When Justin awoke, he saw nothing but the pale blue sky, intermingled with the few, puffy clouds wallowing through lazily. He was lying on something hard and irritatingly scratchy and bumpy. At first, Justin thought, hoped even, that he was still in the land beyond life, in the Garden of Eden.
Then he heard the distant noise of passing semis on the highway, the smell of vehicle exhaust fumes polluting the air, and hanging above, the faint yet definite mindless of chatter of human conversation. With some effort, Justin managed to prop himself into a sitting position to see…that he was back in the empty lot next to his church, lying there helplessly amongst the yellow and brown weeds and dusty ground. Across the street was the familiar coffee shop and bus stop along with a few people happily walking up and down the sidewalks, busying themselves with their own agendas and not taking the slightest notice of the morose teenager. It was clear that once again, Justin was back home, in the physical world of men. And this time, it was not a dream or an illusion. Justin returned back to his own world, and he would never once again return to the Garden of Eden. However, like before in Woundwort's illusion, Justin just sat there, amongst the dry plants, as he cradled up in a sitting fetal position and began to sob bitterly. He wished he could go back. He hoped this was also an illusion as well. He prayed that perhaps, El-ahrairah would suddenly appear in front of him, stating that he changed his mind and wanted Justin to live in the Garden of Eden with him and the Watership rabbits.
It was past sunset and well into the twilight when Justin soon gave up, realizing that no matter how long he stayed there, El-ahrairah wasn't going to invite him back. As he stood up stiffly, Justin then unclasped the plain, silver cross necklace and held it gingerly in his hand. No longer the powerful weapon it used to be, the trinket just lay there against the skin of his red, callused palm. Justin couldn't stop shaking as he stared at the cross. With an angry roar of rage and scandal, Justin threw it into the gutter as hard as he could, letting the waters of the sewer wash it away to parts unknown. With a dark mood and a dark heart, Justin angrily gathered up his nearby backpack and books and stomped home, burning with the intensities of a thousand hell-fires.
Soon, Justin was home, and to his shattered hope and even further disappointment, it was the same dilapidated, wooden house with the dry, brown, weedy garden and untended, shambled exterior it always was. No changes, no new improvements, nothing. It was not another one of Woundwort's illusions. It was yet another sign that Justin was back in his own, cold, harsh reality. And there, standing in the doorway, fuming greatly, was his father, red in the face and looking as if he was ready to rip Justin apart with his bare hands.
Normally, such a sight would mean Justin would be in for a beating, and this would have terrified the teen to the point of cold sweat and weak knees. However, after facing Elil-rah and his Owsla so many times, Justin didn't care anymore. And if his father beat him to death…it would have been preferable. After all, the adolescent could honestly say he didn't want to live with his painful life anymore.
"Where the hell were you, young man?!" growled Justin's father as he none too gently yanked Justin inside the house by the child's arm and shoved him into the living room. Justin just dropped his backpack and books onto a nearby table before answering coolly and truthfully, "I went to a friend's house to study for the upcoming test."
"You know you have to be back before six, you insolent idiot!!" roared Justin's father, and in a flash, he grabbed Justin's arm painfully, forcing the teenager to look at his father in the face. "You think I don't know when you're lying to me, you ungrateful, troublesome brat?! Now tell me the truth, Justin!! Where the hell were you?!!"
Despite the rapid pounding in his heart, Justin steely looked into his father's eyes, replying with a detached yet forceful note, "I told you. I was at a friend's house studying for a test."
"I don't believe you!! You were probably out doing drugs or playing hooky or vandalizing some old lady's home, weren't you?!!"
"Dad, you know I don't do those things. I never have, and I never will. I told you the truth."
"Bullshit!! You've always been a problem!!"
"It's not a crime to tell the truth, Dad! And it's not a crime to have fun and spend time with a friend!! If you don't believe me, then it is not my fault if you don't trust me! It's your problem!!" Justin said, his voice rising and his tone becoming more bold, immediately angering his father.
"You goddamn -!!" Justin's dad couldn't even finish the sentence as he slapped Justin across the face so hard, Justin fell to the floor, dazed and his cheek bruised. A bit dizzy, Justin simply got back up and retrieved his backpack before heading towards his room. Justin then felt his Dad grab him roughly by his shirt collar, making the juvenile face the livid parent again.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?! Get back here and take your beating for being so disrespectful and openly disobeying my rules!!"
"No," Justin said simply.
Justin's father was now apoplectic with rage, his face ghostly white, his hands twitching. He growled, disbelieving, "What…did you say??!"
"I said 'no', Dad," Justin replied quietly, "You can't intimidate me anymore, at least not like that. I've seen evil greater than what you could ever do to me…and I'm not going to just stand by and let you beat me into submission again like you have before." Justin then directly glared into his patriarch's eyes. "I'm not a scared kid anymore, Dad."
Justin's father then raised his arm to slap his son again, but then Justin gave him a dangerous, menacing look of such warning that the man actually halted, stunned. For reasons he did not comprehend, the elder lowered his arm, shocked at the lack of fear in his son's eyes, shocked at the strength of insolence and bold courage raging in his son's demeanor. The child had changed. Taking advantage of the situation, Justin did an about face and headed towards his room. Enraged at how he lost control, Justin's dad just fumed hotly and briefly, "There's a gift that your friend left for you on your desk. Don't see why she should give it to you, you stupid, useless accident! Get out of my sight and stay in your room!!"
Beside himself with incredulous fear, Justin couldn't help but smile a bit to himself with smug satisfaction.
Justin shakily went into his room. As much as he was still terrified of his father, it was actually really satisfying to defy him like that, to watch the small glimpse of fear in the elder's eye and the realization that Justin was growing. Still, it did nothing to calm down his rapidly pounding heart and the small beads of sweat that were starting to soak through his flannel shirt out of fear and shock.
Closing the door and locking it (no sense in taking chances), Justin then saw the present his friend, Michelle, left for him on his desk. Justin numbly picked it up. It was a brand-new paperback copy of "Watership Down", gleaming and its color brightly contrasting against his dusty, faded wooden desk. Along with the book was a small, folded up note. With his breath caught in his throat, Justin gingerly picked up the book and unfolded the paper to see Michelle's handwriting hastily scribbled on the parchment.
Justin,
I thought you could use a present to cheer yourself up. You seemed really glum and I got worried. Don't think about paying me back cause I know that it'll be fully appreciated. Hope this makes you feel better.
