Hazel, Primrose, Clover and Blackavar quietly snuck their way through Efrafan territory by hiding behind some brambles and a huge tree when they heard Vervain's voice cry out, "Come on!" The group watched and waited for the enemy patrol to move. Once they had left, Blackavar double-checked to make sure nobody else was nearby. He signaled the others that the coast was clear. They finally reached the message tree where Campion usually communicates with Hazel, but there had not been any stones since his arrest.

"Two round moons gone, and still no message from Campion," Hazel sighed dejectedly.

"You don't think Campion is dead, do you?" Blackavar worried.

"No, Woundwort still has him under arrest," Primrose assured him, but she wasn't so sure either. "Or maybe you're right, Blackavar... Maybe he is..."

"Stop it!" Clover reprimanded her. "We don't know that for sure!"

"You're right." Hazel agreed with his mate. "We have to keep hoping."

"I keep remembering Fiver's vision..." Primrose recalled what the mystic rabbit told everyone, "A warning comes from the lone and the brave. The one who will save us is the one we can't save."

"We'll find out what happened to him, I promise." Hazel vowed, turning back to the direction of his home warren with his friends behind him.

Back on Watership Down, Hazel and the gang informed everyone of no stones in the message tree from their imprisoned friend. The rabbits discussed what to do about finding out of Campion's safety, and that was when Hannah announced her plan. The mouse was determined to fly on Kehaar's back and sneak inside Efrafa to make sure if Campion is alive or not, a prisoner or dead.

"You sure you want to do this, Hannah?" Hazel looked concerned for her. "It could be dangerous."

"Being a mouse is dangerous. If Campion is still alive in Efrafa, I'll find him." Hannah brushed off his concerns. "Besides, I've snuck inside Efrafa before. Nothing to fret about." The brave little mouse climbed onto Kehaar's back, prepared to fly off.

"Remember Kehaar, get her as close to Efrafa as you can," Bigwig repeated his instructions to the gull in order to carry out the job. "Fly fast and low."

"Yeah!" Kehaar understood perfectly before he took to the skies.

Primrose watched them leave with concern in her pretty green eyes. "Frith watch over them."

Kehaar flew over the woods that will take them directly to Efrafa, flying past over surprised animals to see a mouse riding the back of a seagull. Hannah just waved a polite hello to the animals, all of whom smiled in response. Reaching the gigantic, old and wilted tree of the Efrafan warren, the gull flew fast and low, but silent enough to not make a sound. When he got close enough to the ground, Hannah leapt off his back and landed in a small bush.

The soft rustling of Hannah's impact of her landing made a sentry look back, not seeing Kehaar make his escape. He approached the tiny area where Hannah had landed, sniffing for any signs of trespassers or escapees to find out where the noise came from. There was none, so he resumed his sentry duty. Once the sentry buck had gone, Hannah emerged from her hiding spot and darted toward the tree roots, sneaking into the warren without being seen by the guards. As Hannah ventured deeper inside the tunnel, she paused when she noticed Moss walking past her, but he waited patiently for someone else.

"Come along, Campion sir," he said. "Captains Vervain and Orchis want to see you again."

A weak, wheezy cough came from a very thin and tired Campion as he slowly hopped over to Moss. He looked thinner and more worn down than the rest of the bucks, possibly due to starvation. Hannah gasped in horror at the poor state the Owsla Captain was in, watching him collapse in the midst of his hopping. A bigger buck harshly shoved him onward, forcing him to keep going.

Concerned, Hannah crawled down the roots and bounded forward to stay on their tail. Her ears cocked up when she heard some guards approaching. She hid in an empty burrow waiting fearfully for the savage rabbits to leave. Her little heart beat faster and panting quickened, hoping none of them seen, smelled or heard her. The guards left, making Hannah breathe a sigh of relief. She heard Vervain's voice echo through a hole in the wall, climbing the wall to get a better look at the interrogation Vervain and Orchis put together.

"Well Campion, ready to answer a few questions today?" Vervain sneered at how pathetic and weak his rival now looked as he interrogated him. "Where were you on the night we left to attack Redstone?"

"I don't know about you, Vervain, but I'm rather bored," Campion replied without answering, his brave heart staying firm to never betray Watership Down. "You've both asked me the same questions for moons now."

Orchis scorned in impatient silence. "And we'll keep asking them until we get the answers we like. Do remember you're no longer in a position to bargain with either of us." Campion growled from that remark.

Vervain repeated himself. "I ask you again: Where were you?"

Witnessing the interrogation, Woundwort sat quietly on a high stone ledge with a rather bored and impatient frown on his face. His brother, Ragwort, sat beside him for support, but he too had grown bored. Whatever Campion gave it was the same as always, and Vervain's questions never changed.

Campion sighed and decided to just go along with this stupid interrogation. "I went out on patrol."

"You're a liar!" Orchis accused viciously. "How did you know about the snares in Cowslip's warren?"

"I met a rabbit from Cowslip's warren. He told me." Campion responded.

Vervain just chortled cruelly at his answer. "More lies! Why did you resist arrest?"

"Because my chief was going into battle. My place was with him," Campion declared boldly, gazing up at the General as his mismatched eyes widened.

Orchis grew fed up with this nonsense, deciding to ask an even bigger question. "All right, then let me ask you this: Where is Thlayli's warren?"

Some of the guards or council members gasped, though Hannah held her own, certain that Campion would never tell.

"I wish you'd get it through your thick skulls," Campion began to answer, causing Hannah to gasp, wondering if he was about to give in. "I have no idea!" Campion enunciated slowly enough to make his point clear, with Hannah sighing in relief from that answer.

"Objection!" Groundsel, who had taken upon himself to act as Campion's defendant, protested strongly. "Now what kind of question is that?! What proof do you have that shows Campion knows the whereabouts of Thlayli's warren?!"

"He defied Efrafan law, resisted arrest, and attacked our own officers!" Orchis retorted. "By our count, that makes him a liar and a traitor."

"No, it only shows that Campion's loyalty to the General was stronger than his loyalty to our laws. As for you and Vervain, you two are the real liars and traitors!"

