At that sudden moment, it was all dark. Night? How was that possible? Th sun was only beginning to set so it couldn't possibly be nightfall from the rate we were speaking?

"You might think I'm joking," Michael reacted, "I sort of am but my guess is that Beampaws has more to say."

"Say," I reacted looking at Michael's chest. "Did you have the gem on you while Jason were the bottle top?"

Michael looked down to see I was right; he was wearing the bottle top again!

"Your brother," said Michael fatally. "I don't know."

"Jason? Jason?"

He was nowhere to be seen.

"Jason, it's time to go!" I called out.

Still no answer.

"Jason," Michael joined in looking about, "we appreciate you want to play Hide and Seek at your old age, but we have a lost child to find."

He wasn't provoked by those words. I ran down to the post where I spoke to him earlier on to find it complete vacant except for the leaves he had shredded. I was really starting to worry.

"Jason, this isn't funny!" I said growing dread inside of me as I began looking through bushes and leaf piles . "Please answer me right now! I can't leave you here!"

What happened to him? a fox couldn't have taken him because logically it would have taken us.

Dandelion hopped forward and began sniffing. He sniffed away from the path and up near a tree. He then sniffed down a hill where you had have your wits about you and camping down.

"He's wandered off into the wilderness!" cried Dandelion back to us.

"How do you know?" asked Zinnia.

"He smells of rotten cabbages."

Strawberry chuckled.

I forgot that rabbits had scents and Jason took a bath whenever.

I huffed and glared.

"I'm gonna kill him!" I growled. Then I called out into the distance, "when I find you Jason, you're gonna wish the Black Rabbit got to you first!"

I ran off but Michael overtook me and stepped in front of me.

"Think for a second, Leo!" Michael said.

"Compost to thinking!" I said, "my stupid little brother has wandered off without any protection and was cunning enough to leave behind the one thing that could help him find help!"

"I'm coming with you," said Michael. "We stick together."

"Me as well," Pipkin stepped in. "I want to be the better rabbit."

"Count me in!" said Blackavar. "You might need me!"

"Me as well!" said Huckers confidentially, "if there are any faces that get in our way, just depend upon my old flatteners to pulp them!" and he jumped up demonstrating a strong kick from each foot.

"Let's consider everything," I said. "Someone needs to take care of the others staying. We can't have all of the best fighters with us. That will only leave the others here defenceless, kittens and all."

"Are there any elil out here, sir?" shuddered Dragonfly.

"I didn't say that," I said calm as I crouched down to him. "We've been okay so far today haven't we. We just need someone to look after you lot."

"But what if it's stronger than them?" asked Butterfly.

"Don't fear," I encouraged. "Fearing is what fear wants you to do. Half of us here are brave fighters. Remember how -"

I was going to remind them about Michael taking the weasel down but I wanted to take him with me. He was a good enough fighter but he was my best friend and would always insist upon aiding me.

"You are surrounded by strong rabbits, you two," I assured them. "Always count on them."

"Considering what they did to Dad they ought to be in danger," remarked Burdock.

"You're in danger with that spider on your head," retorted Michael.

Burdock yelped in a high pitch and panicked about beating his own head and dancing about.

"Is it off?!" he panicked. "Is it off?!"

"There was no spider to begin with," Michael said brightly.

Burdock growled at him.

"I'll stay," said Thorn. "My family will be here and they need me."

"Mother ought to," said Burdock. "She's always cowering back from danger. You saw her not bothering to fight the weasel."

"I'm sorry," Cherry whimpered.

"She was protecting the children, you stupid cauliflower!" remarked Thorn to his younger brother. "With Dad not here, I'm in his position so I say you go with Leo unless you shut up."

Burdock just grumbled in response.

The way Thorn handled discipline, I reckoned it was accurate to make this decision:

"Maybe you should go and I stay, Thorn," I said.

He exchanged a confused look.

"Eh?" he responded.

"Well, you know how to discipline siblings more than I do so maybe it makes sense that you take over."

"You can't rely on strong character, Leo," Thorn replied. "It's only when you experience something big is what strengthens the way you are. Besides, with you rescuing your brother, it shows your dedication to being a big brother. Protect and protect alike, and you ought to make peace to one another."

