Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Watership Down. I do, however, own a
really soft and fuzzy pair of slippers shaped like rabbits!! Rabbits
beware!
A/N: This is the last chapter! Hope you like it!
Hazel took this all in with alarm. He had thought that Efrafa would take a little time to form a plan, a strategy at least. Obviously, this General Woundwort wasn't one for waiting.
Hazel called for Bigwig, who suggested an ambush. "I say we get Blackberry and Speedwell to hurry the does to Watership Down, with Blackavar, Hawk-bit and Pipkin. The rest stay and fight."
"I can fight as well as any full sized buck!" Hyzenthlay exclaimed determinedly, eyes shining at the thought of revenge.
"She can, you know. I will stay too," Blackavar added. "I must prove myself to you, and settle a score with them." He waggled the remains of his ears.
Hazel and Bigwig sized them up. Hyzenthlay was definitely built for battle, and was the size of a large buck. And Blackavar had made a point, and he looked like a strong fighter full of rage towards Efrafa.
"Fine. We'll use the element of surprise to our advantage. We can hide in those bushes to the left."
Once the does had been led safely away, after a briefing from Hyzenthlay, the others crept into the assigned bushes.
Eventually a patrol of at least ten semi-alert bucks pass by.
"1." Hazel got into position. "2." He tensed. "3!" They bolted out, attacking the patrol from behind. The Watership Down rabbits were set to kill, they couldn't have them reporting back to the general the whereabouts of the does and their escorts.
Hind legs shot every which way, landing blows. Flesh was torn, ears ripped, bones broken. Blood spurted from the variety of wounds and soaked everything, staining the earth red. Rain would wash it out eventually.
Bigwig was battling fiercely. He threw his weight against a rabbit, and it fell to the ground, stunned. He finished him off, and looked over to Hazel, who was doing just as well. That is, until a rabbit, Campion, judging by Blackavar's description, pounced on him from behind. "Hazel!"
Hazel turned around, but was too late. Campion had leaped on him, clawing, biting and kicking for all he was worth. Hyzenthlay, who was much closer to the pair then Bigwig, ran over to the rabbits and hurled herself against the offender. Campion fell to the ground with a sickening thud, where an enraged Bigwig met him.
When the last rabbit had been taken care of, Bigwig and the others gathered around where Hyzenthlay was kneeling beside Hazel. He was badly wounded, and was drenched in sticky blood. He was panting heavily, unable to catch his breath. Hyzenthlay was in good shape, except for the three scratch marks marring her back.
"Will he be okay?" asked Bigwig, afraid for his friend and leader.
Hyzenthlay shrugged. "I can't tell for sure. The wounds aren't very deep, but they're numerous."
"Hazel, can you speak?"
Hazel raised his head painfully at the sound of his name. "Bigwig?"
"Yes, it's me."
Hazel sighed. "Good." He looked around, searching the crowd. He started to panic, and wheeze. "Wh-Where's Fiver?" Fiver!"
Fiver's small body broke through the crowd, coming to a stop in front of his older brother. "I'm right here, Hazel. I've brought you something." He was carrying some plants and leaves in his mouth. "You must eat this one," he dropped a flowering plant near Hazel, and these ones go on your wounds. Go on, it'll make you better. I saw it in a dream."
Hazel looked a Fiver with all the trust and faith in the world. He slowly opened his mouth and munched on the flower, ignoring the fiery pain that engulfed his side, while his friends bound the leaves to his wounds and waited.
Hazel had slipped into a deep sleep, completely devoid of any dreams.
"We'll have to carry him," Hyzenthlay said, voicing what was on everyone's minds. "Once the general realizes that Campion's patrol isn't returning, he may send another, and come himself."
"I'm the biggest. I'll carry him," Bigwig volunteered. He hoisted the smaller rabbit on his back and started on his way, the others following.
They met up with the does and the other bucks shortly.
"What happened to Hazel?" his worried friends asked.
"He was hurt in the fight. Fiver had this idea with plants, and it seems to be working."
The does, however, were overjoyed to have their leader, Hyzenthlay, back safe and sound. They had been uncomfortable and nervous about leaving her. She spoke to them, then went over to Bigwig.
"The does want to know if we are near to your warren."
Bigwig nodded in confirmation. "We should get there before sundown."
They quickened their pace and reached Watership Down early. All the rabbits that had stayed behind ran to greet their friends, and the newcomers.
"Hyzenthlay!"
Hyzenthlay turned to see who addressed her. It was Holly, running towards her.
"Did our rescue team help you escape?"
Hyzenthlay laughed. "Actually, we escaped on our own. WE met Hazel and the others outside of Efrafa."
"Speaking of which, where is Hazel?"
Hyzenthlay nodded over towards the group clustered around a sleepy Hazel. "Over there."
Holly frowned. "What happened?"
"We got into a scuffle with a patrol. Hazel was badly hurt."
Holly went over to his friend. Hyzenthlay followed him, her heart filled with sorrow. Would he make it? What would happen if he didn't? He seemed to be the only thing holding Watership Down together. All these thoughts and questions were running through her head.
The next week was critical for Hazel. Everyone took turns visiting Hazel, bringing him food and keeping him company. He hadn't lost his role of leader, not even temporarily, for they continued to report to him. After that first week, things looked up for Hazel. His wounds were healing nicely, but a particularly large gash on his side would leave a lifetime scar.
As soon as Hazel was 99% recovered, they celebrated the fact that the Black Rabbit had spared their chief. That Hazel hadn't slipped away from life, that he hadn't been destined to spend forever in the Black Rabbit's domain of darkness.
A/N: THE END! So, what did you think? Was it any good? I broke down my original story into chapters, and posted it all at once, so I'm sorry I can't give credit to those who review. But I'll say thanks in advance, since I know my friends will review, even if no one else does! THANKYOU!!!!
