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Author's note: Hey everyone, I'm back! Thanks to everyone for the reviews! I treasure each and every one of them!! Again, sorry about being late, but I had writer's block and the quarter for college started for me, so I had some stuff to do (ie. homework, programs, reports, angry pissed off teacher, yadda, yadda, yadda). Anyway, I'm so happy to finish writing this story about Speedwell! He may be a secondary rabbit, but I actually started enjoying the buck while writing this chapter! Enjoy! All constructive criticisms or serious discussions are welcome!!
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CHAPTER 17"Oh wonderful idea, Blackberry!" complained Hawkbit sarcastically as he was shivering due to the air sending ripples of cold over his wet fur, "We are now floating along pointlessly and lost on some Frith forsaken canyon, on a fallen birch tree no less, while the river takes us to where only the Black Rabbit knows!! I'm hungry, cold, wet, and if you weren't over there with Justin on the other end, I'd go over there and kick your furry tail!!"
"Hawkbit, do you wish to find out if there is such a thing as a water rabbit?!" smiled Speedwell evilly as he, Silver, and Bluebell leered at him, indicating the churning, massive, rough floodwaters that were still whipping along the canyon and bobbing their makeshift boat. Hawkbit got the hint as he sulkily kept his mouth shut, muttering as the rain continued to pour down on his soaked fur. Blackberry just smiled at the scene silently, despite his exhaustion as he felt Justin's glowing hands transfer light from his cross on his beaten and bruised body as they all uneasily kept their balance on the tree trunk. As he felt the warmth ease his mind and sense, he then softly spoke.
"Justin, I...I never got around to saying this, but...even though I'll always be wary of men, I'm...partially glad I've gotten a chance to fight and protect you, as my friend. And...what I said before about following one's own heart is idiotic, I...El-ahrairah helped me see..."
"That you were the one who was being idiotic??" teased Speedwell, who was squatting next to Justin and Blackberry.
Justin grinned back and Blackberry just groaned aggravatingly, stressing out his tormentor's name annoyingly, "Spppeeeddweellllll!! Not now!"
Conceding to Blackberry's wishes for a little privacy, chuckling, the white rabbit just looked on as Blackberry continued, "Anyway...I'm sorry. I was being...well..."
"Ignorant, self-righteous, and inconsiderate?" Speedwell finished for the black-eared buck humorously. Blackberry flushed but ignored him as he continued to make peace with the human teenager.
"In any case, El-ahrairah wanted me to see that I shouldn't have been too smart for my own good, and...I'm sorry that I was being too embittered in my attitude towards you just because you were human." At this, he shakily smiled at Justin. "Sometimes, animals and beasts of Frith can be just as bad as any man." He paused, cursing his wits for failing him for once in thinking of the best way to say what El-ahrairah had nudged him into confessing. By the Black Rabbit, he felt like such a kitten.
"Forgive me?" he asked softly, awkwardly. Justin just smiled.
"Of course. Always. After all, we're friends," he whispered certainly as Blackberry, relieved yet flushed, kept an embarrassed silence. Rolling his eyes at the apparent sappiness of the scene unfolding, Speedwell chuckled, mocking, "I guess this would certainly indicate that you're not as reasonable and sane as you imagined yourself to be, eh, ever-so-intellectual-Blackberry??"
"Oh do shut up, Speedwell," Blackberry shot back drolly as he felt his body become fully healed from Justin's hands, "By Frith and Inle, you're just as bad as Bluebell!!"
"Not quite, I have at least more than half a brain and don't get cuffed and scratched by Bigwig every time I tell a jolly poor joke!!"
As Bluebell mockingly tried to jump on top of the witty Speedwell for that past remark, Justin wearily looked at the gray, tumultuous sky with black, dark clouds sending hammering rain onto their soaked and shivering bodies. What I wouldn't give for a nice, roaring fire to sit by and some dry clothes, the teenager thought to himself as he closed his eyes, trying to ease his fatigue from the battle with Nekas and from summoning the thunderstorms. Still, he couldn't argue the fact that Blackberry's idea of the floating birch tree as a "boat" had saved him from uncertain death and that he was alive...
Unexpectedly, to Justin's confused fear, a sudden, sharp searing pain erupted in his brain, and with a weak cry, Justin held his head as he slowly bent over, losing all awareness around him. Blackberry and Speedwell stopped playing and instantly became alarmed, and as the white rabbit tried to alleviate Justin, Blackberry called out, "Hazel-rah! Bigwig! Something is the matter with Justin! Come quick, he's hurting!"
With a few awkward movements (and rude shoves on Bigwig's part), the two Watership commanders were able to make their way through the line of rabbits lined on the tree trunk and squatted next to Blackberry, Justin, and Speedwell. The other rabbits just surveyed the occurrence with wide eyes and troubled whispers.
"What in the name of Frith is wrong with him?!" Bigwig demanded, worry and dread lining his rough voice.
"I don't know! I haven't the slightest!!" confessed Blackberry in apprehension, "He was healing me from my injuries with Nekas, and then suddenly, he started crying and moaning!!"
"Is he hurt?" Hazel asked calmly to Speedwell as he knelt closer to examine Justin , still whimpering in pain with gritted teeth and gasping sobs as his pain kept magnifying. Speedwell, who was now greatly vexed, shook his head as he tried to gently shake the boy into consciousness.
"No! At least, I don't think so!! I don't smell any blood, but...by Frith, he's getting cold, freezing even! Fur and paw, he's even colder than the waters surrounding us! C'mon, young one! Wake up, wake up, old chap!! It's me, your chum, Speedwell!!" The instant Speedwell's paws grasped Justin's shoulders, the teenager and the white rabbit both gasped in pain as images suddenly poured into their minds simultaneously. It flowed in so fast they could both hardly comprehend them. Yet what they could distinguish left them numb. Blood. Screams of pain, fear, anger, resentment, all rolled into an unimagined, horrific sound of angst and dark emotion. Pale, disheveled, ethereal rabbits shining with an unnatural, wraithlike whiteness against the dark shadows. They were advancing towards them. Closer, closer, they advanced in the line of Justin's sight, their eyes bloody and dripping, their fur matter and torn, yet their faces were the most terrifying as they were gruesome and grotesque with anger, rage, and insane gleefulness, mirroring the same fanatical look on Lord Brock's face when he tried to tear Pipkin into bits. A sudden flash of white, and Justin gasped heavily as he and Speedwell just woke up from the trance simultaneously. Sides heaving, they could only just blankly look at each other in confusion and apprehension as the surrounding rabbits worriedly badgered the two.
"He's out of it, Hazel-rah," Bigwig informed Hazel and the others, his peace of mind forming a small, relieved smile on the buck's face. "Whatever it was, it stopped."
"Thank the stars," muttered Bluebell in grateful reassurance.
"Justin? Justin, for Frith's sake, don't scare us like that again!" Blackberry exclaimed, relieved. Hazel placed a paw under the cross-bearer's chin, gently forcing the boy to look into his concerned brown eyes as the rabbit leader studied him conscientiously. He wasn't hurt, but...Speedwell told the truth. Justin's skin was extremely cold, almost glacial to the touch, and he couldn't explain it, but for a brief instant, Justin's eyes seemed as if they were lifeless, empty. Yet it was only for an instant, and the rabbit could see the consciousness and comprehension dawn again on Justin's face in a flicker.
"Justin, are you hurt in any way? Do you feel any pain from some sort of injury? Did Nekas injure you back at the cave??" he questioned fretfully, and Justin, unable to speak, could only shake his head, a bit embarrassed at making a commotion. Hazel, however, knew he was holding back, yet he decided to question the teenager later when he felt better, and he left the shaking, traumatized Justin in the care of Bigwig, Pipkin and Blackberry. While they were busy brooding over their friend, Hazel quietly took to Speedwell's side. The white, spotted rabbit was still in shock from the images as he just squatted clumsily on his hind feet, looking at Justin with a mixture of puzzlement, dread, and distress, his eyes glassy and wide with disbelief and fear.
