Watership Down: The CrossBearer

by RogueFanKC

Justin is a scorned and outcast human teenager, but when he is chosen as the Crossbearer, he must fullfill the prophesy of saving Elahrairah with the help of the Watership rabbits in the land beyond life, a journey of courage and love between friends.

13. Hawkbit's Big Mouth

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Author's note: To all those who waited patiently for my next chapter, I'm so sorry.  So many things came up: 1.) midterms (blasted tests!  Still, I hope I did all right!) 2.) writer's block (curse you Gods of fan fiction!!) and 3.) Hawkbit is an extremely difficult character to write about!  I read the book inside out, but it was hard to get an exact feeling of his personality before I could dedicate this chapter to him.  Heck, I even had to watch the TV series to get some sort of idea about him, but I'm finally finished.  Enjoy!

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CHAPTER 13

            "C'mon Hawkbit, cheer up!  Bigwig didn't hurt you that badly, and we weren't guffawing at you!  We were guffawing with -"

                "Oh, stuff it in your craw, you empty-headed, simpering weedhopper!!"

                Hawkbit wasn't exactly a morning rabbit, and despite feasting on flayrah, he was extremely grumpy and difficult as daybreak appeared while the rabbits of Watership Down took Justin eastward.  It wasn't hard for everyone to see that he was crabby because he didn't get to rest much since he was on guard duty the previous night.  Even the carrots and kale didn't raise his sprits much due to the fact that Hawkbit was still smarting from bruises he received from Bigwig since the cabbage incident, adding injury to the insult.  Yet what was mostly burning him up was the memory of everyone laughing at him.  He hated being embarrassed like that, and this made him extremely silent and sulky to every rabbit that tried to talk to him.  Acorn, who was carrying Justin on his back, tried to apologize to Hawkbit for biting him and invoking the food fight, but Hawkbit just gave him the cold shoulder and glared at him with an icy look.  Acorn, sensing hostility, stayed back, but Justin just looked at the blackish-gray rabbit with concern.

                It was close to ni-Frith, and the rabbits stopped at a nearby pond to silflay while Bigwig, Holly, Buckthorn, and Hazel tried to get their bearings.  Justin could see that further east, the land was less lush and green and instead started to emerge into a barren, sandy terrain, full of dry crabgrass, cockleburs, and totally devoid of any trees.  Strawberry, noticing Justin's questioning look on his face, told him quietly, "It looks bare, doesn't it young Justin?"

                The teenager nodded.  "Does this mean we're getting closer to the mountains?"

                "Yes, for you see, the mountains completely lack any water close by, and the air is so hot and dry that it dries up any vegetation that grows nearby.  The only things that can survive in such harsh soil are the weeds and the inedible wild plants.  That's why we should try to eat as much food as we can before heading towards the high rocks.  I'd daresay that we could reach it in a matter of two, three days.  Luckily, once we're at the mountains, we'll be safer for not many of Elil-rah's soldiers are mountain dwellers, so it will give us an advantage."

                "Since when are rabbits good at climbing?" Justin asked innocently as he and Strawberry walked away from the pond and towards Hazel, who gathered everyone around for a quick conference.  Strawberry smiled astutely.  "There are many things about the blessings Frith gave to all rabbits that not all men know about, young one."

                Hazel spoke to his band while Bigwig and Holly stood side by side with him.  "Everyone, now listen carefully.  We're entering the regions of land closest to the mountain ranges that separate us from the land where El-ahrairah's warren resides, so though we still have an incredibly far distance to travel, we'll soon reach the midpoint of this journey.  Still, remember, we're not out of danger yet.  Elil-rah is constantly sending his Owsla and messengers to kill Justin, and for us to constantly be out in the open like this, we can't endanger our friend.  Now, since food is quite scarce, we're going to have to conserve our strength and eat as much as we can here before entering the desert wilderness.  Once we get there, we'll go slowly rather than running to prevent heat exhaustion.  Now, Strawberry, you, Blackberry, and Acorn stay with Justin while you silflay and don't let him out of your sight!  Hawkbit, you, Pipkin and Buckthorn are going to scout around and keep watch.  Everyone else, get some rest!"  This, however, did not suit up well with Hawkbit as the rest of the rabbits wandered off.

                "For Frith's sake, Hazel-rah!" he yelled in petulant irritation, "I just got my throat chewed out by bloodthirsty weasels, had to deal with Bigwig cuffing me all throughout the woods, and traveled without a night's rest to this place!  This isn't fair!  By the Black Rabbit, let some other rabbit take over guard duty and let me catch me breath!!"

                Hazel, looking extremely sorry, said, "I'm sorry Hawkbit, but Bigwig and Holly chose you and Pipkin to help Buckthorn with the patrol.  Please, it's just for today, and it's to protect Justin and make sure nothing happens to him.  I promise, Hawkbit, next time, we'll let you catch your breath and relax a bit."

                Bigwig was less understanding and gentle as he moved threateningly towards Hawkbit.  "C'mon, you lout!  Up and at them!  Buckthorn needs you right now, so get moving!"

                "And what if I say no?"  Hawkbit's voice became incredibly cold as he spoke with concrete disobedience.  Bigwig and Holly's eyes narrowed at the challenge, and Justin and the other rabbits, though they tried to ignore the argument, couldn't help but feel a sense of an impending storm coming.  Justin remembered that in "Watership Down", when they were escaping Sandleford and crossing over a heather, Hawkbit tried to disobey and challenge Bigwig and Hazel's authority, and this led to Bigwig biting him in the throat.  He just hoped that the Owsla veterans would be able to restrain themselves this time.  Unfortunately, Bigwig's temper and Hawkbit's cynical personality might prove to be a disastrous combination.   Bigwig and Hawkbit just glared daggers at each other, growling.  Holly, who was not eager to have serious fights start during such a crucial time, asked sharply, "Hawkbit, if there's something bothering you, then it's better if you go out and say it for Frith's sake."

                Hawkbit then exploded, "Is something bothering me??!!  As if a rabbit like yourself would care, Holly, so it's none of your business!!  But embleer fur and paw, I'm sick and tired of having everyone within hearing distance to tell me to shut up, cuff me, boss me around, and throw orders at me without giving a damn about myself or what I think!!  So, let me tell you what I'm going to do: I'm going to get a well-deserved rest and leave the guard duty to someone else!  So you can take your task and stuff it in your tharn ear, Thlayli, because I'm not doing it!  By Frith, you're always trying to make me suffer because you think I'm below everyone else, so I've had it!"  Hawkbit turned around to hop off, but with amazing speed, Bigwig blocked Hawkbit's path and gave him the evil eye menacingly.

                "You're not going anywhere, you irresponsible, lazy, fat-bellied sloth!  How dare you act like this during our important mission to save El-ahrairah's life?!"

                "Maybe if you didn't always give me such a hard time, with the nitpicking, the ordering, and the cuffing, I wouldn't have to act like this!"

                "Maybe if you weren't such a mule-headed rabbit," growled Bigwig, silently telling every fiber in his body to resist the urge to beat the living daylights our of Hawkbit, "we'd think differently about you and your place in this mission, but even Frith knows that that will be as likely as you sprouting wings and flying away!  And need I remind you, you dung-smelling, foul-mouthed furball, that when El-ahrairah summoned all of us to go on the expedition to find Justin, he assigned Hazel-rah, Holly, and me as the leader and commanders of this Owsla because he trusted in our leadership abilities."

                "What 'leadership abilities'??  The ability to throw orders to other rabbits to do the dirty work that you yourself are afraid to do?!  The ability to lose you temper and rant and rave like a witch rabbit?!  I suppose that just because you think you were Owsla veterans and captains back at Sandleford and Watership Down, that must automatically mean you know a hrair more knowledge than the rest of us put together!"

                "At least it's more that what a simpleton like you would know!" snarled Bigwig, as Hazel, fearful that Bigwig wouldn't be able to control himself any longer, gently placed a restraining paw on his shoulder.  "You wouldn't have gotten this far without us, and Justin wouldn't still be alive by now.  I know that much."

                "Oh yes," grumbled Hawkbit, his tone sarcastic and biting, "After all, who's to say you made a mess of things, especially with the Efrafans, the Ilips, and Veil?  Oh, and let's not forget who nearly drove Justin into the paws of King Darzin while he selfishly left the rest of us behind to be ambushed by cats!  By the fur of El-ahrairah, we all know how much he'd approve of you if he could see how close it had been for us!"  By now, the other rabbits forgotten about silflay and were just staring uneasily at the quarrel.  Bigwig had completely lost his self-control, and he was about to wrathfully lunge himself towards Hawkbit, but due to a merciful intervention of Holly leaping on top of Bigwig and pinning the heavy veteran as best as he could, Hawkbit was spared from a very painful thrashing.  Breaking up the argument by putting himself between the quarreling rabbits, Hazel spoke in a clear yet stern voice to Hawkbit.

