"AAAARRGGHH!"

A scream of anguish and pain erupted from the usually quiet and peaceful high hills of Watership Down, where a crowd of agitated rabbits waited at the main entrance listening to the cries of a soon-to-be mother giving birth. Lily had gone into labor, or kindle in rabbit language, while she had been out silflaying with the does. Vilthuril, who is now pregnant when she mated with Fiver, alerted Hazel and the others of what recently occurred. Concern and panic swept over Bigwig as he immediately escorted his doe to their burrow, where Blackberry took charge of the situation and had to use force to kick Bigwig out. The news spread like wildfire when every rabbit rushed to the main beech tree at the center of warren, eager to see the newborns, but Blackberry strictly ordered them to wait outside so she can concentrate on bringing Lily's newborn into the world.

For what seemed like hours, worry and apprehension colored the faces of the rabbits, including Kehaar and Hannah, when they listened to Lily's cries of agonizing pain, wincing as her cries pierced their ears that felt like claws on a chalkboard. A very anxious Bigwig leaned his ear close to the main entrance, eager to know if his mate and their litter would be alright and what the gender they were. He tried to sneak in, but was prevented from entering by Thethuthinnang.

"You're not allowed inside until the mother and her newborn are checked over," she said, holding up her paw.

"I don't give a damn!" Bigwig growled. He was determined to be by his mate's side so he easily passed through the main entrance, shoving Thethuthinnang to the side.

"Thlayli!" Holly called out to him. "You can't just go barging in on her at a time like this!"

"Let him go," interrupted Hyzenthlay, preventing her mate from pursing the lion maned buck. "He's very worried about Lily. Wouldn't you be worried if I was in labor and you weren't there to help me get through this?"

After thinking over what she told him, Holly relented as he understood that Hyzenthlay was right.

Inside her burrow, Lily lay in her nest breathing heavily, surrounded by Strawberry and Thethuthinnang, trying their best to calm her down. She wanted Bigwig to be at her side, but Blackberry refused while she urged Lily to push as hard as she could. Bigwig had made it in time to grasp Lily's paw and gently assuring her to stay calm. Blackberry angrily tried to force Bigwig to leave, but the lion maned buck fumingly scorned back at her that he is Lily's mate and he will not leave this burrow until his babies are born. Strawberry brushed her paw over Lily's forehead to wipe off the sweat as Blackberry and Bigwig encouraged her to push. Thethuthinnang soothed the doe with reassurance and encouragement, whilst Lily clenched her teeth and the whites in her eyes exposed when the pupils rolled in the back of her head.

"C'mon, you can do it! Oh look, I see little ears!" Strawberry caught sight of an infant rabbit's head emerging from the doe's open entrance, then came a face, a small body, and finally came the tail. The kitten squealed the second he was born, covered in birth blood, but he was immediately cared for and cleaned by Thethuthinnang and Strawberry, licking the blood off and placing the kitten by his mother's chest where he began feeding off the milk from her nipple.

"It's a buck!" exclaimed Thethuthinnang, when she checked the gender of the firstborn kitten.

"YES!" Bigwig swiped a victory paw in the air, delighted at having a son of his very own.

"We're not out of the woods yet." Blackberry cut off his brief celebration. "There's still more kittens that need to be delivered."

Then Lily drew in a sharp breath as tears streamed out of her eyes. She felt her mate's presence close by, relieved to have his support. She desperately wanted the pain to end, but she grew determined to get the last of her kittens to come out. The second kitten emerged from her entrance, this time it was a doe, squealing. When she came out, the does quickly cleaned off the blood and placed the kitten beside her sibling to feed off her mother's milk. Feeling the last of her litter ready to come out, Lily pushed with all of her might. Another kitten's head gradually emerged from the doe's opening, later joined by the tiny body. She began to squeal seconds after she was born, covered in birth blood and cleaned up by the does.

"The last two are does!" said Thethuthinnang, smiling in relief.

"Thank goodness it's over," sighed Strawberry, as she took a few steps backwards to relax.

"Congratulations Bigwig," praised Blackberry. "You have one son and two daughters."

"Thank you, Blackberry, and many thanks to you, lasses." Bigwig smiled, deeply grateful for their assistance. "All right, you can all come in now!" he hollered up at the tunnel that lead to the outside of the warren. Though he secretly wished his mate had given birth to more than three babies. Nevertheless, he was quite happy to be a father to a litter of three.

Everybody anxiously pushed or shoved their way inside, desperate to see how the delivery went and to make sure if Lily was alright. Reaching the burrow, there in the nest lay the exhausted mother surrounded by her nursemaid does and her proud mate who affectionately nuzzled her forehead. Feeding off her milk were the new kittens, two does and one buck. A chorus of 'awwws' sounded, watching the infants making adorable squeals and baby noises as they continued to feed.

"I've never seen a more likely group of healthy kits in all my seasons," Captain Broom said. "You ought to be congratulated."

"Yes, congratulations!" answered a crowd of rabbits.

"Thank you very much," Lily responded, sincerely.

"They're so small," said Pipkin, curiously staring at the infant bunnies.

"They're so... wet and squishy," Hawkbit commented, raising an eyebrow.

"Because they were just born!" Dandelion slightly scorned at the grey buck, lightly cuffing the back of his head and earning him a scowl from Hawkbit in turn.

"We're all very happy for you, Bigwig," Hazel commended, smiling. "And we're happy for your mate, too."

"Thanks, Hazel." Bigwig nodded, then he started boasting with pride, "I've been looking forward to having a beautiful doe and a litter of kittens in my burrow. Lots of little Bigwigs, Hazel! Think of that, and tremble! Ha, ha!"