This erupted into a series of arguing amongst the chamber, irrigating Woundwort to see his Owsla and council bickering like newborn kittens, until Ragwort stood up on his hind legs and his voice bellowed like thunder, "QUIET!" His booming tone rendered the rabbits to immediate silence. "The General has heard enough! Campion's answers are still the same, as are your questions. I speak for all of us when I say we're mighty tired of this repetition. You're all dismissed!"

"Yes, sir." Vervain gulped, but he was not through with his plan to get rid of his rival yet. He gave orders to one of Campion's former bucks. "Moss, cut Campion's silflay time again! It might jog his memory."

Moss gaped in concerned horror. "Sir, he's already on quarter-rations-"

"You heard me!" Vervain shouted. "Now take him away!"

Moss cringed, but he had no choice. He hated doing this to Campion a lot. Approaching the weakened Owsla Captain, Moss used his head to gentle keep Campion up on his footpaws. Groundsel joined in to escort Campion out of the chamber.

"Steady on, sir." Moss advised him softly.

"Campion is no longer an Owsla officer! You will stop calling him sir!" Vervain snarled. "You understand me?"

Moss growled a bit before addressing the Captain, "As you say…sir…" the title with a slight reluctance before he was about to escort Campion back to his burrow.

At that moment, Groundsel was losing his patience with this disgusting buck. He used his large, bulky appearance to intimidate the cowardly officer as he stood before him and protectively in front of Campion. "What right have you to tell an officer how to address a rabbit? Let the lad call him 'sir' whenever he feels like it! Campion may no longer be an officer by title, but he's worth more our respect than either of you!"

"How dare you talk back to us!" Vervain growled.

Before either one of the bucks fought, Ragwort immediately put an end to it as he summoned his most powerful voice ever, "SHUT IT!" Everyone stopped to look up at him. "The next rabbit to speak out of turn will be a very sorry one, I can promise you! Now mark me: If you or Orchis cannot produce any credible proof against Campion by Frith-down tomorrow, he shall be reinstated within the Owsla with his captaincy. And as for you two," he glared down at Vervain and Orchis, "I look forward to witnessing the punishment my brother has for you."

Moss smiled admiringly at Groundsel for taking a stand like that, hopping alongside him and Campion as they left the chamber.

"He won't last much longer if you continue to starve him," Woundwort stated, slightly concerned for his best Owsla Captain. "Perhaps he's telling the truth."

But Vervain refused to heed his chief's word. "He's hiding something, sir. And we'll find out what... even if it kills him!"

Hannah gasped at how low Vervain and Orchis were going to get their answers out of poor Campion, gritting her teeth in a rage and growling softly. There was no time to lose. Campion needed to be rescued. Leaving back the way she came from, Hannah managed to signal Kehaar to pick her up and carry her back to Watership Down.

"So, if we don't do something, Campion won't last till next round moon," Hannah reported what she overheard to the rabbits on the high hills, all of them gasped and shouted worriedly for Campion's safety, most of them outraged at Orchis and Vervain's wickedness to drill their warren's location out of Campion.

"Vervain and Orchis have already tried and convicted him without a shred of proof," Fiver stated.

"But from what Hannah tells us..." Holly pointed out, "most of the rabbits aren't convinced of their accusations. Haven't they tried stepping in like Groundsel did?"

"No, Hannah said none of them did so. Even if they are bored out of their minds." Hyzenthlay lowered her head dreadfully.

"Rotten, ugly Vervain and sneaky, weasel-faced Orchis want Campion dead for sure!" Kehaar exclaimed with a scowl.

Dandelion fumed at how ungrateful the chief rabbit of Efrafa is toward his best officer for rescuing him. "And that's how Woundwort repays the rabbit who saved his life at the Warren of the Shining Wires?"

"There must be something we can do," Primrose said.

Bigwig didn't seem to have any options. "Campion knew this might happen when he agreed to spy for us."

"So, we just leave him there?" Fiver protested in an agitated tone, which shocked everyone. "'Thanks very much, Campion. Sorry about you getting killed!'" he remarked with a venomous sarcasm.

"I don't like it any better than you, Fiver, but we have to face facts!"

Lily placed a paw on her mate's shoulder to ease Bigwig's anger with a look of pure determination shining in her eyes. "I have to agree with Primrose. We must do something! I, for one, refuse to sit back and let him die!"

Hazel had been thinking for a moment in complete silence, his thoughts weaving together of a plan when Campion's situation reminded him of a famous El-ahrairah folktale. "What was it you said, Fiver? Vervain and Orchis have already tried and convicted him..."

Bigwig's head shot up, eyes and ears alert when he suspected what his leader is up to. "Have you got an idea?"

"Maybe... I was just thinking about the story of 'The Trial of El-ahrairah'."

"That's when Hufsa accused El-ahrairah of stealing carrots, and then he went on trial before Prince Rainbow." Pipkin added, remembering the story by heart.

"And El-ahrairah used his wits to make Hufsa look like a fool!" Dandelion added.

"By the time El-ahrairah was done, Prince Rainbow wouldn't have believed Hufsa if he said the sky was blue," Fiver recalled the ending to the folktale.

"So why not do the same to Vervain and Orchis?" Hazel explained.

"Make their charges against Campion look like the ravings of a moon-mad dog! I like it!" Bigwig agreed, very much intrigued with the plan to manipulate and ridicule the two pathetic excuses for rabbits.

"Oooh! I'd like to help drive them crazy!" Lily wanted in on it, eager to get back at Vervain and Orchis.

Blackavar soon uttered in his point. "It won't work…At least, not by pulling the trick on both of them."

The other rabbits were confused by this statement. "What do you mean, Blackavar?" Hazel inquired, wondering of Blackavar's input.

"Vervain might fall for it, but Orchis is another matter. Vervain is a superstitious sort, but Orchis is the more level-headed of the two. We pull the trick on them both, and Orchis will no doubt see through it…But if we can separate them…"

"Then Vervain might fall for it easily like a raving hound without Man's leash slowing him down…Brilliant, Blackavar!" Bigwig remarked with intrigue. "It just might work."

"And with one less captain to contend with…Campion might stand a better chance in Efrafa. All right, we'll do it." Hazel turned to the young kit, ordering him to stand attention. "Pipkin, we'll need help from some of the animals on the Down."