Michelle
The lump in his throat now grew bigger, choking the young adolescent with tears of grief and anger. Justin's hands were trembling as he held the brand new story of "Watership Down" that Michelle left for him. The faint memories of the Watership rabbits almost appeared to be dancing in front of the book's cover, taunting him, reminding him of what he had to say goodbye to…forever.
He snapped.
With an angry shriek, Justin opened the book, and gripping the sides stoutly, he ripped the novel in half, tearing it along its binding exactly like the bullies at his school had done earlier. The sounds of the paper ripping felt like his bones were breaking, fragile and rent asunder. Using all of his strength, the boy threw the cleaved pieces of the story against the wall as hard as he could, causing it to make a loud "thwap!" that echoed across the plaster, slightly cracking it.
Overwhelmed, Justin just leaned his back against the wall and slid down into a sitting position onto the floor as he cradled his head against his arms and knees and wept bitterly.
Life for Justin couldn't have been more cruel…or lonely. Ever since he came back to the land beyond life, the teen had become cold, alarmingly introverted, distant, and lifeless, as if he had no reason to stay and live on this earth with any hope. Luckily, no one at his school or home cared to notice this. His father, ever since the confrontation, became slightly unnerved at the fact that his own son was digging his feet into the ground, making a stand, and challenging him. Though the beatings still continued, Justin's father still saw the angry look of stubborn rebellion in the child's eyes, and it had eventually gotten to one point where the police had to be called after the neighbors had called in to report screaming, bellowing, and sounds of breaking glass from the Vannerley residence, loud enough to wake the dead. Yet when the police had arrived in their squad cars, they saw a living room in shambles with broken glass, a cracked window, and both Justin and his father heavily panting with cuts and bruises in the middle of the carpeted floor. Apparently, Bigwig, Holly, and Buckthorn's advice on defense paid well enough to give Justin some satisfaction.
After that incident (and several warnings from the police), Justin's father said shortly that once Justin was finished with high school, he wanted him out of his house and out of his life. That suited with Justin just as well, since he had no intention of coming back to the hellhole his own father condemned him to for so long. The minute he completed the graduation ceremony, he arranged his mother to take him away to his new home six cities over. His mother enthusiastically agreed, and after all the paperwork between her and Justin's dad was settled, Justin was lawfully declared under his mother's dependence until he turned 21 years of age. Justin's father had no objection, and frankly, neither did Justin.
However, school was an entirely different matter all together. Justin was still just as mercilessly taunted and made fun of and harassed just as much as when he left, and the memories of the month he spent in the land beyond life did little to cheer him up. Of course, after fighting Elil-rah and demonic creatures from beyond this world, dealing with human six-foot tall, teenage, crude, insecure rough-handlers seemed very trite and tame in comparison. Then there was one time when Justin and Michelle were walking home from school, only to be followed by a car full of jocks from the football teams who shouted and hurled derogatory comments as they slowed their vehicle to a crawl. Justin and Michelle simply ignored them. Still pathetically desperate for fun, this caused the athletes to park their car a little distance off the road before they ran up to challenge the two teenagers. Needless to say, Justin got bruised on his scraped knees and a swollen lip while trying to fight back from being shoved in the dirt and pushed down. Michelle was not seriously hurt; with Justin being the main target, she was just unceremoniously tossed into a nearby dumpster, for the athletes ironically had a sense of honor to not attack a girl. Though Justin was still able to walk back home afterwards, the only response he got from his dad when he saw him was a simple "You got what you deserved."
After that incident, Justin became even more introverted. He severed his close relationship with Michelle, saying that he needed some time and distance to think over some issues in his life, and right now, he really did not want a friend to be around. Though hurt, Michelle understood and silently disappeared as the school year drew to a close, drifting away from the isolated barrier Justin holed himself into. The teen also quit going to church as well, and after a few concerned requests and invitations to talk things out, the pastor and the youth pastors left Justin alone. If he wished to talk, the pastor said he and the congregation would be there for Justin if the moment ever arose that he would need a shoulder to lean on or a compassionate ear to listen. Yet Justin flatly dismissed the offer. The only ones he wanted to depend on were the rabbits of Watership Down, but seeing as he could never return…
In Justin's mind, he was meant to be alone and scorned. Why fight against it? After all, God wanted to inflict him with this pain, and in Justin's views, he resentfully and angrily cursed God for doing this to him. For taking away the one, good thing in his life, the one chance to have a family to love and cherish. And God expected him to continue believing in his messages of faith and hope and love? After crushing his spirit and joy and taking advantage of him? Not a bloody chance in hell.
As far as the adolescent was concerned, he was never a child of God. Heck, he was a child of no-one.
As the days passed, turning into weeks and months, this gloomy hatred and bitterness had bloomed up to Justin's breaking point. It was unclear to fate as to what would eventually happen in the young human's life and what roads he would take. Yet, the outlook was now not very optimistic. Then, a month and a half before his high-school graduation, Justin's prayer was answered.
Justin tossed and turned in his sleeping bag, irritated and restless as his hurt and pain churned and bubbled madly in his blood, making Justin uneasy with inner torment. It had been this way ever since he had returned back from the Garden of Eden, and as of now, the adolescent doubted he could ever find respite. He was dreaming that he was walking through a bleak, dusty dirt road under the twilight of an infinite starry sky. All around him was the coldness of dew resting upon dropping, green grass, and there were no trees anywhere. The plains and roads were as flat as a board, and the night air was thick with cold fog and mist, causing Justin to shiver. Soon, Justin approached a crossroads, and the child was now stuck between choosing one of the four different roads he could take. Justin tried to make a decision to which path to travel by, but for some unknown reason, his mind was blank and sluggish.
"It is a perfect metaphor, isn't it, Justin?" a familiar voice said gently and quietly behind him, echoing slightly, "Like all humans, each one eventually comes to certain point in life when he or she must choose a new path, a new direction, eventually changing one's journey forever for life is never one, single, monotonous road without discrepancy."
Justin grit his teeth as he hugged his elbows tightly, not even swiveling around to face El-ahrairah, his golden fur and long ears shining soft tones of yellow and silver against the dusk of the grasslands. He wanted so desperately to turn and hug him again, but in Justin's sub-consciousness, he knew that this was a dream and any attempts to run to the Prince of the Thousand would be fruitless, like chasing the rainbow. Plus, his venomous anguish still had the teenager resenting El-ahrairah greatly.