"Oh, I'm trembling already." Hawkbit grunted under his breath.

Leaning in very closely to the kittens and so that no one will hear him, Bigwig whispered to them with fatherly love, "I promise... I'll never let anything happen to you as long as I'm here." One of the kittens, the second born, reached her nose up to sniff at him. She touched noses with her father and Bigwig's heart melted, giving the tiny kitten a lick on her forehead.

Names had been given to the little ones right after they were born. The firstborn kitten, a buck called Basil. The second born kitten, a doe called Aubretia. The youngest kitten, a doe called Violet, named in honor of her mother's fallen friend.

The day after Bigwig and Lily's kittens had been born, Clover had gone into kindle. Inspired by Bigwig's actions yesterday, Hazel decided to remain at Clover's side whenever she cried out in agony by soothing reassurance and encouraging her to keep pushing. At last, she gave birth to four healthy kittens: Melsa, Sandwort, Scabious and Gilia. Hazel was thrilled to have the children he always dreamed of sharing with Clover, though some of the rabbits were speechless because Clover picked the name Scabious for one of her sons. Hazel and Bigwig had to explain to Clover of whom Scabious was in Sandleford, but Clover determined to keep the name because despite how cruelly the Sandleford Owsla treated them, it doesn't mean they shouldn't name their kittens in their honor after suffering a terrible fate at the hands of humans.

A few days later, Primrose, Vilthuril and Hyzenthlay had gone into labor separately. Fiver and Vilthuril became the proud parents of two kittens: a buck called Threar, named in honor of Silver's uncle (Silver almost choked up when Fiver had chosen to name his son after his unfortunate uncle), and a doe named Willow. The name of Holly and Hyzenthlay's newborn son is Ash, a buck.

Blackavar, having found true love with Primrose, became her mate and a very proud father of their son called Blackthorn. The dark furred rabbit knew he earned a family of his own at long last, after all the cruelty he was inflicted upon in Efrafa. He vowed to make sure his son will never suffer as he did and live a peaceful life on the high hills.

Everybody rejoiced over the birth of a new litter, or rather five litters that happened in two weeks. Blackberry, Strawberry and Thethuthinnang were praised for all of their hard work and determination, although Blackberry wished she never had to go through all of that screaming and blood licking again. Bluebell made a joke of Blackberry suffering through childbirth on her own if she ever decided to become his mate, a joke that caused the doe to cuff him on the hindquarters. To the happy families, it felt wonderful to have kittens in the warren. It truly felt like they are really here to stay on Watership Down.

Like the view from a hill
I can see you and me
Like the view from a hill
It's so easy to see

Here's where we belong
I feel it so strong
And I see it so clear
As I always will
Like the view from a hill

Like a bird in the sky
I can see us below
As it all passes by
I believe that I know

This feeling of love
Seen from above
Goes on and on
As it always will
Like the view from a hill

One day we may want to know
Where did our short lives go
How soon will it end
How strong will it grow

Like the view from a hill
I can see through the tears
Like the view from a hill
I can see down the years

Here's where we belong
I feel it so strong
And I see it so clear
As I always will
Like the view from a hill

As the days passed, the kittens had begun to open their eyes and leave their burrows with their parents to explore the warren. They were old enough to go out for silflay, frolic in the grass, and playing games with their adopted aunts or uncles. The kittens were taught the ways of how a rabbit lives in the wild, the stories of El-ahrairah that were passed down from generations, and Bigwig or Holly teaching them to run from elil or to defend themselves. As for Lily, she had been taught the language of rabbits in order to understand what they often said, not to mention she learned how to defend herself or to avoid elil thanks to Bigwig's methods.

One morning, Kehaar flew over the high hills pretending to be a hawk or an owl while pursuing the kittens. Their parents kept an eye on them beneath the beech trees. Most of the other rabbits were either playing, silflaying or inside the warren doing who knows what else. The mothers chuckled, impressed and amused at their babies using tricks to avoid the gull.

"Isn't it wonderful having little ones around the place? It feels we're really here to stay," Hazel sighed in true bliss.

"I agree. Even after all those seasons in a hutch, it feels like I've got a second chance at life," Clover agreed.

"All the seasons I've lived in Efrafa, it never felt like home," recalled Primrose, despite the scars of living in the abusive and militaristic warren, she found true happiness of being free and starting a family of her own. "But here… I can't imagine being happier…"

"Hazel, watch this!" Bigwig said, eager to show his mate and the other parents of what the kittens learned.

Everyone watched as Kehaar circled the air, pretending to be either a hawk or an owl, still in pursuit after the young rabbits. Before Kehaar could reach them when he extended his webbed feet out at the lolloping youngsters, the kittens were clever enough to maneuver one side that made Kehaar miss his catch and crash landed, sliding to a halt right in front of the parents.

"Are you hurt, Uncle Kehaar?" Aubretia asked in a cute voice.

The seagull opened one eye, then opened another with a smile on his beak, signaling the baby doe that he was fine. He stood back up as he dusted his wings off, complimenting, "Those are pretty fast baby chicks you got there. Pretty smart, too."

"They should be," Hazel said. "Holly and Bigwig have been teaching them everything they know."

The rest of the gang came over to see what has been going on, making the kittens decide to go dog pile on Hawkbit and Silver, neither of them minded their playful gestures.

"That won't take long, mind you." Hawkbit laughed as he laid on his back, holding Sandwort on his stomach. "Somebody should teach them manners."