"I'll get all the help we need, Hazel!" Pipkin saluted cutely, before leaving to get to work right away.

To the awaiting seagull, Hazel commanded, "When we're ready to play our trick, we'll need to know where to find Vervain and Orchis."

"I find ugly Vervain and stupid Orchis, and stick to them like their ugly faces stick to them!" Kehaar smirked at his joke, flapping his wings excitedly. Then he took off to scour the land beneath him for those two stupid rabbits.

After the gull left, Hazel looked down at the mouse thoughtfully. He wanted to play the part of the one to drive the villains to madness, but he suspected both Vervain and Orchis would recognize him. However, neither of them had ever seen Hannah up close, although she had a part in rescuing the does from Efrafa, he felt sure enough that she could play the part. "Hannah, how would you like to be a Hedge Wizard?"

"I'll do it!" Hannah smiled deviously, putting her paws on her hips. She cocked her head to the side when she did not understand what he meant. "What's a Hedge Wizard?"

As Hazel explained to her what a Hedge Wizard is supposed to do in order to make the plan work, Pipkin visited some of his animal companions living on the Down to request their help, such as Yona the hedgehog, Ruffle the moorhen and Slate the turtle. Next, they took Hawkbit to the riverbank where they took multiple raspberries and squashed them into a messy, gooey puddle. Hawkbit was elected to play the role of Frith's Messenger by covering himself in berry juice so he would not be recognized, much to his chagrin.

Hawkbit dipped his paw in the squashed berries, looking at it with disgust. "Do I really have to do this?" he grumbled.

"Get on with it!" Bigwig threatened with a hard glare.

Sighing, Hawkbit rolled his stomach and buried his legs in the puddle. He cringed when it got on his fur. Wasting no time, Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, Lily and Pipkin came over to pick up scoops of squashed raspberry and splattered it all over his body until he was covered head to toe in juices, making him look unrecognizable and yet very sticky.

"Hehe! You look like an overgrown berry, Hawkbit!" Pipkin laughed.

Just then, Kehaar came down to the riverbank with Hannah on his back. "Ugly brothers and their patrol just downstream, Hazel." The gull reported, catching his breath.

"Right then. Let's lure Orchis away and then…make Vervain believe the impossible," Hazel announced readily. "Campion's life depends on it."

Downstream near Efrafan territory, Vervain and Orchis were silflaying on some fresh grass, whilst their Owsla drank from the river close by. The two Captains were bored out of their minds, eating nothing but grass these past few days made them long for carrots, lettuce or whatever flayrah they yearned for.

"I'm in the mood for some flayrah. Make yourselves useful and see if there's any about," Vervain ordered.

The Owsla obeyed his command without question, whilst their lazy Captain basked in the sunlight.

"You know what I'm in the mood for?" Orchis sighed to himself as he stretched his back and legs out. "Mating with Lily!"

"Oh, stop it! She's already out of your reach, brother!"

"And I will do whatever it takes to make her mine!"

From behind, Hazel and Hannah were pleased to see the Owsla had left. This meant they could pull off their greatest trick without interference. Hannah had put on white flower petals around her neck to give her a mysterious and grand appearance.

"See that log? That's where you'll make your entrance," Hazel gave her instructions.

Hannah just plucked the head of a yellow flower off a stem and placed it on her head for a hat. She noticed Hazel staring at her in bewilderment for a second. "Makes me look more magical," she explained.

Hazel nodded before he looked towards Lily, hiding away in the bushes. At first, Bigwig was adamant about Lily acting as bait for that lecherous Orchis to lure him away, but Lily insisted, saying that she had learned well enough from her mate on how to evade and elude elil…and rabbits like Orchis. Lily took a deep breath before she slowly and carefully stepped on a branch in the bushes, catching Orchis and Vervain's attention.

"Hmmmm?" Orchis remarked, the first to notice the sound from the bushes. "What's that?" He carefully hopped to the bushes while Lily quietly slipped away, leaving a lone trail for Orchis to follow. As the officer took a sniff around the area, he caught the scent of the very doe of his desires. "Ah! Lily's been here! Quite recently, too…Oh, yes! Frith's smiling on me today, brother!"

"Then let us wait for the other officers so we can track her down," Vervain remarked, clearly uninterested.

"'Wait'?...'Wait'? Vervain, I've waited moons for this opportunity! I won't let it slip by, even if you will!" Orchis retorted before following the trail through the bushes.

Vervain merely huffed at this. "Impulsive brother of mine, thinking with his prowess rather than his head. At least one of us is a level-headed officer of Efrafa. Shame one can't choose their littermates."

No sooner after Orchis had left, Hazel and Hannah quietly crept down to the hollowed log and crawled inside. Hazel stayed at the far end of the log, whilst Hannah moved ahead to the front of the log where she will make her grand entrance.

"Right, all set!" Hazel whispered.

Hannah gave him a thumbs-up before clearing her throat to speak in a high and mighty ominous voice to call upon the remaining Owsla officer. "VERVAIN! O' valiant rabbit!"

Vervain gasped in alarm, making him look around to see who is calling him. Vervain shivered like the wretched coward he was.

"Who...Who's there?" Vervain asked fearfully.

"It is me, Hannah Malana! The mighty Hedge Wizard!"

"Please...please don't hurt me!" Vervain cringed as dust began to appear from the log. Inside the log, Hazel was kicking up dust to make it seem like its magical smoke. Hannah "mysteriously" appeared in the middle of the cloud as if by magic. Vervain gasped in surprise as the mouse appeared from the log "magically".

"Behold, Hannah Malana appears to grant your secret wish!" the little mouse announced with her paws in the air.

"S-Secret wish?" Vervain questioned, slightly startled by her coming.

"You wish to capture the chief rabbit Thlayli for great General!"

Vervain gawked at her in disbelief. This was what he really wanted to do: to prove himself to Woundwort as his most valued Captain, even more so than Campion. If he could, this could be his chance to gain recognition in Woundwort's eyes and destroy Campion for good. "Y-Yes...Yes! B-But how could you know?" he stuttered in shock.

"Hannah Malana knows all. I'll give him to you, but you've got to believe in the magic of the Hedge Wizard!"