"Speedwell, what happened??" Hazel asked him anxiously, "What in Frith's name made you and Justin go nearly tharn? You look like as if you've seen a ghost!"
Speedwell just turned to his Chief rabbit at the sound of that last word, murmuring heavily, slowly and nervously "I think I did, Hazel-rah."
***
"And that's what you saw when you touched Justin??" queried Campion incredulously as he, Hazel, Fiver, Speedwell, Bigwig, and Holly discussed what happened earlier on the birch tree. When it had finally stopped raining amongst the canyon, the rapids slowed down enough for the their vessel to get caught on a protruding outcrop from the rock wall, allowing the rabbits and Justin to get off and climb uneasily up the paths out of the rift. Once out, they were able to find some cover amongst a thick, lush field of wild wheat grass, still green and pungent, and growing to a full height taller than Bigwig standing upright. Pipkin and Acorn already gathered some kale and groundnuts, and Hawkbit, on a solo exploring expedition, found a small pond of water. Still, Hazel couldn't shake the feeling there was more going on that what appeared, so he and the others interrogated Speedwell and his eyewitness account of what he thought Justin saw. And frankly, neither he nor Hazel and the others could make any sense of it.
"I know, I know, it just doesn't seem possible," Speedwell conceded feebly and self-consciously, "I mean, Fiver is usually the one among us who can have visions and such with his second sight, so how could it even be possible that I saw...what I saw??"
"Maybe you just imagined it?" Speedwell gave Holly a strange look, and the rabbit veteran immediately realized that was probably a stupid likelihood. "Well, no, then again, maybe not," the gray, whiskered Holly admitted quickly.
"What's puzzling is the fact that you saw rabbits, not elil, in your vision, and from the sound of it, they don't appear to be Efrafans, but even if they were, I don't think even Woundwort has the ability to cause others to hallucinate with illusions like Veil Guplea or have revelations from the Lapine second sight."
"But if they aren't Efrafans, what are they then??" Bigwig asked Hazel.
"Maybe Holly was right earlier. Maybe this is just a hallucination Speedwell had from all the fatigue and running, not to mention from being attacked from Elil-rah's messengers and minions every other day," Campion suggested reasonably, "I mean, it's not that hard to believe; we've all been really uptight and strained due to our journey back to El-ahrairah's warren."
"Not exactly, Campion," Hazel interjected gracefully, "I don't doubt Speedwell's instincts, and even if the images he saw were insignificant, it doesn't explain why Justin was so cold all of a sudden when both Speedwell and I touched him. By the hole in the sky, his skin felt like I was touching fresh snow, and shockingly enough, he was even colder than the Black Rabbit of Inle! I don't believe that was a coincidence, Campion. Whatever happened, it is due to Elil-rah's powers."
"Fiver, what's your take on the matter?" Holly asked Fiver who was silently contemplating, "Do you sense anything with your insight?" The visionary rabbit shook his head.
"No, I don't sense anything, not from Speedwell, Justin or from our current location." For some reason, this response led to Speedwell getting a bit annoyed.
"Oh wonderful," he said in a sarcastic, bittersweet tone, "my one chance at doing something helpful for the quest to save El-ahrairah, and instead, every jolly chap here thinks I'm losing my sanity and sense of reason!"
"I didn't say that, Speedwell," Fiver retorted defensively, hating for being taken out of context.
"Embleer Frith, that is simple for you to say Fiver! Whenever you have your mystic powers occur, everyone listens to you, but when Speedwell has something completely out of the norm or whatever the like, it's always 'he's delusional' or 'half-witted Speedwell isn't really serious, as always'. Frith and Inle, why can't you ever have your visions come when we need them?! At least then, Justin wouldn't be in so much danger!!" Fiver looked hurt at that statement, and Speedwell immediately felt penitent, especially since Bigwig got in between them and gave Speedwell a look of annoyed rage from his flashing eyes. Holly jumped in.
"I think that's enough. Hazel, let's go back with the others for a rest and a bit of silflay and pellets. Blackberry, Strawberry, and Silver will act as sentry tonight." Everyone agreed, but as they hopped back to the resting grounds, Holly stayed behind to talk with Speedwell, who, from the look on his face, still felt troubled, humiliated and conflicted.
"For what it's worth, Speedwell," consoled Holly gently, "I personally don't think that you're being silly or misbelieving; you may be a prankster and droll like Bluebell, yet when matters come down to it, you've always taken your responsibilities of an Owsla rabbit quite seriously. Though I don't know how to make heads to tails of this visualization, I believe this may have happened to you because it was meant to be, like how young Justin was meant to be our cross-bearer."
"It's not that, Holly," Speedwell groaned inwardly, "Well, partly yes, but what concerns me the most is that I don't know why I received this...this apparition while no one else did, not to mention that I don't want to see Justin get killed yet...if this prophecy comes to pass and we have to fight the rabbits in my dream, the problem is...this isn't an apparent enemy we've fought before. They were rabbits, non-threatening and scared! They weren't loyal to Elil-rah, but they weren't exactly peaceful either, and I could feel everything! Pain, hurt, turmoil, and anger, bally loads of it!! Enough to make Bigwig seem like a tame kitten! It was enough to drive any level-headed rabbit insane, but...but, it was also like...like I could understand them, because they're my brothers and sisters, fellow rabbit creatures, and if they are the enemy, what then? Must I fight them, to protect Justin?? Even though I am fighting for the side of El-ahrairah, it feels like I'm betraying them! I don't want Justin to die, but I don't wish to fight rabbits who aren't necessarily our enemy, but who may wish to jeopardize our mission."
"Let me get this straight, Speedwell," whispered Holly, stunned, "you're telling me that you think what you saw were rabbits who aren't on the side of Elil-rah, like the Efrafans, yet who may have been sent to kill the young cross-bearer??"
"Something like that," admitted Speedwell, though he wasn't sure how else to put it. He glanced at the sight of Justin, Hawkbit, Blackberry, and Pipkin laughing uncontrollably at the sight of Bluebell, who was performing a mocking farce of Bigwig as entertainment for them, unbeknownst to him, the real Bigwig was silently sneaking up behind the jester, revenge and irritation etched darkly on his face. Speedwell continued as he faced Holly, "I can't help but grow doting and affectionate of Justin, especially since he's saved me from Scry-rah's hawk attacks and healed me more times than I can count, but it's not exactly helpful when I remember how men heartlessly destroyed Sandleford."
"I know, Speedwell," Holly reassured him, flashing back to when he felt the pain and anguish every time he found his comrades and closest friends dead, sometimes from elil but mostly from the work of men. That was another reason why the land beyond life was such a wonderful haven; everyone was delighted to find their old comrades, dear friends, and loving family again after being separated by death and the Black Rabbit of Inle. "But Speedwell, remember, El-ahrairah said that Justin is the key to saving the land beyond life, and any animal or creature who wants to endanger the young one is an enemy, pure and simple. We can't afford to try to be compromising and understand the views of every animal and eli that come our way."
He ignored the yelps of Bluebell and Bigwig screaming in the background, "Get back here and take your beating like a rabbit, you foul-mouthed coward!!" Speedwell continued.
"But it's not always one or the other, Holly! What about Scry-rah and the weasels Sneezewort and Lousewort? After seeing what Justin was really like, they realized that they were fighting for the wrong sides and left Elil-rah's Owsla! So why should it be any different from those...those rabbits that I saw?! It's all the more reason why I'm hesitant! Fighting Efrafans and elil is one thing, but fighting rabbits that aren't on the side of Elil-rah is another! If they do want to kill Justin, I'll fight them, yes, but I wouldn't feel right about it either!"
"Perhaps," conceded Holly wearily, "but...would you feel right about Justin being murdered?"
Speedwell tried not to shudder at the possibility. "No, I wouldn't. But the point is, what in name of Frith and Inle are we to do about this??"
"I don't know, old chap," admitted Holly dejectedly, helplessly, "but whatever happens will happen, and worrying ourselves until our fur falls off won't make it come any later." They just pondered this thought all the while, Bluebell ran by with Bigwig in hot pursuit, screaming apologetically, "By the Black Rabbit, Bigwig will you calm down and take a joke?!! I was only joshing when I said you didn't have fleas primarily because they couldn't stand the way you smelled!!"