Suddenly Silver burst out laughing hysterically. "Hey, No-no tickling! Now, you can't just... Now, now we don't do that here in this warren... No, you're tickling! I can't stand the tickling!" Scabious, Ash, Basil and Willow were scratching underneath his armpits or on his stomach, finding his tickle spots. "HELP, CAPTAIN HOLLY!"

"You're on your own, lad." Holly shook his head, smirking. "Seeing you laugh for once? Frith knows the last time we're going to see something so rare?"

Thankfully, Lily came to the white buck's rescue. She pried the youngsters off Silver's stomach. "Come on now, give your Uncle Silver some air!" Silver could only pant heavily, breathing in air with sweet relief after that laughter, which felt… both natural and unnatural to him.

"When I was their age, I was already raiding gardens for flayrah. Nothing like your first bite of tender juicy carrot. Mmm-hmm." Bigwig recalled back to his childhood, remembering his first raid on a garden and eating his very first carrot. Thinking about flayrah gave the lion maned buck an idea to treat his newborn children and their friends. "You know, our little ones deserve a taste of the best food in the world. A bit of a turnip might be rather nice. I got it! What do you say we visit the farm, Hazel?"

"By Frith, Thlayli!" Holly gasped, bolting upright on his feet in alarm. "Your first time as a father and you want to risk yourself, raiding farms where the humans live?!"

Those words caught Bigwig off guard, offending him. "I'm not trying to throw my life away for my kits! And nobody said anything about humans except you!"

"Our first day of peace and quiet, and you've got your mind set on an adventure," Hazel sighed. "Not to mention starting a fight that could frighten your babies." He glanced over at the kittens, already frightened of Holly's outburst.

"Bigwig has never been one for quiet reflection," Fiver said.

"Reflection's for mill ponds, ha! This time of the year, brussels sprouts are at their peak. Be a shame to be wasted all on Man, wouldn't you say?" Bigwig laughed, hopping toward the edge of the hill and staring out at Nuthanger Farm in the distance.

Angered at having his warning ignored, Holly gave the lion maned buck a stern glare. "Remember what I told you, Thlayli? You have a reputation for being impetuous. You need to consider how this idea of yours of raiding the farm will work out. This is not the time for impulsiveness!"

Stupefied, Bigwig opened his mouth to make a harsh retort at being called impetuous again, until a tiny voice spoke up.

"What does 'impetshush' mean?" Threar questioned, mispronouncing the two words. "And who is Tayli?"

"Impetuous means hot-headed and Bigwig's actual name is Thlayli," Blackberry corrected the young buck, slowly enunciating the words carefully.

Hazel began thinking about what Holly said, understanding his concerns of avoiding humans at all costs, but there was more than just the dangerous farmer and his gun. "What about Bob and Duster? They're not the sort of dogs whom let us wander into the garden and help ourselves now, are they?"

As a result, Bigwig grew disappointed that his plan of raiding the farm was dismissed because of the dangers of elil. He understood how they felt, but all he wanted was to steal a few carrots for his children to eat, so they can try their very first flayrah and savor its delicious taste.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't forget those stinking cats live there too," Kehaar reminded him, standing at the lion maned buck's side. Then he got an idea. "I got it! I get some big water food for the baby chicks, eh? You'll see!" Flapping his wings, he screeched and took to the skies, disappearing from sight.

"Do you think we should have told him that kittens don't eat 'big water' food?" asked Holly.

"Nah, he's a bit big for his beak." Bigwig shook his head.

"All of this talk of raiding reminds me of the story of El-ahrairah and Rowsby Woof," said Dandelion.

"Who's this Rowsby Woof?" Lily asked, puzzled.

"Oh, right... Well, that's always been a good thing about you, not knowing about the Prince of Rabbits and his ventures. Always got one rabbit who's up for a new tale or two..."

The rest of the baby rabbits lolloped over toward their adopted uncle, eager and excited to listen to this story. Lily listened quietly to this new tale of El-ahrairah. Dandelion cleared his throat before beginning. "One evening, El-ahrairah and his faithful Owsla captain, Rabscuttle, decided they'd like to steal some cabbage for his people to eat before the upcoming winter season…"

They knew the Man at the nearby farm had the most fragrant, mouthwatering cabbages that ever came out of the ground. Suffice it to say, they HAD to have it. However, there was just one touch of bother to contend with: the farmer's guard dog, Rowsby Woof. A brute of a beast, Rowsby Woof was quite the guard to deal with, as no rabbit had ever been brave enough or MAD enough to go near him… but El-ahrairah already figured how to get him to do all the work and then be rid of him. He had a simple plan, for as all rabbits know, dogs are simple beasts.

He tucked his ears under his chins, so that he too looked like a dog, gnawed a lump of scrape off a tire wheel to put on his nose, and grabbed a nearby birch twig before jumping up to get Rowsby Woof's attention, addressing the dog in a high voice, "Oh Rowsby Woof, it is I, your Fairy Wogdog."

Hearing the voice from behind, the dog turned around to face the small beast. At first, he assumed it was a rabbit, but upon seeing the Wogdog's ears short and stubby, he could only conclude it was a dog he saw. "I didn't know I had one," inquired Rowsby.

"Well, you do," the Wogdog replied, "and I am here to grant you a great honor."

"Oh, really?"

"The Queen of Dogs, her Royal Majesty, Dripslobber, thinks you're the best cabbage guard who ever wagged his tail. She wants to give you a nice doggy treat!"

Delighted by the prospects of being granted such an honor by the Queen of all Dogs, he rolled over the ground with sheer joy. "My dreams have come true! How humbly I'll roll upon the ground for her."