                "Hawkbit, go put some distance between yourself and Bigwig, cool that temper and mouth of yours, and when you're finished, come back and take sentry duty with Buckthorn and Pipkin."

                Hawkbit's voice now had a twinge of hurt mixed in with the frosty anger.  "Hazel, this isn't fair!!  You're not listening to -!"

                "That's enough!"

"But I'm telling you -!!"

Now Hazel's voice grew more severe.  "No, I'm telling you!!  Hawkbit...Go.  Now.  That's an order. There's been enough frustration and arguments for this journey, and right now, you haven't made things any easier for us or Justin."  Hawkbit, realizing the danger in uttering another word, with a final upset glare, turned abruptly and ran off, away from the Watership band, from Hazel, from his friends.  Hazel closed his eyes and silently cursed himself for not handling the situation more delicately, but by Frith, Hawkbit just got on everyone's nerves, like he always did.  Murmurs of confusion and puzzlement filled the field moments after Hawkbit dashed off, and Hazel saw Justin whisper quietly to Strawberry, Campion and Acorn before he took off and followed Hawkbit, alone.  Seeing this, Bigwig and Holly, concerned, got up to go after the teenager, but Campion stopped them.  "It's all right, Strawberry, Bluebell, and I will watch them from a distance, but Hazel, I think it's best that Hawkbit doesn't do guard duty today.  I think he's going through some hard issues right now, and Justin convinced Acorn to take over his position while he tries to talk with him alone."

                Hazel nodded in reluctance, but he still felt uneasy.  Concerned, Hazel replied glumly, "Somehow, I'm still not relieved.  Ooh, that Hawkbit!  There are times when I feel like I want to placate and strangle him at the same time!  He's worse than any spoiled kitten I've ever seen in my lifetime, and considering I've lived longer than the rest of you, that's saying something!"

                Campion chuckled, but he commented additionally, "But you know that you and the rest of us all feel that we'd never be the same without him.  Granted, that rabbit could aggravate the leaves off the beech trees in the spring or talk the ears off any rabbit, yet you know he's loyal and brave when he needs to be."  He added, seeing the look of worry Hazel had for both the cross-bearer and his Watership soldier, "Hazel, it wasn't you or Bigwig.  Hawkbit just needed to vent out after what's been going on recently, with Elil-rah coming after us because of Justin and with his brutal attack by the weasels last night.  The stress is getting to all of us, truthfully, and I think he's just hurting and needs to deal with what he's struggling with inside.  If he needs help, we'll be there for him, like we always have been to every rabbit that's here with us."

                "But how in Frith's name can we help him?!" grunted Hazel in frustrated dissatisfaction, "Hawkbit is always grumbling, bellyaching, and never lets any of us know how he feels nor what goes on in that head of his!  If he wasn't so obstinate, crude, and volatile, we'd be able to help him if he there was anything wrong, but every time we do, he keeps to himself and drives us away.  By the Black Rabbit, why can't he just tell us?!"

                "It's not always easy to tell people when you're in need of help," Campion put it simply as they walked for silflay, "You and Bigwig should know that better than any of us, so you should be able to understand what Hawkbit is going through right now.  C'mon, old chap, stop worrying!  Let Justin talk to him; it wouldn't do any harm."

                "And exactly how would it do much help?  Hawkbit's not exactly responsive, if you haven't noticed for the past hrair seasons of being with us."  Campion simply shrugged.

                "There's a reason Justin was chosen to be the cross-bearer, Hazel.  Just learn to trust him."

                Hawkbit just sullenly sat at the edge of the field, feeling the wind rustle his dark fur while staring at the grass and dandelions in a mixture of frustration, hurt, and brooding.  It wasn't fair, he thought to himself over and over again as he bit his lip in tearful frustration, it wasn't fair, it wasn't fair.  Why is it that his friends, his trusted allies from Watership Down, always had to be so impatient and hard on him?  Granted, yes, he was pessimistic, a bit of a complainer, and impatient, but by the Black Rabbit, that was a part of who he is, and he thought by now, even in the land beyond life, his friends would have grown to accept, heck, maybe even appreciate it, like Bluebell's bad humor or Bigwig's gruffness or Pipkin's naive eagerness.  Yet it wasn't going to happen.  No matter what Hawkbit said or did, he felt that deep in his heart, he wouldn't be taken seriously due to the fact that his big mouth was always going to rub others the wrong way.  It wasn't that he didn't care about his friends, it was just...not even he knew why he always had the troublesome habit of speaking what was on his mind.  And that was the problem; no one respected the way Hawkbit viewed matters.  And it hurt him.  Deeply.  After all, it was like that in the physical world, so why on Frith's name should he have thought that things would be different once he was in El-ahrairah's Owsla?  He flashed back to when the weasels injured him, Speedwell, and Silver while kidnapping Acorn and Justin, and to when the rest of the rabbits did nothing but laugh at him while Bigwig was unmercifully beating him for throwing the cabbage.  He sighed acrimoniously as he inwardly shuddered at the memory of the metal teeth gnawing on his windpipe, filling his throat and mouth with suffocating blood.  No one knew how much pain and hurt he felt, and as far as he could see, no one cared.  After all, he was nothing more than a big, pitiful joke who riled up everyone's patience.  By Frith, even Acorn, a rabbit Hawkbit thought that even he had more status than, had more of the band's concern and sympathy than him now, especially after his bravery against Volgnamass and his weasel horde confrontation.  Hawkbit then noticed that Justin was just in the process of sitting down next to him; he was so deep in his own, dark thoughts that he never detected the boy approaching.  Trying to mask his hurt and sullenness, Hawkbit put on a crabby front of denial.

                "By Frith, you meddlesome pest, don't you know when to leave a rabbit alone for a while?!  I'm busy!"  Justin didn't even glance back at Hawkbit as he stared at the cloudless blue sky.  Hawkbit, realizing that the teenager wasn't going to be driven off easily, tried changing tactics.

                "Look, young one, I don't appreciate the concern, I don't want to speak to anyone right now, and I don't want to lose time talking with you instead of eating some meager mouthfuls of grass before Bigwig bites my tail again for not joining Buckthorn and Pipkin for guard duty.  So, unless if you have a hard time hearing things, I'll make this loud and clear so that even you can understand.  Go away."  The teenager didn't budge, and Hawkbit was starting to get more incensed.  By Frith, couldn't this kid take a hint?!

                "You know what, young one?!" he growled angrily, "I don't have time for this!  If you want to try to talk yourself hoarse, trying to cheer me up, you might as well be chattering to the trees because I don't want to chat to anyone right now!  So goodbye!!"  As he got up to leave, Justin's voice stopped him in his tracks.

                "I talked with Acorn and Campion," Justin said softly as he looked down on the grass, "Acorn's going to take over your job of being a lookout for today, just so that you could get some rest, and Campion is going to calm down Bigwig and Hazel so that they don't stay angry at you.  So, there's no need for you to leave, and you can rest now if you want.  You don't have to do guard duty today."  This stunned Hawkbit, surprised that Justin and his friends went out of their way to help him.  Feeling a bit ashamed for his rudeness, Hawkbit, red in the face, wasn't sure how he should apologize when Justin got his attention again.  Glancing back at the subtle cough the boy gave, Hawkbit turned and saw that Justin had in his hand two large carrots left over from the flayrah feast he summoned the previous night, and now, the cross-bearer held them out towards the rabbit as a gift.  Wide-eyed, Hawkbit gaped at Justin, and nervously, Justin stammered, "I...I thought you might want this, especially since you were too busy last night to get your fill of the flayrah I summoned with my cross.  If...If you don't want to eat it, I...I guess -"

                "No...no, it's not that, Justin.  I'm just...surprised, that's all.  After all, I thought you hated me."  As Hawkbit gently, gratefully, took the delicious carrots from the teenager's hand, Justin looked at the rabbit in puzzlement.

                "What makes you say that?  I mean, if anything, I thought you were mad at me for laughing at you while Bigwig was beating the living daylights out of you for the cabbage mess that happened."  Justin's voice got softer and more compassionate and sincere.  "And speaking of which, I'm really sorry I did laugh at you.  It was wrong, and I, out of all people, should have remembered how embarrassing and humiliating it is to have people laugh and tease you.  I'm sorry.  But...what made you think I hated you?"

                "You might as well," Hawkbit choked, his hurt welling up in his heart again as he ravenously devoured the carrots, "None of them like me very much, especially since they all think I have a big mouth and do nothing but say the wrong thing at the worst possible time.  Besides, you should remember that I'm not as nice and pleasant as all the other rabbits back there, and you've gotten pretty chummy with everyone else."  Except me, he thought that last part, but there was no way Hawkbit was going to admit that openly.

                "Hawkbit, you know that's not true.  You'll always be a good friend to Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, and all the other rabbits.  It's just that..."  He paused, and Hawkbit, getting defensive, looked at him.

                "No, keep going young one," he ordered frankly, "Don't bother sparing my feelings.  It's just that what??"