It was like a dream come true for Vervain as he answered excitedly, "I will. I-I-I do. Yes, yes. Absolutely!"

"And you got to walk the Enchanted Trail, if you dare." The little mouse wizard provided him with instructions for the journey ahead, but she got interrupted by a small stifled sneeze, making her tense up that Hazel might give himself away.

"What's that?" Vervain questioned suspiciously as he stared at the hollowed log and was about to inspect it.

"Oh! The apprentice hedge wizard…Never mind him," Hannah quickly replied, not breaking from her character. "Come, the Enchanted Trail awaits." The little mouse gestured Vervain to follow her up the hillock and to the woods. Had Vervain stayed for a minute more, he would have heard someone from the log sneeze loudly, "AH-CHOO!"

Hazel slowly backed up and out of the log, looking to where Hannah had led Vervain away. "Well…that's that, then. No doubt Hannah and the others will have Vervain eating out of their paws. Still…" he looked towards the other direction with concern…where Lily had led away Orchis. "Frith give Lily strength. She'll need it."

In the woods, Bigwig was with Yona to help her get ready for the first part of the trick. He pawed at a few roses on a bush, knocking the petals to the ground, surrounding the patient hedgehog.

"Right, there you go," Bigwig said.

Yona curled up and rolled around on the rose petals to make them stick to her quills. Finished, she stood up and admired her beautiful new look. "Oh, don't I look festive!" she squealed in delight.

Just then, Kehaar flew overhead to warn them in time. "Hanya coming with Vervain. It's show time!"

"Remember Yona: the stranger, the better," Bigwig reminded the hedgehog.

Yona nodded, understanding the seriousness of their plan. Bigwig hopped off to hide, but stayed close to watch the show. Yona slipped inside the rose bush to hide and wait for the signal. A few seconds later, Vervain's voice could be heard in the distance, babbling on about keeping his faith in magic and in the Hedge Wizard herself.

Hannah stopped in front of the rose bushes with Vervain almost collided onto her when she halted so suddenly. "The first part of the spell to capture Thlayli is now!" She threw her arms up in the air dramatically. "I've got to conjure up a mad hedgehog." What she said made Vervain shudder nervously. "Say magic word: Steffa, Leppa, Delicus!" Hannah chanted overdramatically.

"Sounds a bit silly, but…all right." Vervain decided to take a gamble at it. "Ahem! Steffa, Leppa, Delicus!" No sooner did he do this, then Yona the lovely rose hedgehog walked out.

"O slug-a-moon! O grant my faithful hedgehog's boon and send me lots of slugs really soon!" Yona sang like an opera singer, twirling around a few times.

"What is she doing?"

"I sing to moon for my supper of slugs."

"But…But it's daytime!"

"Best time to sing to moon. She not busy shining in daytime." Yona resumed back to singing and spinning around. "O slug-a-moon! Hear my tune and slug me soon!" She spun away, still singing.

"Spell's very good so far," Hannah stated. "Now we've got to find a swimming moorhen."

Vervain huffed in haughty disbelief. "But that's impossible, they can't swim."

"Do you want to put a spell on Thlayli or not?!" Hannah's sharp ultimatum made Vervain keep his mouth shut.

After they left, Bigwig peeked through the leaves to check if the coast was clear. He hopped out to congratulate Yona.

"So far, so good. Well done, Yona." Bigwig thanked her.

"O slug-a-moon!" she sang in response.

"Eh, that's enough then." Bigwig had to stop her with an awkward smile.

Meanwhile, Orchis forged on, continuing to believe he was on Lily's trail. From broken branches to footprints to glimpses of her ginger fur, it seemed her path led him further and further away from Efrafan territory. Each time the trail would go cold, Lily would make fresh ones to keep Orchis from going back to his brother. Soon, the trail stopped at yet another point, the trail having gone cold. Orchis found himself in marshland territory, an unfamiliar terrain for Efrafans. However, the bog would not stop him as he boldly traipsed inward to look for tracks of her scent.

"You're not going to escape me, my lovely doe…Not this time." Orchis vowed as he trailed into the swamp.

Had he taken a moment to stop…he would have noticed a mound of mud lightly move to reveal a pair of icy-blue eyes. Lily had covered herself in mud to mask her fur and her scent from Orchis. It would be a good while before she could rejoin Hazel and the others, but it would seem her training was learned well.

At the pond, Ruffle was staring at her reflection in the water, feeling incredibly nervous to play her role in the next part of the trick. She shuddered worriedly, taking a step back. "Oh, I don't like this. Not a bit."

Luckily, Pipkin was there to assure the frightened moorhen. "It'll be all right, Ruffle. Slate won't let you sink."

Slate nodded, giving the moorhen a comforting grin.

And then, Kehaar flew in from above to give them the signal. "Hurry! Hanya and Vervain close!"

Despite hesitating, Ruffle carefully seated herself on top of Slate's shell.

"All right, Slate. Off you go!" Pipkin commanded.

Slate hummed to show he understood before going slowly into the water. The turtle did not go in too deep so that Ruffle would not fall in, just low enough so that Vervain could only see her and not the turtle underneath her. Pipkin quickly dove for cover in the brambles, just in the nick of time. Soon enough, Vervain and the little Hedge Wizard arrived at the pond.

"The spell's getting strong! I feel it!" Hannah exclaimed as she took in a few deep breaths, waving her hands in the air.

Vervain grinned excitedly until his eyes widened at what he was seeing: a moorhen actually "swimming" in the water. She behaved as though she were a duck, calmly "wading" back and forth like the water was not a bother.

Vervain's jaw dropped, stuttering. "But...moorhens don't swim. There must be something wrong with her."

Hannah had to hold her mouth to keep from laughing. This stupid rabbit was falling for these tricks so easily.

"Oh, nothing wrong with me," Ruffle assured him. "Moorhens always swim in autumn. It makes our feathers grow, silly rabbit."

"The Trail of Enchantment is leading us good," Hannah announced. "Next, we find Frith's Messenger."

"Around here?" Vervain asked.

"Not far. If the spell's good, he'll grant you your wish. Thlayli will be your prisoner."