"That's a good boy. The Queen will pass the crossroads this very night on her way to, err… the Great Barkandscratch, at the… elm grove."

Eager to meet with Queen Dripslobber herself, Rowsby began to dig and dig under the fence. "I'll get there faster than a bark!"

"Now, the Queen might be late, but you must wait, lest that treat go to that yappy terrier up the lane," warned his Wogdog.

No sooner had Rowsby Woof popped out on the other side of the fence did a faint thought occur to him. "Who'll watch the garden while I'm gone?"

"I'm the Fairy Wogdog, remember? I'll take of everything in the garden. Everything. I promise."

Satisfied with the answer, he rushed over towards the hillside. "I'm coming, my Queen!"

The moment that dog was out of sight, El-ahrairah had untucked his ears and ripped the tire piece off his nose as he called out, "Bye-bye, Rowsby Woof! Rabscuttle and I will look after your cabbages while you're gone!"

El-ahrairah now had the perfect tunnel built to the cabbage patch, and he didn't have to do any work himself with Rabscuttle's help. However, Rowsby Woof's master came home to find his dog at the crossroads, believing Roswby Woof has been waiting for him, and leads the dejected mutt homeward. Alarmed, El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle needed to find a place to hide and unwittingly rushing inside the house through the open back door to the kitchen. Trapped inside the house with the Man and Rowsby Woof, the two heroes needed to come up a plan to escape. The master left to get something to drink, whilst the dejected Rowsby Woof lay on a mat in the kitchen.

Luckily, El-ahrairah calls out to the downhearted Rowsby Woof in his high pitched voice while hiding behind some boxes, "Oh, Rowsby Woof!" His voice made the despicable mutt sit upward. "It is I, the Fairy Wogdog! I'm sorry for your disappointment when you didn't meet the Queen. But don't be downhearted. She had a good reason. The Queen received news of a great danger."

"What sort of danger?" asked Rowsby Woof.

"A plague of horrible rat goblins sent by the giant rat of Sumatra are coming for you and your master. They carry a great sickness. I fear I cannot fight them, but YOU can if you wish to protect the life of your master."

"Oh, horror!" cried Rowsby Woof. "There is no time to be lost! Tell me what I must do!"

"If a dog of flesh and blood could run four times round the house, barking as loudly as he could, you will be ward off the rats and their sickness will go away. But I forgot you are shut in, what is to be done? I fear all is lost."

"Have no fear! I will stop those rat goblins!" And with that, Rowsby Woof starts barking loud enough to raise the dead.

The Man upstairs, shouting and cursing, came stomping down to the kitchen. He flung open the window, convinced there are thieves lurking around, but he could hear nothing, partly due to the ceaseless barking. Picking up his gun, the Man flung open the door and out shot Rowsby Woof, bellowing like a bull and tore around the house. The Man followed him, leaving the door open.

El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle dashed out of the house and disappeared through the laurel bushes, catching their breath. Pleased at their success, they quickly and silently stole all the cabbage from the garden, whilst the Man angrily caught Rowsby Woof and dragged him back inside the house.

"…And so, El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle brought plenty of flayrah back to their warren for the Prince's people, they all ate more flayrah than any ten rabbits when the winter season came, although El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle had a very long, slow trip home when bringing the cabbages home."

When Dandelion had ended the story, all of the baby rabbits fell on their backs on the grass, like adorable roly-poly balls of fluff, to which Lily thought it was so cute.

"Well told, Dandelion!" Fiver praised.

Melsa sat back up to ask the lion maned buck, "Uncle Bigwig, what's flayrah?"

"It's lettuce, carrots, turnips and other tender morsels that Man grows for himself," Bigwig explained to the young doe, then turning to Lily. "You see, appalling ignorance. Breaks my heart, it does."

"They're still so young," Lily answered.

"Come on, now. Silflay is over. Time to go in." Primrose instructed all of the kittens to go back inside their burrows, earning support from the rest of the mothers.

Clover gently ushered her children back inside the warren, adding, "It's time for your nap, little ones."

Just as the five mothers disappeared inside the main entrance, Lily couldn't help but overhear what the rabbits above ground had in store for their planned raid.

"If there's anything I learned as Captain of Owsla, it's that flayrah waits for no rabbit." Bigwig made his decision, determined to go through with it, for the sake of his children. "Who's coming?"

"Well, ready for a bit of adventure?" Hazel agreed, thinking it over and decided to accompany the lion maned buck to the farm.

"If that's what it takes to get some carrots, I suppose so." Fiver committed to join them.

Watching the two brothers teaming up with Bigwig to raid the farm, Hawkbit frowned at Dandelion and dryly commented, "You see, that's the trouble with your stories. Suddenly, everyone wants to be El-ahrairah."

"Especially Bigwig," Hazel chuckled.

Momentarily sighing, Lily shook her head at their childish impulsiveness.

"Now then… move out!" Bigwig raised his voice to give command.

The small group of bucks left the high hills: Hazel in the lead, Bigwig in the second, later joined by Fiver, Hawkbit, Silver and Blackavar. A part of her prayed silently things will go smoothly when they disappeared over yonder, until a doe's voice brought her back to her earth.

"Trouble on the farm... One guard chained and a hunter freed... A cat's lust for death, they must heed..." Vilthuril's voice trailed off, her eyes locked up at the main entrance above as if in a trance for a brief moment before coming back to reality.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked, concerned.

"I just had this vision of Fiver and the others at Nuthanger farm, there will be trouble for them just like Captain Holly said there would be." Vilthuril tried to dismiss her visions as fantasies. "I must have been imagining it, I don't even know if it's true or not."