***
"Aren't you tired yet, you little troublemaker?" teased Speedwell whimsically as Justin kept staring at the dark, cloudless sky with the bright moon and stars. Justin was shivering in the cold night air and his eyes were heavy like lead weights, but he shook his head miserably. Realizing that something was wrong, Speedwell stopped joking as he squatted next to the human teenager, having a concerned inkling of what was bothering him.
"You're afraid to go back to sleep, aren't you?" he asked Justin privately, his voice becoming soft and understanding. The funny thing about Speedwell was that he may be fickle, dismissive and impulsive, not to mention a bit quick to temper and annoyance, but when he took it upon his mind to protect his friends or to like someone, he was always dedicated and faithful to it like any responsible rabbit. And human or not, Justin was no exception.
Justin cast his downcast eyes to the dark, cold grass. "No...I mean, yeah. Maybe, a little."
Speedwell grinned impishly. " 'A little'?? 'A little'?? You naive duffer, you! A little would be, like say, an ant, a grain of sand, or yes, even Hawkbit's brain! But this is certainly not little!" His voice became more compassionate and genuine as he leaned over and draped a warm, furry paw around Justin's shoulders, enveloping him securely. "It's all right to admit you're scared about these things, Justin. You're not alone in this. I mean, great seasons of sun and rain, what I saw would probably give me the screaming horrors for hrair days and nights!!"
Justin looked at him, startled. "You...you saw?? You know??!"
Speedwell's mouth stretched out in a grim line. "Yes, from the moment I laid my paws on you, I, for the light of Frith have no idea how or why...but when I touched you, I think I saw the same thing you did. All those lifeless, grotesque rabbits, looking angry enough to kill, hopping over to you with claws ready and teeth bared!" He noticed Justin's face uneasily paled at the reminder, and he stopped, wishing he had an additional leg to kick his own tail whenever he put his paw in his mouth.
"The point is, young one," Speedwell continued amenably, "you don't have to be very scared cause you're stuck with us, us bucks from Watership Down!"
Justin sighed miserably, "I dunno, Speedwell, I mean...maybe I imagined all that. I mean, after all the elil that have been sent to kill me and take my cross, I'm surprised I haven't had nightmares yet. Maybe it was all some sort of freak occurrence brought on by the stress and traveling we've been doing."
Speedwell's brow wrinkled in concern and worry. "You know better than that, Justin. Since when do nightmares happen in broad daylight while you're awake, especially while it's raining? And let's not forget that one usually doesn't become cold to the touch or starts aching in pain whenever a dream hits."
"I know, but...it's easier for me if I convince myself that possibility. Otherwise I don't think I'll ever be in my right mind, not to mention it wouldn't make me relax any easier or feel safe." Speedwell, in touching closeness, gave the teenager a soft hug, and Justin could feel his warm, yet itchy, fur quivering under his strong heartbeat and pulse.
"Like I've said before, Justin, it's not wrong to admit you're scared and vulnerable. Heck, by the fur and paw, I would have said you were lying if you said you weren't. I remember when I left Sandleford and crossed over the heather with the others, it really put a chap like me off, and brought about the very worst in me, not to mention I wanted to give up and abandon everybody without giving a hraka's care about my comrades. But traveling to Watership Down, fighting Efrafa, and yes, even coming here to get you for El-ahrairah's sake, changed me for the better, but it was only because of El-ahrairah and Hazel and my friends that I was even able to do that."
"I know, I remember that part from the stories of Watership Down," Justin murmured, "I'm not scared to admit it, but...but I wish this didn't always happen, how every time we get up in the morning until we rest at night, we get attacked by some messenger or member of Elil-rah's Owsla. I just wish it would all stop, where I can just go through a day if not a week of no attacks, no surprises, no near-brushes with death and such! But what I'm really scared about..." He paused, not sure how to put it. "What I'm really scared about is that there may be a day I have to fight by myself, that I won't always have you guys to protect me, and that even if you did, that, maybe Elil-rah will send some creature that you guys can't defeat and despite everything, I'll still be in danger."
"I don't know how I can help with that," admitted Speedwell, "but, you should know that even though you're always in danger, you'll always have us and your cross of light to protect yourself. Keep in mind, you're the real reason Elil-rah sees you as a threat; we're just the annoyances sent to keep him occupied." Silence followed, but then Justin turned to Speedwell.
"Speedwell, are you ever afraid?"
"That's a silly question, you young duffer. Of course! After all, like I said, every animal and creature, even El-ahrairah, feels fear at some point or other."
"Well, what do you fear?" Speedwell had to think about that one before he answered truthfully, "To find out that I'm fighting on the wrong side, to betray a creature's trust I suppose. In other words, being in the dilemma of having to choose between two people I care for and against one of them. I'm not good at choosing sides or making first-rate decisions, young one. That's why I trust Hazel-rah, Bigwig, and Holly. I mean, Frith in a hole, I'm not a bally leader, I'm a follower."
Justin gave a sound in understanding, and the two just sat there for a while before the teenager commented with amusement, "Y'know, this is the first time any one of you rabbits has actually hugged me."
Speedwell gave a small laugh and blushed. "Well, what can I say, young chap! I'm a touchy, feely kind of rabbit who always wants to keep everyone's spirits up!"
"Like Bluebell?"
"Please, don't insult me." They both chuckled.
"I guess I'm a little...surprised yet moved from the fact that you're always so open about yourself and intimate with others. I mean, some rabbits aren't as trusting and unwary, especially since I'm a human."
Speedwell scoffed, "Then they, like Blackberry, need to go dunk themselves in a pool of water in order to snap them out of their tharn stubbornness and brought back to their senses!"
"O Frith and Inle!!" Blackberry groaned aloud, eavesdropping on their conversation while on guard duty, "You're never going to let me off for my previous behavior with Justin, are you?!"
Speedwell guffawed, "What?! And give up a prime source of rubbing your nose in the dirt and embarrassing you, you black-eared duffer?! Frith in the sky, you just said so earlier that you were being too smart and mulish for your own good! Just think of this as your punishment!"
"All the embleer sins in the world wouldn't have me deserve THIS as punishment!" joked Blackberry. As he returned back to sentry duty, Justin stated with fatigue, "Well, I appreciate the talk and the comfort, but I still don't think I'll be able to sleep yet. I'm still edgy and nervous."
Speedwell smiled, taking this as an invitation to take the cross-bearer's mind off things. "How about a story then? I daresay, a jolly good story should be able to calm the likes of you down!"
Justin nodded, liking the idea. "Okay, which one?"
"Your choice, Justin." Justin gave it a thought before he smiled cordially.
"How about your story? A nonsense story, the one starring you and Lucy from Nuthanger Farm as the King and Queen of all rabbits?"
Speedwell was quite taken aback; usually, that particular story would be met with groans, complaints and rolling eyes from the others, especially since they thought that it was absurd and ridiculous. The white rabbit beamed, his heart warming up even more to the small teenager beside him.
"You're quite sure?"
"Of course!" chimed in Justin, eyes twinkling, "Even though I've read it many times in 'Tales From Watership Down', it'll be even better hearing it from a real, talking rabbit such as yourself. And who better to ask than the rabbit who came up with the tale in the first place?" With such eagerness as that, how could the playful Speedwell refuse?
"All right! Well, young chap, as I've said before, this is about an adventure I've had one summer back in the physical world while I was still alive and well back at Watership Down. It was one day toward the end of summer, and..."
It went on sometime after that, and though Justin knew the story by heart, he had to admit, it was even better having Speedwell acting it out in a playful charade, making his voice light and feminine to imitate the sky-blue horse to Kehaar's funny accent to deep yet comical voices for the rabbits who wanted to make Lucy and him their queen and king. As Speedwell's voice droned on and on, Justin could feel himself dozing off, his head craving to drooping down in slumber. Several times, he jerked his head back up, unwilling to doze because his brain reminded him of the possible nightmares to come, but Speedwell's voice just reassured his nerves and mind, making him wade back into the crevices of exhaustion. Speedwell, brotherly, lessened the volume of his voice as he lowered Justin carefully onto the ground without disturbing him, all the while, finishing his story with a new twist.