A/N: This is the last chapter! Hope you like it!
Hazel took this all in with alarm. He had thought that Efrafa would take a little time to form a plan, a strategy at least. Obviously, this General Woundwort wasn't one for waiting.
Hazel called for Bigwig, who suggested an ambush. "I say we get Blackberry and Speedwell to hurry the does to Watership Down, with Blackavar, Hawk-bit and Pipkin. The rest stay and fight."
"I can fight as well as any full sized buck!" Hyzenthlay exclaimed determinedly, eyes shining at the thought of revenge.
"She can, you know. I will stay too," Blackavar added. "I must prove myself to you, and settle a score with them." He waggled the remains of his ears.
Hazel and Bigwig sized them up. Hyzenthlay was definitely built for battle, and was the size of a large buck. And Blackavar had made a point, and he looked like a strong fighter full of rage towards Efrafa.
"Fine. We'll use the element of surprise to our advantage. We can hide in those bushes to the left."
Once the does had been led safely away, after a briefing from Hyzenthlay, the others crept into the assigned bushes.
Eventually a patrol of at least ten semi-alert bucks pass by.
"1." Hazel got into position. "2." He tensed. "3!" They bolted out, attacking the patrol from behind. The Watership Down rabbits were set to kill, they couldn't have them reporting back to the general the whereabouts of the does and their escorts.
Hind legs shot every which way, landing blows. Flesh was torn, ears ripped, bones broken. Blood spurted from the variety of wounds and soaked everything, staining the earth red. Rain would wash it out eventually.
Bigwig was battling fiercely. He threw his weight against a rabbit, and it fell to the ground, stunned. He finished him off, and looked over to Hazel, who was doing just as well. That is, until a rabbit, Campion, judging by Blackavar's description, pounced on him from behind. "Hazel!"
Hazel turned around, but was too late. Campion had leaped on him, clawing, biting and kicking for all he was worth. Hyzenthlay, who was much closer to the pair then Bigwig, ran over to the rabbits and hurled herself against the offender. Campion fell to the ground with a sickening thud, where an enraged Bigwig met him.
When the last rabbit had been taken care of, Bigwig and the others gathered around where Hyzenthlay was kneeling beside Hazel. He was badly wounded, and was drenched in sticky blood. He was panting heavily, unable to catch his breath. Hyzenthlay was in good shape, except for the three scratch marks marring her back.
"Will he be okay?" asked Bigwig, afraid for his friend and leader.
Hyzenthlay shrugged. "I can't tell for sure. The wounds aren't very deep, but they're numerous."
"Hazel, can you speak?"
Hazel raised his head painfully at the sound of his name. "Bigwig?"
"Yes, it's me."
Hazel sighed. "Good." He looked around, searching the crowd. He started to panic, and wheeze. "Wh-Where's Fiver?" Fiver!"
Fiver's small body broke through the crowd, coming to a stop in front of his older brother. "I'm right here, Hazel. I've brought you something." He was carrying some plants and leaves in his mouth. "You must eat this one," he dropped a flowering plant near Hazel, and these ones go on your wounds. Go on, it'll make you better. I saw it in a dream."
Hazel looked a Fiver with all the trust and faith in the world. He slowly opened his mouth and munched on the flower, ignoring the fiery pain that engulfed his side, while his friends bound the leaves to his wounds and waited.
Hazel had slipped into a deep sleep, completely devoid of any dreams.
"We'll have to carry him," Hyzenthlay said, voicing what was on everyone's minds. "Once the general realizes that Campion's patrol isn't returning, he may send another, and come himself."
"I'm the biggest. I'll carry him," Bigwig volunteered. He hoisted the smaller rabbit on his back and started on his way, the others following.
They met up with the does and the other bucks shortly.
"What happened to Hazel?" his worried friends asked.
"He was hurt in the fight. Fiver had this idea with plants, and it seems to be working."
The does, however, were overjoyed to have their leader, Hyzenthlay, back safe and sound. They had been uncomfortable and nervous about leaving her. She spoke to them, then went over to Bigwig.
"The does want to know if we are near to your warren."
Bigwig nodded in confirmation. "We should get there before sundown."
They quickened their pace and reached Watership Down early. All the rabbits that had stayed behind ran to greet their friends, and the newcomers.
"Hyzenthlay!"
Hyzenthlay turned to see who addressed her. It was Holly, running towards her.
"Did our rescue team help you escape?"
Hyzenthlay laughed. "Actually, we escaped on our own. WE met Hazel and the others outside of Efrafa."
"Speaking of which, where is Hazel?"
Hyzenthlay nodded over towards the group clustered around a sleepy Hazel. "Over there."
Holly frowned. "What happened?"
"We got into a scuffle with a patrol. Hazel was badly hurt."
Holly went over to his friend. Hyzenthlay followed him, her heart filled with sorrow. Would he make it? What would happen if he didn't? He seemed to be the only thing holding Watership Down together. All these thoughts and questions were running through her head.
The next week was critical for Hazel. Everyone took turns visiting Hazel, bringing him food and keeping him company. He hadn't lost his role of leader, not even temporarily, for they continued to report to him. After that first week, things looked up for Hazel. His wounds were healing nicely, but a particularly large gash on his side would leave a lifetime scar.
As soon as Hazel was 99% recovered, they celebrated the fact that the Black Rabbit had spared their chief. That Hazel hadn't slipped away from life, that he hadn't been destined to spend forever in the Black Rabbit's domain of darkness.
A/N: THE END! So, what did you think? Was it any good? I broke down my original story into chapters, and posted it all at once, so I'm sorry I can't give credit to those who review. But I'll say thanks in advance, since I know my friends will review, even if no one else does! THANKYOU!!!!