"I doubt it." Lily never doubted Fiver's visions ever since the escape from Sandleford, and if Vilthuril was gifted with visions that could foresee danger, that means Hazel's band is heading for trouble at the farm. "Hey Villy, can I ask you to look after my little ones until I get back?"

"Uh, yes." Vilthuril nodded. "But, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know, but Hazel and the others will get themselves killed if I don't do something!" And with that, Lily took off down the hill and headed towards the farm, but kept her distance so not to give away her presence.


When Lily arrived at the farm, she found Hazel and the others have already hidden in a mixture of brambles and bushes, keeping her distance behind the stone wall to hide her presence. She would be on the receiving end of an harsh lecture for coming here uninvited. But if what Vilthuril predicted is true, then the Watership rabbits will find themselves in grave danger if she didn't do something.

Inside the fenced garden, Duster was sleeping peacefully and not doing quite much at being a guard dog. No sign of Bob, meaning either he was tied up to the dog house around the corner or the humans took him on an outing or a trip to the vet, it doesn't matter. Neither Tabitha or Puss were lurking about, but Lily had to keep her guard up just in case.

"So, who gets to be the Fairy Wogdog?" Hawkbit asked, ready to put their plan into action.

"I'll have a go," volunteered Bigwig.

Oh, this will be good. Lily mused silently in her thoughts.

Bigwig cleared his throat to impersonate his very own Fairy Wogdog. He spoke in a loud high-pitched voice, "Oh Duster, it's me! Your Fairy Dog!"

The second she overheard the lion maned buck changed his voice to sound like a doe, or a lesbian buck, Lily tried not to burst out laughing. Bigwig sounded completely hilarious in a different voice. She placed a paw on her mouth, snickering, and imagined how he'd look disguised as a fairy. Her ears pricked up when she listened to Silver and Blackavar's snickering. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who found Bigwig's feminine voice to be funny.

"Wogdog," corrected Hawkbit.

"Would you rather do this?" Bigwig offered the idea to the dark grey buck.

"No, no, no, no. Carry on!" Hawkbit insisted, so not to get on his bad side.

Bigwig resumed back into imitation of the Fairy Wogdog, continuing to yell at the sleeping beauty. "Yoo-hoo! Hey, hairy face!" But the dog neither moved nor flinched, he continued to sleep on. "He's not cooperating at all," he spoke in his normal voice again.

"It occurs to me this dog isn't as smart as Rowsby Woof," Hazel said. "He can't understand us."

"Which makes fooling him a bit tricky," Fiver agreed.

"And tricking him a bit foolish," Hawkbit added.

"Maybe he's not entirely interested in chasing us," Blackavar suggested. "Instead of waking up, this could be our chance to sneak in by digging under the fence, grab as many carrots as we can, and get out of here before the humans discover us."

"That will do us no good at all," Silver refused, frowning. "Duster will hear us the second we sneak in."

"Still, I wonder why dogs can talk in the El-ahrairah stories, but not in real life," Fiver pondered.

"Maybe long ago, they could talk," Hazel figured, not entirely sure himself. "Maybe they gave up all things dog to stay by the hearth and serve Man."

Or maybe it's famously known in the world that dogs serve as Man's best friend and loyal companions. Lily rolled her eyes at their incompetence.

"Sad, really." Bigwig nodded.

The sound of a car horn alerted the rabbits, forcing them to retreat back in the bushes. The grumpy old farmer, Tom Cane, was leaving the house with a few heavy crates loaded in the back of his truck by the farmhands. Lily figured he could be driving to the market in town to deliver the crates for sale. Thinking of the market and the human town brought back another memory for her when Henry often brought Lily along in his backpack to the market whenever he traveled with his mother to go shopping. Thinking of Henry made her heart ache.

"Alright, the Man's gone. Let's try talking to Duster again; see if he would let us in," Bigwig decided, lolloping toward the fence.

"I still believe it's a bad idea," Blackavar warned.

"Shows what you know!" Hawkbit snarked, ignoring the torn rabbit's worries.

Briefly, Hazel glared at the dark grey buck. Then he displayed a sympathetic smile toward Blackavar. Peering out from behind the wall, Lily kept her eyes peeled for both Bob and the cat, also convinced Blackavar's idea should have been taken seriously instead of the rabbits relying on a fairy tale to outwit a dog.

Concealing themselves behind a red wheelbarrow, the rabbits noticed the dog slightly awakened to scratch his ear and bite his shoulder, probably a flea bothering him. As Bigwig studied the fenced garden and the dog, he thought over a plan that could work. "I've got it!" As he spoke, his tail wagged and Lily found it adorable.

"Uh-oh," Fiver remarked apprehensively, "Bigwig's about to suggest something daring…"

"Oh dear." Hawkbit had a bad feeling about this.

"No listen, it's dead simple," Bigwig explained his plan. "I let him see me, get him barking mad, he comes after me, right under the fence..."

"And then he chases us all over the countryside," Hawkbit added, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Dead simple, alright."

"We'll hide, until he wanders off, then in we go."

Almost as if sharing the same brain as Blackavar, Lily knew this was a corny and pathetic idea. It's bad enough to make a dog try to listen to a rabbit when he hates him, but to get him to chase a rabbit by digging under the fence and to pursue them until he catches a rabbit... and then, kills the rabbit. Luckily for her, Hazel voiced his doubts about the plan.

"I don't know, Bigwig," he said.