"What do you want?" Justin croaked huskily, accusingly.
El-ahrairah's voice then floated in the midnight air as the Prince of all rabbits vanished, stating cryptically, "Come to Watership Down, young one. You will find what you need."
Justin woke up, the words of the benevolent rabbit patriarch now branded into his brain and heart.
"Wow, it's some turnout, isn't it?" Justin remarked with awe as he stood with the other students waiting for the ceremony to commence. All of them wore their robes of vermillion and gold proudly, signifying to their families and friends the end of one era and the trip to the next big adventure of college. Justin fidgeted underneath his robes and nervously handled the tassel draping off the left side of his graduation cap.
"I know. I still can't believe it comes to this. It's so unbelievable, like some sort of dream," Michelle whispered excitedly. After the dream, Justin and Michelle eventually patched up their differences and became close again, and for the month and a half, they made up for some lost time. Yet Michelle was planning to attend college out of state, so it would be a while before Justin and Michelle could see each other again, though they both promised to keep in touch via mail and summer vacations.
The graduation ceremony went without a hitch, and soon, the young man came to a significant age where he accepted his diploma with high honors, shook hands with the principal and chairman of the district school board, smiled for the photos, and remained seated until all the graduating class had completed their rituals. Everyone rang out cries of joy as they carelessly tossed their caps into the sky, the winds of change billowing through them gently like an affectionate caress of a lover. Afterwards, Michelle introduced Justin to her parents and to Michelle's boyfriend, David, who was also planning to the same university as Michelle was in the following fall term. Justin couldn't be happier for Michelle.
"Justin!!" called out a female voice amongst the crowd, and Justin turned to se, to his pleasant surprise, his mother and sister making their way through the masses of people. Justin's father had declined to attend the ceremony, but it was all right for the adolescent. He wouldn't want his mother and father running into each other face to face and make things extremely awkward, if not downright ugly. Justin's mother and sister both gave him a congratulatory hug, exclaiming how they were proud of him. Justin had arranged it so that after the ceremony, he would take the little luggage he packed and leave for his mother's home to live with for the next four years until he graduated college. He would no longer live with his father after this day.
"Oh, I'm so happy for this day, Justin!" his mother squealed breathlessly with pride, "Oh, but listen to me carry on like some old bat! Tell me, son: what would you like now that you have graduated? Do you wish for some sort of graduation gift to commemorate this event? I'm sure we can get a new mountain bike if you really wanted…or perhaps a new game system?"
Justin shook his head. He knew what he really would like.
"I would like to go on a trip to England by myself…if that's OK with you, mom."
His mother's face fell as she gently placed a tentative hand on her son's shoulders, breaking gently, "Justin…I'm not sure I can afford that. I…I would love to give you such a present, but it would cost an incredible amount of money. And I'm not sure we can bear to spend on such an expense."
Justin then simply smiled as he took out a white envelope from his pant pocket. It was full of money, money that Justin has earned by doing various jobs and chores for other neighbors, as long as agreeing to work part time for the local bagel and coffee shop close to the school. Ever since the dream he had with El-ahrairah's mysterious parting, Justin had insanely and fervently worked and scrimped and saved up enough money without his father's knowledge to help finance his week-long trip to the United Kingdom.
Justin just sheepishly smiled as he told his mother, "You would only need to pay for a fourth of what it would cost."
"Flight 557 now boarding," echoed a female voice over the intercom at Heathrow Airport in England as Justin stepped into the gate terminal, mingling with the many passengers that were hurriedly making their way to various destinations. It had been quite a long and tedious flight, but Justin relished every part of it, taking in the scenery and marvelous sights he witnessed while flying. And of course, Justin hadn't forgotten what he was really here for. Unfortunately, he would not know if it was truly an omen of healing or just another cruel joke.
For two days, Justin managed to stay at a local inn in Heathrow, and after finding out the insane cost of boarding a train, managed to find a cheaper fee for transportation by going to the city Newberry on a carriage. The trip was actually very pleasant, and the young human got many views of beautiful scenery and gorgeous surroundings. Once he had arrived in Newberry, Justin took his time around the town, enjoying a cup of tea and a scone at a local shop before inquiring about maps around the town and the surrounding land. After getting directions from a kindly, grizzly barkeeper, Justin set foot towards Watership Down and Kingsclere. It was mid-morning, bright and sunny with fresh air and the birds lazily twittering as the last traces of cold mist faded under the summer sun. It was going to be another hot day. After several hours, Justin finally managed to pass Nuthanger Farm, faded underneath years under sun, but pretty much what the video depicted. Encouraged, Justin continued south until he reached the very hills and the surrounding copses that consisted of the legendary Watership Down. Surrounding the hills and copse was a fence of barbed wire with a sign saying "No Trespassing".
Justin knew this was now the moment. He could not back down now. He needed to see if what El-ahrairah had told him was the truth, that he really could be healed here. Justin gingerly made his way through the fence and steadily and slowly made his way uphill through the woods and to the grassy knolls. Even though he did not see any rabbits running around the trees, the copse was not thickly overgrown, allowing Justin to easily make his way to the top of the hill. Eventually, Justin reached the very crest of the hills, and breathless, Justin started searching for the infamous beech tree that was planted at the very edges of the hill, the one where the rabbits were rumored to have built their warren upon. To his extreme disappointment, there was nothing but a medium-sized trunk, ancient, with a few carved names (surprisingly of those characters from Watership Down) left on the bark by visitors to the down. The beech tree was apparently cut down by men a long time ago. Justin was extremely let down, up to the point of breaking. It was another lie. Again. Nothing was here. Downhearted, Justin just sat on the grass, staring at the trunk as the sun rose high above the hills, signaling the noonday. Giving up, Justin sighed, wiping the hot tears leaking from his eyes, frustrated and at a loss. He started making his way back down the hill through the copse again.
The adolescent thought bitterly, "It was just a dream. It probably never happened. Damn it, why does this happen to me?! Why?! What did I do to deserve this?! Why can't I just find anything to give me some peace?! Why can't I see them again?! Don't you know how much this hurts, how much I can't bear this anymore?! I didn't find anything!! It was just another one of your lies!!"
All these thoughts were enough to send Justin back into tears again, but then…a voice, ethereal yet gentle, floated softly through the trees.