Vervain released a gleeful chuckle, looking back at the "swimming" moorhen one last time before leaving. "Hmmp…shame Orchis is missing out on all this…especially considering what lies at the trail's end. Oh, I wish Woundwort was here to see this."

"One wish per customer."

In a clearing within the woods where a huge boulder stuck up out of the ground, Blackberry and Hawkbit had gathered up multiple pieces of long grass to pile it up in front of the stone. Hawkbit was still grumpy to be covered in berry juice, not to mention Blackberry had wrapped ivy vines around his ears to resemble a beehive. Finished with their chore, Kehaar landed on the pile to announce the upcoming presence of the gullible enemy.

"Your turn, Hawkbit! Hanya and Vervain are coming now!" The gull informed them before he took to the air once more.

"Fine. The sooner this farce is over, the better!" Hawkbit grouched.

Angered, Blackberry swatted him at the back of his head, making the grey buck cry out. "Do this for Campion's sake or else I'll have Bigwig put you on sentry duty for a hrair of moons!" she yelled.

"Oh, all right!" Hawkbit grunted as he rubbed his head.

The two rabbits hopped over to the boulder to climb on top and conceal themselves on the other side, waiting for the signal. Hannah and Vervain entered the clearing a few seconds later and stopped in front of the boulder.

"Now I summon Frith's Messenger!" Hannah let her arms raise high enough to summon Hawkbit loudly and dramatically. "Hey, Frith's Messenger! We're looking for you!"

Nobody came at first. That's because Hawkbit was scratching at his bottom to get rid of an itch. Blackberry rolled her eyes and booted him off the boulder's ledge, landing in the pile of grass. The fall made Hawkbit quite winded, but he was able to shake it off and play his role for the final trick.

"Right here!" Hawkbit shouted.

Vervain gasped at the sight of such a creature. "You...You come from Frith?"

"Right out of the sky, mate!" Hawkbit spoke in a raspy, deeper voice, looking up at the sky as he spoke. "Now let's get down to it. You want Thlayli as your prisoner, right?" He waved his arms in the air as though he cast a spell to grant Vervain's wish. "Alabazoo! You got him, mate."

Out came Bigwig hopping over the boulder with his ears pointed horizontally and his dazed eyes staring ahead as if in a trance. "Woundwort is my master," he chanted.

Vervain gasped at what he was actually witnessing. The leader of his warren was standing present in front of him. He let out a triumphant laugh. "This is astounding! Wonderful! You will follow me to Efrafa!"

"Woundwort is my master. I follow him, only him," Bigwig's monotone voice chanted.

Vervain grew angrier that his command was not obeyed. "This is no good. Make him follow me!"

"Best I could do, mate." Hawkbit shrugged his shoulders.

Vervain snarled in frustration, but thought of not wasting any more time by asking the "chief rabbit" a very important question. "Is...is Campion a traitor to Efrafa?"

"I'll only tell Woundwort," Bigwig replied.

Even though it was not the answer he wanted, Vervain figured that it was pretty much a confession that Thlayli knew something about Campion. He burst into a fit of hysteric laughter. "He is a traitor! I knew it! I'll get Woundwort. That's what I'll do. All Efrafa will honor me." He would have left had he not stopped to ask the Messenger, "Will he wait here?"

"Well, being under a spell and all, I imagine he will." Hawkbit assured him.

Vervain cheered and cackled for joy, then he looked down at the little mouse magician with praise and gratitude, "You are the most wonderful Hedge Wizard in the world! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll be back!" He began to head his way back to Efrafa to give Woundwort the good news that will give him the glory and power of his success.

Once the ugly black rabbit had gone, everyone burst out laughing at how easy it was to pull it off and fool that useless Vervain. Blackberry, Hazel, Fiver and Pipkin had come in soon after, laughing alongside their friends.

"That was hilarious!" Blackberry rolled on her back, her paws clutching her stomach.

"Did you...did you see his face?" Bigwig laughed with a wheeze followed after.

Hannah fell on her back, chortling like mad. "I'm the best Hedge Wizard in the world!" She said in her magical tone and kept laughing.

After everyone got their sillies out of their systems, Hazel got them all back into focus. "Right, let's clear our tracks. We can't leave any signs at all if this is going to work."

Everyone nodded, and started to work immediately at clearing any sign of their presence. Of course, there was one concern on Bigwig's mind, regarding a certain doe…which would soon be addressed as a muck-covered rabbit, looking worse off than Hawkbit, approached the group from behind. "What happened? Where's Vervain?" asked the rabbit with ice-blue eyes.

"Lily!" Bigwig exclaimed as he hopped over to his mate, knocking her over with himself on top in his excitement. "Oh, I knew Orchis could never catch you, my darling. I just knew it!"

"Well…I had quite the teacher. A teacher I should like to thank properly." Lily leaned up to plant a kiss on her mate's lips. Even though she was covered in mud, Bigwig did not care the slightest of getting dirty as he returned her touch. But before their passions could be released, Hawkbit cleared his throat.

"Might we save that sort of thing AFTER Campion's been saved, you two?"

Realizing that this was not the time, Bigwig got off of her and brushed himself off while Lily helped herself up and began licking the mud off her.

"How did you do it, Lily? And…why were you covered in mud?" Fiver asked about her present condition.

"Had to lose Orchis…" Lily replied between licks of her tongue. "I led him to the marshes…and hid in the mud. I left a trail for Orchis…to come here. Probably in time to see the General and Vervain."

"Lovely," Bigwig remarked. "Now if we played our game right, we'll catch quite the show when those Efrafans come to collect me."

Meanwhile in Efrafa, everybody was minding their own business. Guards on duty or patrolling the warren, slaves sadly eating grass, or who knows what else goes on. The Owsla whom Vervain sent off to find flayrah had come back when they could not find him or Orchis anywhere. That is until the usual silence and order was broken by Vervain shouting like a maniac upon his return. Some of the Owsla stared at Vervain with shocked eyes, yet confused to his sudden mania.

"I've got him! I've done it! Get Campion! Call the General!" Vervain barreled past some of the Owsla officers to make his way into the entrance by the crooked tree.

"Officers…Mad, the lot of 'em." Moss simply shrugged.

