Hazel stared out into the hills that night, wondering what his little brother might be doing this very moment. Maybe facing a weasel? Hurt his leg? Bumped into another beast? A badger only not friendly like Bark?

Suddenly, a little kitten ran up to him. Its fur was covered in mud. The colour of it was similar to Fiver's tone.

"It's me! Fiver!" cried the kitten.

"Oh, Mallow!" smiled Hazel warmly. "You little rascal!"

"I thought that I could be Fiver until he returned."

"You're the sweetest son I ever had, Mallow. But you don't need to. You're already my son. I couldn't ask for more."

He lay down on his back, picking his son up holding him up in the air.

"But wouldn't you want a backup if you miss him terribly?" asked Mallow.

"It would be wonderful," said his father putting him back down. "But it is the real one you would miss the most.

"I'm sorry I upset you," said Mallow remorsefully shaking the mud off of himself.

"You didn't upset me at all, little one," smile Hazel.

"What would you and Uncle Fiver do when you were young?"

"He loved to tickle me stupid," said Hazel.

"So you're ticklish?" asked Mallow.

Hazel gulped realizing that he had just given himself away. "No, no, no. I only just let him think I was."

Mallow hopped on his father and tickled him everywhere, and Hazel laughed hysterically as they rolled down the hill. They reached the bottom, Hazel on his back and Mallow on his chest.

"Give up yet?" he laughed.

"I have to, you little blighter," Hazel chuckled.

They hopped back up the hill, Hazel still giggling when Primrose hopped up to them. She looked down on Mallow.

"You've been tickling him haven't you, you wicked thing!" she chuckled.

"I tried to be like Uncle Fiver so Father wouldn't miss him so."

"How sweet of you," said, Primrose. What he just said made her close to tears.

"Can I stay out a bit longer and keep Father company?"

"That's what I came out to do, Mallow," admitted " Run along now, son," smiled Hazel, patting Mallow's head. "We'll check on you three soon."

"Goodnight," said Mallow, nuzzling his parents and hopping back into the burrow.

As soon as he disappeared, Primrose turned to her mate, a look of concern on her face.

"Are you feeling okay, Hazel?"

:"I haven't forgotten the nightmare I had last night.

I feel it's a sign!"

"If it was a sign, Fiver would see it. It's just superstition with that you are thinking. I pity you very deeply. This nightmare must have been very horrible."

"I'm just scared for Fiver, Primrose - even Silverweed and Leo. Silverweed, he had already been through so much, spending his life at Cowslips' death trap and wasting his youth losing his own life, and then Leo, he was an honoured guest only to be threatened with his life by Darklunn."

Darklunn is dead, Hazel," Primrose assured him. "Silverweed is now safe, so is Leo. And if any harm were to befall them, Fiver would sense it or Silverweed would read it.

Hazel sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry, Primrose. Maybe I am just being superstitious. There is no other villain with them but Gooseberry."

"Exactly," said Primrose, smiling warmly. "He is a conceited, pompous stinging nettle, only that, nothing dangerous.

Hazel sighed in relaxation hoping to huff out his fearful feeling.

" I love you, Primrose. The minute I saw your eyes, I knew you were meant for me."

"I love you too, Hazel," said Primrose. "But no, your eyes made me realize you were for me.

" Your eyes warmed up m heart."

" Your eyes made me feel all protected and safe from the hostility of Vervain."

"How about this then? Our eyes joined together like the sun and moon.

Primrose buried her face into her mate's chest.

"I love that best," she smiled. "But I was going to say I love you first."

"I was," Hazel playfully argued

"No, I was," laughed Primrose.

"How would you know?"

"Because I am one who knows who I love and you are the one."

"I suppose we maybe had our own coincidence there," Hazel chuckled.

"I'm just hoping you will recover from this nightmare soon," consoled Primrose.

Hazel sighed. "Me too."

"I love you, Hazel."

Hazel laughed at his defeat.

…

Back in the same spot where the cursed cabbage plan was conducted, Chillblack was berating the wretched Vervain for his plan foil.

"YOU LIP-SLIPPING IDIOT!" she screamed, scratching his side. "HOW COULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF AWAY?! WHAT SORT OF BUCK LIKE YOURSELF RUINS A WELL THOUGHT-OUT PLAN?!"

"Please!" cowered Vervain. "It was that meddling Pipkin's fault! He put two-and-two together!"

"So what?" snapped Gooseberry desperately. "The plan is ruined. We must make another!"

"And how exactly will we do that?" laughed Stuart Little, annoyingly. "Get Snowflake to eat the cabbage herself to be like you?"

Gooseberry stamped on him to shut him up.

"No," said Gooseberry. "We must find another way to get Fiver out of the way. We must be rid of him. I hated him from the start of meeting him at Watership Down and I hate him even more. He has always been trouble to me. Snowflake seems to have feelings for him. I won't let him have her. Snowflake is mine. Always mine. He always wishes he wasn't a runt, so there must be a chance after all"

"Then you are speaking to the correct companion," smiled Chillblack nightmarishly. She called something out and a bat appeared. It flew down to them and she killed it. She poured its blood into a huge leaf and then she ordered Vervain to fetch some fresh water, which he did. She mixed it with the blood and then she called upon lighting to blend in with the contents. She wrapped it up and said, "I shall deliver it to Fiver when the time ids right. When he is alone. I will persuade him to drink this, and he will turn into a strong, handsome buck. But by the time they will have reached my warren, I will trick his visions into leading him there like how you asked me to lure them away in the first place, the poison will start to take affect and soon when the full moon rises, Fiver will be dead and gone and Snowflake shall be yours forevermore."

"Brilliant!" smiled Vervain.

"I love it," smiled Gooseberry.

And all four of them cackled as the thunder struck again.