"Justin…"
The boy stopped, startled. Could it be? Then the boy suddenly realized that he was halfway down the hill, yet to his right, partially hidden by the shade of the trees, was a cave, snugly fit underneath a crop of rock and dirt. Curious, Justin approached the cavern and stood by at the mouth, peering in. It seemed to continue deep into the down itself for the grotto appeared to be an endless tunnel, its end veiled by the shadows. There was a soft breeze blowing out of the fissure, soft and warm and sweet smelling like flowers.
Could Justin really find something there? Was he meant to go there? Or was it another vicious trick?
Justin, with a deep breath to calm his pounding heart, stepped into the cave and walked into the tunnel, stepping deeper and deeper into the shadows hiding from the light of the morning sun. He could barely see where he was going, and in the process, he nearly stumbled on several protruding roots and jutting stones. Heart beating rapidly, Justin managed to guide himself by slowly inching his way through while keeping a firm grip on the rough, rocky walls on the passageway. All the meanwhile, the teenager was both anxious, hopeful, and resigned to expect more disappointment.
Justin could see a light at the end of the shaft, warm and soft and inviting. Encouraged, the adolescent inched ahead until he reached the very end of the burrow, only to find himself in a wide, spacious cavern. The walls were olive-gray stone, smooth and sleek from ages of weathering, and atop the rock room was an impressive and thick network of tree roots enveloping the ceiling and snaking their way to the floor, warmly embracing the walls with snug comfort. The ground was hard-packed dirt, sweet smelling and littered with soft moss, and all throughout the cave were outcrops of limestone, perfect for sitting upon. Justin's gaze then traveled across the grotto to the wall directly in front of him, and he gasped.
There, using pieces of sharp rock shrapnel and busily carving something upon the surface of the wall, was a group of humanoid, anthropomorphic rabbits gathered together, standing upon their hind legs and wearing a rainbow of different colored tunics and armor. Justin's eyes widened as he whimpered with hopeful disbelief. One of the rabbits, as if he sensed something, stopped scratching upon the mineral wall with his tool, and turned around to directly look at Justin. It was Hazel-rah. Hazel smiled, his eyes twinkling, and as if on cue, he and the rest of the bucks started to fade away, vanishing into a plethora of glittering, golden sparks.
"NO!! DON'T GO!! PLEASE!!!" cried out Justin tearfully, almost exuberantly euphoric at seeing the Watership Owsla again. The young human sprinted immediately towards the wall, but all of them, Hazel, Bluebell, Campion, Bigwig, Acorn, Hawkbit, Silver, Pipkin, Blackberry, Speedwell, Buckthorn, Fiver, Dandelion, Strawberry, and Holly, just cast a fond look of farewell at Justin before fading completely into the eternal air. Justin stumbled upon the ground, at a complete loss. He was so close. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. El-ahrairah himself said that Justin would find what he needed at Watership Down…
Then, through the tears, Justin noticed something shiny on the dirt next to him, apparently left behind by the rabbits of Watership Down. The adolescent gingerly picked it up and cradled the object in his hands. It was his silver cross necklace, still smoothly and sleekly bright and radiant under the faint streams of light emanating from the room. Still unsure on what to feel, Justin numbly propped himself up to a standing position again, and then he noticed a second marvel.
He was staring at what the rabbit warriors were carving upon the wall of the cavern. There, scratched upon the eternal stone and rock, was a depiction of Justin and the fellowship of rabbits from Watership Down. It was crude and unrefined, yet at the same time, it was beautifully and masterfully drawn with white scratch marks. In the very center was a figure of a human child, obviously Justin, with a noteworthy cross necklace dangling around his neck. And surrounding him, on their hind paws, were the rabbits of Watership Down, each aesthetically etched with their clothes and tunics and armor. Each rabbit was meticulously drawn with care to the miniscule detail, from Holly's whiskered face and ragged ears to Fiver's wide-eyed and uneasy complexion to Hawkbit's moody, abrasive scowl to Bigwig's distinctive fur cap. It was almost like staring into a photograph. Evidently, Hazel and the other Watership rabbits carved this illustration as a symbol and a testimonial.
Justin lightly ran his hand against the carving, his palm caressing the smooth stone, feeling, for a brief moment, a warm surge of power radiating from the rock into his heart, awakening his soul. He saw images flash into his mind as quickly as the summer breeze:
Hazel-rah, Campion, and El-ahrairah were quietly grazing on fresh clover blossoms outside the warren. General Woundwort was sulkily squatting by himself away from the rest of the warren's inhabitants, isolating himself moodily as an outcast. The other rabbits, taking the hint, steered away from the Efrafan general and former enemy with distrust and suspicion. Campion and Hazel were a bit bothered, but El-ahrairah smiled secretly. A group of kittens were chasing each other and playing tag in the far off distance, but with the wild, rambunctious energy, the male and female kittens were too hyper and consistently everywhere, bumping into the adults as they patiently silflayed, ignoring the jest. One black kitten, taking it upon himself to take cover from the pursuers, hid behind the large, hulking form of Woundwort. Woundwort, clearly annoyed, sharply told off the kitten, most likely telling him to leave him alone. The kitten was adamant, oblivious to the General's anger as he kept stoutly trying to disguise himself from the game of tag. With a growl, Woundwort cuffed the kitten away from him, sending him flying by several feet. At the wail of pain, El-ahrairah, Hazel, and Campion and the other adult rabbits looked up, alarmed, and, in some of the grown-ups, with extreme anger. Woundwort just cast the audience an evil eye before he noticed that the black rabbit youngling was crying and was so dizzy from the hit, he couldn't sit up properly. Woundwort then had a sorrowful, pained look of remorse on his face, and after some hesitation, fearfully, the hulking buck hopped to the kitten and drew the young rabbit close, nuzzling him, begging for forgiveness. At the sight, the kittens that were playing tag cheered as they tackled Woundwort, happily sniffing and tussling with the General. Woundwort looked with irritation at Hazel, El-ahrairah, and Campion as the kits were tugging on his ears in a game of tug-of-war. The three rabbit warriors smiled warmly back, and, to Justin's surprise, Woundwort gave a small beam of content peace, of joy.
