Author's note: I discovered a deleted storyboard that told the origin of Woundwort's past and learned his brothers were originally Ragwort and Milkwort. There was more to it than just losing his family to a fox, for there were originally two foxes that destroyed Woundwort's warren and scratched his eye, then a brief scene of Woundwort and Ragwort living in a hutch, later both escaped into the night after attacking a cat and locating Efrafa.
Fire everywhere, engulfing the farm house and destroying all signs of life inside. Neither of the humans could deduce how it started or who caused it. They were helplessly trapped and their cries for help unheard. Fiver watched as the father's body caught flames and stumbled out the window, then he was forced to watch the mother crushed by the wooden beam, but his heart cried out for the little boy and his pet rabbit as they lay helpless on the floor, mortified by the deaths of the human parents. He recognized pet rabbit as Lily. The child coughed violently, trying not to inhale the smoke, but Fiver knew the little boy was suffocating and choking in a black cloud. Then something else caught his attention; a giant rabbit with a white eyed scar, taking pleasure in the suffering of the inhabitants of the house. His cruel face landed on Lily, frozen with fear. He raised his paw, extending claws, intent to attack her. The little boy's arms scooped her up just in time, and he tossed her out through an open hole in the wall. Fiver grew astonished that such a young human would perform such a heroic task for a rabbit, but another dreadful event occurred that made him ashamed of his own kind. The giant rabbit with the scar crept up on the suffocating child's chest, and he reared his head back to take a bite out of the child's throat as if he was an elil with fangs.
"Noooo!" Fiver screamed, sweat formed on his head and his body trembled whilst his arms and legs waving violently.
Holly and Bluebell leapt up, alarmed and awakened. The trio noticed Fiver's strange behavior and the look on his face, deeply worrying them.
"Fiver? Fiver, wake up!" Holly desperately shook the runt's body and then cuffed him in the face to bring him back to reality.
The cuff in the face woke Fiver up. His eyes widened as he stared at the three rabbits staring in agitation at him. His body still shivered, the vision of Lily's human family's deaths left quite a traumatizing impact on him.
"Are you alright?" asked Holly.
"I had a vision, one that I have never seen before, but I should have told it to you sooner before left the warren!" Fiver fessed up. "I saw Lily living with Henry and his parents, but their house caught on fire. The father was burned, the mother crushed, and Henry... he saved Lily's life by getting her out of the farm house to safety. But there was someone else in the fire. Another rabbit, his scar as white as the snow, he murdered Henry in cold blood!"
Holly and Bluebell gawked at Fiver in horrified bewilderment.
"Are you sure about this, Fiver?" Holly questioned, unsure whether to believe his own kind were capable of doing such a murderous deed.
"He wasn't wrong about Sandleford laid to waste and the evil of Cowslip's warren," Bluebell warned. "But, why would a rabbit kill a human child? Do you think he had something to do with the fire?"
"I have no doubt about it," Fiver said. "But Lily doesn't know about this... and where is Blackberry?" He looked around, realizing the doe wasn't among them.
"Where do you think she is?" Bluebell was now beginning to feel anxious.
Holly sniffed and scoured at her trail which lead up and out of the belt, wondering why on earth did she leave in the middle of the night. A rustling of the bushes not far from them sounded off. The three rabbits stood close together, alert and ready to run if elil attacked.
"Did you hear something?" Fiver looked around, warily. "What was that?"
"I don't know, but we should stay together," suggested Holly. "Bluebell, you don't have to, but tell us a story to lighten the mood."
Bluebell thought for a minute until he came up with a rather spooky tale. "Once upon a time, in the darkest and cruelest winter the world has ever known, El-ahrairah's people were starving. So, El-ahrairah set out to find the only being he thought could save them... the Black Rabbit of Inle. He struggled on and on until eventually, he arrived at the Caves of Inle, the mouth which appeared before him, like the maw of a giant monster trying to eat the sky-"
"And before the prince, the nightmare figured emerged..." The weaselly voice of Orchis came out of nowhere, but it wasn't part of the story, as he appeared out of the darkness, "...like a toxic void, and in his heart, El-ahrairah knew that there were no more tricks to be played." He finished Bluebell's tale with a sadistic chuckle, just as more large bucks came out of the darkness, surrounding the trapped outsiders. "The old yarns are the best and you spin them so well, storyteller," Orchis complimented, rudely.
"W-Who are you?" Bluebell whimpered.
"My name is Captain Orchis," he introduced himself with a sinister chuckle, "my friends and I are from a warren nearby called Efrafa. We'd love you to join us."
"And what if we refuse?" Holly immediately grew to dislike this nasty buck.
"I'm glad you asked." Orchis stomped his foot to summon the others a demonstrate the downside of the outsiders' refusal.
Out of the shadows came a thud and a cry of anguish as Blackberry was shoved to the ground, held down forcibly by Vervain with one paw on her head and the other paw pressed down on her back. His claws felt like knives pricking her body, ready to slash her fur open at any second now.
"BLACKBERRY!" Holly, Fiver and Bluebell cried in horror.
"Here's the deal," Orchis snickered, callously. "Come with us to our warren, or little Miss Lovely Bunny will never run again!"
Holly hesitated, he had never been in a situation before where a doe's life was threatened by enemies. But Blackberry's life is on the line. He glanced behind him at his two companions, he could see how terrified they were, as they exchanged frightened faces with him. Bluebell grasped Fiver's arm like a frightened child needing protection. Fiver seemed to silently tell him not to do anything reckless or they will lose a fellow rabbit. Holly gazed at Blackberry with deep concern as she whimpered, then he glared at Orchis before bowing his head in surrender. Blackberry stared at him in disbelief that Holly would give up so easily.
"I knew you would come around sooner. Now, come along." Orchis took the lead of bringing prisoners back to Efrafa.
The bucks started to shove Holly, Fiver and Bluebell to go forward and to follow Orchis. Most of the strong brutes kept surrounding them in case either of them try to escape. Blackberry was still a captive of Vervain as he pushed her roughly onward, though she stole a sorrowful glance or two with her three companions. The only Owsla officer who disapproved of Orchis' method of threatening Blackberry's life was Campion himself, though he knew the outsiders had to be captured and interrogated on the General's orders. The foursome hoped to figure out a way to get out of this or else the group will get an unpleasant meeting the Black Rabbit of Inle.