"So there we were, King and Queen of the rabbits, and Lucy was covered with flowers and I was covered with dandelion leaves! I dug a nice hole for us to sleep together. My horse slept too, but his master came looking for him, and the farmer came looking for his Lucy. He had a whole bushel of hay with him, so my horse didn't go hungry, and my dear Lucy rode him all the way home to the farm, and I promised to come and see her every time it rained. I kept my promise, but on the sunny days, when it was as clear as water with a slight spring breeze, Lucy requested I take her lonely, younger cousin, Justin, to visit the places only us rabbits knew about. He was always so sad, ever since his mother died, and he needed a friend. And so, I carried him on my back to visit the land beyond life while Jesus and Frith showered us with blessings of flayrah and rainbows and candy! Just for the two of us, and he saw Hyzenthlay and Hazel and all the rabbits of Watership Down in the meadows of Fenlo, always lush and green with grass and flowers blooming out pots of honey and sugar within their petals. All the rabbits said, 'Look at that human! He's so sad and lonely! We'll adopt him and make him a member of El-ahrairah's family! We'll care for him like he was our very own!' And from that day on, Justin never knew pain, sadness, or hurt, for he continued to live in the warren, with the Watership Down rabbits as his best and very close brothers and El-ahrairah as his father in the burrows of light and friendship."
He looked down at the now sleeping form of Justin, resting serenely, before he lay down on the ground next to him, keeping him warm.
"And that is the end of my story, young one," he whispered, but Justin was too deep under to even hear it.
***
Justin shivered as he slept uneasily next to Speedwell; even with the warmth of the sleeping mass of bodies surrounding him, Justin's skin was rapidly decreasing in temperature as the weak groans and whimpers actually lefts puffs of fog escaping from his mouth. The nightmares were back again, and now, Justin just laid on the grass and dirt, completely vulnerable to the attacks on his mind and soul. Yet, surprisingly, he wasn't the only one.
***
Speedwell could feel himself floating away before he realized he was alone, lost in the thick fog and mist surrounding him. He knew he was dreaming, but...it seemed so real. His senses, his mind felt blurry and he couldn't feel any sensations of touch or pain on his paws. Yet he could feel the cold, seeping into his bones and flesh, making him weak. Even the brown tunic and vest he was wearing did not help much in keeping his body warm. He shivered, muttering, "Well, at least this tharn dream can't get any more bizarre."
He spoke too soon. In an instant, the fog and mist melted away under a harsh, white light shining above hi, and before the confused rabbit could even realize what was going on, the light vanished and he found himself in a very strange land. There were walls, creamy white and built with red brick, cement and alabaster, and they surrounded everywhere, leading into long tunnels, which looked similar to runs, and oddly shaped caves with windows of glass. Speedwell gasped with realization as he took this all in; he was in a building, a man place! But what would he find in this building?
"Speedwell!" he heard an urgent yet thankful voice call out behind him, and he turned to see a confused, scared Justin running up to him, breathless. Speedwell knelt down and asked with anxiety, "What is it? What's wrong?? And by Frith, what are you doing here in my dream?! This is certainly the first time I've ever had a dream think up of something as wild and insane as this!"
Justin looked at him in confusion. "Your...your dream?? But, I'm dreaming this too! I'm surprised why are you here, in my head?! And at my school?!
"Your...your school?!" sputtered Speedwell, "The same place where you were always bullied and picked on?!!"
"Yeah, this is my high school where I'm starting my first year! This...this is uncanny! It's exactly like...like I'm back home! There's the classrooms, the gym, the bathrooms, and I can even see the chain-linked fence and the parking lot with all the students' cars!! Oh geez, this is weirdest dream yet! It feels like...like I'm not even dreaming, that I'm here, actually awake and that I'm back in my world!!"
"Justin, listen to me!" Speedwell said urgently, gripping the teenager by the shoulders, "this isn't a normal dream, or else I wouldn't be here with you! There's something incredibly outlandish about this place, and I can feel it! Just try to wake up and get out of here!!"
"He won't awaken," a disembodied voice growled in the distance, echoing in the hallways, "He won't awaken as long as we're in his dream and get revenge on him for what he and his kind has done to us!!" Speedwell and Justin immediately looked up, and to their horror, they saw that at the end of the hallway appeared out of this air was a specter, a ghost, of a horrifically injured rabbit. Though pale and vaporous, it was as big as Speedwell, maybe even slightly larger, but it was powerful in body and form, a fierce fighter and they could see its muscles and brown, blood-stained fur quivering with anger, rage, and blood wrath. It wasn't an Efrafan, for they could clearly see that it was transparent, had not one single item of clothing, and it didn't wear a telltale medallion of Elil-rah. However, it was incredibly intimidating and appalling, especially its face, sunken in, distorted and scarred with rotting flesh, cuts, and black, dried blood. One eye was missing and even the flesh couldn't hide the protrusions of its white skull sticking out, but the other half of its face was warped with abhorrence, loathing, and wrath as it glared at Justin. In short, it was like staring in the in presence of a rabbit zombie, devoid of anything except hunger for revenge and blood. Speedwell instinctively got in front of Justin, bracing himself for a fight.
"Stay away from Justin!" he warned the ghost in front of him.
"Get out of our way, you fool!!" the ghost growled, "You have no idea what bloody travesties and sufferings I had to endure because of men, and now, I'm forever stuck as a ghost, a phantom with no control over its life and doomed to cycle on until eternity, because a farmer shot my face with a blasted rifle, wounding me so dreadfully, I died of my wounds moments later!!"
"A...a ghost?!" Justin asked in disbelief, "But...but we're in the land beyond life! How could you -??"
"Shut up, you impudent, stupid boy!! You may the cross-bearer, you know little of what animals such as rabbits went through and had to endure because of your kind!!" the ghost rabbit screamed at him.
"Even so, that's no reason for you to take it out on him!! The cross-bearer's innocent!!"
The ghost rabbit laughed cruelly, "An 'innocent' human??! No human is ever innocent, and we won't let you stop us from killing him!! After all the pain and torture we've suffered, we deserve retribution!! No, we're justified in our actions!! Even though this human isn't the one who have made our lives a living hell, getting vengeance on him will at least give us some satisfaction and peace!! Everybody, kill the boy! We outnumber that Watership rabbit hrair to one!!" As soon as the ghost commanded those words, other ghost rabbits started arriving out of nowhere, emerging from the ground, the walls, or materializing out of thin air. Though they were all different sizes, colors, and genders, each one of them were appallingly wounded from the ruthlessness of men, and all were eager and dire enough to murder the cross-bearer. Speedwell didn't know what on earth to do, but Justin did.
"TIME, STOP!!" he rang out piercingly, and immediately, his cross flashed in an intense luminescence as it illuminated the entire building and hall where Speedwell and the rest of the rabbits stood. Justin tightly grasped the cross in his hand as the endless sunlight poured and overflowed the entire location, but to his shock, a red rabbit doe suddenly charged out of the blinding haze and brutally head-butted him in the chest. Crying out, Justin flew back onto the cold, smooth cement and the golden radiance died out slowly from the attack. The doe's eyes gleamed as she sneered at Justin, "You fool! Haven't you guess it yet?! Your powers won't work on ghosts and phantoms such as us, just like how it didn't work when you were attacked by the Wolfen Gale!!"
She raised a clawed paw, ready to slash into Justin's neck. She screamed in fury, "NOW DIE!!!"
Speedwell immediately tackled her and knocked her back, and before she could claw at him, Speedwell, as taught before by Holly and Silver, immediately fell onto his back and sent his hind feet into the doe's stomach. She soared backwards only to collide and crash into three bucks behind her. Speedwell hurriedly helped up Justin from the ground as the red doe cried out, "Hogweed, kill the boy, quickly!!"