                "Well, maybe if you weren't always so abrupt and gloomy and constantly looking on the negative side of things, maybe you wouldn't rub the others the wrong way."  Hawkbit growled at Justin, and this made the teenager sheepishly and awkwardly shuffle slightly away from the touchy rabbit.  Hawkbit ruefully sighed; now the cross-bearer was going to get on his case.  But what Justin said next surprised him.

                "But...that doesn't mean I would have you any other way."  Hawkbit turned his head and gaped at Justin for the comment.  He couldn't believe what he had just heard.  Justin continued.

                "Hawkbit, it's not always bad to be sincere and honest.  It's what sets you apart from everyone else, makes you original.  A real friend would always want to tell a person the truth, even if it does hurt, and not just what the person wants to hear.  Even though, yeah, it may make some people angry and unhappy, but if you do it because you want them to be safe and not to spite or torture them, then you're helping them from getting into trouble in the future.  Plus, despite it all, I remember all the times you defended me from elil and protected me to the best you could, so I know that deep down, you care about me and everyone else very much.  I mean, I can truthfully say that I find your outlook on things refreshing.  It makes me laugh, and it also makes you so much like Bluebell."

                Hawkbit, warming up, scoffed mockingly, "Please, I rather be called a dung beetle or an embleer hraka."  Justin sniggered at the mock indignation, and Hawkbit continued, "By the Great Marsh, young Justin, you are more annoying and persistent than any other rabbit that I know of, and that's saying something!"

                "Well, I did learn it all from you," shot back Justin humorously.

                "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!" growled Hawkbit jokily as he got up, and started making obvious mock advancements, hinting to the young teenager that if he didn't watch out, he may find himself in a messy tussle.

                Justin smiled at the rabbit who was slowly becoming more and more affectionate, knowing Hawkbit wouldn't truly hurt him.  "Just remember, Hawkbit, even though it doesn't seem like it, we can find our greatest strengths in our weaknesses.  I know, it sounds incredibly stupid, but...well God said the meek shall inherit the earth, so maybe it's possible to be strong, even though you feel cowardly or useless.  I mean, who knows, maybe someday, your big mouth will save us from a lot of trouble."

                Hawkbit gave Justin a withering, but cynically teasing look.  "This coming from young Justin, a human boy who doubts himself every single moment since he's been here??  This coming from the young duffer who doesn't even know why he's the infamous 'cross-bearer', except to give us more grief, danger, trouble, annoyance and Frith knows how many white hairs on our hides??"

                "Hey!  I don't cause you guys that much trouble!"  Hawkbit stared at him mischievously, causing Justin to humorously rephrase his comment.  "Well, if you don't count the weasels, or the Efrafans, or the Ilips, or Veil Guplea, or King Darzin and his cats, then you'll see I'm no trouble at all!"

                "Oh yes, and Elil-rah will come prancing up to us, declaring announcements of peace to all animals and giving us wreaths of daisies to wear on our empty heads!" Hawkbit said sardonically.  Justin then gave a concerned look over Hawkbit's shoulder.

                "Uh-oh, I think Bigwig's coming over here.  And he looks like he's ready to rip your ears off."

                "WHAT?!!"  Hawkbit spun around quickly, but to his astonishment, there was no one coming towards them.  Realizing he was duped, Hawkbit glared wily at the teenager who was now smiling at his little joke.

                "Fooled you," Justin teased wittingly.

                "Hey, that was a dirty trick to pull, you little -" and Hawkbit lost the rest of what he was going to say as he playfully tackled the teenager in merriment.  As the two affably and light-heartedly brawled in the grass, Hawkbit felt his bad mood and anguish slowly dissipate into the warm, sunny air.  As much as he hated to admit it, he could tolerate being around Justin, especially since it made his rages with the others more bearable.  Unfortunately, that later came crashing down as the Watership Down Owsla got ready to travel towards the mountains.

                "Hawkbit, you're carrying Justin this time," growled Bigwig overbearingly as he glared at the rabbit from the corner of his eye.

                "WHAT?!!" shouted Hawkbit, "Are you out of what is left of your tharn mind?!!  WHY?!"

                "Because I said so!  Now, if you want me to show you some more reasons, I'll let my paws do the convincing!  You're already on my dangerous side, you ill-mannered, foul-mouthed disgrace to a gamekeeper's gibbet, so don't push your luck, not unless if you want me to cuff the fur and tail off that embleer hide of yours!!"  It wasn't difficult to see that Bigwig was still angry at the events of Hawkbit's disobedience, not to mention still tiffed from the cabbage incident, so even though he wasn't able to give the rabbit another beating, Bigwig was doing the next best thing and making him bear the responsibility to carrying Justin to get back at Hawkbit.  As Hawkbit wasn't as solid and strong as most of the rabbits, not to mention that Justin was only shorter than him by an inch or two, Hawkbit was going to have an extremely difficult time carrying the teenager across a hot, deserted plain.  Hawkbit knew this, and he also knew Bigwig knew this, but he wasn't foolish enough to argue.  Justin, realizing that Hawkbit was going to suffer and feeling sorry for the rabbit, said to Bigwig automatically, "It's okay, Bigwig, I don't mind walking.  Really, I don't.  Plus, since all the rabbits are going to travel slowly when we cross the desert, I might as well lighten the load and travel on foot with you guys.  I'm not helpless, and I could use the chance to stretch out my legs again."

                Bigwig, and Holly for that matter, didn't agree with Justin's reasoning.  "Justin, if one of Elil-rah's soldiers attacks us, the rabbit who's carrying you would be able to take you away from danger faster than you could ever possibly run on your own two feet," Holly gently chided the boy, "Not to mention the fact that you need to conserve your own strength to fight and use the powers of your cross if we need it.  If you become too exhausted or don't have enough vigor left to harness your powers of the cross-bearer, you'll endanger yourself and the rest of us."

                "But Hawkbit can't -"

                "No, I can," Hawkbit interrupted Justin as he tried to make his voice sound steadfast and assertive, "Holly's right, Justin, I don't want to endanger you or risk your safety.  I'll carry you."  Justin and Holly were temporarily speechless; it actually sounded like Hawkbit was concerned and being unselfish.

                "My, my, I thought the day would never come when Hawkbit finally minds his fellow Owsla captains," smirked Bigwig as he jeered at the rabbit viciously, "What's next, we find the Hole in the Sky again?"

                "How about trying to first find your brain underneath all that pig-headedness and molting fur-cap of yours, 'Meester Pigvig'?" Hawkbit retorted back insultingly, calling Bigwig by the embarrassing name Kehaar called him when he was brought in and taken cared for at Watership Down.  In a few minutes, the Watership rabbits traveled into the bare, sandy land towards the mountains, with a seething Bigwig being unsuccessfully calmed down by Holly and Silver leading in the front, and trailing at the back were Dandelion, Blackberry, Campion, and Hawkbit, nursing a very sore nose due to a brutal cuff from Bigwig and laboriously carrying a relatively heavy Justin at the same time.

                At first, the journey went easily enough, if it wasn't for the blistering, dry hot winds blowing into their faces and the sands magnifying the heat of the sun ten-fold.  After a while in the heat, instead of hopping slowly, the rabbits were now actually walking, paw by paw, towards the mountains that were wavering under the scorching temperature.  Hawkbit was having an extremely grueling time; it was difficult enough without having a heavy Justin riding on his back, but he was already starting to trail behind the others.  He was literally panting, and his legs were quivering, threatening to buckle.  Justin, now feeling more concerned and guilty for making matters worse for the poor rabbit, quietly slid off and started walking alongside Hawkbit on the sandy ground.  Before Strawberry and Dandelion could object, Justin broke in, whispering, "Could you two please keep Bigwig occupied somehow so that he doesn't notice that I'm not riding on Hawkbit anymore?  Please?  I promise this will only be until when it gets cooler and easier for Hawkbit to get back his strength to carry me again.  If there's any danger, I'll ride on Campion, and he, Blackberry, and Hawkbit will take me away as far from danger as they can.  Will you?  Please?  I know it's asking for a lot, but it's to help out Hawkbit.  I don't want Bigwig to yell at him again."

                Dandelion and Strawberry, knowing that they didn't want to make Hawkbit suffer nor have Justin be unhappy, grudgingly agreed, even though they knew that Bigwig was probably going to have their ears and tails if he found out what they were doing.  As they ran ahead, Hawkbit sheepishly, but gratefully, gave Justin a weak smile.  Justin smiled back.  As the rabbits were now pacing gradually through, Justin asked Blackberry, "Don't you guys think maybe it wasn't such a good idea to travel during this time of day?  We're all getting tired from journeying under this heat, not to mention it might lead to more trouble if we collapse from heatstroke or heat exhaustion."

                Blackberry shook his head.  "No, for if we traveled the desert plains at night, it would be easier for Elil-rah and the Efrafans to attack us, but since we're here during the day, when the lands are almost unbearable due to the sun, the dark Owsla won't attempt to attack us at this time, so it'll be safer for us to make headway towards the mountains.  We discussed it during silflay, and Hazel agreed that it was probably the best idea."

