Dandelion was standing outside feeling quite lonely until Bluebell came out.

"Hello, Dandy," she said gaily.

"Err, hello, Blue-ee," repeated Dandelion bashfully.

"I just came to see what you would be doing. Do you want your own company."

"The more the merrier," smiled Dandelion stupidly.

"Why don't you take that costume off?" said Bluebell.

"Gooseberry will kill me if he sees me without it," said Dandelion.

"He's asleep now," said Bluebell. "For me. I want to see your handsome self."

Dandelion blushed. "Only for a bit. He'll kill me if he sees me without it."

He carefully slipped it off.

"Much better," said Bluebell. As they stood there, she rested her head deep into his chest, to which he gulped and his face turned pink. Soon he felt relaxed because she was massaging his belly.

"You don't need to get the hiccups for me to do this," she smiled. "I'm happy to massage you whenever you want me to."

"Who told you I gave myself the hiccups for you to do this?" said Dandelion he said enjoying the message but with a look of interrogation on his face.

"I keep forgetting his name. Harkit, Honktwit?"

"Hawkbit!" hissed Dandelion. "I'll scratch his ears off yet."

"It's alright," smiled Bluebell. "I think it's adorable how you were trying to get my attention." She stopped massaging him and hugged him, listening to his heartbeat.

"How often do you put up with him?" asked Bluebell.
"Gooseberry?"

"Hawkbit, Dopeylion!" she giggled.

"Oh! We all put up with him," said Dandelion.

"Really?"

"I sometimes fall into his faults though. We got ourselves messed up in the mind from a strange water we drank."

Dandelion was shocked with what he had just let slip out. He only just remembered how he only took a 'little sip' from the champagne when I first came here.

"Little sip hmm?" smiled Bluebell.

"Oh, fluff tails!" blushed Dandelion.

"Fluff tails is correct, Handy Dandy," giggled Bluebell, ruffling his nose.

"If you want, I could err, trick him into trying that water again. Just to entertain you," Dandelion added. "If we ever see it again."

"How much of a pain is Hawkbit to you?" asked Bluebell curiously.

We're actually chums mostly," revealed Dandelion. "But there was one time when there was a doe before I liked. I tried to impress her and he ruined my chance when he bit my tail and took here away.

"Poor doe."

"We then planned a challenge concerning Nuthanger's Farm and I then got stuck in a hurudado, jumped out and I fell into a deep well. It took all day to get me out. When we both got back, she fell for another buck."

"I'm sure she's happy now," said Bluebell, secretly relieved. "As I am."

"Really?"

"Of course. I think you're a wonderful buck, Dandelion."

"You really think so?"

He slipped on a patch of wet mud and fell on his back.

"Certainly," replied Bluebell, giggling at his calamity.

"Who put that patch of mud there?" Dandelion groaned.

" I don't know."

"Why is it that every time I am with you something embarrassing happens to me?"

"No idea," giggled Bluebell. But that's what makes my day. I love your calamities, Dandelion.

She slipped on the patch of wet mud and fell on top of him, winding him.

"I love yours too," he said weakly regaining his breath.

"Only a one time, Saucy."

They looked into each other's eyes for some time. They seemed to twinkle in each other's point of view. Bluebell was staring dreamily into her dream buck's eyes. She unexpectedly gave him a lick on the nose, which resulted in a sneeze from him to which Bluebell giggled.

"Still digesting the flowers you got for me you swallowed?"

"That was like four days ago," he said, feeling dreadfully embarrassed of the memory of swallowing the flowers and hiccupping and sneezing at the same time in front of her.

Bluebell looked into his eyes again.

"I got something for you."

"Really?"

She licked his mouth, which felt like Heaven to Dandelion. He licked her back and they started to nuzzle each other.

"Alas, no belching this time," Bluebell giggled, sweetly.

"Oh, don't remind me," he said bashfully.

Bluebell hushed him putting a paw on his mouth.

"Remember, I love your breath. Fresh roses, which are my favourite.

And she rolled half her body off him and started rubbing his belly again, her head on his chest and Dandelion enjoying the sensation, purring.

"YOU!"

Bluebell rolled off Dandelion to see Gooseberry glaring over them.

"What's happened to your costume, beanpole?" he growled his face touching Dandelion's.

Dandelion quivered trying to speak.

"I-i-I got hot!"

"Say 'Em No Tips' and I will let you get back into that costume unharmed."

Dandelion gulped and said. "Okay. Em No Tips."

Gooseberry snorted and spat in his face and smiled nastily.

"Maybe next time you'll think twice before you play anymore water witch tricks on me. Now put that thing back on!"

Rubbing the saliva off his face, Dandelion miserably got back in his dress.