Hogweed, the first of the ghost rabbits Speedwell and Justin encountered, and presumably the leader, charged right at him with teeth bared. Justin gasped, but Speedwell again came to the rescue by grabbing the teenage cross-bearer out of harm's way, and a swift kick in the rear sent the burly buck sprawling behind. Hogweed rose up, murder in his eyes as he and the other thirty-odd rabbits advanced towards the two. Justin was completely lost; he didn't know what to do. Hogweed said he couldn't wake up as long as they were in his dream, but the powers of his cross didn't affect them at all, so they were practically defenseless. Even Speedwell alone couldn't handle the group of homicidal and vicious rabbits at once, and since this was a dream, none of the other Watership Owsla could come and aid them, and unlike the Wolfen Gale, there was no possible way he could see in stopping this. Suddenly, Speedwell turned on him, pity and sadness watering his eyes.
"Please forgive me for this, cross-bearer," he pleaded and before Justin could ask what, Speedwell unexpectedly drew back his paw and slashed Justin across the cheek, leaving behind three parallel and bleeding gashes. Justin, feeling the stinging of his claws, reeled back in hurt and offense.
"Speedwell!" he cried, his eyes filling up with shock, "What the hell are you -?!" Yet, before he could finish the sentence, Speedwell raked his claws over Justin's shoulders, the blood now flowing freely into his red flannel. Hogweed and the other apparitions were confused as ever.
"What in the name of the Black Rabbit is that rabbit doing, Hogweed?!!" asked one buck, his neck torn and broken due to getting caught in a snare from his pat life.
"Isn't he supposed to be protecting the cross-bearer?!" queried another buck, his midsection of his torso ripped and mangled due to a hrududu running over him one night when he came back from a farm raid on a garden. They just watched on as Speedwell sorrowfully and lamentably kept attacking Justin. Speedwell, tears welling up his eyes, sobbed urgently, "Damn it, Justin! Wake up!!! Please, just wake up!!!"
Hogweed then guessed what Speedwell was trying to achieve, and in desperation, he yelled frantically, "NO!! Stop him!! Quickly, otherwise we'll lose the boy!!"
The rabbits ran with full speed, but it was too late. The pain of the wounds on his face and shoulder, the loud screaming, the crying, took into effect, and Justin could strangely feel himself fading away, as if he was floating out of his body. Around him, darkness encircled him as a tunnel, and before Justin could do anything, he was yanked backwards away from Speedwell, disappearing into the darkness and away from the brave Watership soldier as Hogweed and the other rabbits tackled him and tried to grab the teenager. Yet Justin was disappearing much too rapidly for them to lay a paw on him, and as the light vanished from his eyes, Justin cried out in torment, "SSPPPPEEEDDDWWEELLLLLL!!!"
***
Justin woke up, screaming, and to his short-lived relief, he was back, with the other rabbits in the field of green wheat grass. At first, he was confused; was it all a dream?? But then, he felt the blood trickling down on his cheek and the lingering stinging of his wounds on his body that Speedwell inflicted on him. His blood chilled as he realized it actually happened for real. He was so stupefied, he barely noticed Blackberry, Strawberry, and Silver worriedly hopping over to Justin due to his screams. They stopped, dumbstruck, before Silver commanded Blackberry to wake up the others. In a few minutes, Hazel and the other Watership rabbits were gathered around Justin who was blankly looking off into space, not paying attention to what they were saying.
"It looks like he's in shock, Hazel-rah!" Strawberry put in as he and Silver licked the wounds on his cheek, "He's been attacked by something!"
"Elil??" Hawkbit gasped out in fright, but Campion shook his head.
"No, it isn't that, Hawkbit, because the only scent I can smell on him is Speedwell's! But...speaking of which, where is he??!"
Bluebell pointed behind him with a forepaw. "Over there, he's still sleeping, the lazy, laid-back duffer!! We couldn't even wake him up from his slumber! He's quite out of it, I daresay!"
"Then cuff him repeatedly until he wakes up!!" snapped Bigwig as he nuzzled Justin in the neck with his nose, his whiskers and moist nostrils burrowing into the boy's clammy skin, trying to bring him back to consciousness. At the word 'Speedwell', Justin groaned softly, but with consternation, "Sppee...Speedwell? Oh no! OH NO! SPEEDWELL!!" He howled out these last two sentences, weeping, and the other rabbits just stepped back, awed and slightly frightened from Justin's strange behavior.
"Justin calm down!!" Campion tried to reassure the teenager, "It's all right, you're back with us! You were in shock, and it looks like you were attacked by -"
"No, it's not all right!!" gasped out Justin as he shakily stumbled over to Speedwell's body. Before any of the other rabbits could wonder what was going on, Justin was next to Bluebell as he laid his glowing hands on Speedwell's prone, limp body and sent healing light from his cross into him. Yet to his distraught astonishment, it had no effect! Speedwell remained as lifeless as before, and upon closer inspection, his entire body was cold as ice, frigid, and his eyes were wide open and glassy, glazed, and lifeless without that familiar, jovial spark of life. Justin started crying again as he realized the truth; Speedwell was still trapped with Hogweed and the other ghost rabbits in his dream.
***
"Damn you!!" roared out Hogweed as he sent another cuff into Speedwell's face, the impact of it nearly cracking the soldier's head back. Once Justin disappeared, the other phantoms were livid with anger at how they were so close and lost their one and only chance at revenge for their pain, and in frustration, they took it out on Speedwell. He put up a good scuffle, but in the end, they overpowered him, and now, two strong bucks were tightly restraining him, gripping his forepaws forcefully behind his back, allowing Hogweed to beat him senseless. Speedwell felt the blood escape out of the gashes on his cheek, and his chest was already throbbing painfully from the kicks the rabbits sent into his stomach. However, he kept his mouth belligerently shut, to spite them. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of hearing him squeal in pain. Worn out from exertion, Hogweed grabbed Speedwell's head by his chin and forced the Watership rabbit to look into his bloodshot eyes, twitching with rage and adrenaline.
"You think you've won, don't you??" he spat in contempt, "You think that now the cross-bearer is on to our plans, he and the other rabbits from El-ahrairah will find a way to save you and stop us, don't you?!"
"Oh my," drawled Speedwell in acidic mockery, "Did you figure that all by yourself or did you have to have Elil-rah draw it out for you??" Hogweed responded in kind by a brutal kick to Speedwell's abdomen, and Speedwell went slightly limp, groaning softly as the bucks continued to prop him up to face their leader's wrath. The buck growled in Speedwell's face, "You traitorous wretch!! We're not with Elil-rah!! We're with El-ahrairah, but he and the Black Rabbit betrayed us by allowing the cross-bearer to come to the land beyond life, a man!! A creature that heartlessly and mercilessly took our lives for the sport of it or just because we were in their way, and for what?! What did we ever do to deserve this kind of death?!! And you, a rabbit and one of the honored defenders of the earthly paradise, Watership Down, are actually fighting us to protect one of the spawn of scum such as men?!! You...twisted...sick...stupid...traitor!!!" At that last sentence, Hogweed gave a kick or a cuff at Speedwell's body for every word, his voice punctuated with enough rage for Hogweed to summon strength to give the blows. Speedwell felt his insides burn with fire as he vomited a little blood, a thin stream trickling out of his mouth as he gasped for air. He was now so weak from the beating, he sank to his knees as the buck kept their grip on his arms. Still, he was tough enough to talk scathingly at the ghost rabbit in front of him.
"He's not evil, you deluded idiot!" Speedwell muttered as the bucks twisted his forepaws painfully, "Justin was summoned to be the cross-bearer because of his light and his kindness and his love for all creatures! And you're even more irrational and brainless than I thought if you think this will make any difference in what you feel if you kill Justin!! It's not going to give you peace! Ever!! It'll feel like you're evening the score or fulfillment, but it will also give you a stronger thirst of bloodlust, leaving you troubled and agitated for the rest of your embleer existence!! And if you kill the cross-bearer, you're betraying El-ahrairah!"