The journey to Efrafa took a whole night to get there, until the next morning the four captives found themselves arriving in Efrafa itself. The top of the chimneys probably came from part of a factory that must have been demolished long ago.
"Holly, I don't have a good feeling about this." Blackberry feared the worst.
"I wish we never left our warren." Fiver shuddered.
"Stay calm, everything will be fine." Holly had maintained calm and brave throughout their journey, despite the terror he felt in his heart.
"Easy for you to say." Bluebell trembled.
Several other big bucks on sentry duty guarding the entrance stood in position when Orchis, Vervain, Campion and a few others arrived with their prisoners. They were all just about close to Bigwig's height, but possibly a little taller and stronger than Bigwig if he ever fought them and lost in mortal combat. The bucks growled or sneered directly at the five captives, causing Bluebell to shrink at the size of them or tremble at their growls, which sounded like a fox or dog whenever they did so.
"That is the biggest rabbit I've ever seen." Bluebell grew startled at one of the bucks who appeared to resemble an ogre, as the buck glowered down at him.
Now that the four captives have a clear view of Efrafa; the warren held a giant tree with a hole as an entrance to get inside with wires and sticks around in the grass, bucks stood on the tree's long branches to supervise, the ruins of the two separate chimney stacks were connected with the tree, as if they were guards shielding off the warren from the far open land beyond, and some does were silflaying but they were on watch by the guards. Sometimes if they misbehaved or did the slightest harmless thing, they were warned or punished by a cuff in the face.
"Rabbits weren't meant to live like this!" Fiver whispered in disgust by the Owsla's cruelty.
"What is this place?" Blackberry questioned.
"Welcome my esteemed guests to Efrafa," Orchis chuckled, evilly.
The soldiers continued to force the captives to march toward a small railroad track that connected to the former factory probably to trade supplies. Coming to a checkpoint, the four rabbits witnessed a large stocky brownish grey buck with dark brown eyes by the name of Charlock, who proved to be a ruthless and despicable soldier as he did the unthinkable since he is the Head of the Owslafa, the Council's secret police.
"Get back to the warren, does!" Charlock struck a poor doe in the back of her head, making her collapse to the ground, but she quickly stood back up on her feet to join her fellow does back to their burrow.
Fury boiled inside of Holly that he attempted to intervene and teach Charlock a lesson, but another soldier stood in his way. Bluebell and Fiver gazed sympathetically at the cruelty those does endured, especially Blackberry. But she noticed Campion's dark expression aimed at Charlock for such an act. Perhaps this Campion is not like the rest of the soldiers if he disapproved of the abuse, but she had to remain cautious at all times. Then Charlock began telling off a buck by the name of Moss, whom has a beige green mask around his green eyes, his fur and underbelly and his muzzle are all light green, and his entire fur was tinted green, near the small group of does.
"Are you the fool who's supposed to be supervising this mark?" Charlock questioned.
"Well I don't-" Moss tried to explain but he was struck down.
"Concentrate, Corporal. Give these does an inch and they'll be gone!"
"That's enough, Charlock!" Campion immediately rushed in, glaring daggers at Charlock and helping Moss back on his feet. "We're Owsla, not mad dogs!"
"I'm Captain of the Owslafa, and I will do as I please!" Charlock ignored him.
Blackberry and her friends grew surprised by Campion's sudden concern for Moss. No one in this wasteland warren showed compassion toward a fellow rabbit, but the look in Campion's icy blue eyes told them there seemed to be a bit of compassion for his fellow soldiers, including the does.
"Thank you, sir." Moss thanked Campion for preventing Charlock from tearing him to pieces, then he escorted the three does back inside the warren.
"Uh, Captain Charlock, sir." Orchis interrupted.
"Ah, brother. What is it?" Charlock turned his attention from a harsh staring at Campion to calmly addressing Orchis.
"Ahem!" Holly cleared his throat politely. "We have come to ask-"
"SILENCE! You'll speak when you're spoken to directly and not before!" Charlock shouted in a harsh authoritative voice that kept Holly's mouth shut.
"I picked these hlessi up on the wide patrol... and the doe here..." Orchis added whilst pointing at Blackberry, then smirked teasingly. "She just outran the best officers in the warren, she made complete fools out of them!"
"Shut up, brother!" Vervain snarked, for he didn't like to be teased as Holly and the gang's eyes widened when they realized Charlock, Orchis and Vervain are actually siblings.
"I'll shut up the both of you if you don't clam your jaws shut!" Charlock threatened as he raised a paw to strike them, but his elder and younger brothers cowered instantly. He turned to study the four outsiders. "Hmm, one for the Council." Charlock stepped back and took charge of the captives. "I'll take them down with me."
The guards forced the small group of outsiders to follow Charlock, entering the opening of the tunnel within one of the chimneys. It was gloomy, dark, a few lights from the gutter, and the sounds of several does whimpering or crying nearby. The group halted at the pit of the core to the warren. Vervain shoved Holly into the pit, later joined by the others as they fell where the blue buck landed. Charlock lead them to a waiting point, where a small opening contained a small bunch of does whispering amongst each other.
"Wait here until the Council is ready to see you," explained Charlock, before he left to make his report and left a few guards to watch the captives.
"What if they separate us?" worried Vilthuril, a doe with a shade of grape colored fur and brownish red eyes. She is close to Fiver's size and height, probably a runt herself.
"They won't, leave the talking to me. So long as we stay together..." the doe who seemed to be in the center of the bunch was a pretty one, brown and amber mix fur with pale blue eyes that held the soul of a rebel and a fighter, she was called Hyzenthlay. She noticed the four captives' attention focused on her and the does. "Can I help you with something?"
When Holly first saw Hyzenthlay, he was instantly spellbound by her. He said nothing but his dark red eyes never left Hyzenthlay's pale blue ones, as she herself was captivated by this strange pale grey buck. At that time, Vilthuril had her first sight of Fiver, she smiled shyly at the runt. Fiver was also smitten with the female runt of Hyzenthlay's group, his eyes never left contact with the doe. Blackberry and Bluebell stared at the two couples exchanging a love at first sight moment, delighting Blackberry and making Bluebell very envious.
"You shouldn't stare at them! We don't even know who they are!" interrupted another doe. Her features were very pretty, pale yellowish fur, dark circles around her pale green eyes. Everyone knew her as Primrose, and she didn't believe these new prisoners were trustworthy, let alone why they were brought here.