"Just watch and learn..." Bigwig approached the wired fence and raised his voice to a high volume to get the dog's attention. "HEY! You there... Dog!"

But Duster continued to roll around in the dirt like most dogs will do, ignoring the lion maned rabbit's shouts. Lily facepalmed, shaking her head. Suddenly, she heard a violent bark. Removing her paw, the doe realized that Duster had thrown himself against the fence and began barking viciously at the intruders.

Bigwig jumped back, startled. Although, being the bravest rabbit in the warren, he went up to the fence and tried to communicate with the dog. "Dig! Under the fence... Come and get me, fur-face!" But the dog refused to even listen, more concerned about shaking the fence and barking at the rabbits. "You aren't listening, are you?!" he shouted.

Duster paced the fence, trying to figure a way out so he could get to them as he continued to growl and bark.

"Loud and dim; what a combination." Hawkbit made a joke.

"Do you want an 'I told you so'?" Blackavar stated, folding his arms together.

"Don't say another word!" Hawkbit snapped, mildly startling the torn rabbit.

Then, Duster backed up a few steps and came rushing back in attempt to jump over the fence. No success in succeeding as the Rottweiler fell and landed on the ground.

"It must be dreadful to be so thick," Fiver teased the dog over his weight and body fat.

"I wonder why Man likes them?" Silver wondered. "They're not very smart, are they?"

"Maybe I'll try to communicate." Hazel stepped forward boldly, using his paws to mimic a digger. "Dig... like this. Dig under fence."

But the dog stalked away for a second, then he resumed barking and growling.

Ugh! Can't they just take Blackavar's advice and... Lily's thoughts ended as soon as she heard a flower pot breaking.

The rabbits were too absorbed in mocking Duster, they didn't even hear the crash. Fortunately, Lily heard it. And when she saw the reason why, her face turned pale. That damn cat, Tabitha, slowly crept towards her unsuspecting prey on her silent paws. Fortunately, there was no sign of Puss. Maybe he was taken to a vet or kept inside the house, it didn't matter now. Her friends are in danger.

"LOOK OUT!" Lily screamed loud enough to raise the dead.

This time, the rabbits heard the doe's cry and spotted the cat, who hissed in irritation that someone gave her away.

"Back to the brambles!" ordered Bigwig.

Everyone managed to escape from the cat, except Hazel nearly got caught by the feline by barely a whisker. Silver stayed behind to use his powerful back legs to kick the cat right in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. When everyone made it to the bushes, they breathed a big sigh of relief.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked.

"WHAT IN FRITH'S NAME ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Bigwig bellowed, shockingly infuriated to find his mate had been tailing them, and the tone of his voice made Lily's ears fly back. "You should be at home watching the kittens!"

"Oh, why don't you just shut your big mouth and let me explain?!" reproached Lily, scowling. "Vilthuril had a vision that you would be in danger by the cat and the dog, so I had to come down here to save your furry bottoms!"

"So, Vilthuril has visions just like Fiver?" questioned Silver, his eyes widened in surprise. He chuckled amusingly, "No wonder Fiver likes her so much. They're made for each other."

"Humph! Made to be a pain in the butt!" grunted Bigwig, and an agitated Lily prepared to lash out at him.

"Alright, no point in arguing!" Hazel shouted, breaking it up and to prevent the cat from discovering their hideout. "We'll discuss this later. Now, where's Fiver?" He looked around, seeing no trace of his brother.

There came a loud squeal, joined by a menacing hiss. The rabbits gasped, realizing Fiver had landed himself in hot water. The wheelbarrow had turned upside down and fell right on top of the runt when he fell back against it. Tabitha had tried to pounce on him again, but missed when the wheelbarrow tipped over, trapping Fiver inside.

"Oh, Frith in a bluff!" Hazel whispered, horrified.

Tabitha got briefly spooked by Duster's barking at her, mockingly hissing at the dog, before she started to squeeze a paw under the wheelbarrow, trying to claw her way in at him in the hopes of killing him and making a meal out of him.

"This is a bit of a pickle," said Bigwig, concerned.

"El-ahrairah would be very proud of this little escapade," criticized Hawkbit, mimicking the Prince of Rabbits' disappointment. "'Oh, well done, you brilliant fellows,' he'd say."

"Perhaps we should have listened to Blackavar's idea," admitted Silver.

Blackavar blankly stared at him for a second before he answered, "What do you mean 'idea'?"

Silver couldn't believe his ears, assuming the torn rabbit must be joking. "Come on, you know what I mean. We didn't listen to your idea of sneaking inside the garden without alarming the dog and stealing all the carrots we can eat?"

"I assure you that I have no idea of what you're talking about!" Blackavar insisted, his eyes shut tight as he turned away.

"Alright, what's the game, Blackavar?" Bigwig interrogated, scorning.

But Blackavar refused to answer his question, his expression tightened as he kept his attention on the cat holding Fiver captive. He could feel all eyes staring at him, determined to get him to spill the beans about his attitude. Hesitating, he reluctantly explained, "In Efrafa, if a rabbit gave advice and it wasn't accepted, he or she is to immediately forget it and adopt whatever was decided instead."

The rabbits gasped, stupefied.

"I'm guessing Woundwort is the culprit behind such an idea like that," Hawkbit deduced, feeling a bit guilty.

"Listen Blackavar..." Hazel spoke to him in a tone of fatherly assurance, "your idea was right from the beginning. We should have listened to you. I understand you still bare the scars of your past, physically and psychologically, but you're no longer in Efrafa. You live on Watership Down now. We are nothing like Woundwort, his Council, or his Owsla. The rabbits on Watership Down look out for each other and care for one another, like a family. Your advice shall be listened to if need be. I know it will take a long time for your scars to heal. I won't force you to speak your mind. That will be up to you."