"How are you awake at this hour?" asked Bluebell.

"The scent of Snowflake has vanished," he explained. "But I can sniff her out well. I know who's behind her absence."

"Leave him alone!" I cried running out of the burrow with Silverweed behind me. "Fiver deserves her no more than you do."

"No less either!" agreed Silverweed.

"I deserve everything," said Gooseberry savagely. "I'm going to find them and I will make him pay."

"Not if I get to him first!" I snapped, but then he laid back and had me with his hind legs, making me skid through the grass. I groaned as I lie there and watch him hip up and glower over me.

"And if you ever dare to cross me Leo, even follow me, you will feel the same paw I gave her on your cheek. Trust me, you will wish you have had your necklace with you."

He hopped away after his victims.

I sat there, watching him hop away but then I began to cry.

Everyone hopped up to me concerned.

"Are you alright?" asked Strawberry.

"He hurt you terribly this time hasn't he?" he sympathized.

"That's not why I'm crying," I explained. "I'm too scared to go pass him and protect Fiver which I should. I'm a terrible older brother. I even left Jason with Aunt Madeline and my mother wanted me to take care of him in case Aunt Madeline did anything to him."

Dandelion was fighting tears back but they were streaming down his face like a stream. "That's just sad! Poor you! Poor Fiver!" and he put his ears over his eyes letting huge wails out, Bluebell comforting him.

"But you said she never does anything to him because she favours him while she hates you," said Silverweed offering me one of his ears to dry my tears away.

"Still," I sniffed. "Leaving him behind is like how I'm leaving Fiver behind now. Jason is my younger brother and Fiver is a runt. I hate to think what Gooseberry will do to him."

"He'll probably have vision of him getting caught in a shining wire," remarked Hawkbit. "Always a chance."

My sobs were very violent. They brought me down to the floor crying hard.

"He won't let Gooseberry do anything to him," said Silverweed. "He ma be a runt but Fiver is so very brave."

"Why has he never told Hazel about the way Gooseberry treats him?" I asked. "When I first came here, he forced me to promise to not tell Hazel."

"Because he didn't want to make a war out of anything," said Silverweed. "And he wouldn't tell on any new rabbit even if they abuse him."

"Well I'm breaking the promise," I said, drying my eyes. "When we get back home, I'm going to tell Hazel whether Fiver likes it or not. It's for the best. I love him and I don't want him to suffer in silence anymore. He deserves to be happy. I myself couldn't find much happiness before I came here. Many people saw me as a geek for my love of stories and then Mr. Gorwood eventually led me down here. I thought up there in that life ii would be doomed if he took me away from, every single thing. I found happiness here. I was happy at home, but failing her and finding home here, that's what made me feel real happiness. Happiness you want to treasure and never let go. That feeling of happiness is what fiver himself deserves. He doesn't deserve to be bullied, berated or humiliated. His suffering is going to come to an end one way or another, and I will be damned if I should fail to do so. Fiver's meek and deserves to reach achievements. As one lesson one man above told me: The meek shall inherit. His words must come true as it's what it says."

"You spoke like a real brother there," smiled Silverweed.

"Fiver was one of my closest friends," said Pipkin. "But I myself had put him in danger when I persuaded him to come down to the orchard when we though Bark was a monster. When I thought he was killed, I couldn't forgive myself. Whatever happens to him won't be your fault, Leo. You're just afraid to face Gooseberry."

"I wish I was brave, Pipkin," I said. "I'm a coward."

"Said the rabbit who went on a daring journey to unlock the power of the Necklace if Wisdom," smiled Pipkin. "Courage comes in all shapes and sizes."

"I wish I was Fiver's brother by blood," I said. "To Silverweed and Hazel as well. I just want happiness for Fiver and I want it now!"

And you will get it," said Silverweed. "We will all get it for him. We must work together to help him get what he deserves. We're in this together."

He gave me a very comforting hug, which I gave in return which was interrupted by a threatening gasp from Silverweed.

"You must help Fiver soon, Leo!" he announced.

"What?" I said. "Poison shall flow? What are you talking about?"

"I don't know," said Silverweed. "I don't even want to know – even though I must understand it eventually…. tomorrow."

…

Gooseberry saw Fiver and Snowflake in the distance sleeping. He was just about to go further towards them when Chillblack appeared.

"What's this about?" he hissed.

"I forgot something," she said. "Suppose Fiver had a vision about the plan?"
"He hasn't yet," said Gooseberry.

Chillblack tore off a blade of grass with her mouth, chomped it up and with the breath of the grass, she blew it and it reached Fiver. The grass breath flew into his ears.

