Disclaimer: I do not own Watership Down
No one helped me write or edit this chapter, but I did write it to a coauthor friend of mine. I hope that this chapter isn't too weird for you avid readers.
All Rabbits grow up learning danger isn't what you see in front of you. The only way to survive this looming danger was to keep moving and never stop even in the face of certain death.
"Why are you heading the way I just came from?" Blackcurrant asked Ebony.
"Terribly sorry we have to follow your worn down paw prints. I haven't gone far from a burrow and a field of flowers to nibble on my whole life. The world is vast and uncertain to me, but going where you trekked will help me see more of the world safely and you notice things you didn't before."
"But your not realizing one thing. I went away from there because I couldn't find any spot not being scoured by man or full or predators. Heading back there is the same as leading yourself with me dragged along to our doom." Blackcurrant replied.
Ebony knew his decision wasn't vapid, but he was wrong about there not being any place to settle where he came from. All Ebony had to do was reach the beginning of Blackcurrant's journey and take a few steps further.
The two Bucks stopped. They were near a cave only a rabbit could fit through.
This cylindrical metallic entrance was a good hiding spot, but a Buck wouldn't last a day inside there. They would only need it if the situation demanded it. The hair on the nape of Ebony's pelt started constricting and his blood turned cold. Even at the volume of the wind blowing, he heard dogs bark.
"Quickly, get into that cave!" Ebony ordered.
"What?" Blackcurrant asked.
"Leading you here was my fault, so it's my responsibility to get you to safety first. Move!"
Blackcurrant hopped like Homba's were after him. He made it safely inside, but Ebony was standing up on his two paws.
"It's near Ni-Frith, get your tail in here!" Blackcurrant shouted.
Ebony was tranced by what he saw. It happened sometimes to Buck's seeing a Hrair of different animals or Flay the size of fifteen burrows. This excitement didn't last long, Ebony got back in his defensive form and leaped inside.
What could be heard outside was non-standable, non-Lapine, but it sounded like hulking creatures communicating.
"You lost us that kitten and his Buck guardian! Find us something soon, or we will have chew both your balls off!"
Ebony and Blackcurrant heard loud noises, but what Elil they saw was as big as them. A dog with a curled tail and charcoal eyes the size of a rabbit maybe a Hare was sniffing the ground. It wasn't a dog owned by the humans, those small balls under its tail would've been chopped off by now.
The little dog was speaking out loud, but none of it was understandable to Ebony or Blackcurrant. The dog didn't look at them, but something about the way it ran away from the cave told them he was going to get his pack and knew where the two were hiding.
"Ready to listen to something foolish and reckless?" Ebony asked Blackcurrant.
"Why stop now?" Blackcurrant said sarcastically.
"Where that dog was, we need to sprint out there and run either back where we came from or just straight ahead. There's too many dogs out there to go in their direction."
"Why can't we just run out the other side? This cave must lead somewhere."
"Blocking us will be there first plane at capturing us. With a small dog in their pack, when we die of hunger they'll use him to pull our lifeless bodies out. The only way to live is to escape from here now."
Blackcurrant couldn't utter another word before Ebony moved out of the cave. Blackcurrant didn't hesitate but didn't concur following Ebony out. They were now two Buck's moving fast and moving in different directions while moving fast.
Behind them was what was called in the Lapine language a Hrair of dogs. Black, brown, blond gold, and white with clovers covering its left eye.
Ebony made sure Blackcurrant was in the lead. Although it looked like they were both going to soon be caught and clenched down by all four dogs, there was a bigger predator who dogs couldn't help confront and who would eat them unless the dogs were smart enough to run.
It was finally time for them to upset something for a good cause. Hidden in the trees was a living Elil reaching for Flay of honey. Ebony got close to it and took a chomp at it's calcaneal tendon. The beast roared from more the surprise someone would interrupt its dinner than the pain it felt being bitten.
Ebony didn't look back. The great beast roared loud enough to be heard from half the forest. This roar was what made the dogs stop chasing the two Buck's.
Ebony heard the last fatal cry of the smallest dog as its life was being crushed by the big paws of the dogs Elil. To avenge his death, the other dogs jumped on the bear only for another one to be caught in its jaws.
Ebony and Blackcurrant stopped running like their lives depended on it.
Every rabbit knew that being afraid and running out of fear too long could cause their heart to race and eventually die. Ebony waited until his breath wasn't so worm out before apologizing.
"I'm sorry we had to be in danger like that. I thought moving back where you came would be safer than moving forward through an ominous land."
"It's alright. At least we both made it out in one peace. Although, I'm worried there won't be any rabbits we can find and help."
Blackcurrant was right about how hard it was to find rabbits. That was until they reached a river. Ebony could cross water, he liked to try leaving the warren by crossing water. He eventually learned.
They weren't alone near this river. There was a dark fur rabbit with white speckles with a white with black spot kitten. Most rabbits didn't live to see their kittens become fathers, but this one was an exception.