Suddenly there came a weak grunting from another tunnel. It was a buck, dark blue eyes, very dark fur with dark cedar brown underbelly and muzzle with faint markings around his eyes, limping on his right hind leg and the high arch in his back raised up in a defeated, emaciated state. By the looks of him, he received quite a brutal beating from the soldiers. His gnawed ears were ripped to shreds, claws and bite marks imprinted everywhere on his body. He had head fur on his head like Bigwig, but it seemed more like a hair piece that is shaggy and wild. Everyone knew him by the name of Blackavar, as the buck himself looked up and recognized Holly in a second.
"So, they got you in the end, then?" Blackavar spoke, rather weakly.
"I'm sorry?" Holly grew puzzled by his words.
"Three days ago, a little way from here. I'll admit, but it was definitely you," he replied. "I told you to run for your life with your comrades." Blackavar realized that the rabbits accompanying Holly were not the same rabbits he had seen with the pale grey buck a few days ago.
"Is he the same rabbit you saw when you and the others were searching for us?" Bluebell asked.
Holly nodded, and gently approached the poor buck. "What happened to you?"
"Blackavar is to parade around each of the marks at silflay as an example to remind them if they try to escape," explained Chervil, a light brown buck with black circles around his blue eyes. He ushered the torn buck down another burrow, ordering, "Sainfoin, take him down to the deep burrows. After that, these does are to be separated and re-marked accordingly."
Another buck, Sainfoin, a greyish and green mix heavily built buck with yellow eyes carried out the order to escort poor Blackavar away. Primrose and Blackavar cast a brief sad frown at each other before he disappeared in the tunnels with Sainfoin forcibly pushing him on. Holly was deeply disturbed by how Blackavar was violently punished by the Efrafans as he shot a cold scowl at Charlock.
"Right, vermin, you're in first," Charlock sneered, standing by the Council's chamber entrance.
"You lack animality," Holly growled.
Charlock paused, then turned back towards him. "What did you say to me?"
"You have no integrity. Animals don't behave like men. If they have to fight, they fight. If they have to kill, they kill. But they don't devise ways of hurting other creatures." Holly stood his ground, calmly and angrily looking squarely at his enemy in the eye with a strong spirit.
Charlock lowered his eyebrows in hatred as he neared Holly's face, and everyone thought he was going to strike him, but instead he warned in an icy tone, "If you speak out of tune to me again, I will have your tongue. Next time you see me, you'd better wish yourself invisible." He dismissed himself as he entered the chamber.
Holly ventured in first, followed by Bluebell and Blackberry, although Fiver joined in last as he began a silent prayer that a miracle will save them if the Council harms them or if Hazel and Bigwig will be coming to rescue them from the clutches of these monsters.
"Bring every slave to the Council's Chamber! Everyone gets to witness what the General will decide on the fates of these intruders!" Vervain ordered the rest of the guards as they carried out their orders.
Soldiers rushed outside to force the does back inside from both areas of the warren, out by the chimney stacks and by the tall crooked tree. The does had no idea what is going on, but Hyzenthlay knew it had something to do with the four rabbits who had come to Efrafa.
Upon crossing a wooden plank used for a bridge that took them to the chamber, Holly looked down and saw a few dismayed does were in open shade as the scorching sun beat down on them. The does were exhausted, starving, or longing to be free, or worse wishing they were already dead. "Ohh... poor rabbits..." he whispered.
After managing to cross the bridge and entering the council chamber, there stood five large rabbits, probably held in equal ranks of the Owsla to be judges or jurors. Charlock stood beside several officers, all known as the Council's secret police, Owslafa. The balconies were crowded by soldiers and whimpering does as they were forced to watch this awful event. One of the rabbits in the Council was an intimidatingly large muscular buck with ragged dull brown fur, his ears a bit notched and dark circles around his greenish-yellow eyes, his name is Ragwort, the second in command of Efrafa.
"These are the rabbits that Orchis, Campion and I captured when we were assessing the wide patrol sir," Vervain explained.
Groundsel, the head judge of the council who is a large buck with dull green fur and gray-blue eyes, studied the rabbits carefully. "Where did you find them?" he interrogated.
"They were down by Casear's Belt," Orchis told him, before he started to chuckle. "The blue one tells stories. And the doe here outsmarted our best captains when they pursued her."
"I just thought of a joke," Bluebell whispered at the idea of it.
"Don't you dare!" Blackberry whispered sharply to silence him. "What did I say about inappropriate jokes?"
"You, at the front. Speak!" Ragwort demanded in a sharp voice, pointing his claws at Holly.
Keeping calm and his poker face on, Holly cleared his throat as he stepped forward. "We're from a warren not too far from away. We came to request that some of the does be asked if they'd like to join us."
"Then why do you have a doe with you?" Campion interrogated, his eyes glimpsed at Blackberry suspiciously.
"They are two of the three does in our warren, most of our rabbits are bucks whom are fighting amongst each other for their affections," Holly explained.
The does began to murmur, either some were pleased at the idea of moving out of this dreadful place, while others had doubts believing Holly's request to be a trick.
"Let me get this straight," Charlock snickered. "You came to Efrafa to ask if you could take our does?"
"That is quite out of the question, foolish outsider!" Vervain sneered.
The entire council members and the secret police burst out laughing, taking Holly's request as a joke. But an unexpected presence entered the chamber, high on the platform.
"ENOUGH!" a harsh, raspy voice echoed in the chamber room, silencing the mocking laughter in an instant.
Everybody looked up and there, on the platform, stood an exceptionally large, brawny, and most savage-looking rabbit which Holly and his friends had ever seen in their lives. He had ragged, dark grey fur and numerous scars; most prominently a long, red gash over his left eye, which was blind and white as the moon. His right eye was blood red and both eyes had dark circles under them. His claws were long, black and very sharp, and both his ears were damaged; the right one had several small bits missing from the sides, while the left had a huge chunk missing from near the top. This scarred rabbit bore a strange resemblance to Ragwort, except he was larger and more vicious than Ragwort or any of the others.
The Council and the officers reacting to his presence told the outsiders that he must be the leader of Efrafa, but staring at this scarred rabbit made Fiver recall his vision; the fire in the farm house, Henry lying on the floor, and Lily confronted by the very same giant scarred rabbit. He realized at once this creature was part of her past. How he got in her house and if the fire was his doing, he didn't know yet.