High above, Kehaar watched to make sure Vervain reported to the General of his so-called discovery and capture. And that's exactly what the idiot is doing right now, cackling madly as he told the details to a skeptical Woundwort, whom had Moss and Groundsel bring Campion present. The chief rabbit wanted to bring an army to do so, but Vervain assured him it would not be necessary.

"I promise you, General, we don't need the army. I can deliver Thlayli myself," Vervain smirked devilishly.

"Well, what a clever trick that would be." It was obvious to everyone of the sarcasm in Woundwort's tone.

"And he'll tell you about Campion, sir. He'll prove what I've been saying all along. He's a traitor!" Vervain sneered at the still weak and hungry Owsla buck, who merely stared back with a glare.

"You're salivating, Vervain," he said.

"I have to agree," Groundsel added doubtfully. "Why aren't you telling us how you managed it? And where is Orchis?"

"It's...It's hard to explain, sir. I'd rather show you." Vervain answered, despite hesitating.

Woundwort stared sternly down at this babbling idiot while considering it for a moment. "You have until Frithdown to prove this all to me, Vervain. I'll be very displeased if this turns out to be a waste of my time." He turned to his brother, hiding in the shadows. "Ragwort, you're in charge until I return."

"Of course, sir!" Ragwort nodded.

As they left the warren, Kehaar smiled in satisfaction. Everything was going right according to plan.

Back on top of the boulder in the clearing, Hawkbit was trying to clean the raspberry goo off his fur, but was only rewarded with exhaustion at much juice he had to lick off. "This better work, I'm going to look like a carrot for weeks," he grouched.

"You could try bathing in the pond near the warren," Lily offered. "It'll clean out all those berries in seconds."

"No, thanks! I don't bathe in water like you do."

"It'll work." Bigwig assured him. "Vervain is a superstitious sort, but that Orchis is a cunning rascal."

"Yes, but Lily's already taken care of him," Hazel added. "Besides, we have to convince Woundwort that Vervain has gone mad."

"They're ALL mad in Efrafa anyway," Hannah joked.

Blackberry came back with an apple in her mouth, polishing it tenderly and making sure no bruises are on the delicate fruit. She noticed everyone staring at her, puzzled at what she's been up to. "I went to the orchard to get an apple for Campion. After what Hannah told me, I..." her cheeks blushed slightly, "I can't stand the thought of that poor rabbit starved to death!"

Just as anyone asked her more questions, Kehaar made his return, landing neatly beside them and pointing in the opposite direction he came from. "Woundwort coming with Vervain! Small patrol! Campion with them!"

"This just might work!" Bigwig now believed their plan will definitely succeed.

Vervain had taken the General and his small patrol to the spot downstream where he first met the Hedge Wizard rodent, gleefully pointing to the hollow log. "She came from right in there."

"Who...?" Woundwort asked.

"The Hedge Wizard. She looks like a mouse, but she's really a magician. Hannah Malana!" Vervain call out for her to show herself. But she never did, so he decided to check inside the log for any traces of her. "Hello?" he shouted inside the log, and this made Woundwort growl impatiently. Vervain chuckled nervously. "She must be waiting with Thlayli. Come on, sir. This way." He lept onto the hillock, continuing to call the name of the fictitious wizard. "Hannah Malana! Oi, are you about?"

"Have you any idea what is going on, Moss?" Woundwort questioned his officer.

"Not the foggiest, sir." Moss shook his head, just as clueless as his chief.

"And you, Groundsel?"

"Personally, I think his vengeance is clouding his judgment, sir," Groundsel's eyes narrowed at Vervain with discontent, then he and Woundwort joined Vervain at the perch.

Campion began to smile weakly. Whatever nonsense Vervain is rambling about, he had a feeling it had something to do with Hazel and his friends. There may be hope for him left. Somehow in the back of his mind, Campion suspected Hazel and his warren would never give up on him when he got arrested.

"Seems Vervain's gone a bit off, sir." Moss's voice cut him off his thoughts.

"Moss, you're not supposed to call me 'sir'." Campion told him weakly. "I don't want you or Groundsel getting into any trouble over it."

"That's our lookout, sir." But Moss would not have it any other way, smiling proudly at himself.

A little on ahead, Vervain led the others to the "Trail of Enchantment" and hoped by speaking the magic words, the Hedge Wizard will return and the Mad Hedgehog will appear. "Steffa, Leppa, Delicus!" he shouted to no one in particular.

"What the hell is he saying?" Groundsel raised an eyebrow.

Woundwort had no time for this ridiculous show. "Captain Vervain, explain yourself."

"Oh yes, it must sound odd."

"It does!"

"You see sir, it's the magic words that summons the singing hedgehog. She was covered in flower petals. Hmm, perhaps I'm saying it wrong. Steffa, Leppa, Delicus…No, no. That's it, that's it."

Campion caught a lone rose petal on the ground and, figuring out what had taken place here, stepped on it to keep anyone from noticing it.

"I suppose it doesn't matter, sir." Vervain chuckled in embarrassment. "I just thought you'd like to see the hedgehog. Quite a sight, really."

"I can imagine." Woundwort remarked with a roll of his eyes in slight exasperation.

"Well, I can imagine you killing a hedgehog on the spot," Groundsel joked, only to cringe when his chief glared down at him.

"Ah, this way, sir. Come on, not far now." Vervain knew he had to show the General proof of the supernatural somehow, because things were not looking good for him. He did not want to be seen as a lunatic in the eyes of Efrafa.

Despite this, Woundwort was beginning to view Vervain as someone who has gone mad. "Has Captain Vervain been showing any other signs of strange behavior?"

"No more than usual, sir." Moss replied.

"I disagree. I'd say this is far from his usual behavior," Groundsel added.

"Well, we best get after him then," Woundwort hopped forward, followed by his patrol.

Before joining them, Campion took one last look at the rose petal he had hidden from Woundwort.

When they got to the pond, Vervain searched high and low for the swimming moorhen, but there was trail nor feather of the bird. Not even a trace of Hannah Malana anywhere.

"She was here, General. A swimming moorhen, I swear it!" Vervain was growing more desperate than ever.

"Perhaps she drowned." Woundwort amused.

"Well, she seemed awfully good at it. Barely got wet. They swim to grow new feathers, you see."