Under the full moon, Bluebell was heartily giving a hilarious performance to a small audience of kittens, eagerly rapt with attentive interest, as the jester acted the story, "Rowsby Woof and Fairy Wogdog", complete with goofy faces and an assortment of mirthful voices. After his tale was told, the kittens cheered as they bade Bluebell goodbye and made their way towards the warren, ready for bed. As Bluebell decided that the night was still young, he eventually made his way to a nice field of fresh timothy with a few patches of sweet buttercups. As he chewed hungrily, he started to hear soft sobbing, and curious, the brown, burly clown slowly inched his way towards the crying to find an weeping elderly, old doe, so ancient she had trouble moving her limbs and her pelt was sagging against her bony frame. Apparently, back in the physical world, she had no importance to her home warren, and in disgust, the Chief rabbit had his soldiers leave her as elil bait to ward a hound away from the young kittens, under the threat that if she returned, she would have been executed at once. Even her family, sneering with distaste, heartlessly kicked her out. And so, her life ended as a meal to the hound. Bluebell, with a soft, sympathetic, look of compassion, spoke gently to her, licking her tears away with his tongue. Bewildered, the aged doe could only gape; not even her own mate was this concerned for her, a useless geezer. After a few jokes (which gladly caused the doe to cackle with joviality), she eventually forgot her sadness. Guiding her slowly, both Bluebell and the doe feasted upon the delicious grass. Plainly, Bluebell's jokes and humor were always needed.
Dandelion was warmly telling a story to an audience of kittens, all huddled and eagerly breathless, gorging on every word of the tale of the cross-bearer with wide-starry eyes and open mouths of awe. At the end of the current chapter, Dandelion chuckled at the requests for more as he gently shooed his fans away and quietly hopped to his burrow, ready for some rest. Yet the burrow was not empty, for now it was a vast chamber of hundreds and hundreds of kittens, all of them his sons and daughters, each one of them waiting patiently for their surrogate parent to arrive so that they could cuddle up to him for the night. Dandelion was now never alone, for El-ahrairah made him the parli of every unwanted kitten that was ever born. Whether it was an aborted rabbit who dissolved in a doe's body, to an orphaned yearling who was ruthlessly killed by elil, to a small female who had her throat heartlessly ripped out by a harsh buck, the instant their souls came to the land beyond life, Dandelion became the father to them all, adopting them with great love and heart. As one, Dandelion had the young ones gather around him, and he bade each one goodnight before they slept together.
Speedwell and Violet sat enjoying the beautiful sunset as the rosy red and orange sky intermixed with the deep blue sky. Whispering sweet nothings, Speedwell closed his eyes in bliss as he and Violet brought their noses, touching each other in intimate love, her ears twitching and his leg thumping the ground softly in glee. It was certainly a romantic scene. A rabbit then squealed out, getting their attention as they both looked up. It was Hogweed and the band of rabbits that were once ghost mercenaries bent on trying to execute Justin in his dreams. Now, they were whole, renewed animals by Frith's blessing, with no trace of anger and cursed hate, and in friendly reception, both Speedwell and Violet greeted them happily, welcoming them into El-ahrairah's warren with much warmth and grace. From what Justin could tell, Hogweed and his faithful troupe were now hlessi and had returned from a long journey only to come back to El-ahrairah's warren for a brief visit before making their trek to the Prince Rainbow's kingdom. El-ahrairah wished to have Hogweed deliver a gift of dried rose seeds to plant into Prince Rainbow's garden, and in good faith, Hogweed rose to the job enthusiastically. Pleased, Speedwell and Violet went down into the warren where they willfully gave their burrows to Hogweed to rest in while Speedwell and Violet both lay curdled up together in close warmth in the Grand Hall.
In the mountains, deep within the precarious crevices and peaks, Sneezewort and Lousewort, the loyal weasels, were eagerly guiding Holly and his Wide Patrol, consisting of Blackavar and four yearling rabbits, though the rocky terrain. Holly decided to train both of the weasels to become honorary troop leaders for El-ahrairah's families, and even though they were elil, the Prince readily agreed. One of the young does, not used to traveling at such great heights, started shivering and quaking with fear at the sight of the tremendous altitude. Suddenly, to the female's surprise, she felt herself being gently lifted and cradled in the arms of Shardik, the grizzly bear. With him was his assistant, Lord Brock, the badger. Shardik was now the rightful pillar of the mountains, and at Fiver's request, both the bear and the Watership Owsla would always aid those creatures who needed safe passage through the cliffs. The doe now forgot about her fear as she giggled at Shardik's tickles while the smiling brown grizzly, Lord Brock, Holly, Sneezewort, Lousewort and Blackavar helped escort the rest of the Wide Patrol through.
Kehaar gave off a loud cry of proud exhilaration as he flew into the skies, the cold breeze gliding a pleasant, relieving welcome across his itchy back and torso. Ahead was the sight of dawn breaking light above the lands beyond life, the terrains still glossy with gentle, cool mist of the night, the sky rosy pink and blue. But the gull was not alone to enjoy the sight of the new day in paradise. Pipkin, with his eyes closed and his paws spread out like wings, easily navigated through the air currents with a bright smile of contentment on his furry face. And his dreams of flight were still granted, for now, the small brown rabbit was riding on the back of Scry-rah, the hawk leader of all birds and the pillar of the skies. The predatory bird was now a frequent and welcome visitor to the warren of El-ahrairah, and he and Kehaar became close friends. Sometimes, in the very brink of morning, they would be taking off together just to enjoy a simply exploratory flight or so. Pipkin pleaded to go along, and of course, the birds readily agreed, just so that the three of them could marvel at the spectacle of the skies together.
The Threarah was brooding with a dark look on his face as he chewed on lemongrass and burnet in a plush field of clover and wild weeds. Several younger and larger bucks, apparently in the mood for some bullying, surrounded the elderly rabbit and began to tease him, prodding the Threarah mercilessly about being a useless fool, about how he doomed his entire warren, and how even now, he was still one of the most embarrassing specimens of a rabbit. One daring male even gave the Threarah a swift kick into the side, knocking the old senior over onto his side. The Threarah was boiling mad now, but there was no way he could win a scuffle against such youths. Suddenly, a figure leapt in between the bucks and the Threarah. It was Silver, and from the angry look on his face and the snarls emitting from his throat, he was plainly defending his uncle. The bucks nervously and wordlessly retreated, almost scampering, for none of them wished to face the wrath of one of the original Watership settlers and one of the few who fought against Elil-rah. Silver was hesitant to face his uncle and was about to leave when a small, soft sentence of Lapine from the Threarah made Silver turn around. His uncle's face was pure stubbornness...and shameful remorse. After a few minutes of unintelligible conversation, to Justin's amazement, a bemused Silver squatted on all fours and began to silflay next to his stony uncle. The Threarah was mortified and awkwardly looked down, but Silver gave his uncle a small smile. It was a small step...but it was a step in the right direction.