He was right. This seemed the opportunity for us to put enmity aside - even though I was still going to have a good talking to him from me - if I ever did find him.

Soon it was settled, Strawberry, Huckers and Thorn would protect the band and stay put, including the young rabbits of Pipkin's Owsla. They were well-trained and would serve well to the duty of looking after the former Rawfinnians, some being homeless. Strawberry was the only member of Bigwig's Owsla that was ahead of his time and would be very handy. He wanted to come along but I said with the skills he got from Bigwig, the others remaining would have a better chance. The ones coming with me were Michael, Pipkin, Blackavar, Dandelion and Hawkbit,

"Little blighter, your brother," Hawkbit said, "but the last thing I want is him to run into the Black Rabbit in there."

"Oh he will run into him when I'm finished with him," I responded.

"Now don't let anger consume, you mate," said Hawkbit, which I found very uncharacteristic of the Hawkbit I knew relatively. "I'll explain why later but right now just focus on finding your brother."

"And I'll sniff him out," Dandelion assured. "Long as have an accurate distance."

"Are you saying that I wreak?" snapped Hawkbit.

"Truth hurts but you smell of onions and worm-eaten apples in my perspective."

"Yeah?" said Hawkbit. "Well, you smell of … of …",

He sniffed Dandelion's fur. "Frogs and ... slime."

"My never-ending hiccups were last year," said Dandelion in an offended tone. "You're just making that up to better my factual statement of my scent skills."

"Would you two nightingales just shut the cluck up?" Michael requested casually, brushing his paws (he'd have said worse but realised the children). "If this goes any further my scent of you both will be a kick up the backside."

Hawkbit and Dandelion just glared at each other in response.

"I'm getting scared, Lolly," said Rosie. "I thought everything was fine here. But Cynthia was almost killed and now Jason is trouble."

"I didn't know this would go beyond my reach," I said guilty. "If you wish to break up up with me for this, I won't be offended."

"I couldn't do that!" Rosie exclaimed. "The fact that I'm someplace else as opposed to home with Father pushing me about to work hard every lead so not to disappoint him, I feel freer here thanks to you. But I'm scared something will happen to you."

"I've often returned harmed but alive," I assured her. At those words, I revealed to her the bare lining on my wrist. "My paw was nearly bitten off but thanks to the magic of the Necklace of Wisdom, I was allowed to keep it and Blackberry healed beyond magic."

Rosie still looked worried but she smiled somewhat.

"You can leave home whenever you want, Bagheera," I said. "You're not a caged bird. We're both twenty-one and are free for anything. Especially to hop this world like it's ours. I know being rabbits has disadvantages but so does human life; murderers, cars, terrorists, wild beasts. Rabbit fingers are no different than human dangers. But we always win a fight because we always protect what we love."

"Which is why I should be with you on this journey," said Rosie. "We should be protecting each other."

"I agree," said I, but I placed a paw on her shoulder sadly, "but you must stay with the others. You are only here as a first and this is my third time here. You must wait a few more times before we know you are ready."

"But Michael though," Rosie debated. "He's unexpectedly skilled."

"I know it's odd," I agreed, "but you haven't really fought int all your life, have you?"

Rosie considered this and shook her head sadly.

"I'm only insisting you stay here because I care for everything about you. Now, we must go. If we waste anymore time in the same place, we might be too late."

We nuzzled gently before I got myself ready along with the others.

Pipkin himself was having a few final words with Cynthia and witnessed everything with Rosie.

"You might get yourself killed," said Cynthia worriedly. "Only this evening I found you and I do not want to lose you."

"I won't be killed, Cinny," Pipkin replied. "Because I'm a professional fighter - well, Junior wise anyway. But don't we have good protection; Dawn-Rah and Blackavar to name a few."

"But what of circumstances?" said Cynthia worriedly. "I'm afraid to lose you. I'll come with you."

"No, Cinny," said Pipkin seriously. "You're too inexperienced with all this. Look at Jason. I know it's because you want to make sure I'm safe but I want you to be safe. I don't want to lose you on the same day I found you, either."

Cynthia looked down in fear.