"I was not aware of that." Woundwort rolled his mismatched eyes and had a very annoyed, displeased frown, and even Groundsel was beginning to grow bored of this wild goose chase.

Vervain's ears drooped, knowing that if he can't find proof of the creatures he has seen, it would lead to huge trouble for him. "Learn something new every day sir, eh? Well...um...shall we continue?"

"Yes, let's. Perhaps I'll learn something else." In his mind, Woundwort learned how he should never have trusted Vervain in the first place.

Now that they reached the clearing, Vervain was certain Hannah Malana, the Messenger and Thlayli are still there waiting for him. To his disappointment, they were gone. He looked around, certain that they were here somewhere. "Thlayli was standing right there, right on that boulder!" he pointed to the spot on the boulder where he last saw Bigwig.

Woundwort did not look convinced, but he decided to scour the area just in case. "Check the area for tracks or a scent, both of you."

Moss and Groundsel examined the clearing carefully for any tracks or a scent present. "Seems like we found…nothing, sir." Groundsel reported, with Moss supporting his findings.

Vervain's ears dropped. "But...but Frith's Messenger was here, red with ivy around his ears, and Thlayli was here too!"

"Of course he was." Woundwort made a frightening growl.

Vervain's desperation was reaching the breaking point. He tried to replay the charade from what he witnessed, reciting the false magic words twice. Nobody still came. Hazel and his group remained hidden behind the huge boulder, not making a sound.

"Thlayli was in a trance! He swore that he would follow you, General!" Vervain approached his chief to scowl murderously at the accused Campion. "He told me Campion was a traitor!"

Finally, Woundwort's patience was growing thin. "And did he tell you cows can jump over the moon?!"

Vervain was flabbergasted. "On my ears, sir. It's all true." He pleaded for his life while bowing and crying pathetically. "You've got to believe me, I beg you, General!"

Before Woundwort could inflict his displeasure on Vervain, a loud rustling could be heard from the bushes, disturbing the Efrafans while delighting the maddened Vervain. "Hah! You see?! I told you! She's coming! Hannah Malana is coming, with Thlayli in paw! Victory is ours, my General!"

However, what hopped out of the bushes was not a Hedge Wizard or Thlayli…but a mud-splotched, briar covered Orchis, panting heavily before plopping to the ground.

"Gah! Lost her…again…" he panted heavily on the ground.

"Captain Orchis!" the General addressed sternly, causing the rabbit to stand to attention and gain his second wind. "Care to explain yourself?"

"I was out on solo patrol…Thought I caught Lily's scent and tried to track her down. It seemed she was much cleverer than I anticipated from the first time I caught her, and-" He soon noticed Campion with them, changing the subject. "Why is he out here, sir? I thought he was to be in his quarters until we could provide proof."

"Captain Vervain claimed he had proof of Campion's guilt, but he only spun a wild story of…of mouse magicians, singing hedgehogs, and red messengers from Frith! Perhaps you can make sense of your brother's ramblings?"

Immediately remembering the scenario similar to that of El-Ahrairah's trial, Orchis realized that his brother had been tricked by Thlayli's warren. However…he also realized the position he was in, giving way to a subtle smirk.

"…I'm afraid I can, sir…The fault is mine. I should not have left him on his own…Not with his…recent change…"

Vervain's eyes widened a bit from Orchis's choice of words while the General merely narrowed his eyes, curious as to what he meant. The Watership rabbits were also curious as to what was going on as they looked on from their hiding place.

"At first, Vervain was like any other loyal officer of Efrafa: level-headed, loyal, and disciplined. But as time went on, I watched as my own brother became more and more corrupted by his captaincy. Even much so to the point that Vervain forced me to surrender information meant for you, so that he could achieve glory, like when Blackavar escaped before Thlayli came to our warren."

The General's mismatched eyes widened before he let out a threatening growl. "Vervain? Is this true?"

Vervain gulped as Orchis was now using their old arrangement against him. "Well…err, technically…" he tried to explain before Orchis cut him off.

"I wanted him to stop, General. But he would not stop! And then when Thlayli's group took our rabbits, Vervain wanted nothing more than to take vengeance on the rabbits who failed to believe his words…starting with Campion."

"General, please! He's lying!"

"You see?! He'll do anything to make sure his power is not taken away, like coercing his younger brother to follow his plans…or framing him to save himself…But had I been there earlier rather than on solo patrol to track one of the outsiders, I could have stopped his madness instead of letting his delusions further poison his mind…"

"General, it's not true! I am not mad! I know what I saw! I know!"

"ENOUGH!" the General bellowed, silencing the two brothers. A brief silence followed before he made his judgment. "The fault clearly lies with Vervain, not just for the wild goose chase…but also for defying Efrafan law by controlling information meant for me and for false accusations He must be punished! Severely…"

The cowardly rabbit gulped and trembled in his lower legs before Orchis spoke. "You are wise in your decision. Vervain must understand the errors he has committed," he remarked with a bow. "But…he is still my brother and an Efrafan, yes? Perhaps the cobwebs in my brother's head could be dealt properly by leaving him…in the Beetle Tunnel for the night?"

Vervain gasped with horror, while the General smirked at Orchis's suggestion. "Ahhhh…an excellent suggestion."

"My most adored of Efrafa's rehabilitation disciplines…" Groundsel remarked quite breathily.

"No rabbit has ever come out unchanged, after a night in the Beetle Tunnel!" Moss agreed, eager to see him put in that dreadful place of the warren for the night.

"It's settled, then! Vervain is to be placed in the Beetle Tunnel at Frith-down. Then come next Frith-up, he is hereby relieved of his command and put to work with the slaves!" Woundwort ordered. "Escort him back to Efrafa!"

"Yes, sir." Moss immediately obliged, smirking amusingly at Vervain and, with Groundsel's assistance, caught hold of the disgraced rabbit by the ears. "Come along now. Before the toadstool fairies get you."

Vervain was forcibly hauled back to Efrafa by the officers and rambling in hysterias like a senile lunatic.

Meanwhile, the General turned to Orchis. "You took great risk at informing me of Vervain's crimes, including the loss of your own captaincy."