                "Best idea, my fat tail!" griped Hawkbit as a harsh zephyr blew some hot sand into his furry face, "If I had strength right now, I'd cuff you for thinking up of such a bright idea, you black-eared duffer!"

                "Are you ever going to stop your bellyaching?!" a defensive and bothered Blackberry asked Hawkbit accusingly.  Hawkbit just kept a stubborn silence as further and further, they traveled through the desert land and the dry vegetation.  The winds were getting stronger and stronger, now making noticeable discomfort as grains of rock and dirt started to pellet them in the faces frequently.  Justin had to shield his vision with one hand to prevent sand from hitting his eyes.  As they walked farther and farther, the winds got more vicious.  Soon, the Watership band was having difficulty even walking straight as the harsh, dusty winds were strong enough to make them falter and stumble every third or fourth step, and the mountains in the distance started to blur even further amongst the swirling dirt and howling wind.

                "This is the best way to journey?!!" cried a sarcastic and caustic Hawkbit, "Blackberry, I take back what I said earlier!!  If I can even see you right now, I'd cuff you for thinking up of this bright idea!!"

                "Oh, do shut up!" growled Blackberry, but then, he stopped in the middle of walking and sniffed the air.  Something caught his nose's attention.  After three breaths, Blackberry squealed, the urgency and warning in his voice high enough to be heard over the howling of the hurricane and making every head in the group turn towards Blackberry, Campion, and Hawkbit...who was no longer carrying Justin, leaving him defenseless.  Hazel, Bigwig and Silver were outraged.

                "Hawkbit!" yelled Silver in incensed surprise, "What in the name of El-ahrairah are you doing?!  Why isn't Justin -?!"  But he didn't the chance to finish his questioning for Blackberry interrupted in fright and insistence.

                "Campion!!  Get Justin out of here!!  I smell a homba, a fox!!  And it's nearby!!"  Everyone's blood turned to frost when they heard these words; if a fox, one of the most vicious eli to ever slay rabbits was here, then it wasn't hard to guess who sent him and what his business with the Watership Owsla were.  Justin immediately got on Campion's back, and within a flash, they, Hawkbit, and Blackberry raced off in the opposite direction, away from the mountains.  Yet they took no more than several gallops when a violent sand typhoon rushed in, opposing the three rabbits and blowing them off their paws, causing Justin to fall off Campion's back.  The teenager flew back and rolled to a stop several feet away, face-first into the sand.  As he grimly and painfully propped his upper body up with his elbows, Justin tried to gain footing in the unstable sand and get up.  Yet to his horror, he couldn't.  He was stuck!  Justin tried harder, forcing his legs to help push himself off the ground, but it was impossible for unbelievably, a column of wind was encircling all around him, generating such a high pressure, the air on top of the human teenager was pushing down on him harder and harder, almost crippling him as he lay paralyzed in the dirt.

                "Justin, hurry, get up!!" squealed Acorn, "Hurry, we have to get you away from here!!"

                "I...I CAN'T!!  I'M STUCK!!  I CAN'T EVEN MOVE!!!"  As Justin tried harder at fighting the weight the tornado was inflicting on him, Hawkbit, the rabbit closest to Justin, immediately rushed over to the teenager without a hesitation of his own safety.  Recklessly, Hawkbit tore through the barriers of sand and wind enveloping his human friend, and struggling against the pressure immediately pushing down on him, he inched his way over to Justin, hoping he could carry the cross-bearer, or at least drag him out of the wind that was trapping him.  Unfortunately, he wasn't strong enough to fight the sandstorm, and his legs were threatening to buckle again as the downward force was slowly immobilizing the rabbit as well.

                "Hawkbit!!" yelled Campion in a combination of anger and vexation, "You duffer, now you're trapped with Justin as well!!"

                "You were trying to rescue me?!" Justin asked incredulously over the roar of the wind as he slowly glanced over his shoulder at the sight on Hawkbit sinking to the ground.

                "Hey, it seemed like a good idea at the time!!" argued Hawkbit defensively.  Fighting the urge to affront Hawkbit for his temporary thoughtlessness, Hazel, Campion, Blackberry, and Bigwig ran over to the column of wind, hoping they could reach the two in time while the other rabbits were on their guard and looking around wildly amongst the fog of sand and rock as they tried to spot any indication that a fox was nearby.

                "Blackberry, we can't even see anything in this wind!!" yelled Bluebell as he tried to shield his eyes from the annoying specks of dirt, "Are you sure you even smelled a fox?!!"

                "No, he's right!  I smell it too, and the smells getting stronger over here!" screeched Pipkin from the opposite end of Bluebell.

                "No, the smell's stronger over here!!  The homba is coming over in this direction," Silver declared as he and Holly prepared themselves to fight like wild animals the instant the fox showed its face.

                "That's impossible, we smell it coming from here!!" insisted Acorn, and Dandelion exclaimed in disbelief, "It's as if the homba is coming in from all around us!!"

                "Frith-rah, could there be more than one?!  An entire army, perhaps?!!" cried Strawberry as he tried to sniff the overpowering stench of the fox, hoping it could reveal the enemy's position a bit more accurately.

                "No, if the there was more than one eli, then the embleer odor would be more unbearable than this!!  Everyone, just be ready to fight and attack while Hazel and the others try to get Hawkbit and Justin out of here!!  We must buy them some time to escape!" commanded Holly as he braced his powerful hind legs to gain the momentum necessary to head-butt the fox straight into the chest.  Meanwhile, Hazel, Bigwig, Blackberry, and Campion weren't faring much better.  Knowing that if they entered the eye of the cyclone, they would be trapped as well, Blackberry hit on the idea that they should try to dig at the sand around Hawkbit and Justin, weakening it enough so the two could slowly inch out.  They hurriedly clawed the sand away from the pair as best as they could, gritting their teeth in pain as the downward spiral of wind was nearly crushing their paws.

                "Justin, hang on!!  We'll get you and Hawkbit out of there!!  Just don't panic!" yelled Campion as he tried to dig away at the sand that was slowly piling up around the two due to their stormy prison.

                "Hawkbit, why weren't you carrying Justin?!" scolded Hazel bluntly as he clabbered away at the rising dirt, "And Justin, what in Frith's name would ever posses you do such a foolish act as to not ride with one the rabbits?!"

                Justin broke in awkwardly, "Uh...temporary insanity on my part??!"

                Bigwig was cursing at the Owsla soldier as he furiously dug at the ground.  "Hawkbit, when I get my paws on you, I will personally -"

                "This is not the time for idle threats, Bigwig!" Hazel lectured impatiently.

                "Well, I should have never left the responsibility of protecting the cross-bearer with the likes of him!!"

                "Can't you ever make up your tharn mind?!" snapped an irate Hawkbit, partly angry at Bigwig's condescending remarks and partly angry because he felt guilty about getting Justin into this predicament in the first place.  "First you tell me to do guard duty, then you tell me you want me to carry and protect Justin, and now you tell me you didn't want me to carry him in the first place!!  By Frith, I wonder what El-ahrairah would say if he could see you now!"

                "He'd tell me to drag you out in the open and give you that well-deserved cuffing you've been begging for since we started this journey!!" barked Bigwig, noticeably digging faster and more furiously at the dirt, his paws itching to wrap themselves around Hawkbit's neck.

                Bluebell heard a disembodied howling of a wolf from above him, and as he glanced suspiciously up, his heart nearly leapt out of his throat.  There, amongst the dark swirling background of the dust cloud, was a gargantuan hurricane, but what made it the most terrifying was that the hurricane was in the shape of a wolf's head.  It was a perfect life representation, the same pointed nose and narrow face, the gaping mouth full of sharp, tapered teeth, the pointed ears and tufts of fur at the cheekbones, except it was eerily composed of moving wind, pebbles, grime, and sand.  The most disturbing thing was that the hurricane's eyes were just big, black gaping holes of darkness, as if they were pools of the murkiest shadows.  Bluebell stamped a danger signal with his hind leg hard upon on the ground, and pointed with a forepaw at the sky towards the ghostly phantom.  "Look!!"

