blackberry, and Bluebell escaping from Efrafa." I said.
"Not entirely. The real action was after we freed the does from Efrafa." Bigwig stated.
And so, the days following after freeing the does. Life started all over for us here. One day, I saw Strawberry lying on the edge of the hills at a slope. We both greeted each other, before I asked if I could join her. She allowed me to join her for silflay and we started to talk to each other. I was a bit nervous, as she was too. I remembered that she was from Cowslip's Warren and I was sure she wouldn't talk about it easily. So I decided to start.
"Alright."
I basically told her about my experiences in the Owsla, back in Sandleford. I had one incident, as I was on patrol with Captain Holly and a few other bucks. Apparently, it was around the woods. My guess was that one or two of our bucks were becoming a bit tired some from our patrol that they needed to rest a bit. Unfortunately, Toadflax and Scabious circled around the bucks and talked down to them.
"We don't rest, until we finished the patrol." Toadflax talked down at them.
The tiring bucks were new and it was their first patrol. I seemed to remember about my first time on patrol and it wasn't easy. So, I decided to do a little trick that wasn't impressive, but it was to get a good laugh. Shortly after Captain Holly noticed the exhausting of the two bucks, he told us to rest. I hid in the bushes not too far from them. After our rest, I remained there, until our patrol noticed that I was missing. I started to spook them with some howl calls, what a wolf does. The new bucks had no idea what was happening, but Scabious and Toadlax. Oh, they fled, as I shook the bushes. After they fled, I came out and it did give Captain Holly a fright a bit, as he would later reprehended me for my stunt. He than pointed out that it was a good scare at Scabious and Todaflax.
After I told her my story, she giggled and pointed out it was funny.
"Funny? I would be scared like that too. How could you call that funny?" I questioned.
"Hey, it wasn't the greatest trick of rabbits, but it taught them a lesson." Bigwig pointed out.
Anyway, after telling her a story. I... uhhh... accidentally kissed her by the nose. She was surprised from what I have done. I apologized to her briefly, until she giggled and she mentioned that she never felt great of a kiss, since Kingcup passed. The two apparently were to be mates, since they started to become close with each other.
"I thought the two were just friends, from the way I heard about them." I thought.
"True, but she would than told me that they were getting well acquainted, since she longed for someone." Bigwig added. "However, we became mates, following after defending our warren from Efrafa."
"Wow..." I was amazed. "Did Hawkbit and Dandelion continue to bother her, in hopes she chooses one of them?"
"Nope, that's already over. I came to her one night, if she wanted us to become mates. She asked me, 'why I choose her?'."
"What did you tell her?" I asked.
"She was very intelligent digger, funny from her laughs and giggles, and also liked the way she give orders to Hawkbit and Dandelion, when it comes to digging." Bigwig answered about her personalities.
I chuckled. "She choose the right buck, since you two have similar personalities that you two could run a Owsla together."
"Now, let me ask you... why did you choose Thethuthinnang to be your mate?" he than asked me about my mate to be.
He than asked me on how me and Thethuthinnang decided to become mates. "Well, it all started from when first heard someone singing in my heart. I wasn't sure who it was, but I knew it was a female."
"Of course it would be singing." He smirked.
"That wasn't just that. When we met up with you and the prisoners from Efrafa. I came across with Hyzenthlay and she greeted me to one of her sisters. Thethuthinnang. She was beautiful, but until she spoke, her voice was familiar to think it was her singing. Later after we returned home, she came across with me, when she came to say thank you for saving her."
"You saved her?" he questioned.
"An Efrafan buck held her down, until I tackled him off her." I answered.
"Very brave and bold." he commended.
"Well... I than stuttered a bit, as I tried to thank her from singing. I knew it was her, but she giggled and wondered how it could be her. I knew she was a singer, since Hyzenthlay told me that she was a singer. I was determined to see her sing and found out for myself." I continued.
"Did you ever get to see it was her?"
"Yes, I woke up, after having a dream about her. I went outside to see her singing to the moon and stars. She was beautifully, amazing. I found it was her that sang from my her. I told her she sang beautifully and I liked it. We both than stayed out her and talked to each other, before we sang some songs together. I was nervous, when we first kiss and thought I was going to faint, but I kept my nerve together."
Bigwig chuckled. "Well, you two do belong together and I'm happy for you."
"Thank you, Bigwig. As do for you and Strawberry." I smiled back.