"Shut up!!!" shrieked the red doe as she sent her foot into Speedwell's leg, causing him to sink even lower due to the aching. Hogweed heartlessly grabbed Speedwell again by the head, snarling, "We're not finished yet!! We will kill that human, even if he isn't in this dream world anymore! And we will do it with your help! It's time you now saw the errors of your ways, Speedwell, and finally saw that you're on the wrong side!"
"My loyalty lies with El-ahrairah and my friends of Watership Down," growled Speedwell in anger, "And I will never betray them, or Justin for that matter!!" At these words, Hogweed leered craftily at the Watership soldier as he whispered ominously and chillingly, "You don't have a choice."
***
"Let me get this straight, young one," asked Hazel in disbelief as he felt a headache emerge from his stress and unease, "Speedwell and you were trapped in a dream where ghost rabbits were trying to kill you, and the only reason you awoke was because Speedwell attacked you??!" Justin nodded wearily.
"By Frith, even I think that is a bit far-fetched!" commented Bluebell, incredulous.
"Fiver, is this even possible?!" Strawberry asked the visionary rabbit, "We're in the land beyond life, so all souls that died in the physical world would have entered here anyway! So how is it even possible that there'd be ghost rabbits that can enter dreams and try to murder Justin in his sleep?!! It can't be true!"
"I don't think this is an accident, Strawberry," Fiver said in a calm, thoughtful tone, "Remember back at Watership Down when Coltsfoot told us the story of the ghost rabbit he saw at the fields close to Nutley Copse? This is exactly the same thing. Those rabbits...whatever they, aren't real and they aren't lost souls of the dead!! They're footprints, leftover reminders of what have happened in the past. My best guess is, that any rabbits that die by violent means do arrive at the land beyond life to live peacefully in the life El-ahrairah intended for all of his children. Yet, as they arrive, a strange force still lingers, like our paw prints in the soft earth and mud whenever we go out after the rain, and like Coltsfoot, Stitchwort, and Fescue were in, Speedwell and Justin must have accidentally triggered something in these pools of the past to revive the anger and wrath of the rabbits that died by the hands of men! When Coltsfoot and I asked El-ahrairah about this, he said we were right, but he also stated that to do such a thing here in the land beyond life is impossible! Not even El-ahrairah has the ability, nor would he wish it so, to summon and command the specters of the past and pain, to manipulate them and use their blind anger and hatred to do some bidding! Don't you understand?!"
"So those rabbits such as Hogweed and the rest aren't necessarily rabbits like us??" Dandelion asked, still a bit confused. "They're actually ghosts remains of hatred and madness??" Fiver nodded.
Fiver began again, "Let me put it to you in a story. Long, long ago, El-ahrairah and the Black Rabbit made an agreement with each other that whenever a rabbit, or any creature of Frith for that matter, died, the Black Rabbit will only take the souls from the body.
As all rabbits know, the soul is the essence of the spirit, of life, of light and all that is good. Whenever you feel love for a doe, that feeling is your soul flowing strongly into your heart. Whenever you feel compelled to fight against elil to defend your warren or your friends, that is your loyalty and courage stemming from your soul and light. Whenever you remember the promises and stories of El-ahrairah and hope, that is your soul, reminding you because they are linked to El-ahrairah's soul, our Prince and Lord of all Rabbits.
Now, in the physical world, some rabbits and creatures kill their souls, making themselves lifeless by abandoning the gifts and talents Frith has given them, allowing their heart to be captured by the lures of comfort, sloth, anger, and power. Such as the fates of General Woundwort or Cowslip and the warren of the Shining Wires. Where there is light, there is darkness, and from that darkness, all despicable and evil comes forth.
El-ahrairah knew this, for within every heart, there is darkness as well as light, but he wanted rabbits to enter the land beyond life so that he could have his children live in peace, comfort, love, and joy as all animals and creatures deserve, so he asked the Black Rabbit that whenever an animal dies, to take the soul, the light, from the animal's body and leave behind the darkness, the anger, the evil behind to linger in the carcass where it will rot and fester for all eternity without affecting any innocent animal ever again. This is why you see so many dead animals rotting and covered with flies and beetles; because the darkness is so destructive to the body, it disintegrates it, but it can never be destroyed.
Don't you see, Justin?? That wasn't Hogweed and other innocent rabbits you saw; that was the darkness of their hearts that were left behind when the Black Rabbit summoned them into this haven. It simply took on their forms. Granted, yes, even when we come here, we do feel anger, pain, and may show a temper or two, but that pales in comparison to the darkness left behind in the physical world. That is pure hate, rage, and evil, and it has no place here in the land beyond life. Which is why we now have some evil creatures trying to kill you here in this land, Justin; it's because they allowed the darkness to re-enter their hearts and become devoted to Elil-rah corruption and temptations."
"But then how did it get here?!" asked Justin breathlessly, "If it was left behind in the physical world, it shouldn't have been able to attack me and Speedwell!"
"Elil-rah," muttered Hazel in quick realization, and Fiver nodded in agreement. Hazel continued, "I get it now. Elil-rah is using a new type of warfare to attack you Justin, and since it is in your dreams, we can't defend you and your cross can't have an effect on phantasms like those and the Wolfen Gale, so it makes it a perfect killer for Elil-rah's Owsla! But why on earth would it take into that particular form?!"
Holly then gasped as he realized it. "It's because Speedwell won't fight rabbits that aren't on the side of Elil-rah, because he would feel guilt and remorse for attacking a fellow rabbit that does not know any better, but he doesn't comprehend that those aren't rabbits! They're illusions, imitations, false copies, and Elil-rah is trying to use Speedwell's reluctance against him so that he won't put up too much of a fight when they attack Justin!"
"But why was Speedwell even in Justin's dream in the first place?!" inquired a confused Buckthorn.
Justin answered, "I think it was because he touched me, back when we were floating on the dead birch tree in the rapids of the canyon! When he touched me, he must have established...some sort of bond between us so that I wouldn't be alone! But...but how?! Since when does Speedwell have that kind of ability?!"
"It wasn't Speedwell!" Campion realized and with his forepaw, he pointed to Justin's cross, indicating, "It was you, Justin. Without you consciously wishing it, that jewel must have felt Speedwell's concern for you, so it must have used its power without your knowledge to allow Speedwell to protect you, to follow you into your dream, to let Speedwell know what was going on!! That would explain why only he knew what you saw when you had that vision hit you!!"
"But then it's my fault that he's back there in the first place!" choked Justin, putting a hand over his face wearily and feeling compunction and blame fall on his shoulders. Silver comforted the teenager.
"No, it's not your fault, and to tell you the truth, if anything happened to you when Speedwell could have been able to do something about it, he would be the one to feel guilty. He'd protect you if he could, young one. So, c'mon! Buck up, chap! We'll get Speedwell out of this soon enough!"
"Sooner than you think, you foolish, embleer turncoats!!" howled an incorporeal, dead voice, echoing all around them. Justin gasped as he recognized the voice.
"It's Hogweed! He's here!!"
"Hogweed?! But...I thought he was only attacking you in your dreams!" Buckthorn called out as he braced himself for a flying tackle towards any conspicuous rabbits. Yet, a snicker was heard all around them, and with a surprised squeal, Buckthorn was brutally flung back, as if swatted with an invisible, gigantic paw, only to come crashing down twenty feet or so away. Justin and the other rabbits rushed over to help the veteran while mist and shadows started rising from the grass all around them, swirling into a gray, immeasurable mass of fog and cloudy smoke as the wraithlike voices and cruel laughter continued.
"Hee hee hee hee, a rhyme for you cross-bearer!!" They chillingly sung the limerick to the tune of "Rain, Rain, Go Away". "Ghosts, made of hurt and pain! Come and try to kill Justin again! He may try to fight, but we have no fright, for hold his precious Speedwell!"