                Everyone, including Hazel, Bigwig, Campion, Blackberry, Justin and Hawkbit, just gazed upwards to see the towering, foreboding spirit.  Yet before they could do anything, the windstorm opened its mouth wider and bayed in an unnerving, monotone howl, the notes literally chilling enough to send shivers down their spines.  Almost immediately, the wind picked up with a terrific force.  Unexpectedly, all the rabbits, to their horrified and surprised dismay, were lifted off their paws, and the airstreams enclosed them into another tornado, lifting them higher and higher above the ground and farther away from Justin who was still trapped on the ground.  Justin looked in dismayed consternation as his saw his friends were being carried off, away from him, but then he noticed the opaque cloud of dust was settling down, clearing the air and view of the desert to reveal a fox, a real, physical one, was leering a vulpine smile at the teenager.  Justin, knowing that the cyclone was still encompassing him, trapping him so he couldn't move, could only just stare, trembling inside his gut, as the fox advanced closer and closer.  Upon a second glance, the cross-bearer saw that the fox, though walking on all fours like a normal animal, was wearing a simple, brown cape and matching brown vest, easily contrasting his orange and white fur with black foot paws.  Around his neck was a bronze medallion, but instead of the letter "E" as Justin saw most of Elil-rah's soldiers wore, this piece of jewelry had a picture of a snarling, bloodthirsty wolf with red eyes branded onto the dull metal.  But the fox apparently was no weakling; he was as huge as Volgnamass, the weasel leader who attacked him and Acorn earlier, and he certainly looked as if he could outmatch a tiger.  The fox chuckled superiorly at the human boy staring at him in quivering anxiety.  As he spoke, his voice was silky and refined, like a nobleman of high stature.

                "Well, well, what's the matter, young one??  Can't you talk, or, as the humans say so, 'fox got your tongue'?"  He snickered inwardly at the private joke, and Justin could now feel the shaking move up to his lungs, making his breath shake and whimper.  The fox continued, "Oh, and if you think you're powerful rabbit friends from Watership Down will rescue you like they always have, you're extremely hopeful, yet foolish.  The Wolfen Gale I'm controlling will keep the rabbits, and you for that matter, trapped in the tornados for as long as I please!"

                "Wolfen Gale?!!  How about 'The Flea-bitten Furball' or 'The Whimpering Windbag'?!!  Leave Justin alone, you embleer homba if you know what's good for you!!"  The fox turned his head sharply in surprise to see that Justin wasn't trapped alone in the cyclone prison.  Hawkbit, with the best effort he could muster, was standing up uneasily against the pressure of the wind pushing down on his furry body and glaring at the fox with a murderous look in his eye.  Because he was trapped, the Wolfen Gale didn't sweep him away like the other Watership rabbits, and the fox realized he made a slight miscalculation.  With an unfazed glance, the fox said nonchalantly, "Wolfen Gale, I command you, get rid of this pest.  I need him out of the way if I am to succeed in killing the human boy."

                In an instant, the head of the wolf-hurricane appeared again in the sky, and to the surprise of Justin and Hawkbit, a current of sandy wind in the shape of a clawed, wolf's paw came rushing out, and with incredible force, stuck Hawkbit in the middle of his chest, stunning the poor rabbit as he flew back by twenty feet.  Justin watched in extreme distress for Hawkbit as his rabbit friend was now flung out of the wind column painfully by the typhoon.  Hazel and the other rabbits, though ensnared in the wind prison of sand and dirt, were able to watch the battle unfold, but helplessly.

                "Hawkbit, no!!  The duffer, he's going to get Justin killed!!" cried out Campion as he kept rolling around nauseatingly around the wind like a helpless bird with broken wings.   Now he knew how leaves felt when they were caught in the updrafts of autumn.

                "We have to get down there somehow and help Hawkbit protect Justin!" yelled out Blackberry.

                "Easier said than done, old chap!!" grunted Buckthorn laboriously as he painfully collided into Silver and Fiver as the wind tossed him around in the air like a helpless bumblebee, "We don't have the strength to fight against the updraft!  It's too strong!!  We can't run on thin air, and unlike Kehaar, none of us has wings, so we can't fly out of this windstorm!  We're trapped, and Hawkbit's going to have to fight this one himself!!"

                "C'mon, bucko!  Don't let us down!  Justin is depending on you!" whispered Holly encouragingly, hoping Frith and El-ahrairah would listen to his prayer and help the lone Owsla warrior.  Meanwhile, Justin wasn't faring too much better as the fox was now magically inside the whirlwind prison with him, not showing any indication that the downward spiral of air and sand were affecting the fox.  Obviously, the homba was protected against the Wolfen Gale's destructive forces with Elil-rah's powers.  Before Justin could react, the fox brutally grabbed Justin around the throat with both of his forepaws and slammed the human teenager onto the ground on his back.  As the painful explosions of colors and stars blinded Justin's vision, Justin could now barely breathe as the fox kept one paw around Justin's throat, slowly strangling him in a gripping hold.  For a four-legged animal, the fox could fight and defend himself as well as any human.  The fox leaned closer to the boy's face, and Justin could see his reflection in the murderous eyes of the homba.

                "How pathetic!" the fox mocked to the teenager as his paw squeezed Justin's neck tighter and tighter, "This is what Elil-rah was afraid of?!  A small weakling such as yourself would never have the chance to survive against a fight against me, Blood Whitetail, the most traitorous of all foxes, much less Elil-rah!  Looks like the infamous legends of the cross-bearer are naught."  With a flick of his other paw, Blood Whitetail magically summoned a knife out of the dusty air.  It was a simple weapon carved out of sandstone and gravel, yet it looked just as lethal and dangerous as any metal weapon.  The fox's smile grew even wider as he brought the blade of the knife to Justin's neck, the rough point hovering above Justin by an inch.  The teenager tried to struggle, but the wind was forcing his body to remain paralyzed, ignoring the panicked orders from his brain to fight and flight.  With the fox's paw cutting off his airway, Justin couldn't even scream out a prayer to invoke his powers.  Blood snickered at the feeble attempts.

                "My name is the last you'll ever hear, young Justin.  Remember it: I am Blood Whitetail!"

                "The only thing that's going to bloody around here is you!!" yelled a familiar crabby voice, and Blood turned to see the sight of a blackish-gray furry head whizzing at him in incredible velocity before he felt the painful result of Hawkbit head-butting him into the face.  The fox and rabbit flew out of the cyclone column, and in the confusion, the fox dropped the knife.  Justin, now free from the grip of the fox, could breathe, and he uneasily rolled over on his side to watch the combat.  Hawkbit, though injured from the winds of the Wolfen Gale, stood his ground, with his bruised sides heaving, as he watched Blood get up to glare at the rabbit soldier in homicidal anger.  Hawkbit's attack was quite effective, seeing that Blood's entire nose and one side of his white face was smeared in crimson red.  The fox snarled in provocation, "You meddlesome, little parasite!!  How dare you strike my beautiful face?!!"

                "If that's you're idea of beautiful, I hate to think what your idea of ugliness is!  You've practically got the face a mother could only love, and trust me, I use that term very, very loosely!"  Blood screeched, his voice now jumping an octave higher as it lost all restraint and refinement, "WOLFEN GALE!!  HURT THAT RABBIT!!  SMASH HIM AGAINST THE ROCKS!!  TEAR HIS FLESH!!  HE'S CAUSED ME ENOUGH AGGRAVATION!!"

                Hawkbit looked at the hurricane in shock and dread as he saw the sandstorm was now on the ground, swirling and howling wrathfully as it was reshaping itself into the body of a wolf.  Though it was incredibly blurred and hazy, the sand, rock, dust, and air impressively and realistically displayed the true terrifying shape of the Wolfen Gale.  It had the exact physical form and structure of a wolf, except that it was almost as big as a house, and all around its body, currents and wisps of wind and fog draped around its fur and legs like robes of silk.  Its paws were quick, nimble, and because of their ethereal composition, the wolf was able to stand on the ground without leaving the slightest traces of smell, sound, or footprints, making it the ultimate, silent assassin.  Despite the wailing of the windstorms surrounding the wolf, Hawkbit could see the Wolfen Gale was growling in a sinister way, and the rabbit couldn't help but feel every bit of courage and valor was threatening to be swallowed by the eternal blackness of the creature's eyes.

                Can't let him intimidate me, Hawkbit thought strategically, but felt like an ant facing to do battle with a lion, I have to do this by myself, and I won't let Justin die, not after what I've been through and not after the kindness and friendship he's shown to me.  He flashed back to when Justin first met the rabbits of Watership Down, when he journeyed and fought with them through the hard trials, when he opened his heart and closeness to Hawkbit earlier.  Hawkbit, you know that's not true.  You'll always be a good friend to Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, and all the other rabbits...Hawkbit, it's not always bad to be sincere and honest...A real friend would always want to tell a person the truth, even if it does hurt, and not just what the person wants to hear...Just remember, Hawkbit, even though it doesn't seem like it, we can find our greatest strengths in our weaknesses...maybe someday, your big mouth will save us from a lot of trouble.  Hawkbit muttered to himself as the Wolfen Gale started to glide towards the rabbit, "By Frith, Justin, you'd better be right, or else you'll be the one to forfeit...with your life!"

                "What's the matter, Whitetail?!  Can't fight your battles yourself?!  Need to rely on your puny magic that Elil-rah gave you, you scrap-scraping, narrow-minded, festering vulpine rot?!" Hawkbit taunted the homba bravely.