"I do what I must to ensure Efrafa's best chances for victory, especially with this threat from Thlayli and his outsiders. It was hard to turn my own brother in…but my loyalty is to the warren, not to him."

"Well spoken…With Vervain's captaincy rendered moot, I should like another captain to take over for Vervain's mark and his bucks. Can I trust you to take things over for your brother?"

Orchis smirked eagerly, seeing that his time had come at least. Soon, all that is needed to complete the picture is the lovely Lily as his mate and the father of his progeny for seasons to come. For now…"It would be a grand privilege to serve you further, my General…" he replied with a bow before he hopped after them, leaving the General with Campion.

"Vervain's obviously mad," Woundwort frowned in disappointment for his own former Captain and in guilt for misjudging Campion and his loyalty. Looking back, he should have thanked Campion for saving his life at Cowslip's warren. "And it seems you suffered as a result, Campion. I shouldn't have listened to Vervain's wild accusations. You've always stood by me... and I know you always will. I reappoint you Captain of Owsla…with my apologies."

"I will always do my duty to Efrafa, sir." Campion committed, although he felt hurt on the inside that he was actually betraying his chief.

"I believe you will, Captain." And with that, Woundwort left.

Alone, Campion heard someone approach. He stood up, alarmed and scared. There stood Blackberry, her red eyes sparkled with gentleness and sympathy. Campion recognized as the doe who was once captured alongside Holly, Bluebell and Fiver. Now that he got a better look at her, he found her to be a very pretty doe. Blackberry placed the apple in front of him, nudging it toward him.

"This is to regain your strength," she said.

Campion sniffed the apple, then took a bite. The sweet taste filled his mouth and it made him smile. He rapidly ate up the apple until it was nothing but a core. "Thank you." He smiled, appreciating the doe's kindness.

Woundwort's voice broke him out of the enchantment Blackberry had cast upon him, beckoning him to come back. Campion said goodbye to her and left. Blackberry watched him go, a little pain ached in her heart to see him leave.

The other rabbits came out of hiding, watching the scene between Blackberry and Campion, especially the apology Woundwort had given him. They started to feel bad for having Campion betray his chief, but Woundwort is an enemy who made other suffer. Vervain and Orchis were telling the truth, yet they risked everything to make the Efrafans believe those two idiots were liars for the sake of rescuing Campion, who had become a trustworthy comrade.

"He must feel like a slug," Bigwig sighed. "Pledging loyalty to a chief while betraying him all along."

"I'm glad I'm not traveling in his trail," Hawkbit saddened.

"Maybe, but at least it's better than being like Orchis," Lily remarked with slight disgust. "Turning on his own brother to save himself. He's more like a man than a rabbit." At the last sentence, she cupped her muzzle, realizing what had just come out.

"I think it's time we got Campion out of Efrafa," Hazel decided to make the brave Owsla Captain a welcomed member of his warren. "He should be with us now."

"Oh, he's one of us, all right. He's proved it." Bigwig added.

About a few days later, Campion was given flayrah to eat and restore his health. No more did he look miserable, skinny and close to bones. He looked just like how he used to be: strong, handsome, agile, confident and fearless. The other Efrafans welcomed him back with apologies and hearty cheers, whilst they made jokes and ridiculed Vervain for his crazy attempts to frame him as a traitor. Vervain hated being treated like a slave, forced to dig like does out in the open and often beaten to a pulp if he ever got out of line. Meanwhile, Orchis was handling his expanded captaincy quite well, feeling much more powerful now that his brother ruined his best chance for glory…though he never let on that Vervain's fall from grace was in fact Thlayli's doing, a secret he would take to the Black Rabbit.

After the night in the Beetle Tunnel, Vervain came out greatly unhinged, no longer a clever officer but a madbeast chasing shadows. He continued to adamantly claim he had seen the Hedge Wizard and Frith's Messenger, only for the guards to scoff at his claims. The worst part was that Vervain would forever blame Orchis and Campion for ruining his life, but especially Campion, vowing the curse of the Black Rabbit upon them both. And Orchis? He never repeated his brother's claims to Campion, but he made his own promise to watch Campion like a hawk. He would forever watch, waiting for him to slip up, so that he can steal his captaincy as well. Of course, Campion easily caught on when he noticed Orchis's gaze wherever he went.

Fortunately, later on his first day back on duty, Campion made the excuse to go on solo patrol so he could find Hazel and properly thank him for getting him out of a bad predicament. He found the chief rabbit and Primrose at the meeting place at sundown.

"Thank Frith you're all right, Campion!" Primrose gave the brown buck a quick yet loving embrace, which he returned with a gentle squeeze back.

"Glad to see you out and about again, Campion." Hazel said.

"I don't know how you managed to send Vervain around the bend, but thank you for freeing me," Campion thanked them.

"And what of Orchis? Is he…?"

"Been watching me by a yona's mile, but nothing I can't handle. One of those two I could handle, so I thank you for giving Vervain what he got coming to him…even if his brother had to replace him."

"We've come to take you to our warren," Primrose offered, as she held his paws. "Come home with us."

"I can't go, Primrose." As much as he wanted to, Campion politely refused the offer. "You need me where I am. There's no one else to warn you of Woundwort's plans."

"Then you should know where to find out warren, in case you have to run." Hazel offered hopefully.

"No... I don't want to know where it is... I can never tell..." Campion knew the risk if he was ever found out again, he could not betray his Hazel's warren's location to Woundwort or he would take it to his grave if he had to.

"Oh please, let us do something to repay you," Primrose begged.

"Stay free... stay happy..." that was all Campion could say to them. "Don't let Woundwort win. Do that for me and all of this will be worthwhile."

Then he turned to go back to Efrafa, firmly determined to stay where he belonged to keep a sharp eye on Woundwort if he ever concocts another plot to find Hazel's warren. The General's apology left a gaping hole in Campion's heart, the pain stung him like a thousand bees.

"I don't understand, Hazel. He doesn't have to stay in Efrafa." Primrose was distressed that her only friend from Efrafa refused to live amongst her and such wonderful friends.

"He can't leave," Hazel reminded her of who Campion is. "He's a warrior and Woundwort is his chief."

"But he's betraying him!"

"...And that's his tragedy."