As Blackavar drank in every kind word his Chief Rabbit spoke to him, he turned his attention toward him and the hint of a smile gradually appeared. The other rabbits smiled at him genuinely. Before anyone else could speak, a rustling in the brambles set them on fearful alert.

It was Hannah the mouse. She came rushing out to meet them, relieved they were alright, but very cross over their careless situation against a cat and a dog. "Are you rabbits moonstruck?! Cats and dogs everywhere, and you come for carrots!"

"It's not as if we mean for this to happen!" Hazel exclaimed.

"Well, if it wasn't for me or your lady friend here..." the mouse gestured toward Lily, "that damn cat would've gotten you sooner."

"Wait! You're the one who made the flower pot smash?" Lily realized, her eyes widening.

"Yep! I was being chased by that cat," Hannah explained, "she cornered me in a bread compartment, I ate some bread to pass the time, then I heard your voices when I noticed the cat was gone." She worriedly glanced back to the wheelbarrow. "Fiver's trapped like a mouse. Now what are you gonna do?"

"Well, I've got a vague idea, but we have to let Fiver know what we're up to," Hazel said, coming up with a plan.

"I hope you're not asking for volunteers," Hawkbit stuttered.

"Hannah, go to the wheelbarrow to inform Fiver to dig his way out of the burrow and into the garden. Once Bigwig, Blackavar, Lily and I get to the other side of the garden, we dig under the fence and grab as many carrots as we can without letting Duster know we're there..." instructed Hazel, noticing a pleased Blackavar was glad to know his idea is being put to good use after all, "and while we're doing that, it's up to Hawkbit and Silver to divert the cat."

"Nothing fancy now. Straight in and straight out," added Bigwig.

"I'm on it!" Silver saluted.

"Well, I hadn't planned on playing Bob-Stones with her," Hawkbit commented, annoyed.

"Remember, Hannah is counting on you!" Hazel reminded the two bucks.

"Fine, let's get on with it." Hawkbit hated being used as a distraction, but he had no choice, at least Silver was eager to do it.

"You sure you're up for this?" Hazel asked the mouse, slightly concerned.

"How else are you gonna get word to Fiver?" Hannah questioned. "Call him on ringing box?"

Hazel stared at her, confused by these words he never heard of before. "What's a 'ringing box'?"

"Oh! Rabbits... know nothing..." Hannah tusked, scoffing at his naivety.

"I think you mean a telephone," Lily corrected. "Humans use them to communicate with other humans that live far away from where they are. It makes a loud ringing noise to let them know someone is calling."

"How can they hear other humans calling if the box rings?" Bigwig inquired, puzzled by this strange human device his mate spoke of, and his question made Lily giggle cutely.

"At least she knows more about it than you," sighed Hannah, impressed that one rabbit is aware of how the human household objects work, since she used to live among humans.

Afterword, Hannah bounded off toward the wheelbarrow. Next, Bigwig and Lily hopped off to the far-left side of the fenced garden, careful not to make any noises to alert the cat. Hazel signaled Hawkbit and Silver to make their ambush, charging forward as they attacked from behind and tackled the cat. Tabitha tumbled across the grass, but she managed to get back on her feet and growled angrily at her attackers. Silver wanted to stay for a fight, but Hawkbit shoved him forward to run for it. Suddenly, Tabitha heard the sound of someone digging. She turned around and spotted Hannah burying her way under the wheelbarrow to get to the imprisoned Fiver. The second Hannah made it, she felt a pair of sharp claws grasp at her tail and bottom.

"Fiver, help!" she cried.

Overhearing the mouse's distress, the alarmed Blackavar immediately tore out of the brambles and bushes, ignoring Hazel's calls for him to come back.

"Tail of a mouse... a sad tale indeed," Tabitha sneered, using her paw to drag Hannah out of the wheelbarrow.

"EMBLEER PFEFFA!" Blackavar shouted, throwing himself at the cat's body.

The impact of the cat's attacker struck the wheelbarrow, thus giving Hannah the chance to crawl underneath to find Fiver, listening to the commotion outside. With every ounce and strength he got, Blackavar tackled the cat. Despite living in Efrafa as a prisoner, Blackavar truly inherited the combat skills of an Owsla warrior. The two enemies engaged in a combat, clawing and biting each other. He slashed at the cat's shoulder, blood spilling as the cat shrieked in agony and pain.

"Blackavar, get back here!" Hazel called out to him.

Seeing the cat is badly maimed, Blackavar turned and ran back to the brambles. He half expected Hazel to scold him for his actions, but it never happened. Hazel just told him to be careful the next time he fought an enemy, understanding the reason for the torn rabbit's actions. The two bucks quietly lolloped to the other side of the fenced garden, the cat's attention still on the wheelbarrow, and found Bigwig digging a tunnel to get under the fence with Lily's assistance. Hawkbit and Silver reached the group in time.

"Well done, everyone," the Chief Rabbit praised.

"Yeah, I seem to have a talent for cat bumping," Hawkbit said, thoughtfully thinking of a cool reputation for bumping cats in combat.

"I wish I could've killed that cat when I had the chance," Silver grumbled.

"You wouldn't have the chance to take a cat out before it's finished," Blackavar stated firmly.

"And Bigwig certainly has a talent for digging," Hawkbit added, teasing the lion maned buck from above the hole, "you're almost as good as a doe, O' Captain of Owsla!"

