WARNING: This chapter will leave you hanging! Do not read unless
you do not mind waiting to find out what happens after it
(unless you're reading this and I've already published my next
chapter)!
They left early the next morning. Dandylion, Blackberry, Sergeant Pinecone, Lieutenant Willow, and Fiver, who had insisted on coming, gathered outside the warren entrance where they were to meet Captain Broom. After the captain took a role call, and confirmed that they were all there, they set off. They voyaged for the first day across the fields surrounding Watership Down, and stopped for the night underneath a gooseberry bush. In the morning, they began moving again, and did so until around one o'clock. At this time, Blackberry stopped right in the path of the rabbits. He began sniffing the ground in front of him very carefully. "What do you smell, Blackberry?" said Captain Broom. "Rabbits," said Blackberry. "They were here." He sniffed out the ground a little to the left of them. "No." Then to the right of them. "They were here," he confirmed, picking up their strong scent. He began following the direction the smell had pointed, to the right. "Wait here," he told the rest of the company. He sniffed out a line of the scent in the grass, leading up to a patch of tall grass, which had been riven, indicating the clear path of the Efrafins. Blackberry walked into the split, and found himself staring down a steep hill. The hill lead down into a deep, grassy valley. Blackberry could easily track a path which had been cleared through the dead grass. As he looked down it, his eyes met with a large horde of rabbits, making their way with tooth and claw through the field. But these were not led by a black rabbit, as Pipkin had indicated. These were pure white rabbits, migrating for some reason, in the direction of Watership Down. "It's safe," Blackberry called back to the rest of the company. They hurried up to him, and looked down at the group. "Who are they?" said Fiver. "I do not know," Blackberry replied. "Possibly some migration?" "No," said Dandylion. "They are moving too fast. They look in a hurry; or a panic." "Let's go down and meet them," said Fiver. "Maybe they can help." "Good plan," said Captain Broom. "I will lead the way. Blackberry, you stay up here and keep out watch for Efrafins." "Yes, captain," said Blackberry. "Onward!" said Broom. He and the rest of the rabbits stumbled down the steep slope and into the path. It was easy from here; all they had to do was follow the trail the white rabbits had left. They easily caught up with them. "White rabbits!" Broom cried out. The rabbits stopped, and turned around, cleaving some more of the thick brush. They ran towards Captain Broom, and then stopped. One rabbit, presumably their leader, came forward. His nose was pure black, which looked very peculiar on his completely white face. Some of his fur was missing in patches. "What business have you here?" said the lead rabbit. Those from Watership Down noticed his teeth, along with his claws and the claws of many others, were flecked with blood. He smelled Captain Broom's fur. "You are from Watership Down," the rabbit said. "Why are you, and so many of your warren, out this far?" "We are following a horde of Efrafins," said Captain Broom, "who are threatening our land. One of our rabbits, who was lost in this area, stumbled upon them whilst looking for the way back to the warren." "A horde of Efrafins?" said the lead rabbit. "Where they, perchance, led by a pure black rabbit, with eyes like strawberries?" "Our friend who was lost informed us that the leader was black," said Broom, "although he did not say anything about the eyes. But I am quite sure we are speaking of the same one." "Yes, we encountered them quite recently, as you may tell from the look of us," said the lead rabbit. "Three of our number were lost, but only after we killed five of theirs." "I am sorry," said Captain Broom. "My name is Swordfern," the rabbit said. "Captain Swordfern. And this is my company, the aptly named Snow of the Mountain." "I am Captain Broom of Watership Down," said Broom. "This is my company. Dandylion, Fiver, Sergeant Pinecone, Lieutenant Willow, and the one up there is Blackberry." He pointed to the top of the hill. But Blackberry was not there. "Blackberry?" Captain Broom called out. No answer came. "Blackberry?" he repeated. Still no answer. "Damn it," hissed Broom. "Captain, I will search for him," said Sergeant Pinecone. "Good," said Broom. "Hurry! Blackberry was our best tracker." Sergeant Pinecone sped off. "For the time in which your tracker is missing," said Swordfern, "my tracker will help you. We know our way from here." "Where are you going?" said Lieutenant Willow. "We are headed to our refuge warren," Swordfern replied. "It is where we hide if our warren is attacked." "Was your warren attacked?" said Broom. "Alas, it was," said Swordfern. "It was savaged by a party of Efrafa, about a week ago. General Woundwort was leading them. A battle was held, but we were weak. Almost completely destroyed, what remained of our army hid, until the general's army had been called off. This morning, we saw the group of Efrafins you mentioned venturing towards your warren. But they veered off, and took the course down into the meadow near our warren. This was probably to avoid going through the guard warrens which protect your Down from Efrafa. We knew they would reach our warren before long. "We were weaker than before, so we knew we had to leave. All our remaining forces left the hill we were situated on. Before long, however, we met with them, and fought. When five of theirs were dead, they fled, and we continued our journey to the refuge. Merely a few hours later we met you, here. "Now, we must be off. Scout Chestnut, you go with them. They need a tracker." One of the white rabbits left his party and joined with Broom's company. "Farewell, Captain Broom!" said Swordfern. "May we meet again!" With that, he and his company continued off down through the path they had forged. "Right," said Broom, "back to the top of the hill. We must catch the Efrafins."
