Chapter FOUR - Stitchwort

Rabbits, of course, are no strangers to death, and everyone in the warren knew well how fortunate they had been to have come through the depths of a hard winter with so few casualties. But for a rabbit of Blackavar's standing to have stopped running was quite another matter, especially coming as it had so soon after the death of Acorn. To a number of the Watership rabbits, it had begun to seem as though the extraordinary good fortune which had accompanied them during and since the defeat of Woundwort had finally deserted them; that El-ahrairah had at last turned his attention elsewhere.

Hazel himself was resting in his burrow, still at a loss to understand the cause of Blackavar's death, and try as he might he could not prevent himself from feeling a responsibility he knew he need not. He was much troubled by his inability to understand what had happened, and was relieved to notice Pipkin at the entrance, waiting nervously to gain his attention. Hazel went over to him, and they touched noses.

"Hullo, Hlao-roo," he said. "How have you been bearing up?"

"I'm trying, Hazel-rah," answered Pipkin, "but it's been hard. I thought I'd go and see Hawkbit and Speedwell to see if I could cheer them up - tell them a story, that kind of thing."

"Well done. But I didn't know you were a storyteller," said Hazel. "Which one was it?"

"The Blessing of El-ahrairah," replied Pipkin. "Dandelion taught it to me: he said it was the first tale any storyteller ought to learn. I'm not very good at telling it yet, but the others seemed to enjoy it, anyway."

"That was a good idea of yours, Hlao. I'm sure you've done those two a power of good; Speedwell particularly - he's been in a bit of a state. And you did a capital job when Holly first joined us, I remember - Dandelion spoke very highly of you for that. Where is Dandelion, anyway? I think we could all do with a story tonight."

"I don't know, Hazel-rah. I haven't seen him today."

"Nor have I: somehow it worries me not to know. Perhaps he's still in his burrow. Would you go and see if you can find him, please? Fiver, too, if he's around. There are a few things I'd like to talk over with him."

"Right, Hazel-rah," said Pipkin, and disappeared into the run.

Barely had he departed, however, than Fiver came hopping slowly into the burrow. He was accompanied by Strawberry, who had a worried, rather confused air about him.

"I must talk to you at once, Hazel-rah," said Strawberry as soon as he had entered the hole. "Something very strange is going on in this warren." His voice took on a more urgent tone. "A few of the younger rabbits have been muttering that Fiver has lost his head - saying that it's ridiculous for him to tell everyone that there's no danger when one of our best rabbits has been struck down in an instant. I even heard one saying that he must have angered Frith in some way."

"What on earth's got into them?" interrupted Hazel. "There didn't seem to be any sign of trouble at ni-Frith in the Honeycomb, and no-one can deny that Fiver's been right again and again ever since we left Sandleford. And to speak of Lord Frith like that... it's ridiculous."

"I'm sure it's that Stitchwort fellow," continued Strawberry. (Hazel recalled Stitchwort as one of the heaviest of the Watership-born rabbits, confident and courageous but with a tendency towards arrogance and self-importance.) "He's been telling his friends that Fiver's been taking advantage of his position - saying that you do whatever he says because he's your brother. Fiver and I went to see if we could talk him out of it, but he wouldn't listen, and when we tried to reason with him, one of his gang - Knapweed, I think it was - struck out at me and said I was a traitor to rabbits who had no business in this warren in the first place. It was getting pretty unpleasant, so we got out and came up here."

For the first time, Hazel noticed the long scratch that ran diagonally across Strawberry's face. It was shallow and not dangerous, but he was now becoming seriously perturbed. His own authority as Chief Rabbit owed a great deal to his ability to rule by consensus, common sense and the personal loyalty he inspired in others: if the dissension of which Strawberry had spoken were to spread, his position might come under genuine threat.

"But I'll be snared if I change the way we do things," he thought. "If I have to start behaving like Woundwort to keep people in order, then it's not worth a thing." He briefly considered whether it might be in the warren's interests for him to stand down as Chief Rabbit. But there was no practical way that could be done with Hyzenthlay and Bigwig both out of the warren, and even if there were, where was there a rabbit who could unite the warren any more than he? No, he must remain: to do otherwise would be to destroy what had been bought at such high cost, to throw away all that had been gained. That would be a true betrayal.

"Fiver," said Hazel, "are you certain about what you said to everyone in the Honeycomb this afternoon?"

"I'm quite sure," came the reply. "But I can see trouble over this Stitchwort business. I think we're in for a bit of a rough time, if truth be told."

As if to illustrate his point, at that moment Pipkin appeared in the mouth of the hole, breathing heavily and plainly frightened.

"What on earth's the matter, Hlao?" asked Hazel as Pipkin came into the burrow. "You look half-tharn. And where's Dandelion? I asked you to bring him up here."

Pipkin was about to reply when Dandelion crawled over the threshold, followed by Blackberry. They too were clearly worried.

"I'm here, Hazel-rah," said Dandelion, and almost tumbled onto the floor of the burrow.

"Where have you been, Dandelion?" asked Hazel. "You look a real mess; as though you've been out rolling in the nettles all day. Pipkin here says you were with him last night, but no-one seems to know what you've been up to since then. Perhaps you'd care to tell me."

"Well, you see, Hazel-rah," answered Dandelion, "I was feeling a bit low this morning, so instead of going to silflay I went down to one of the winter burrows for a bit of a nap. I only meant to stay there for a short time, but I must have been more tired than I thought, as when I woke up it was getting on for sunset, so I thought I'd better get back up here quickly. As I got close to the hole, I saw that there was something wrong. I found Speedwell, who was filling me in about poor old Blackavar - and what a miserable business that is - when a couple of young bucks came running up to me and told me that Fiver had been causing trouble and that I wasn't to listen to him. What was that all about, do you know?"

Hazel and Fiver explained all that had transpired during the day, and Dandelion continued.

"Anyway," he said, "I told these rabbits not to be silly, that they were just upset and overwrought, but they started getting very hostile, growling at me and telling me to get out of their sight if I knew what was good for me. I was still feeling rather ill, and didn't want to make any trouble, so I went straight back to my own hole, keeping out of everyone's way, and went back to sleep. A little later, Pipkin came in and woke me up, saying you'd been asking for me. We passed Stitchwort and Knapweed as we came up here, but they didn't say anything - just sat there and stared. It wasn't very nice, I can tell you."

"We need Bigwig and the others back here," said Hazel. "And quickly, too. Someone ought to go and look out for them. Not you, Dandelion, you're in no condition for it: Blackberry, would you go, please? And if you see Stitchwort on the way, tell him I'd like to see him here at once."

Hazel broke off, as he realised that Stitchwort was already at the mouth of the burrow. But he was not alone. Knapweed was there, as was Frogbit, one of Thethuthinnang's sons, and several others were familiar to him. Blackberry understood in a flash what it must mean, and was out past the other rabbits before anyone else could move.