"Now he won't see what is coming," said Chillblack proudly. "Leave the offering of the potion to me. I shall turn Vervain into a raven and send him to Watership Down to tell everyone that Fiver was killed by a harudadoo. How do you like that?"

"Beautiful," smiled Gooseberry wickedly. "I could shed a tear for that detail."

Chillblack smiled darkly and vanished as Gooseberry resumed his task.

The two lovers were sleeping peacefully b the flower and fireflies swarming around them. A huge shadow interrupted their slumber. Five gasped in horror as Gooseberry looked down on him with a look of desire to spill his blood as quick as the Black Rabbit of Inle would take his soul.

"You greedy, treacherous thief," he snarled glowering at Fiver.

"I asked her to join me on this beautiful night," Fiver quivered.

"You!" he snapped at Snowflake. "Get back to the burrow!"

Snowflake fled, terrified.

"And you," he said nastily to Fiver. "You stay her until dawn. May the weasel or the wolf find you until then. If you dare come back before the crack of dawn, I will kill you with my bare teeth and tell Hazel you were killed by a harudadoo."

Fiver wanted to fight, but he knew being a runt he wouldn't stand a chance against a huge buck, bigger and stronger than Bigwig.

"Yes, Gooseberry."
"'Yes, me' is right," he said contentedly. And he hopped off.

Fiver sat down, hearing an owl hooting In the distance and the fireflies disappearing.

"I suppose she would be better off with him than with me," he said. "Who would ever want to marry a runt? I'm finished with whatever this vision has to show. I'd rather ignore it. I want to go home! I want Hazel! I wish I were dead! I wish I were never born! What I'd gives to be like you Hazel! Strong, handsome and well deserving of a doe! I want a mate!" he put his ears over his eyes as tears started to fall from his eyes. "I want a mate! Love is something I want to be part of, not lonely for the rest of my life! How I wish there was a runt doe now! I'd probably be old by the time that day comes! Where are you, Hazel? I want to feel your arms around me the way I ma feeling!"

He buried his face into the grass, crying so heavily and bitterly, a string river of tears making a huge pool steaming into a nearby pond from the poor runt. It was the break of dawn when he had finally stopped crying. Tired, cold and hungry he just wished he was back home at Watership Down in his nest or even better, snuggling up to warm fur of his big brother Hazel. He had always done that with him as a baby. He loved his big brother so dearly he wouldn't let go of him for just one second and would cry if he ever let go of him. His was his everything. He was his mother, his father and his warren that protected him for cruel weathers.

"I'll just have to accept the fact that I will only be capable of brother love," said Fiver. "Hazel did loads of things with me and for me. He played many game with me, he showed me everything in the world, he educated me, he cuddled me whenever I hurt myself, he would sing me lullabies if I was hurt by a bad dream, he would let me sleep on top of him and I would rest m head on his chest to know that I am safe in his arms."

Fiver turned in shock as a shadow consumed him. The shadow belonged to a skinny, black doe. She was hideous but had a sweet, gentle smile around her.

"Feeling hopeless of love, young rosebud?" she asked.

"I am," said Fiver squeezing his ears that were ridiculously drenched from his tears. "There is a doe I am hopelessly in love with but I am a runt. I don't really deserve a beautiful mate."

"Who says you don't?" laughed the doe. "Maybe this will tell you the opposite."

She pointed at a small leaf tied around her neck like a necklace. In the leaf was a purple beverage.

"What is that?" asked Fiver curiously.

"A potion that can posses the power of love. If you love this doe so you would become a handsome buck, a runt never again."

"Really?" asked Fiver. "May I take a sip? I'll do anything."

"Free of charge my dear," smiled the doe. "Just make a nice wish before sipping it."

Fiver dived right into it.

"I wish to be a buck as handsome and strong well-deserving of a doe like my big brother. For the sake of the doe I love."

"Beautiful," said the doe. "Now drink every last bit of it."

Fiver sucked it in, licked every last drop of the leaf and suddenly feel a spinning sensation in his head. Everything was turning and turning and turning. He felt his ears stretch which hurt and he felt muscle spasms in his entire body. He fell next to the bank of a pond. He looked into it. He was no longer a runt but a second

Hazel, just as handsome except only lighter in the cast and the same sky blue eyes.

"My wish has come true!" cried Fiver. "Hazel will be so happy! Everyone will be happy to see that I am no longer a runt! Oh, Snowflake I will give you the most wonderful life."

He hopped away back to the burrow happy as a deer in a meadow.

Back behind him, Chillblack was watching behind a tree. She stared down at the now empty leaf, ripped it off and watched it rot away like wood into ashes. She cackled to her heart's content at her success. Tonight, the drinker would be on the brink of the abyss.