"I promise that I learned from Bigwig. Trust me, it would mean a lot to me if you stay here where you are safe."

"How will love keep you safe?" asked Cynthia.

"Love is much stronger than you think. You should ask Leo when we return. He will return with us because his task is out of love for his brother - even if he is a little ... a little ...," he couldn't bring himself to insult him anymore. He already felt bad after the tail-bite threat.

"Just promise me God will look after you," said Cynthia.

"God?" asked Pipkin.

"Frith in their world, Cynthia," Rosie corrected overhead.

"Promise me Frith will look after you," said Cynthia.

"He will," said Pipkin. "No need for promises. He's always here as the sun and moon."

They brought themselves to each other and nuzzled as they had never nuzzled before. They were the only rabbits in the glade and no one else.

Hazel dashed into the burrow the moment he heard his brother screaming. What could possibly be happening inside this tiny warren. No rats could be lurking, surely?

"Fiver?"

He was nowhere in his burrow, yet his scent was still there.

The other followed Hazel subsequent to hearing Hazel's brother scream.

"Fiver?" asked Silverweed. "Where are you?"

"Come out, Fiver!" demanded Bigwig. "If it's a vision don't let us take any chances!"

They all split up but there was still no sign of Fiver. Regardless of his absence, his scent was still as strong as it was when they realised he was missing.

"This so out of the ordinary," said Hazel. "How can he just disappear?"

"Another enchanted trick I'll be bound," responded Bigwig coldly.

Everyone looked at him.

"Well, it's logic ain't it," he debated. "the Necklace of Wisdom, Chillblack, the love potion, slash poison, the golden trinket, the task, Fiver's disappearance, quite beyond circumstantial evidence if you ask me. You know, ever since Leo came into our lives, magic has been occurring. Why's that I wonder?"

"It has not," said Silverweed, rather offended. "Fiver has the gift of reading the future, I can see tomorrow, Hannah was given magic to save the warren and Leo - well, he's just another harmless individual capable with magic."

"Regardless," said Bigwig. "It does seem rather suspicious how all this stuff occurs when Leo visits."

"I refuse to blame Leo for any of these circumstances," retorted Hazel. "There's a mystery, guaranteed but until we get to the bottom of it, Leo Barning from Above is innocent until proven guilty. Please, Bigwig," he added more patiently. "Think of your last mistake. You only did what you did so he wouldn't get hurt. He even saved your life - and Fiver's."

Bigwig reflected on this forgotten memory; the first year Leo arrived, they had just gotten over the second task when he pretended to accuse him, of all the happenings of the events, so he could complete it for him. He failed miserably when he was held hostage by the hench rabbits of Zaltha. He couldn't bring himself to go back into the details of the pain and suffering he went through, but yes. Hazel was right, Leo did save him and the others there - and he even forgotten how he was tricked by Spartina but how he changed her. So many confusing emotions swarmed through him and he dropped his ears.

"You're right. I'm sorry, Hazel," he said reluctantly. "I'm only trying to make sure everyone's safe."

"I know, Bigwig," Hazel forgave placing a paw on Bigwig's shoulder. "But sometimes we need to smell the clover don't we. Yes, it's all weird but Leo has causes no trouble or harmed anyone."

"Yes," said Bigwig. "You won't tell him what I suspected will ya'?"

"What Leo doesn't know can't hurt him," Hazel smiled.

Bigwig smiled back.

"Now," Hazel resumed. "Fiver's whereabouts."

They headed back outside. It was nightfall, only now Hazel was reminded that that was the first thing that surprised him before he heard Fiver scream. Something shiny was hurting his right eye. He looked down to see that it was the path they were waiting to glow so they could follow.

"Let's move then," said Campion.

"Wait," said Hazel. "We can't leave without Fiver."

"What was it he said?" Spartina reminded herself of the vision. "He who sees shall soon depart, and reunite with friends all smart."

"You don't suppose the lot of them are following the same path," Bigwig suggested.

"Something has taken Fiver," said Hazel worriedly. "But reunite with friends. He's bound to be alright then!"

"They must be taking the same path!" replied Silverweed in relief.

"Let us make haste!" said Campion.

With that, they all followed the white path, whenever it may take them.