In the warren of the Black Rabbit of Inle, where the snow-cropped mountains were black with iron and granite, in the midst of the Great Cavern in the very heart of the web of tunnels, Buckthorn was playing bobstones with none other than the Black Rabbit of Inle, himself. Buckthorn showed no emotion as he cast his stones, and neither did the Black Rabbit, and over and over, each exchanged brief words as they played like flames dancing on wood, like snow falling onto the ground, like flowers opening to the birth of the new, morning sun, meaningful, delicate, yet quick and without frantic rush. Yet there was a deep, understanding aura of respect and cordiality between them. Justin could also see members of the shadow Owsla of the Black Rabbit teaching their ways to a nervous, yet headstrong Hufsa and King Fur-Rocious. After the battle, Buckthorn asked if there was a way for Hufsa and King Fur-Rocious to live out their ways where they would feel more at ease, since it was clear that the antagonists' pasts with the Prince of the Thousand would be awkward, and paying homage to his friend, the Black Rabbit agreed to take in Hufsa and King Fur-Rocious as his own soldiers. Buckthorn occasionally visited for a story and a game, but mostly to check that the two guests were satisfied, behaving well, and at peace, which they both were with great joy and yearning.
In the Forests of Yesterday and Tomorrow, Prince Rainbow, now appearing as a flurry of various colors of warmth and vibrant energy cloaked under the mist, was speaking sternly to the stag King of Tomorrow and the bison King of Yesterday and the subjects from both kingdoms. All the animals were gathered around the clearing, the very same where Justin and Fiver were held for trial and where the cross-bearer had to duel against Shardik. El-ahrairah was standing side by side with Fiver, Snitter and Rowf. The bison did not look exceptionally pleased as he kept shooting Fiver and El-ahrairah poisonous looks, but both of the rabbits just returned the favor with soft and gentle glances of understanding. They both didn't expect the hard feelings to subside, especially since they were proven right with the matter of the cross-bearer and how, after the battle with Elil-rah, the King of Yesterday and the King of Tomorrow had lost their status as the Pillars of the Forests and Time. Prince Rainbow then told both the stag and bison, under Frith's orders, that Snitter, Rowf, and Fiver were to take Shardik's place as chief advisors to the creatures of the Forests of Yesterday and Tomorrow. There were some mutterings of protest and discontent from the animals all around who were witnessing this, but El-ahrairah then quietly hopped in front of the bison and stag, silencing the audience. El-ahrairah then lifted his paw to reveal two white sparks of spiritual essence before they floated in the air and immersed themselves into the Kings, momentarily covering them with a soft blanket of starlight. The stag and bison looked stunned, but then Snitter and Rowf stepped forward to explain that Frith gave El-ahrairah the authority to chose the new pillars, and in good faith and good will, the Prince of all Rabbit had already decided to return the roles back to the King of Yesterday and Tomorrow. He certainly did not have to…but El-ahrairah wished it so. Petulant and grateful (and the bison had a look of ashamed remorse), both kings touched noses with El-ahrairah in symbol of rebuilding the trust between their three kingdoms. And Prince Rainbow couldn't have been more pleased.
In a wide, endless dry tundra, Groundsel, Stonecrop, Mallow, Vervain, Mistletoe and Acorn strode on bravely through the uncharted wilderness. Acorn, now free of his hurt and anger, humbly asked for forgiveness from assaulting Mistletoe earlier and offered his forgiveness in return for what Mistletoe did to him in the past. Relieved, Mistletoe accepted, and, in time, both of them had readily healed. Feeling to make up for whatever lost adventures Acorn could have enjoyed if he did join the Threarah's Owsla back in Sandleford, El-ahrairah allowed Acorn and Mistletoe to join a excursion with the other hlessi for adventure and fun. All four of them had traveled together for over two months, but apparently, Acorn loved every second of it. Here, he was a soldier, a part of the team, a vital piece of the group, irreplaceable. Acorn was no longer the filler rabbit he made himself out to be. Full of energy, Acorn and Mistletoe ran along with Groundsel, Mallow, Vervain and Stonecrop under the warm sun and cool breeze, making an evident path through the tall wild-grass, hooting with glee all the way.
Bigwig and the Promised Friends, the foxes Mara, Lane, Carol, Mark, Gina, were all in the fields of Fenlo, training the Owsla of El-ahrairah along with Rabscuttle. Before them were about fifty or so yearling does and bucks, all of them watching the captain as he demonstrated to the trainees how to correctly dodge and roll out of an enemy's attack. Barking gruffly, the rabbits got together in pairs and did their best to imitate the strategies of evasion under Rabscuttle and Bigwig's watchful eyes. Lane, Mara, Carol, Mark, and Gina were operating with several others, showing them how to leap and roll correctly. Bigwig strolled by attentively, giving a sharp order every once in a while, sometimes even cuffing a young buck if the youngster appeared to not be taking his lessons seriously. Yet then the fur-capped rabbit noticed a lone, young, fat buck, miserably trying to practice alone by himself. Apparently, no one else wished to partner with him, and for good reason, for, though he was really trying, he kept tripping and stumbling in his evasive roll maneuver, embarrassing himself countless of times. Bigwig's brow furrowed as he marched up to the fat rabbit. Several of those surrounding him twittered in hushed whispers, thinking that the captain was going to harshly punish the buck, perhaps kick him out of Owsla training for being incompetent. Thinking of what was to come, the others watched attentively and the obese yearling, though extremely scared, braced himself as he looked at his captain directly in the eye, at full attention. Instead, to everyone's amazement, Bigwig just warmly smiled and then sternly told the buck what he was doing wrong, showing how to position his paw and twist his body, even demonstrating the move twice in front of the attentive soldier. Encouraged, the fat rabbit tried it, and though he needed several attempts and some sharp advice from Bigwig, he eventually got the move quite well. Bigwig then passed by, angrily roaring to the other rabbits to stop gawking and continue with practice. As Bigwig left, he gave the corpulent rabbit youth a small smile of support.