"It's him!" Fiver gasped, quietly.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," whispered Blackberry, who looked at him in surprise.
"Lily has."
"Uh, brother! We weren't expecting you." Ragwort gasped at the sudden presence of the giant rabbit, and his relation to this tyrant of a chief rabbit made the outsiders' eyes widened upon realizing they are siblings.
"Vervain is right," The tyrannical leader spoke. "Gifting our does is out of the question."
"I take it back. That's the biggest rabbit I've ever seen." Bluebell shuddered at the sight of this enormous buck.
"No, no! We can't leave here without putting our case forward!" Holly protested, sternly.
"Leave here? Who on earth said you were ever going to leave here?" The tyrant interrupted.
"However, we really do feel it would be beneficial for both our warrens for a matter of peace. Do you wish to cause conflict among your own kind? Which do you prefer; war or peace? Life or death, uhh Captain...?"
"My name is Woundwort - General Woundwort." The tyrant introduced himself, correcting the shocked Holly.
"And why should we stay in a warren where you abuse your does?" Bluebell chided, angrily. "Rabbits need to respect their does, not beat them or take advantage of them like the savage beasts you are!"
The Council and the secret police gasped, so did the does, but Woundwort remained oddly calm as he mused, "Perhaps instead of being marked, I could have all of you executed right now."
The outsiders gasped, and Bluebell wished he hadn't opened his mouth to speak his mind.
"Now you've done it," grumbled Blackberry.
Fiver's body began to tremble, his eyes shut tight. He knew a vision was coming, but nothing like this one.
"You asked which I prefer; war or peace," Woundwort responded to Holly's questions. "I answer: war. You ask which I prefer; life or death. I answer; death."
"But-" Holly tried to object.
"All your questions were answered... execute them on my command!" ordered Woundwort.
Holly, Blackberry and Bluebell gasped, horrified. Fiver didn't seem to take notice. Primrose, Vilthuril, Blackavar, Hyzenthlay and the does gasped worriedly as well. The Owsla surrounded the four captives, leaving them no chance of escape. The outsiders braced themselves, just in case they needed to defend themselves.
"Unless you want to live, tell me this... where is your warren, outsiders?" demanded Woundwort.
"I'm afraid we can't do that, General!" Holly refused, defiantly.
Angered, Woundwort scraped his prominent claws and growled, "You claim you're from another warren. I will destroy it, and your people will become mine."
Noticing Fiver's strange body gestures, Blackberry grew concerned and asked, "Fiver, what's wrong?"
"They will obey me, and live through me!" Woundwort continued. "Those who don't will die!" Turning to his Owsla, he gave the command of execution, "STRIKE!"
The Owsla smirked when they were about to kill the four captives, whom huddled closer together or ready to fight back. Campion wasn't smirking like the others, but he was just following orders like any rabbit would for his chief.
All of a sudden, Fiver began to scream out loud in agony, as if he was in extreme pain. "OHHHHH! Darkhaven is destroyed!" he cried.
Hearing that particular word, Woundwort and Ragwort raised their heads in surprise, and just as the soldiers were about to attack when the General ordered them to stop, "HOLD! He said Darkhaven!"
"Foxes in the garden... Hemlock killed... fire in the field... the man with a gun... save them, Laurel!" Fiver visioned, his eyes shot open and rolled in the back of his head, displaying the white as he stared at no one in particular, although his eyes completely terrified the Owsla and the does.
"Hemlock... Laurel... my parents..." Woundwort's voice lowered, shocked to hear the names of his and Ragwort's parents come from this runt with a strange power that no rabbit could ever possess. "Clear the gathering area, everyone underground!" he bellowed.
The guards quickly scattered to escort the does back underground to their assigned marks. Campion, Sainfoin, Vervain, Orchis, Charlock, Ragwort, Groundsel and the rest of the Council remained behind, all staring at Fiver in bewilderment.
When Woundwort hopped off the platform, he approached Fiver and studied him curiously, finding it impossible that a runt could know about his past. "Only the Black Rabbit of Inle could know these things."
"A weasel coming through the bushes... getting closer and closer... smelling the blood. Too tired to run away! TOO TIRED TO RUN!" Fiver continued, ending his vision.
General Woundwort had gone tharn, his mind traveling back to a traumatic part of his childhood that regarded going to a Man's garden to steal flayrah with his father, Hemlock, and his brothers, Ragwort and Milkwort. Woundwort was born - the weakest in a litter of five - at a burrow within the bowels of Darkhaven. Humans burned them out and many rabbits perished, except a small group who escaped. Settling down in a small warren close by, Woundwort's family and several others ventured toward the garden belonging to a cottage in order to steal plenty of flayrah and bring back to the warren. Woundwort's small size and timid nature made him the target of bullies from his siblings. However, their parents still loved Woundwort and held high hopes for their son when he grows up.
On that day, Hemlock brought his three sons to the cottage's garden to take some flayrah back to the warren. Woundwort volunteered to be the lookout. Hemlock, Milkwort and Ragwort lolloped inside the garden and discovered a row of delicious cabbages growing nearby. All of a sudden, Woundwort felt a sudden and strange presence close by. He felt the fear take hold of him. He stood still, frozen and paralyzed to say a word. Hemlock noticed his son's behavior, wondering what the matter is, until he realized his son had gone tharn because an elil is nearby.
All of a sudden, a fox ambushed and killed Hemlock by sinking his jaws into the rabbit's throat before another fox, a vixen whom is his mate, pursued the terrified young bucks back to their warren, where the vixen slaughtered one rabbit after the next. Woundwort's sisters couldn't escape in time as the vixen slaughtered the poor young does in cold blood. The fox later caught up with his mate, joining her in their massacring the rabbits for an easy meal. Woundwort and his brothers attempted to escape, leaping through the thick brambles. Unfortunately, the mean-spirited Milkwort lost his life when the fox caught up to him after going tharn, sinking his jaws into his throat and shook him like a terrier does to a rat.