* * *
"Colonel, we have captured a wanderer." Blackberry was thrown down by two brown rabbits at the feet of another larger, menacing looking rabbit, with jet black fur and blood red eyes. "Interesting," said the Colonel. "What is your name, rabbit?" "My name is Blackberry," said Blackberry, courageously. "And yours is Colonel Thornfoot. I matched you to your description I had heard, judging from the enormous conk." Thornfoot snorted in amusement. Yet another foolish rabbit, pestering him with pitiful bravado. Like all the others, this one would meet his death. "From where, pray, do you come?" said Thornfoot. "Watership Down," Blackberry replied firmly. Thornfoot smiled an acid grin. "Watership Down," the Colonel repeated. "Precisely where we are headed. You are of the Down, and so you are our enemy." "Shall we dispose of him, sir?" said one of the rabbits who had captured Blackberry. "No," said Colonel Thornfoot. "Since those Snow of the Mountain intersected this path, we have lost the scent of Watership Down. You, rabbit, will lead the way there." Blackberry paused. His mind was racing. "Fine," he said. He jerked his head to the side. He had a plan, and had already told one of his accomplices of it. "Then lead on," said the Colonel. "But hear this: do not think that leading us there will allow you to be spared. When we have reached the Down, you will be killed. Mark my words."
What will happen to Blackberry? What is his plan? All shall be revealed in the next chapter.
They left early the next morning. Dandylion, Blackberry, Sergeant Pinecone, Lieutenant Willow, and Fiver, who had insisted on coming, gathered outside the warren entrance where they were to meet Captain Broom. After the captain took a role call, and confirmed that they were all there, they set off. They voyaged for the first day across the fields surrounding Watership Down, and stopped for the night underneath a gooseberry bush. In the morning, they began moving again, and did so until around one o'clock. At this time, Blackberry stopped right in the path of the rabbits. He began sniffing the ground in front of him very carefully. "What do you smell, Blackberry?" said Captain Broom. "Rabbits," said Blackberry. "They were here." He sniffed out the ground a little to the left of them. "No." Then to the right of them. "They were here," he confirmed, picking up their strong scent. He began following the direction the smell had pointed, to the right. "Wait here," he told the rest of the company. He sniffed out a line of the scent in the grass, leading up to a patch of tall grass, which had been riven, indicating the clear path of the Efrafins. Blackberry walked into the split, and found himself staring down a steep hill. The hill lead down into a deep, grassy valley. Blackberry could easily track a path which had been cleared through the dead grass. As he looked down it, his eyes met with a large horde of rabbits, making their way with tooth and claw through the field. But these were not led by a black rabbit, as Pipkin had indicated. These were pure white rabbits, migrating for some reason, in the direction of Watership Down. "It's safe," Blackberry called back to the rest of the company. They hurried up to him, and looked down at the group. "Who are they?" said Fiver. "I do not know," Blackberry replied. "Possibly some migration?" "No," said Dandylion. "They are moving too fast. They look in a hurry; or a panic." "Let's go down and meet them," said Fiver. "Maybe they can help." "Good plan," said Captain Broom. "I will lead the way. Blackberry, you stay up here and keep out watch for Efrafins." "Yes, captain," said Blackberry. "Onward!" said Broom. He and the rest of the rabbits stumbled down the steep slope and into the path. It was easy from here; all they had to do was follow the trail the white rabbits had left. They easily caught up with them. "White rabbits!" Broom cried out. The rabbits stopped, and turned around, cleaving some more of the thick brush. They ran towards Captain Broom, and then stopped. One rabbit, presumably their leader, came forward. His nose was pure black, which looked very peculiar on his completely white face. Some of his fur was missing in patches. "What business have you here?" said the lead rabbit. Those from Watership Down noticed his teeth, along with his claws and the claws of many others, were flecked with blood. He smelled Captain Broom's fur. "You are from Watership Down," the rabbit