                "ENOUGH!!" yelled Blood, his anger erupting and distorting the otherwise calm composure he had earlier.  With a flick of his paw, the Wolfen Gale howled, his gaping mouth letting loose a fierce draft of sandy air towards the rabbit, sending the rabbit flying in a heap.  However, the second the Wolfen Gale attacked Hawkbit, Justin could feel the wind surrounding him lessening, and to his joyful excitement, he could move slightly more.  Though nauseatingly woozy, Hawkbit unsteadily rose from the ground, blood slowly dripping from the deep cuts and scrapes on his fur and saw that Justin was able to budge slightly from his paralyzed position.  They both exchanged a look and cunningly guessed the truth immediately.  Blood Whitetail was obviously controlling the Wolfen Gale somehow, but his emotions of anger, frustration, and fury were clouding his control and self-will.  The more Blood got out of control, the less he was able to control his power over the Wolfen Gale form, the cyclone around Justin, and the tornado trapping the others in their mid-air prison.  Knowing they found the key, Hawkbit bravely continued as he turned to the fox.

                "Ha!  That's the best you got?!  No wonder Elil-rah keeps failing at his attempts to kill Justin!  He can't even make a wretched, embleer homba like you as powerful as the cross-bearer!"

                "You...impudent..." but Blood was so furious at Hawkbit's audacious insults that he couldn't even finish the sentence, and on cue from his rage, the Wolfen Gale then flung a paw towards Hawkbit, sending immediately a tidal wave of sand to bury the rabbit alive.  As Justin could feel the pressure on his body weaken even further, Hawkbit nimbly leapt out of the path of the incoming sand, only to have it precariously crash by a hair's width.  As Hawkbit was fighting for himself and Justin's life, Blood Whitetail bragged heatedly, "One lone soldier from El-ahrairah's Owsla won't be enough to protect the human, you fool!!  The cross-bearer will never – OOF!!!"

                As the fox was too busy boldly stating his overconfident views, Hawkbit took the opportunity to head-butt and tackle the big, furry windbag directly into the gut, followed immediately with bracing his hind legs on the stunned fox's stomach.  With a powerful leap, Hawkbit left several rows of jagged, bleeding cuts on the fox's stomach as he carefully hopped out of the way.  The minute the wounds were inflicted, Justin observed that the Wolfen Gale was wincing and slightly moaning in pain as it curdled its stomach in a bent position, trying to ease some unseen throbbing as if it too was scratched in the chest like Blood Whitetail was.  With a realization, Justin figured out that not only did Blood Whitetail needed absolute control to focus commanding the wind demon, but the two were also in sync with each other; if one got hurt, the other would feel the exact same results too.  Hawkbit paid no attention as he continued to hurl antagonizing slurs, praying it could buy Justin some time to figure out what to do to turn the tides in their favor.  "'The cross-bearer will never leave here alive'...yes, yes, we've heard that all before, you prissy excuse for a homba!!  By Frith, if I had a carrot for every time some embleer, brainless eli such as yourself said that, I'd be the most well-fed rabbit in all of the land beyond life!!"

                "I've had just about enough of your cheek, you presumptuous rabbit scum!!  WOLFEN GALE, ANNIHILATE THE CROSS-BEARER AND THAT ANNOYING FOUL-MOUTHED RABBIT!!  KILL THEM BOTH!!  NOW!!"  With a flash of vengeance, the Wolfen Gale's body immediately turned into an intense, churning, cylindrical current of wind, and it rushed across the hills of sand and barren crusty soil to come directly at Hawkbit with a deafening roar.  Before Hawkbit could even react, he was painfully flung back, and he swore he could have felt his ribs fracture to the crushing blow the demon spirit inflicted on him as he sailed across and came skidding to a stop, his fur and skin was beginning to burn and chafe from the skidding tension of the ground.  Hawkbit bit back the urge to whimper as he tried to get up.  Unfortunately, the Wolfen Gale struck him again, this time from behind, sending Hawkbit to crash face first into the hot sand again, feeling the grains of dust and dirt cling painfully to the bleeding lesions on his face.  In a matter of seconds, the Wolfen Gale pummeled, scratched, and threw Hawkbit over five times as the tenacious rabbit did his best to endure the pain and hang on.  Yet if the battle went on much longer, Hawkbit wouldn't be able to give Justin a chance.  As he collapsed on the ground from the last blow of the Wolfen Gale's typhoon, his body too weak and battered to move, Hawkbit's last thoughts were to Justin as he saw Blood Whitetail move towards the teenager again.  The fox snickered at the sight of the rabbit lying senseless on the ground; Justin's heart nearly stopped in dread and grief.

                "Ha!  You see now, you wretched, pathetic child of El-ahrairah?!!  No one will ever be able to stop and withstand the Wolfen Gale, not even the powerful cross-bearer!!  Wolfen Gale, that furry pest won't bother us anymore!  Leave him to bleed on the ground while he can watch me assassinate his friend here!!"  Blood picked up the knife again with his forepaw as he smiled craftily at the helpless teenager still trapped in the column of wind.  In the tornado that was trapping the rabbits in midair, Justin could hear the threats from the rabbits of Watership Down as they powerlessly watched the battle and Justin struggling to escape from his incarceration.

                "Don't you dare touch him!!" yelled Speedwell angrily.

                "You embleer coward!!  At least other hombas are brave enough to fight their own battles, you despicable wretch!!" growled Bluebell.

                "Don't!!  Please, don't kill Justin!!!" screamed Pipkin.

                Yet their screams fell on deaf ears as Blood was about to stab Justin, who, despite having the pressure of the hurricane ease slightly due to Hawkbit's battle with Blood and the Wolfen Gale, was still not strong enough to extract himself out.  Then, suddenly, Blood just dropped the knife, the weapon silently landing on the sand, as he roared in pain and fury and clutched his eyes with his paws.  At first, Justin was confused, but then became even more bewildered as he saw gashes appear, running vertically across Blood's white face.  As the homba staggered back, cursing as the blood trickled across the burning lines the wounds left across his eyes, Justin looked at the Wolfen Gale, and to his joy, he saw an injured but not beaten Hawkbit, on the back of the Wolfen Gale form, cursing in aggravation and anger as he raked his claws across the Wolfen Gale's eyes.  Because of the wind phantom being in synchronization with Blood Whitetail, Hawkbit's attack also successfully blinded Blood.

                "HAWKBIT!!" cried out Justin in joyous relief.

                "For Frith's sake, Justin, I'm not bloody deaf, you know!!" snapped Hawkbit as he kept dealing cuffs and scratches on the specter as the Wolfen Gale furiously tried to buck the annoyance off, "I can hear you perfectly, you loud duffer!!!  By the fur and paw, why do I always have to save your fat, furry hide?!!"  As he was complaining, Hawkbit was puzzled into momentary silence as he felt his foot strike something hard and alien around the Wolfen Gale's neck.  He saw that it was a bronze medallion, the same one that Blood Whitetail was wearing.  But why would a phantom, a ghostly wind spirit, need a medallion in the first place?  Then it hit Hawkbit.

                "JUSTIN!!  THE MEDALLION!!  THE WOLFEN GALE'S HAS ONE TOO, THE SAME KIND THAT BLOOD WHITETAIL HAS!!  IT'S HOW THE HOMBA'S TAKEN CONTROL OVER THE MONSTER!!  QUICK, GET THE MEDALLION OFF OF BLOOD, AND HE CAN'T CONTROL IT ANYMORE!!  STEAL THE MEDALLION OFF OF HIM!!!"  Blood withdrew his paws from his eyes in jolting alarm, reveling the ragged optical tissue and fluid that was leaking out and mingling with the crimson blood drying on his cheeks, as he now realized the rabbit guessed the truth.

                "No!" Blood shrieked as he desperately, despite the pain, tried to grab the knife from the sand before he lost his chance to kill Justin, but Justin was quicker.

                "Medallion!!" he cried, holding out his hand, despite feeling his lungs struggle with the command as the wind was pushing down on his frail body.  Miraculously, like the stick Justin summoned to himself earlier on his first night with the rabbits, his cross flashed in golden light, and the bronze wolf jewelry around Blood's neck disappeared in a twinkle of sunlight before reappearing in Justin's hand.  Instantaneously, the tornado possessing the other rabbits of Watership Down prisoner started to fade and dissipate, slowly and gently placing Hazel, Bigwig, Campion and the others back on solid ground.  The Wolfen Gale, with no one to subdue it, went completely mad, and in frenzy, it bucked Hawkbit off of its back, violently slamming him to the ground, as it shot up to the sky.  Uncontrolled, the demon madly spread out its wrath all over the desert, invoking ferocious storms and tornadoes instantaneously, only now, without Blood's voice of reason, the powers and forces were almost strong enough to rip the land.  Heck, these newer storms made the old sandstorm that attacked them in the beginning seem like a gentle breeze.