In the process, Ragwort and Woundwort scrambled inside the brambles for cover, although the fox's muzzle and sharp jaws barely caught them. Panicking, Woundwort tried to run but he got cornered by the fox. The fox scratched him in the left eye, blinding him. Suddenly Laurel, Woundwort's mother, bravely lunged out of nowhere and maimed the fox in the eyes, allowing her sons to escape. Seconds later, she joined them. With the fox blind, the enraged vixen resumed pursuit in attempt to avenge her mate, but Laurel lead her to the human's cottage, where she carelessly knocked over some fuel tanks used for a nearby truck, and the sun's heat started a spark which grew into a flame, creating a sudden wildfire. The fox and the vixen escaped the flames in time. Laurel nuzzled her sons and made sure they were alright, although they had been terribly frightened, but they were safe.
Unfortunately, the smell of the blood on Woundwort's eye attracted another elil; a weasel. Laurel realizes there was no place to go and her sons were too tired to run. Taking one last loving smile at her sons, the doe heroically lunged at the weasel, but the weasel succeeded in winning the battle by overpowering Laurel and killing her by ripping out her throat. Ragwort stared on in stupefied horror. Woundwort shielded his eyes to avoid witnessing the death of his mother. He prepared for the worst when the weasel came close to killing him and his brother when a gunshot rang out, killing the elil. The fire had been put out by the man, a schoolmaster, when alarmed by the commotion outside, who discovered the pair of orphaned young bucks and decided to take them in and raise them.
Locked inside a hutch for the past few seasons, Woundwort and Ragwort had grown into adolescence. They were given food and water by the kind human. However, Woundwort could only growl or bite him whenever the Man tried to feed them or tend to his injured eye. It was by now when Ragwort noticed this violent change in his brother, and he grew concerned with each passing minute. The once timid and weak little Woundwort had a black scowl on his expression, combining with his new scarred eye made him appear threatening and cold. Nearby, a black cat was dozing off in his basket. He belonged to the Man, but the cat disapproved and hated these newcomers in his territory, thus took the opportunity to torment the imprisoned rabbits whenever his master's back was turned.
Examining the wires of his cage, Woundwort concocted a plan to make their escape. He began to gnaw and bite at the wires, though it was a long and tireless job, the young buck was determined to escape this prison. The life of a hutch rabbit wasn't suited for him. He continued to do this all day until the sun started to set. Ragwort had fallen asleep when he heard a pained howl and a shriek. Waking up, he found a large hole had been chewed open in the hutch and Woundwort absent. Looking around, Ragwort discovered the cat hiding underneath a shelf of kitchen appliances, trembling and licking at the blood oozing from a huge gash in his leg. Ragwort couldn't believe it. Did Woundwort really maim that cat? His question was answered when he found his brother standing on a wooden drawer and in front of the window, wiping the blood off his lips. Ragwort didn't need to be told twice to climb out of the hutch and leapt onto the drawer, climbing out of the window with Woundwort to make their escape.
The two young bucks escaped the cottage and bounded off into the night, searching for a new home and a new warren to stay. The trauma and their adventures had, in some strange way, brought them closer. No more did Ragwort tease his brother, recognizing the strength and courage in Woundwort. They could have gone back to Darkhaven, that is until they stumbled upon another warren; Efrafa. It was ruled by the callous, lazy, stubborn and irresponsible Fiorin. He bullied his rabbits and took all the flayrah for himself when gardens were raided. The rabbits never fought back, they were so frightened, weak and their starvation made them turn on each other in a blind rage. It wasn't any better when elil were everywhere, slaughtering rabbits at every opportunity they stole. Nevertheless, Fiorin took in the wandering brothers with plans to train them as part of his Owsla after learning of Woundwort's courage against the cat. However, Woundwort concocted a secret plot of his own to usurp Fiorin's leadership and conquer his warren. He succeeded when defeating Fiorin in a bloody combat that ended the lazy chief's life. Inspired, the rabbits began to look up to Woundwort as their new leader. General Woundwort took command of Efrafa and taught everyone how to attack and fight the elil. In no time flat, these rabbits transformed into the savage, fearless, violent and cunning soldiers they are today.
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" The now adult Woundwort screamed, grasping his paws at his forehead.
After the entire vision had ended, Fiver fainted but he was caught by Holly. Blackberry and Bluebell were baffled at such a vision their friend had spoke of, for all they knew Fiver could only predict the future, but nothing like this.
"Who are you, and what in Frith's name is he?!" Woundwort questioned, as the Owslafa surrounded them again.
Fiver regained consciousness, just as Holly answered boldly in order to intimidate, "I told you. We are from another warren, but it's a great warren. My Owsla is as strong as your own. Silent as the night, and even if you could not see them, they could be all around you."
"Your Owsla?" Orchis repeated, staring at Holly in disbelief. "You're a captain?"
"Captain Holly, if you please, just as you are one, though I dare not call you captain because you and all Owsla in Efrafa lack animality!"
"Don't challenge them!" Bluebell warned.
Campion was intended that he would dare challenge an enemy rabbit, but his chief rabbit had forbidden him to fight these outsiders.
"Hold it!" Woundwort had been thinking over what Holly told him, and after witnessing Fiver's gift, he decided to lay down an ultimatum. Maybe these four rabbits can be useful for his warren, until he finds their warren and enslave all who live there. "Perhaps the execution was too fast. After you're all marked, I'll find some use for all of you."
"But, General-" Vervain objected, but the scowl Woundwort gave him reminded the large buck to keep his mouth shut.
The five rabbits exchanged concerned faces, but since Fiver had saved their lives, maybe there is a slight chance of this turn of events to escape.
"It appears we have no choice," Holly decided, feigning acceptance to live in Efrafa, then secretly winked at his comrades.
Blackberry, Bluebell and Fiver nodded, agreeing with him.
"Campion, have them taken to be marked and then escort them to their burrow with a few of the other slaves," Woundwort commanded. "The rest of you, get back to your Marks! And bring in Bugloss, I have a job for him."
"Yes, sir!" The soldiers obeyed, and then left their separate ways, although the chosen officer, Campion, forcibly escorted the prisoners out of the council chamber.