At the Great Tree that was sheltering the warren of El-ahrairah, the calf Whitehorn and the Ilip, Zhuron, were both helping Hawkbit and the doe Blethlin gather fruit and nuts to provide a nice treat for some rabbits. Whitehorn had Blethlin atop her head, and Zhuron had Hawkbit atop his head, and together, all four of the animals managed to pluck down various assortments of food and dropping them into a nice pile, where they were already being gathered by the rat, Veil Guplea, Volgnamass the weasel, and Nekas the serpent, with much thankfulness. El-ahrairah planned to have a small feast with all of his children, and in good faith, he invited the other non-Lapine animals to participate in the banquet for the tree had plenty of food. Blethlin was then bossily ordering Hawkbit to gather the hazelnuts correctly and to stop bruising the apples by dropping them with unnecessary force. Hawkbit was evidently slowly burning for he was trying to tolerate Blethlin's orders as best as he could, much to Whitehorn and Zhuron's amusements. After a while, Hawkbit snapped and grunting, he threw a cherry at the doe rabbit, which splattered messily on one side of her face. Outraged, Blethlin grabbed a plum and threw it back as hard as she could back at Hawkbit, only to have it hit Zhuron accidentally, the juice dribbling down his cheek. Annoyed, Zhuron tossed Hawkbit gently back onto the ground, none too delicately dropping the loudmouth onto a pile of grapes, getting the rabbit into a sticky mess of liquid, seed, and pulp. Blethlin started chuckling until, in an uncharacteristic display of naughtiness, Whitehorn also tossed Blethlin into a pile of mulberries on the ground. Now Blethlin was covered with squished fruit. Hawkbit started guffawing at Blethlin's predicament, which led to the doe tackling him and cuffing him mercilessly. Giggling, Zhuron, Whitehorn, Nekas, Veil Guplea, and Volgnamass just stopped working as watched the fight as Hawkbit and Blethlin pounded each other. However, Justin could see that despite the brawl, Hawkbit and Blethlin were smiling at each other, evidently showing more care and affection than they were letting on.
Deep in the woods, King Darzin and several of his cat subjects along with Flyairth, Hyzenthlay, and Thethuthinnang were vainly trying to chase down the rapids of a wide, deep, and churning river, for in the very center of the waterway and struggling to fight the swift current were two feline kittens and a young doe, Nyreem. Apparently, the cats, trying to cross the stream, lost their footing and fell into the rapids, and Nyreem valiantly went in after them, only to endanger herself at the same time. Unfortunately, all three of the animals were too weak to strongly swim against the current and make it for shore. King Darzin was about to dive in after them, despite the risk, when a series of squealing caused him and the others to look up. It was Blackberry, and the buck was resourcefully riding upon the rapids with a hollow, worn-out log. With a little difficult maneuvering, Blackberry managed to catch up to the three bobbing animals and skillfully plucked them out of the water by gripping the very napes of their necks with his teeth. Exhausted and done in, Blackberry laid sprawled out onto the log as it managed to heavily and blunderingly drift into the sandy shore a little ways downstream, out of the river's danger. Extremely relived, King Darzin licked and fawned over his lost cats while Hyzenthlay and Thethuthinnang tended to Nyreem. However, what was most touching was a humbled and apologetic Flyairth licking Blackberry's wet face and snout with her warm tongue, and chuckling, she and Blackberry brought their noses together, reconciled.
Under the roots of the Great Tree that housed the warren of El-ahrairah, Strawberry was leading a small group of rabbits to make a new tunnel, extending from the Great Hall underground and through two, thick, sturdy roots, a perfect place for an entrance. With a few short commands, he and the other does started digging, and to Justin's surprise, also with them were a very miserable Cowslip and Silverweed. Even though they were used to such an easy life of luxury and leisure, El-ahrairah made an offer to both of the rabbits to start their lives again in his warren, reminding them that it was never too late to relearn the natural ways of his legacy. At first, they complained and whined, but then Strawberry, who wholeheartedly agreed with El-ahrairah's good-natured proposition then told them that it was either this or to live out in the open as hlessi. It took some time, but Cowslip and Silverweed, now reeducated with the ways of digging, listening, running, and swift warning, were beginning to grow accustomed to their new lives, if not a bit begrudgingly. Justin had to chuckle when Silverweed accidentally dug into a soft spot in the dirt wall, causing the ceiling of the tunnel to slightly cave-in and dump a fresh amount of wet dirt onto Cowslip. Cowslip was not even remotely amused. Like a true saint, a smiling Strawberry brushed the dirt off Cowslip with one paw and directed them where to correctly claw away at the soil.
And then it was all over. The images vanished, and Justin was left facing the stone carving again.
U vahra ma, rusati ma, ven atha ma.
Despite the sadness, despite the tears of loss running down Justin's face, the boy smiled, laughing softly.
It was a smile of closure.
As the boy exited out of the cave with the newly-found cross necklace once again around his neck, he knew, deep in his heart, despite how much he desired otherwise, that El-ahrairah was right. Justin would never be able to return back to the land beyond life once again. The pain of separation would always be there, the constant wish that he could explore the grounds of the Garden of Eden with his old chums. That was to be expected. Yet the teen also felt the warmth of his friends' love inside him and his soul, and though it was not eternal bliss, it was enough for Justin to continue living. Living whatever life and path God wanted him to take. Unknown, mysterious, certainly foreboding and daunting, but nevertheless, it was also a life that held many hopeful potentials and possibilities for new friendships and new adventures in the world of men. And that was where he was meant to be, where he was always meant to live. The world of men. Not the Garden of Eden.
Bluebell.
Campion.
Bigwig.
Acorn.
Hawkbit.
Silver.
Pipkin.
Blackberry.
Speedwell.
Buckthorn.
Fiver.
Dandelion.
Strawberry.
Holly.
Hazel-rah.
Each of them had left a remnant of their soul in Justin out of love and hope. His heart-brothers, no matter how far apart they were, would always be with him in spirit, and it was a comforting feeling to Justin. The knowing that he would never be alone.
The cave that graciously opened its doors to the cross-bearer closed itself once again, this time forever preserving the secrets of the legacy of Watership Down to itself until the end of time, never to be discovered and disturbed by curious, prying eyes. Yet, inside the spacious cavern where Justin found his cross, the carving still remained as an anonymous, untold tale of bravery, cunning, and friendship on the cold, gray wall.
However, the monument was different now. Justin, using a pocketknife, had made one last change to perfect the drawing, to express what he and the Owsla of Watership Down had felt.
On each depiction of the Watership rabbits, on all of the warriors of the cross-bearer's fellowship, was now a freshly scratched carving of a cross necklace draped around their necks, mirroring the one of the human cross-bearer.