said. "Why are you, and so many of your warren, out this far?" "We are following a horde of Efrafins," said Captain Broom, "who are threatening our land. One of our rabbits, who was lost in this area, stumbled upon them whilst looking for the way back to the warren." "A horde of Efrafins?" said the lead rabbit. "Where they, perchance, led by a pure black rabbit, with eyes like strawberries?" "Our friend who was lost informed us that the leader was black," said Broom, "although he did not say anything about the eyes. But I am quite sure we are speaking of the same one." "Yes, we encountered them quite recently, as you may tell from the look of us," said the lead rabbit. "Three of our number were lost, but only after we killed five of theirs." "I am sorry," said Captain Broom. "My name is Swordfern," the rabbit said. "Captain Swordfern. And this is my company, the aptly named Snow of the Mountain." "I am Captain Broom of Watership Down," said Broom. "This is my company. Dandylion, Fiver, Sergeant Pinecone, Lieutenant Willow, and the one up there is Blackberry." He pointed to the top of the hill. But Blackberry was not there. "Blackberry?" Captain Broom called out. No answer came. "Blackberry?" he repeated. Still no answer. "Damn it," hissed Broom. "Captain, I will search for him," said Sergeant Pinecone. "Good," said Broom. "Hurry! Blackberry was our best tracker." Sergeant Pinecone sped off. "For the time in which your tracker is missing," said Swordfern, "my tracker will help you. We know our way from here." "Where are you going?" said Lieutenant Willow. "We are headed to our refuge warren," Swordfern replied. "It is where we hide if our warren is attacked." "Was your warren attacked?" said Broom. "Alas, it was," said Swordfern. "It was savaged by a party of Efrafa, about a week ago. General Woundwort was leading them. A battle was held, but we were weak. Almost completely destroyed, what remained of our army hid, until the general's army had been called off. This morning, we saw the group of Efrafins you mentioned venturing towards your warren. But they veered off, and took the course down into the meadow near our warren. This was probably to avoid going through the guard warrens which protect your Down from Efrafa. We knew they would reach our warren before long. "We were weaker than before, so we knew we had to leave. All our remaining forces left the hill we were situated on. Before long, however, we met with them, and fought. When five of theirs were dead, they fled, and we continued our journey to the refuge. Merely a few hours later we met you, here. "Now, we must be off. Scout Chestnut, you go with them. They need a tracker." One of the white rabbits left his party and joined with Broom's company. "Farewell, Captain Broom!" said Swordfern. "May we meet again!" With that, he and his company continued off down through the path they had forged. "Right," said Broom, "back to the top of the hill. We must catch the Efrafins."
* * *
"Colonel, we have captured a wanderer." Blackberry was thrown down by two brown rabbits at the feet of another larger, menacing looking rabbit, with jet black fur and blood red eyes. "Interesting," said the Colonel. "What is your name, rabbit?" "My name is Blackberry," said Blackberry, courageously. "And yours is Colonel Thornfoot. I matched you to your description I had heard, judging from the enormous conk." Thornfoot snorted in amusement. Yet another foolish rabbit, pestering him with pitiful bravado. Like all the others, this one would meet his death. "From where, pray, do you come?" said Thornfoot. "Watership Down," Blackberry replied firmly. Thornfoot smiled an acid grin. "Watership Down," the Colonel repeated. "Precisely where we are headed. You are of the Down, and so you are our enemy." "Shall we dispose of him, sir?" said one of the rabbits who had captured Blackberry. "No," said Colonel Thornfoot. "Since those Snow of the Mountain intersected this path, we have lost the scent of Watership Down. You, rabbit, will lead the way there." Blackberry paused. His mind was racing. "Fine," he said. He jerked his head to the side. He had a plan, and had already told one of his accomplices of it. "Then lead on," said the Colonel. "But hear this: do not think that leading us there will allow you to be spared. When we have reached the Down, you will be killed. Mark my words."
What will happen to Blackberry? What is his plan? All shall be revealed in the next chapter.