Back on Watership Down, Hazel and Bigwig and Pipkin had made the journey to Nuthanger farm, puzzled at Fiver's absence since he was supposed to go with them, because Kehaar said he had gone to pass hraka at a bad timing. Nevertheless, things did not turn out quite smoothly when they failed to liberate Clover and other does. Returning to the down, Hazel and Bigwig were absolutely livid when Kehaar and Hannah admitted of Holly's plan to bring back does from this warren in the east, but the worst of it is that Fiver, Blackberry and Bluebell had gone with him, distressing Hazel. So Hazel set off with Bigwig, Buckthorn and Silver on their journey. It was late afternoon when the sun began to set long after the three bucks left the high hills. Strawberry had been left in charge until their return, much to the bucks' dismay as the stern doe had them continue digging. Lily wanted to come along, but she was ordered to stay behind and help build the tunnels. She reluctantly agreed, but told the bucks to be careful.
"Frith above, why did Fiver have to leave without telling us?!" Hazel lamented, concerned and frustrated at himself for not seeing this sooner. "If anything happens to him, I'll never forgive myself."
"Don't worry, mate. Holly and the others will take care of him..." Buckthorn realized he wasn't helping when Bigwig scorned in his face. "I was only trying to help. But I am positive they'll be safe and sound once we find them."
"You mean if we find them," Silver dryly pointed out.
"We will find them, I guarantee it."
The search party traveled through the forest for an hour, continuing their journey to Efrafa. Neither of them had a chance to rest, except when eating silflay or drinking from a pond. But they didn't stay long to eat as silflay was very short. Bigwig was the most pushy one of the group, determined to find his friends before anything bad happens to them. Hazel tried to calm him, though he felt slightly uneasy for his brother's absence, silently hoping his little brother will be alright.
"Where are they taking us?" Holly questioned, right after the three captains had a few does accompany him and his comrades to be marked along with the outsiders.
The tunnel had grown darker by the minute as everyone ventured deeper in the underground burrow, putting a dreadful fear in their souls.
"You're going to be marked," Hyzenthlay explained. "On which leg determines where you'll live in Efrafa, what time you can go out, to eat, or pass hraka."
"This is... it's just a prison!" Fiver complained.
"They tell us it's to keep us safe from humans or elil. But most of all, they tell us Man will find us and infect us with the White Blindness." Another doe, a dull green coffee colored doe with yellow eyes, called Nettle scorned. "They tell us it's better to give up a little liberty in exchange for safety, but it's a load of old lendri beard!"
"Nettle, be careful!" warned Hyzenthlay.
"I don't believe Man infects rabbits with the White Blindness." Blackberry rolled her eyes in displeasure. "It's probably an excuse to keep you all in Efrafa."
"We believed it at first, but now that you mention it, we realize it is just a pathetic excuse," Primrose agreed.
The group of rabbits arrived at a darker part of the warren, where a guard stood at the entrance, clearing the way for them to allow access. It was a small round staircase that lead deeper underground. The open roof above where the sky was had a mixture of lovely colors, a sign of what could have been a beautiful sunset the outsiders would've loved to have seen if not trapped inside this prison. In a small basement, there stood a huge creepy rabbit with droopy ears and a sharp buck tooth. He sharpened his claw, the longest claw ever that resembled a velociraptor's claw, on his left hind leg. The high pitched scratch of the nail on the iron hurt their ears.
"Who's first?" Campion looked at the prisoners, waiting impatiently.
Neither of them spoke or tried to move, cause they weren't willing to go or were afraid to go through with this.
"I'll go first. I'm not scared," Nettle volunteered, and she went down before sliding on the iron grate to reach the bottom and approached the creepy rabbit.
"Why don't the rabbits here try to escape? Uh, Hyzenthlay!" Holly asked her through a whisper. "Your name is Hyzenthlay, isn't it?"
"Keep your voice down!" Hyzenthlay hissed. "In Efrafa, even the soil has ears. If by some miracle we did manage to get out, they destroy everyone you left behind."
As they watched, the droopy creepy rabbit pressed Nettle down on the iron ground. Sniffing and grunting at her, Nettle bravely extended her front left leg. Then, he started to mark on Nettle's left hind leg. Fiver couldn't bare to watch as he pressed his face against Bluebell's shoulder, and the blue buck tried to offer him comfort by patting his shoulder.
Noticing how Campion turned his head away from the suffering of the mark, as if he's seen enough horror in his life before, Holly scolded, "Don't avert your eyes, Captain Campion. You're party to this."
"I'm following orders," Campion denied, defending himself. "That's what soldiers do."
"Take it from me. What makes a good soldier is not always what makes a good rabbit."
When it was over, Nettle limped as she climbed up out of the basement back to the others. Campion ordered the next prisoner to go in, so Fiver volunteered silently as he hopped down the iron grate and calmly awaited his mark.
"What are your names?" Hyzenthlay asked both Blackberry and Bluebell their names, noticing how terrified they were.
"I'm Blackberry, and this is Bluebell," the doe introduced themselves.
"Listen, I want all of you to close your eyes and think of something you really like," Hyzenthlay advised, as one of them could be next to receive a mark in order to make them feel better.
"Spring morning, eating sweet sow thistle," Bluebell said. "The sun on my back-"
"You, there! You're next!" Campion ordered.
Bluebell was pushed forward to go in. He passed the already marked Fiver, who limped badly, and slid down the iron grate to receive his mark.
"What I like to think of is living in my home warren, playing with my family,..." Primrose sighed, dreamily.
"Hyzenthlay, I can see you're a good rabbit, a strong rabbit," Holly commended, sincerely. "Let's make a break for it tonight. We'll take as many with us as we can."
"You know nothing of me, Holly, and I know nothing of you," Hyzenthlay refused, glaring suspiciously. "How do I know you're not one of them?"
"You knew he wasn't one of the Efrafans when you were staring into his eyes like they were filled with carrots!" Blackberry chided, quoting Bluebell's words about love at first sight.
Hyzenthlay whirled her head around to scowl darkly at her, though her cheeks were as red as the sky above.
"But what about you?" Fiver asked. "What makes you happy?"
Hyzenthlay's eyes enlarged as she turned away, her eyes shut tight for a moment until one word escaped from her lips, "Freedom."
Campion's ear twitched upon hearing that word. He glared silently at Hyzenthlay, only for his eyes to be met by Blackberry, who fixed a hard frown back at him. And then, that strange feeling returned when their eyes locked on. Blackberry was never interested in any buck in Sandleford after being ostracized for her intelligence by the Owsla, so she remained content as a single doe. However, there was something about Campion which caught her interest so deeply, she felt her heart racing a mile a minute. Wait, what is she thinking? Blackberry knew she cannot develop a school girl crush on a stranger who took charge of hurting her friends. Brushing off these emotions, the doe shut her eyes and looked away.