With that, the willowy wisps of fog had now merged and coalesced into a huge form, morphing and shaping into a gigantic monstrosity. It was like a large, gelatinous blob made of steam, curiously blending into various shades of white and gray, except the blob of ghosts had two dozen powerful arms, each was willowy and blurred from the fog surrounding it, but still extremely dangerous with a set of lethal claws at each paw. Underneath were four pairs of legs, thick as a tree trunk of an oak and heavy enough to crush any of the rabbits with one stomp. On the top of the creature were the thirty-odd heads of the rabbit ghosts, each gruesomely disfigured from injury or rage or both, but they all had a wicked gleam in their eyes as they stared down at the seemingly pathetic group of rabbits surrounding Justin. Justin thought it was eerily similar to the Hydra, the mythological eight-headed dragon in Greek legend. Except this time, it was a thirty-something headed rabbit ghost with many clawed arms and four legs. Hogweed smirked as a hole started to emerge in its round belly, gaping and large enough for the Watership rabbits to see through the other side of the monster. And clearly, they could see a lone, beaten, and semi-unconscious rabbit spirit held in a crucified position in front of the hole, held in place by secure paws of smoke and fog. Everyone gasped out loud when they recognized the rabbit being held prisoner in the monster.
"Speedwell!!!" yelled out Silver in alarm, and in response, the spirit of the rabbit weakly raised its head and gave them a feeble, sheepish grin.
"By the Black Rabbit, why is it we always have to save your trouble-making tail?!!" griped Hawkbit automatically, "You just can't keep your nose out of trouble for one day, can you?!!"
"Hawkbit!!" every rabbit, except Pipkin, scolded at him, glaring with annoyance. Hogweed just grinned wickedly as he announced to Justin, "I wouldn't try anything if I were you, cross-bearer!! If you somehow manage to find a way to destroy us, you will vanquish us, but you may risk vanquishing your dear, friend Speedwell in the process!!"
"Don't!! Please, don't hurt him!!" pleaded Justin, but the monster roared once and started advancing towards the group.
"Gee, Justin, whatever happened to 'don't hurt us' instead??!!" quipped Hawkbit in bitter sarcasm. Yet, to everyone's surprise, Hawkbit was the first to charge directly at the fog atrocity. With a powerful leap, the blackish rabbit lowered his head as he head-butted the creature in the belly. Or, at least he attempted to. To everyone's surprise and dread, Hawkbit passed right through it, rushing by the fog and mist, only to emerge from the other side of the monster. As if it anticipated this, with a sudden lunge, a claw grabbed Hawkbit painfully, and with a fierce toss, Hawkbit was sent hurtling back towards the group, crashing painfully into Silver and Pipkin, sending all three of them into a heap.
"O Frith and Inle!" squealed Bluebell, "This isn't good!!"
"Justin, hurry, time-freeze it!!" urged Acorn, but Justin shook his head in despair.
"It wouldn't work, Acorn!! If my time-freeze didn't work on the ghosts in the dream world, then it wouldn't affect them here!! And that probably goes the same for everything else I can do with my cross!! I can't even summon and extract Speedwell's spirit!!"
"Wait, there may be a way!!" Blackberry thought aloud, a brainstorm coming to his mind, as Bigwig, Campion, and Buckthorn were unsuccessfully trying to attack and dodge the frenzied attacks of the ghost abomination. "Justin, physical beings can't attack these apparitions, but what if we had spirits or ghosts of our own?! They maybe they can fight and attack Hogweed and the rest of the ghost imposters!!"
"And how do you propose to do that, you idiot?!!" Hawkbit complained annoyingly, "Need I point out the obvious flaw here?! We don't have spirits or ghosts here!!"
"Well, if Elil-rah was able to summon ghosts out of hate and malice, can't we summon and create ghosts of our own?!" Strawberry brought in, "After all, Justin's cross is much, much stronger than anything Elil-rah can do with his dark powers!!"
"And how shall we do that?!" snapped Hawkbit. Then he annoyingly sang out with cupped paws in a mocking, derisive voice, "Hello? Heelllllooo??? Yoo hoo!! Any spirits out there that aren't made out of darkness or psychotic rabbits, please come here and help us fight this thing and get our friend Speedwell out!! We'd ever be so grateful!" He glared back at Strawberry and then rolled his eyes.
"Well, so much for THAT idea!! Anything else, you great, big dandy?!"
"At least I'm trying to help instead of sitting on my loud-mouthed tail, insulting others, Hawkbit!" growled Strawberry. Then an idea came to Justin; maybe Blackberry and Strawberry had a point.
"Wait a minute, Hawkbit!!" Justin cried eagerly, hoping with all of his might that this winged plan would be the solution he needed, "It just might work!!"
Hawkbit was floored as there were sharp cries and Campion, Buckthorn and Bigwig went flying past them, taken to the air by a sudden, powerful swipe of the ghost monster, only to come painfully landing beside them. "And how do you propose doing THAT, Justin?!"
"Ooohhhh, is there a reason why there's three Captain Campions lying next to me??" groaned Buckthorn as he shakily got up on all fours.
"I'll answer that as soon as I stop seeing so many flashes of light," warbled Bigwig, helping an injured Campion get up from his sprawled position on the floor. Justin just urgently told Hazel, "Hazel, have everyone protect my body, all right? Don't let them close to it!"
"But why??" blurted out a bewildered Hazel as the ghosts advanced even closer and closer, sure that victory was near.
"Just do it! Trust me!" smiled Justin, and with that, he grabbed his cross and closed his eyes, invoking his light to shine forth from the trinket.
"Blackberry, what is doing?!" Acorn cried out, "I thought his cross couldn't affect the ghosts!!"
"I don't know!" stammered an astounded Blackberry, "but whatever it is, we'll find out soon enough!!"
"You foolish boy!!" screamed out Hogweed in magnanimous arrogance, "You're even more reckless than we thought if you think your light will affect us!! Soon, you will die and we will get our revenge for what you and your kind have done to us!! Feel our wrath for you deserve what you are about to experience!!!"
"YOU'RE WRONG!!" bellowed a voice, wispy, but loud and strong, echoing the hope and steadfast devotion of his soul. Hogweed glared and saw that it was Speedwell's imprisoned spirit, immobile but panting with strength as he yelled with all of his might, "JUSTIN NEVER DESERVES ANY PAIN OR TORMENT THAT WAS GIVEN TO HIM!! HE'S NOT EVIL!! HE'S ONE OF THE MOST SINCEREST AND CARING BEINGS OF THIS LAND!! AND I WON'T LET YOU HURT HIM!!!"
"Keep that embleer rabbit quiet!!" Hogweed screamed at him.
"Leave him alone!" rang out a voice, and to everyone's surprise, the ghosts looked to see Justin standing in front of the rabbits, steely determination and fear etched in his eyes. His breath was shaking, but he forced himself to walk towards the ghosts and Speedwell with no sign of hesitation or regret.
Speedwell yelled out, "Justin, don't!! They'll kill you!! Please, forget about me!! Just run for it!!" He pleaded to Hazel with desperation in his eyes, "Hazel-rah, please, stop Justin!! Take him and the rest of the rabbits far away from here!! Get back to El-ahrairah!! I'm not worth it!! Stop him, please!!!" To Speedwell's shock, Hazel solemnly shook his head, and for a moment, Speedwell felt like crying. The rabbits were giving up, and Justin was sacrificing himself to save him. Or so it seemed. Hogweed just gleamed in sickening delight as he bragged, "Well, well, I knew these rabbits weren't so noble!! They are sacrificing the human, just to save their own selfish, furry hides!! Now we will have an easy kill!! CROSS-BEARER, PREPARE TO DIE!!!"
"No, stop!!!" yelled Speedwell but it was too late. With a sudden swipe, all two dozen claws slashed downward toward Justin, yet before the sharp talons could touch his body, Justin's cross glowed, bathing the teenager's entire body with golden light. Upon touching him, the monster screeched out in pain, and Speedwell saw why. Every one of its paws was charred, no longer white and misty, and the instant the ghosts touched Justin, their paws turned into ashes and disintegrated painfully. Justin, upon seeing this, felt more courage and willpower come to him as he kept walking slowly towards the belly of the monster where Speedwell was imprisoned.