Blood staggered in rage as he cried out, "No, Wolfen Gale!!  Cease this at once!!  I command you!!"  Yet without the magic jewel Elil-rah gave him to control the element of wind, his words had no effect on the Wolfen Gale as it continued swirling and howling like a wild beast, summoning the sandstorms, typhoons, and hurricanes to blow harder and harder on the desert.  Wrathfully, Blood turned to Justin and menacingly advanced on the teenager.  Blood had completely lost all restraint and dignity as his silky voice now had a murderous, enraged edge to it.

"You!!" he snarled accusingly as he prepared to pounce on Justin, still holding his precious medallion, "Give me that medallion, you fool, or else I'll -!"

"You'll do nothing to Justin, you cowardly, sniveling excuse for an eli!!" Bigwig yelled in anger as he, Campion, Acorn, Bluebell, Holly, and Silver tackled Blood together, almost crushing the enemy under their combined weight.  As the fox bit and fought, Bigwig yelled to Justin, "Justin, hurry, go to the others!!  They're with Hawkbit!!  Help them think up of some way to stop the Wolfen Gale while the rest of us chaps deal with this blooming idiot!!"  Justin nodded and tore off towards Hawkbit and the rest of the rabbits while Bigwig and his battle comrades wrestled with Blood.  Hazel and Strawberry were licking the dried off blood off Hawkbit's body, trying to care for their friend as best as they could, as the rabbit laid there, almost wavering to unconsciousness from the exhaustion and injury.  However, when seeing Justin come up to him, Hawkbit slowly and unsteadily rose from the ground with a weak grin.

"After all this is over, I expect several carrots for saving your dependent, useless tail."

"Really, Hawkbit!" scolded Dandelion and Strawberry in unison, but Justin was just ecstatic for his friend.

"I will, I promise, but I'm just really glad that you're OK!" cried Justin as he embraced the cantankerous rabbit around the neck in a fierce hug.  Hawkbit was less joyous.

"Ow!  By Frith, be careful of my neck, you duffer!!  I've got plenty of wounds from battling the Wolfen Gale for you, so watch it!!"

"Hawkbit!  He's trying to say 'thank you', you unfeeling, bellyaching, selfish cocklebur!!" yelled Speedwell as he cuffed Hawkbit lightly on the head, "So be nice!!"

"It's all right, Speedwell," Justin smiled as he defended his friend, "I know Hawkbit's trying to say 'you're welcome'...in his own way of course."  Hawkbit smirked even wider at Justin's eternal naïveté.

"As much as I hate to break up the sentimental and emotional moment," Hazel butted in a bit impatiently, urgency and fear hinting in his voice, "We still have to deal with the Wolfen Gale!!  It's going to destroy the land we're standing on and all of us with it!!  Justin, quickly, can't you use your powers on the Wolfen Gale?!!"

"I'll try to time-freeze it!!" nodded Justin in agreement as he grasped his cross necklace in one hand.

"TIME, PLEASE STOP!!!"  His cross immediately blazed in gold, this time being so powerful, it illuminated the sky and the desert, making the sunlight penetrating the thickest sandstorms with the radiance of orange and yellow.  Yet, to Justin's horror, the Wolfen Gale only became more enraged at the sudden illumination of light, and it became more vengeful, invoking the sandstorms and gusts to blow brutally harder.  The time-freeze had no effect on the wind apparition.

"It didn't work!!" cried Pipkin, "O Frith and Inle!!  Now, what do we do?!!  Justin's powers never failed us before!!"

"There has to be a weakness somewhere!!" Blackberry stammered, refusing to give up hope as his mind frantically leafed through any other possible solutions before the fury of the Wolfen Gale's storms drove them into destruction, "We can't stop now!  Justin, maybe there's another way we can defeat him, if not directly, than perhaps tactfully!!"

"Huh?!  But how?!!  Time freeze is the only thing I can think of that can be strong enough to stop the Wolfen Gale!!"

"The medallion, young one...the medallion is the key."  Everyone turned around to see Fiver, standing rigid and slightly trembling, but his voice held a certain, quiet, yet intense authority as his second sight was taking control of his body.  Fiver continued, "The medallion is the only thing that can stop the Wolfen Gale for no physical attacks of the mind and paw can destroy an element that has long existed since time began.  Yet, beware, young cross-bearer, the medallion can only be used by an animal, a beast created by Frith, and the Wolfen Gale is only trained to obey the voice of its master, the homba, Blood Whitetail."

Fiver's body then relaxed a bit, and the glazed look in his eyes washed over as he stopped shivering, coming out of his apt trance only to confusingly see everyone staring at him curiously.  Justin, however, looked at the medallion with the image of the wolf imbedded into the bronze metal.  Blackberry, after hearing the enigmatic divination, slowly repeated the words that Fiver spoke.

"The medallion is the only thing that can control the Wolfen Gale, only a beast of Frith can use it, and the Wolfen Gale will only obey and acknowledge the voice of the homba, Blood."

"Oh, is that all?!" Hawkbit asked sarcastically, "And even if one of us rabbits did use the medallion, how are we going to be able to imitate that embleer messenger's voice?!  It's not as if the homba will be willing to control the Wolfen Gale if we asked him nicely!!"

"Hawkbit, for Frith's sake, shut up!  I'm trying to think!!" Blackberry snapped impatiently.

"Well, we must think faster, Blackberry, before we all get blown away from the Wolfen Gale's fury!!" yelled Dandelion over the din of the roaring winds that started to blow away the sands of the land and started crumbling the harsh, dry soil from the terrain.  Dandelion was right; if they didn't resolve this soon, they would all be in considerable danger.  Meanwhile, in the background, Blood Whitetail was screaming loud enough to be heard over the sandstorms and hurricanes, trying vainly to get the wind demon to obey him.

"Wolfen Gale, I command you!!" he screeched uselessly as he slashed at Bluebell and Holly with his sandstone knife at the same time, "Listen to me!!  Destroy the rabbits and the cross-bearer!!  Kill them all!!  Kill them all!!  I command you!!  In the name of Elil-rah, listen to me!!!"

"I don't think Blood Whitetail thoroughly grasps the concept that all those to enter in the land beyond life can't die," stated Strawberry in a monotone voice, as he watched the pathetic attempts of the enemy.  Hawkbit, however, was less graceful, mocking Blood Whitetail's voice, "Wolfen Gale, destroy this!  Wolfen Gale, destroy that!  Kill him!  Kill the cross-bearer!  Kill everyone!  By Frith, and you rabbits think I have a big mouth!"

Justin then gasped in a sudden burst of genius as his mind suddenly proposed a solution to the mess.  "Hawkbit, in a minute, we're gonna need your big mouth!!!" he cried out as he took off his cross necklace from his neck.  The other rabbits, however, upon hearing this, had the most perplexed, comical expressions on their faces.

"He lost me.  Am I missing something?" Blackberry asked Hazel, bewildered.

"More likely the young one's finally lost his mind," commented Speedwell.

"This is certainly a first," chuckled Buckthorn, "Hawkbit's bellyaching and sarcasm actually will come through for us??"

"Oh shut up, Buckthorn!!" snapped Hawkbit.

In the meantime, Bigwig, Campion, Acorn, Silver, Holly, and Bluebell weren't faring much better against Blood Whitetail.  Despite his silky voice and meticulous demeanor, he was surprisingly a nimble and treacherous fighter as he slashed and cut at the rabbits who were tackling and cuffing him.  Campion squealed in pain as Blood's knife hacked against the flash on his shoulder, and Blood viciously kicked Acorn in the stomach, cruelly sending him flying against Silver, stunning both of them.  Bigwig, Bluebell and Holly quickly took the opportunity to tackle Blood on his back, but with a grunt, he flung all three of the heavy rabbits off his back.  With a sneer, Blood bragged, "You see, you pathetic fools?!!  Nothing can stop me, and as soon as I'm finished with you, I'll kill the cross-bearer myself, even without the -!!"

"WOLFEN GALE!!" rang out Blood Whitetail's voice, echoing strongly and clearly throughout the land, "STOP THIS DESTRUCTION AT ONCE!!  I COMMAND YOU TO STOP!!  NOW!!!"  Immediately, the Wolfen Gale, after hearing the voice of its master, halted the destructive winds and storms it inflicted on the desert land, making them vanish into thin air, as it patiently awaited its master's next instructions.  Yet there was one thing wrong; the voice did not come from the homba at all.  Blood, stunned, just gazed at the monster in confused wrath.  "What in the name of Elil-rah...?!"

"It worked, Justin!!  Keep it up!!" yelled Pipkin, and at the sound, Blood turned to the other group of rabbits that were gathered with the cross-bearer several meters away.  To his immense vehemence and murderous disbelief, he saw that the order came from the wounded Hawkbit, the rabbit he fought solely against when he trapped the other rabbits in the cyclone.  At first, he was confused how such a feat was even possible, but then, as his vision turned red with anger, he saw the cross-bearer was kneeling next to him, eyes closed and praying silently.  Around Hawkbit's neck was the bronze medallion, the one Justin stole from him, and the only thing that could force the Wolfen Gale to obey his every command and whim.  And in the human's hand was the cross of light, shining in its ever beautiful glow of gold, and Justin was pressing the cross against Hawkbit's throat, using the powers of the cross-bearer to change and alter Hawkbit's voice to sound exactly like Blood Whitetail, except this time, his voice was magnified a hundred fold and the Wolfen Gale was now only obeying Hawkbit.