To avoid any emotional conversation between them, Campion exclaimed, "Who is next?"
Blackberry bravely volunteered to go forward. Bluebell hopped out of the darkness of the pit, allowing Blackberry to move past him. She carefully slid down the iron grate, greeted by the droopy rabbit, who pressed her down on iron slate. Blackberry shut her eyes tightly when she felt her flesh ripped open, making a painful whimper as it happened. Her friends turned away, fearing for her. Even Campion shut his eyes when he couldn't bare to watch her suffering. Why he took pity on this doe, he had no idea. He hadn't felt this way since...No, he cannot let these new emotions distract him. He must remained focused on the present and follow orders.
When Blackberry's mark was finished, Campion gazed at the last prisoner with a much softer tone. "You're next, Primrose."
One of the guards immediately shoved Primrose forward, as she stumbled down the iron grate and into the darkness, hearing the fearful gasps of her friends behind her.
Blackberry hopped past her to get back up the iron grate. "Be brave," she whispered in her ear.
Nodding, Primrose cautiously approached the droopy rabbit as he sniffed at her. There was a creepy grin on his face when he shoved her to the iron floor with his large paw, feeling his heavy weight crushing her body.
The edge of the claw pierced onto her right hind leg. She began to cringe and whimper. The nail went deeper into her leg as she felt a part of her flesh and fur was opened. Her paws grasped the iron floor, leaving her own engraved marks. When her mark was complete, the droopy rabbit removed his claw and Primrose limped her way out of the darkness as quickly as she could to rejoin the others.
"You were very brave," Blackberry praised, warmly smiling at Primrose for the first time throughout their interaction. She noticed at the corner of her eye how Campion looked dreadfully concerned for her wellbeing after witnessing the poor doe receiving her mark. Is there something between Campion and Primrose?
Night came, but nobody wanted to star gaze tonight cause the does needed to silflay or pass hraka outside the warren one last time. Both areas of the warren outside the chimney stacks and the crooked tree had large groups of does silflaying or passing hraka because each of their different marks meant it was their time to silflay or pass hraka before retiring to their burrows for the night. Under the General's orders, Captain Bugloss was given the job of being put in charge to keep watch over the four newcomers as he kept a stern eagle eye on the rabbits.
"Aah! I think it cut deep. It won't stop bleeding," Fiver grunted, limping.
"I know how you feel," Bluebell replied, licking his wound with his tongue. "I just wish you had herbs to give us for our wounds, Blackberry."
"I doubt they allow healing herbs around here." Blackberry doubted, licking her own wound.
"Stupid Efrafans!" Bluebell stuck his tongue out in a raspberry at Charlock and Bugloss when they weren't looking. "So, what do we do now?"
"We have a choice to make." Holly brought the five of them together, huddling closer to lay out the plan. "We can stay or we can run. I still believe we can make a run for it."
"But what happened to you back there, Fiver?" inquired Bluebell. "I've never seen a vision take you that way, especially the look in your eyes. It frightened everybody in the Council's chamber."
"I hope it never does again," Fiver replied, worriedly. "Woundwort is full of hate and fear and loss. It just swept over me."
"It saved our lives, Fiver," assured Blackberry, comfortingly.
Holly thought of something else for her group that could work in their plan. "There was an iron road nearby during my travels of finding you. If they chase us, we can lure them to the iron road. I doubt they'd pursue us if we climb over it."
"What is an iron road?" Bluebell raised a confused eyebrow.
Suddenly they heard Charlock make a surprise announcement at a small broken stone hedge, "Listen up, I want to introduce you to Blackavar!" He ordered an Owsla officer to shove the battered dark rabbit to parade during the silflay, where more bloody marks were on his body, as this was the Owsla's way of humiliating Blackavar. "Look hard at this rabbit and remember him when you think of disobeying General Woundwort."
Holly wanted to step in and defend Blackavar, but Fiver held him back and shook his head. Charlock glanced an evil grin at the five outsiders, eager to show off and let this be a lesson to them if either of the newcomers try to escape or retaliate.
"If we leave tonight, we should bring Blackavar, Primrose or Hyzenthlay with us," whispered Blackberry.
"They will, but we need to get ourselves out first," Holly advised. "We'll need Hazel's help to get them out of Efrafa, especially getting every single doe out of this Frith forsaken warren."
His friends sighed, devastated. They knew he was right, but their hearts cried out to Hyzenthlay, Primrose, Vilthuril, Nettle, Blackavar and every imprisoned doe present at silflaying or privately passing hraka. They had no choice but to leave the others behind.
Taking one last look at the guards on sentry duty whilst they talked to each other, Holly whispered to his friends, "Can you run?"
"Yes!" Fiver, Blackberry and Bluebell answered in union.
"Now... on my word, run and don't look back," Holly added. "Whatever it takes to survive."
The four of them started to slowly move away from the guards and the does. However, it didn't take long for their escape attempt to go unnoticed.
"You, there! Stop!" Bugloss shouted, when he first noticed their movements.
The does looked up and gasped, shocked at their bold actions. Even Blackavar and his guard paused to see what is going on.
"Run!" Holly instructed loudly.
And with that, the four rabbits started to pick up speed and made a run for it to get away from the warren. However, they were being pursued by the Owslafa; Charlock, Bugloss, and a few more guards, all bigger and stronger and faster.
Despite the pain in their marked legs, the four outsiders successfully managed to escape from Efrafa, but the soldiers were still on their tail. They used attempted maneuvers to get rid of them by going through thick bushes and under a bridge where two guards blocked their way out. With a battle cry, Holly and Blackberry tackled them both to get them out of their way, although Holly maintained leadership while Blackberry never felt such strength before with tackling an Efrafan soldier. They were about to run underneath a third bridge, but their path was blocked off by bars, so the four rabbits had to climb up the hill to make their getaway.
Blackberry's hind leg started to ache by the cut in her leg. "My leg! I can't run fast enough!" she exclaimed.
"We're nearly there!" Holly encouraged, making the harsh climb.
"There's no end to this place!" Bluebell panted, on the verge of giving up.
At the top of the hill, Fiver noticed a tall hill and a railroad. His heart soared with joy. "There! It's the iron road!"