Hogweed was stunned and the head of the red doe screeched out in vehemence, "Impossible!! How in the wonders of Frith did a human achieve that?!! He will pay for hurting us, the impudent wretch!! DIE!!!" With that, one of the monster's feet rose into the air above Justin's head, ready to stomp him into a bloody mess. Astounded, Speedwell could only look on as the foot came crashing down, and the red doe howled in anguish as she realized that the light surrounding Justin's body disintegrated the ethereal foot into dust. And that wasn't all; within seconds, the light spread the charred matter throughout the other three legs. In an instant, they all vanished into ashes, and the heavy, bulk of the ghost abomination crashed awkwardly to the ground. In blind rage, the ghosts sent all the arms, flailing, trying to whip the teenager as he kept advancing towards Speedwell. Unfortunately, they too faded into black dust the minute they tried attacking the light surrounding Justin.
"How?? How??!! How is this possible?!" screamed Hogweed in burning antagonism, "Nothing can destroy ethereal specters such as us?!! Curse you, cross-bearer!!! What type of foul, dark powers do you have?!! What did you do to us?!!"
Justin glared at him as he said in a calm, yet passionate voice, "My powers aren't dark, Hogweed. They occur because I care about my friends and those I love, like my family and my brothers. and the reason you can't touch me is because of the light that comes from astral projection form."
"Astral projection?!!" screamed Hogweed, and to his horror, he glanced back the group of the Watership rabbits in the distance and to his alarm, he saw Silver and Strawberry gently holding Justin's limp body upright with the other rabbits breathlessly, with anticipation, looking on at the sight of the ghosts realizing what was happening to them.
Speedwell also watched the scene, even more puzzled than ever. "Justin?? How -??"
Justin smiled mischievously, "I prayed for the cross to allow me to astral project. It basically means that I projected my soul out of my body, so while I left my body behind, my soul, my spirit can still move around freely. And since these ghosts were made up of darkness due to Elil-rah powers and not from actual rabbits, they can't touch me because my soul is radiating the light from my heart. Speedwell, listen to me! Those rabbits aren't real! They're phantoms made from Elil-rah's dark powers, and they can't touch me because the light destroys the dark! Everything they know is rage, anger, hate, despair, fear, and vengeance." Justin was now close enough to touch Speedwell, and in an instant, the binds holding him vanished under the warmth of the orange light. Speedwell weakly groaned as he sank back onto the ground. Justin knelt next to him as the white rabbit whimpered urgently asked, "Young one, you shouldn't have done that! You would have been hurt or killed if your plan didn't work!"
"I don't care, Speedwell," Justin whispered as the ghostly apparition tried to struggle to rise and attack the two. By now, Hogweed in incredibly furious as he screamed, "I'm not finished yet!! We will kill you cross-bearer!!"
With that, the monster now dissolved into a fluid, swirling, uncontrollable mass of fog and darkness as the evil vapor surrounded the souls of Speedwell and Justin. The other rabbits just watched on in dread and agonizing apprehension.
"We have to help them!" wailed Pipkin as he was restrained by Dandelion from running out into the melee unfolding before their very eyes.
"No," Hazel said firmly, "we have trust Justin's judgment! It's all up to Speedwell and Justin in whether or not we can win! Just keep strong and stay vigilant over Justin's body!" Meanwhile, Hogweed and the other ghosts were now screaming, ready to slash and engulf the two as their essences continued to encircle Speedwell who was valiantly putting himself in front of Justin. Even after being nearly beaten within an inch or two of consciousness, Speedwell managed to choke out as he gripped Justin in a fierce embrace, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you any better, young one."
"You didn't fail Speedwell!" Justin spoke out strongly, and unaware to them, the light from his spirit began to envelop Speedwell additionally. Justin continued, "I don't care if I get hurt or injured from this because as long as my friends are safe! And...I don't want you to suffer for my sake because I care about you too much to leave you behind. So, whether you like it or not, we're stuck with each other. Don't you remember the promise you made to me at the end of your story?? 'And from that day on, Justin never knew pain, sadness, or hurt, for he continued to live in the warren...'?"
Speedwell could feel himself getting lighthearted from the joke as the golden sunlight began to radiate from his heart, his friendship, and his devotion. And before Hogweed and the other ghosts could strike, the rabbit felt the words come out of his mouth, quoting the end of his revised story he told Justin earlier, "...with the Watership Down rabbits as his best and very close brothers and El-ahrairah as his father in the burrows of light and friendship."
With a brilliant flash of gold, Speedwell and Justin were bathed in the light of their affection, their loyalty, their compassion, and their hope. All the ghosts stopped and screamed and howled in pain as they felt themselves decaying under the power of the sunlight, forever banished to a world of nothingness for all eternity.
"NOOOOOOO!!!" howled Hogweed in rage before he and the other ghost rabbits disintegrated into ashes and evaporated into thin air. In another instant, the light burst into an incredible blaze of gold and orange before flickering away. Astounded, Hazel and the other rabbits looked up to see that the ghosts of darkness and evil were now completely gone, vanished. But so were the spirits of Speedwell and Justin.
"Where...where's Justin?!!" cried out Campion. "Justin!!" There was a groan, and Silver and Strawberry turned back to see, to their joy, Justin was back in his own body and regaining consciousness.
"Justin! you're all right!!" cried out Strawberry.
"Thank Frith," muttered Silver in gratitude, and Justin opened his eyes to see that everyone gathered around him happily. And to his joy, in the distance, he saw Speedwell, back in his body, limping back towards the group.
"Miss me?" he quipped, and Justin and the other rabbits cheered and chortled as they ran over to the white, spotted rabbit. Justin knelt down, examining the bruises and cuts on Speedwell's face.
Speedwell tried to smile, "It looks worse than it actually is young one." Doubtfully, Justin put a hand onto the white rabbit's bruised and battered cheek, only to have Speedwell wince in pain. "Owwch! Watch that part! Hogweed did a number on it when he kept cuffing me back in the dream realm."
"Hey, on the upside, you're not the only one injured," beamed Justin as he absentmindedly ran his fingers across the deep gashes Speedwell inflicted on him in order to wake him up. Speedwell blushed in awkwardness and embarrassment, but Justin just gracefully stopped the tension with a hug around Speedwell's torso, and touched, Speedwell just embraced the teenager, patting his head.
"By the light of Frith, must you always give me a hug every time I get injured?!" he grunted in mock annoyance.
Justin laughed as he threw Speedwell's own words back at him. " 'Well, what can I say, young chap! I'm a touchy, feely kind of rabbit who always wants to keep everyone's spirits up'!"
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Next: BUCKTHORN in "Bobstones n' Buckthorn"
I also have a little preview of this chapter since I've gotten it halfway written. Expect this in two weeks!
"Don't feel too bad," Buckthorn chuckled as he faced Justin, "I've was bobstone back at Watership Down and Vleflain three seasons running! You can't really expect to beat me on your first try!"
"Hazel! Buckthorn! Help me!!" hollered Justin in dread from his thorny prison.
Suddenly, all over the fields, green vines appeared out of nowhere, as if taking a life upon their own, only to fly straight into the group of the Watership Owsla. The rabbits tried to avoid the leafy tentacles, but they were everywhere, outnumbering their group of fifteen.
"Hey! Let me go!!" shrieked Acorn as the vines wrapped themselves tightly across his torso and paws, cocooning him, before violently hoisting him up along with Hawkbit and Fiver.
"I never back away from a challenge, especially when my friends and Justin are concerned!" growled Buckthorn, "I accept your challenge! And if I win, you let all of us go!!"
"So be it, you fool!!" snarled Hufsa in arrogant glee as he smirked knowingly at the brown, brash Watership soldier in front of him. "You have no idea what you are about to get yourself into, you naive duffer! For you will suffer a lot more than Justin's life if you lose this! Prepare yourself, Buckthorn, for this is no ordinary game!!"
Makes you more eager to read the next chapter, huh? =) REVIEW please! All constructive criticisms on this chapter are welcome!
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