"You...!!" snarled Blood as his visions of red were so enraged, he literally went completely mad with ire as, with a growl, he charged directly at the rabbits and Justin.  Hawkbit, however, wasn't through yet, and with the all the strength he could muster, he declared in Blood Whitetail's voice, "WOLFEN GALE, THIS IS MY LAST AND FINAL COMMAND YOU MUST EVER TAKE FROM ME!!  AFTER THIS, YOU WILL NEVER OBEY ANY ORDER TO DESTROY OR ATTACK ANY OTHER CREATURE IN THIS WORLD!!  NEVER AGAIN!!  NOW, TAKE THAT HOMBA IMPOSTER AND ENSNARE HIM!!  TAKE HIM AND YOURSELF TO THE FARTHEST ENDS OF THE LAND BEYOND LIFE, FAR AWAY FROM ANY ANIMAL, SO THAT YOU CAN NEVER DO ANY HARM TO ANY CREATURE EVER AGAIN!!  NOW GO!!  TAKE THAT HOMBA, LEAVE, AND NEVER COME BACK!!!"

"NO!!!" screamed Blood, but without the medallion, the Wolfen Gale paid the fox no heed as it quickly trapped him in the same cyclone that previously held Justin imprisoned and roughly lifted the evil fox into the air.  The fox was finally getting a taste of his own medicine.  As the screaming and ranting fox shouted curses and threats, the Wolfen Gale absorbed the evil messenger of Elil-rah into a sphere made of harsh sand and hot air, and with a final howl, the Wolfen Gale, taking the fox with it, speed across the desert towards the horizons of the east, disappearing forever in the distance.  With the aggressors gone, the sky cleared incredibly, letting the afternoon sun shine warmly on the now peaceful desert as the relieved rabbits reunited once again.  With a groan, Hawkbit slowly sank to the ground again, and Justin, worried, held Hawkbit tightly to prevent him from crashing to the ground.

"Hawkbit??" Justin asked worriedly, taking the medallion off the rabbit's neck.  Hawkbit still managed a weak smile as his wounds started to bleed again from the effort of controlling the Wolfen Gale demon.

"I'll be all right, Justin," he said reassuringly, "I just need a little rest."

Justin smiled, though his eyes were starting to water with relief, as he hugged the rabbit close to his body.  "Hey, if it makes you feel any better, what I said before was true.  You and your big mouth saved the day this time."

"Thanks...I think," he grumbled sarcastically as the rest of the rabbits chuckled affectionately for their friend.

                                                                ***

"Wow Hawkbit, you were really brave to go against that huge Wolfen Gale!!  That was so impressive!!" declared Pipkin in an astounded voice.  They were all fully healed, thanks to Justin's cross, and now, Hazel and the other Watership rabbits resumed their journey towards the mountains.  Now that the sun was already setting, the desert wasteland became much, much cooler, but what made the traveling easier was the fact that the Wolfen Gale blew away all the annoying hills of sand, making the terrain less irritating and overbearing for walking.

"I have to admit, Hawkbit, you handled yourself quite well against the Wolfen Gale!  I mean, by Frith, not even Bigwig would have been able to last that long against such a creature!!" chimed in Dandelion.

Blackberry also praised Hawkbit.  "And I don't think even I would have hit upon the idea to command the Wolfen Gale to go to the farthest regions of the land beyond life, so that it'll never bother us again!  Quite brilliant, really, to even come up with an idea while I was still leafing through my head, trying to come up with a plan to save us!!"

"T'wasn't much, really, you old buckos!!" laughed Hawkbit, obviously enjoying the admiration and attention of his friends, "I mean, I did it all for Justin, and I was willing to do anything for my friend, dealing with demon spirits, battling and fighting foxes!  By Frith, it's all in a day's work!  Not hard for any courageous rabbit, right chaps?!!"  As Hawkbit carried on, Bigwig, walking along with Justin and Campion and Hazel, rolled his eyes as he groaned aggravatingly.

"By the Black Rabbit of Inle, I can't take much more of that furry windbag!!" he griped, "I mean it, Hazel-rah, if I have to hear Hawkbit rub this in my face one more time on how he was an important rabbit in this mission, how he single-handedly saved Justin, and how I should apologize for thinking he wasn't a brave and resourceful enough rabbit to handle anything, I'm going to chew his ears off and rip out his whiskers!!!"  Justin laughed softly.

"Oh, come on, Bigwig, let Hawkbit enjoy the spotlight for a little while longer.  I mean, he really deserves it, and I know that you agree with him too, that he really is tough and daring when them time comes."  Bigwig just snorted; he wasn't at all convinced, but he conceded in Justin's reasoning.

"What about the medallion, young one?  You still have it after you healed all of us," commented Hazel thoughtfully as he glanced at the bronze medallion in the boy's hand.  Justin, however, knew exactly what to do with it.

"I just want this thing to be destroyed, to crumple into dust like I had done before with the Efrafans' lances.  I don't want this, and I don't any other animal to use this to fight and injure other animals, otherwise, it'll cause more pain and torment for El-ahrairah and every other creature in this world.  And that's something I really don't want."  As Justin said this, his crystal cross flashed only once, and the bronze medallion disintegrated into dust, and Justin let the traces of the evil weapon sift away from his fingers and onto the sand.  Hazel and Campion nodded approvingly at the simplicity and sincerity of Justin's act, and as the band of sixteen walked closer and closer to the mountains, the grains of the bronze Wolfen Gale medallion blew softly in the desert, abandoned and immediately forgotten in the obscure dirt and soil.

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Author's note: Again, I'm so sorry, but with tests coming up, the next chapter won't be until for two weeks!  Still, I did write enough for a little preview (still susceptible to editing, mind you!), so here's an introduction to the next chapter.  It's SILVER in "Every Cloud has a "Silver" Lining".

                "How could you abandon the carrots while we were running away from that dog, Silver?!" screamed Scabious at him, enraged that Silver lost the flayrah bounty for the Threarah.

                "I'm sorry, it was an accident!  I couldn't help it!" Silver apologized, but the other rabbits weren't very considerate and understanding.

                "By the light of Frith, I knew it was a mistake to let you come with us!!" complained Nightshade.

                "You're always getting in the way, having trouble getting through tight scrapes because of your huge size, being easily spotted by elil by more than a hrair distance because of your silver fur, always attracting attention!!" put in Pimpernel.

                "By the Black Rabbit, wait until I tell the rest of the chaps back at Sandleford!!  You'll be lucky not to get laughed out of the warren, you fat, irresponsible idiot!!" shot Toadflax, "After all everyone knows the reason you're even in the Owsla in the first place is because you're the Threarah's nephew, so you don't even deserve to be a true honorary Owsla soldier!!"

                "I'm sorry!!  It wasn't my fault!!  It was an accident!!  Please, I'm sorry!!"  Yet, it didn't do much good for his angry, Owsla comrades.  True to Toadflax's word, everyone in the warren was talking, whispering, mocking, and laughing behind Silver's back on how he was always a blunder, how he was too overweight to even be considered handsome enough to find a mate, and how if they were the Threarah, they'd be humiliated to have Silver for a relative.  The Threarah wasn't much more sympathetic; he scolded, fiercely admonished, and even cuffed Silver several times, reminding him how he put his reputation as Chief Rabbit on the line for him, his worthless nephew.  To ease his misery, Silver siflayed outside, alone since no one wanted to be near him, mournfully eating every single blade of grass he could reach, stuffing his mouth with food, hoping that the slight joy of eating could erase the tears and feelings of embarrassments he had for being a disappointment to everyone, including his own family.

                "Silver!  Silver, old chap!!  Wake up!"  Silver promptly woke up from his slumber, and secret nightmare, only to find Bluebell standing over him, concerned but smiling compassionately at his long-time friend.  Silver, hastily brushing the tears threatening to leak out, making it appear that he was rubbing his eyes because he was tired, got up, croaking, "Oh, it's you, Bluebell.  What's wrong?"

                Nothing's wrong, Silver.  It's your turn to do the night guard, and my shift has just about ended, so I just wanted to wake you and let you know."

                Silver shakily smiled.  "I will, I appreciate it, old chap.  You get some rest."  Bluebell nodded, but as he laid down on the warm grass next to a sleeping Strawberry and Hazel, he turned around and was a bit confused at what he saw.  Silver, before joining Dandelion and Fiver for the night patrol, was doing his best not to whimper as he grabbed considerable amounts of grass, wolfing the plants down.  If he didn't know any better, Bluebell would have sworn Silver was in some kind of sad anguish.

Hope you enjoyed this preview and this chapter about Hawkbit!  Please REVIEW!! =)

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