The cross, though both a blessing and a burden, was shared by all.
"All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed."
Richard Adams, Watership Down
"As it is written: For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
NIV Bible, Romans 8:36-39
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
NIV Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:1-7
THE END
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Author's notes: I would like to express my heartiest thanks to the following reviewers:
Kara Crane: Thanks for your review, and now, it's done! Hope to see more of you!
Brian: Well, it has been a long wait, hasn't it? But, it was worth it, no? =)
Lizella: I'm glad to see I've at least attracted Bigwig's number 1 fan to this story, and I am very appreciative of all the reviews and emotions you showed for the chapters, especially about Bigwig! =) I just hope you're not too sad that the story is now finished. By the way, he says thanks and one of these days, he'd like to give you a ride on his back too.
Bulgeta la Wang: You never did get back to me about the contest. I hope you're aren't offended if I got tired of waiting. Hope you are doing well.
David / AndrewB / Loganberry: You are truly, without doubt, one of the best reviewers and fan of this story I could ever hope for, wish for really. You provided me so much help, from discussing about WD to translating Lapine phrases, to making me smile every time I read one of your reviews. To tell you the truth, this story could not be where it was without you being a part of it, and for that, I thank you. I admit I am being a bit lengthy with these chapters, but then again, I'm not a narrative author for nothing now, aren't I? Hope to see you complete your story as well.
Me: Thanks again, and I hope you join !
Light Sneasel: I'm also glad for your reviews! I certainly hope to see you around again soon! And yes, the trials by fire for each rabbit were no accident. =)
Juunanagou4ever: Glad you enjoyed it, and I hope the chapters of Holly and Strawberry do you justice. =)
Windwalker: Actually, I must give some credit to you. Without your review, I would have never thought of putting in the Plague Dogs in my story. Yet, after watching the sad video, I knew I had to do it because my heart ached for it. And yes, Hawkbit does certainly grow on you, doesn't he? =)
Green Eve: Thank you for your encouragement.
Soul Reaver: Thanks, and maybe someday I will. Hope to see you finish "Kilo Two Zero".
L1701E: As always, it has been a pleasure to review your stories.
Wtw: I thank you for lending me the Promised Friends for this story as since I feel in love with the characters while reading your fan fiction. I hope you are pleased with the result.
Red Witch: Thanks again, and I'm always a Misfit fan! =)
Kelsey and Meleo / FiverandPipkin51 / Hell on Hooves: I will, and I hope to see you guys again. Thanks for the reviews and I'm glad to see that you made yourselves quite comfortable in fan fiction.
Entei-rah: You are also a treasured reviewer, and I daresay you're a much more dedicated WD fan than I am. I thank you for writing 4th and 5th WD stories for all of us, and I especially thank you for tolerating the rabbits that constantly plague your guestbook to no ends! =) If it is any consolation, they do not intentionally mean to drive you crazy! =)
Whispy-bunny: Thank you for the reviews, and coincidentally, I love your dramatic stories! They are certainly heart-breaking and could give me a run for the money with angst! I hope to see you write more!
Hehe: Thank you, and for the number of words, look in the beginning of Chapter 31. =) It'll surprise you! =)
Rogue14: Thank you.
Machine-Gunner: Is it based on true experiences? I won't say, but I will say that every character has a small part of me in it, though I can attest my life has NEVER been as bad as Justin's! =) I appear to have struck a chord with everyone about the bullies part. =) I'm sure Justin appreciates the thought.
Rhiannon Denli: I hope it stays interesting too, or else I don't get reviews! =)
David Monid / David M1: Thank you, and again, I am always honored to have my story being the first you ever reviewed! =)
Pipkin3: Thank you again for lending Blethlin for me. I have no idea why, but the instant she appeared to me in your story, I knew I found a doe for Hawkbit at last (as much as they try to deny it, it keeps things interesting!)
LifesPawn: Actually, you'd be surprised at how trivial the reasons are people pick on others. And you are right that it's not that far off the mark from high school. Thanks for the review! =)
YuooFox: You certainly have my permission to print this but I doubt you'd have the money and paper to do so since it is a lot of pages. =) Still, feel free, and be sure to credit and myself if you ever decide to post this somewhere. Glad to have you as a reviewer! =) Oh, and I would love to see the figurine you made of Acorn! And yes, Justin is a bit unrealistic, but then again, you could say everyone can see themselves in Justin sometimes, and that was what I was aiming for. As for this being a long story, I agree, it is too long. But this is how I feel I wish to write it as, and it would better for it to be too long than too short, right? =)
Sugercraze49: Thanks, and I try to set deadlines for myself if I can because I certainly know I hate it if a story remains suspended. Glad to see you here! =)
ADE123 / ADEEEE: I would try to get it published, but I cannot because this is based on Adams' work, and to do so would try to take advantage of his creation. So, I decided that in the end, I just wish to post this on the Internet to share with everybody. I do not want to make money, I just wanted to tell people a story in my heart and get feedback, which is more than enough to satisfy me. Thanks again! =)
D. Jackson: As I have mentioned earlier before, thank you for the sincere review and I was touched and humbled to read your LJ to dedicate an LJ entry on the Cross-bearer. I am grateful that despite the religious tones, this story can still be enjoyed as a story, and I hope this suits well with you. And yes, I do try not to make it overly zealous if it can be helped. Thanks again! =)
Wolfrat: They do? Wow, I guess Justin isn't the only one! =)
pIPPINpIRATE: Glad to hear it, and I am certainly glad to see you are so passionate over this story! Can't wait to read your fics as well! =)
Ragweed: Again, thank you, but I am certainly no genius! =) And I can't wait to read your updated fan fiction as well! And thanks eternally for your kind words and praises! They really made my day, and yes, all good things must end, but I would prefer to end it gracefully, and thus, this needed to end. After all, I can't leave this hanging or go on indefinitely, now can I? =)
Silver04: Yeah, sorry for the lack of updates this time. Hope this story will more than make up for the months of waiting! =)
Gryffindorhobbit: Whoops, sorry! Didn't mean to make that mistake there! =)
Nikkicub: Well, here you go! I hope it is to your pleasure! =)
Sebastian1: I tried to read it, but it really got a bit confusing. Still, I'm glad you reviewed! Thanks again!
Dee: Thanks Dee, and I'll visit you sometime in the office! =)
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