Suddenly Charlock appeared out of nowhere and prevented their escape. "You rabbits have made a very grave error," he sneered.
Just when it seemed the four rabbits have lost all hope, a familiar doe lunged out of nowhere and tackled the startled Charlock, pinning him to the ground.
"Hyzenthlay!" gasped Holly.
"Run!" she ordered, and as the others ran, though Holly hesitated.
"Come with us!" the pale grey buck tried to persuade her.
"I would never go without the others! Go, now!" the doe urged.
"I'll come back for you! I promise!" Holly made a valiant vow, as he started running to catch up to his friends, just as more soldiers arrived when sounded by the alarm and Hyzenthlay was struck unconscious by Charlock after he maliciously told her this is the last time she sees the stars.
Sliding downhill after their rough climb, it gave the four fugitives more speed to escape the Efrafan soldiers. Racing across an open meadow, they picked up speed. The pain in Blackberry's leg made her slow down as she begged Holly to leave her so she wouldn't feel like a burden to her friends. Holly refused, pushing the doe onward and encouraging her to keep moving forward. Glancing over his shoulder, he could see the Efrafan Owslafa still in hot pursuit.
"Run faster, you swines!" Charlock commanded, meaning serious business. "Tear them to pieces!"
Finally, they reached the high railway embankment by crawling under a wired fence and found the large hill filled with coal rocks, making them realize they were closer to the railroad tracks now and Holly's part of the plan could work. The group scrambled up the hill. Fiver slipped and slowly fell back down toward where the Owslafa was approaching, close enough to catch the runt.
"Oh no, Fiver!" Blackberry whirled round to go back for him, catching him in time.
"Blackberry!" Holly shouted, sliding downhill a bit to block the Owslafa Captain's path of attacking Blackberry and Fiver, slashing Charlock in the face with his claws, before rejoining his friends.
Charlock growled, infuriated at the scars he received on his face. Once they made it to the top, Bluebell waited for them. Their ears cocked when they heard a few familiar voices calling their names.
"It sounds like Hazel and Bigwig!" Bluebell cheered.
Looking down on the other side of the hill, the four rabbits could see by the light of the full moon where Hazel, Bigwig, Buckthorn and Silver were racing to the bottom of the railway embankment, relieved and overjoyed to have found their friends.
"It is Hazel and Bigwig!" Blackberry exclaimed, tears of joy stung her eyes. "Thank Frith!"
Before either of them could do anything, Charlock and the Owslafa caught up to them. They started attacking the fugitives and scratching Fiver when he tried to stop them from biting Blackberry by going for her hind leg to worsen her injury. Her hind leg burned from all the running and the deep cut in her leg.
"Ow, my leg!" Blackberry cried out in pain.
Fiver sunk his teeth in Bugloss' neck, making the officer cry out in agony. But due to the runt's smaller size, Bugloss used this advantage to shove him off and took a swipe at his face. Fiver squealed when part of his face got clawed at.
"Leave him alone!" Hazel's voice bellowed down below, hearing the commotion from below and grew fearful for his brother's safety.
"Who is that?!" Charlock's head shot up, briefly surprised by the sudden presence of more outsiders.
As if things couldn't get any worse, a passenger train rattled thunderously on the tracks, signaling its oncoming approach. Holly and Bluebell roughly pushed Charlock and Bugloss off the paralyzed Fiver and Blackberry. Another guard came onto the tracks, and Holly was engaged in combat with Charlock, whilst Bluebell fought against Bugloss. Blackberry slashed her claws at another officer. Fiver had just gotten back on his feet, the train's whistle shrieked in the distance and the head lights were shining so brightly that it caught his and everyone else's attention, making them go completely tharn.
"DON'T LOOK INTO THE LIGHT! YOU'LL GO THARN!" Blackberry screamed, just as Charlock lunged to attack her.
Bravely, Bluebell joined the fight and scratched Charlock in the eye, then he shoved Blackberry off the tracks to get her out of harm's way. Holly gave Bugloss one last swipe before he lost his balance and stumbled off the tracks.
Shaking her head, Fiver returned to reality, just as Charlock grabbed him by the ears as the runt squealed in agony.
"It's time for you to stop running!" Charlock threatened, darkly.
Thinking fast, Fiver reached forward and sunk his teeth into Charlock's neck, causing the Efrafan officer to scream and release him, then he swiped his claws at his face, making him cry out in agony. The lights grew brighter and the train grew closer than ever. Bugloss and Charlock were both unable to move due to Charlock's injuries and Bugloss had gone tharn in the train's headlights. The rest of the Owslafa were forced to retreat when the train grew closer and closer. Fiver quickly leaped towards the other side of the tracks, but Charlock's screams were silenced as the train thundered in, killing him and Bugloss instantly.
Down below, the rest of the Watership Down rabbits had located Holly and Bluebell and Blackberry, whom had tumbled down the embankment and lay on the ground, but they could barely see what was going on. They watched in horror at what recently appeared to be three rabbits struck and killed by the giant speeding train.
"No!" Bigwig cried, hoping his friend wasn't killed right before his very eyes.
"Fiver!" Hazel called out, close to a panic at what he believed to be his brother's demise.
The other rabbits prayed, silently watching and waiting for any signs of life. Just then, a small rabbit came bouncing down the embankment and rolled across the ground to his feet. It was Fiver, though unharmed yet not sure if he's still alive. The shaken Fiver stood up, his legs trembling and trying to recover from the shock of the incident.
"Fiver, you're alright!" Hazel rushed over, giving his little brother a neck rub with such joy and relief. "Thank Frith, I found you!"
"Hazel, am I glad to see you!" Fiver returned the neck rub with equal affection.
Standing back up on his feet and regaining his senses, Blackberry smiled graciously at Bluebell for his heroic actions. "Bluebell, you saved me. You're a hero."
"I much preferred it when I was a liability," Bluebell shrugged, though flattered. "But what was that thing?"
"Either way," Holly stood up, half shaken but astonished, "Frith has decided that it's not our time to stop running."
"For a minute there, we thought you were..." Bigwig spoke, glad to see his friends had not been harmed, he got straight to the point when his anger and concern for them got hold of him. "You'd all better have a good explanation for what you've been doing!"
Holly sighed, tiredly. "We'll tell you when we get back to the down. Right now, we need some of Blackberry's herbs. Our legs are in bad shape."