"Watch if I don't come up there and show you how good I am, mate!" Bigwig warned threateningly from deep within the tunnel, kicking some dirt in Hawkbit's face, earning him an irked scowl.

"This is not the time for bickering, just keep digging!" Lily's voice chided in a strict motherly tone from inside the tunnel.

"Do they always argue like this?" Blackavar asked his chief rabbit.

"You have no idea." Hazel grinned, then he stole a glance at the awaiting cat and silent dog. "We might make El-ahrairah proud of us yet."

"Assuming cats and dogs keep behaving like cats and dogs," Hawkbit grunted, wiping the dirt off his face.

Inside the garden, the earth gave way to make a hole as Bigwig's head peaked out to make doubly sure he's inside the garden. He climbed out of the hole, then Lily came out after him. Without a moment to lose, the couple began to use their teeth to grab at the carrots and pulled them out of the dirt.

"Flayrah, anyone?" the two rabbits asked, their mouths full of carrots.

They hopped toward the wired fence, where they gave the carrots to Hazel and Silver by poking the carrots through the holes in the fence. When the carrots were taken and placed in a small pile, Bigwig and Lily rushed back to the carrot patch to collect more carrots.

Meanwhile, Fiver's head popped out of a newly created hole he dug up from his tunneling. He wasn't too far from the dog and cat, but the smell of cabbage interested him. Hannah crawled out of the hole next to him. Looking around, they saw the dog wasn't far off, whilst Bigwig and Lily continuing their job of carrot collecting. The two friends took their chance to make a run for it to reach their friends.

However, Duster caught the scent of rabbits nearby and he raised his ear to listen carefully. His suspicions proved correct. The intruders had somehow managed to get inside the garden. He spotted Fiver and Hannah, barking as he began to pursue them.

"Oh no!" Lily shouted, horrified when she saw the danger her friends were in.

Bigwig gasped as a carrot fell from his mouth. "Get a move on, Fiver!" Then he turned to Lily. "Get out of here, now!"

Nodding her head, Lily made sure first that Fiver and Hannah dove in head first into the hole as the mouse cried out, "Bigwig!" and then, Lily leapt inside the hole and scurried through the tunnel to climb out on to the surface.

While he gave the last carrot to Hazel through the fence, Bigwig headed back to the hole where he came in. Just as Duster caught up with him, Bigwig jumped into the hole, barely missing the dog's sharp teeth by an inch. The dog stuck his head inside the hole, barking. Then he turned on Hazel and the others, whom he noticed close by. Seeing plenty of empty carrot holes in the ground, Duster realized what the rabbits had done. Fuming, the dog made a mad dash for the fence. But the second he collided into the fence, it shook on impact and he fell backwards. Silver stuck his tongue, making a raspberry at the stupid beast. Hannah, Fiver, Lily and Bigwig emerged from the hole, shaking the dirt off their bodies. At that time, Duster got back up and he growled at them.

"Right then, let's not hang about. Everyone, grab a carrot or two." Bigwig instructed, anxious to get out of there.

The rabbits quickly picked up a carrot, hence the lion maned buck and his mate could only get eight since there are eight members in their group and Hannah carried the eighth carrot while riding on Bigwig's back, and rushed back to the brambles and bushes. Once they got there, everyone put down their carrots to catch their breath.

"Is everyone present and accounted for?" Lily inquired, hopefully.

"Not quite everyone." Silver collapsed to the ground to rest.

"Next time I get an urge for carrots, I'll talk myself out of it," Fiver spoke through panted breathing.

"Oh, come on, Fiver. Life gets dull without a little terror, isn't it?" Bigwig added, always being the adventurous type for a raid or a combat.

"Not likely."

"Hey, look!" Blackavar pointed out to the garden, everyone followed the direction of his outstretched paw to what he was looking at.

Back inside the garden, Duster had just discovered the hole where Fiver came up in. The dog looked to see the hole was close enough to the wheelbarrow and the ever-patient Tabitha on the other side. Figuring it all out, the dog decided to dig up the hole so he can get out on the other side and teach that cat a lesson for mocking him.

"By Frith, I think he's finally got it!" Hazel chuckled, astounded.

"Every dog has his day," Bigwig quoted an old famous saying, as Hannah climbed up on the top of his head for a better view.

As the rabbits watched, Tabitha stood frozen like a statue. She wondered if the rabbit or the mouse would ever get out of there since they can't hide under the wheelbarrow forever. Just then, the wheelbarrow began to move strangely. She assumed the foolish rabbit must be trying to come out, and into her awaiting claws.

"Come out, little long ears," she pursed, callously. "Tabitha's waiting."

Hawkbit covered his eyes so he couldn't watch, but Silver pried his ears aside so the dark grey buck can enjoy what is about to happen next. Suddenly the wheelbarrow lifted up and Duster came out of the hole, growling. Now he will have his revenge against the snarky cat.

"Oh my!" Tabitha cried, and with a frightened meow, she ran for her life as she retreated back to the farm house with the snarling and barking Duster right behind her.

Amused by the famous cat and dog chase, Hannah stuck her tongue to blow out a raspberry at the cat. Bigwig and Lily smiled at her, entertained by the tables turning on the cat and dog. When the cat turned a corner and the dog still in pursuit, the farmer's wife, Winnifred, came out of the house when she heard the commotion.

"Duster, how did you get out of the garden?!" Then she cried out when she found her broken flower pot and, seeing the cat tracks close to it, wrongly assumed Tabitha was to blame. "Tab, you blooming cat! Look what you did to my flower pot!"

The rabbits exploded with laughter from the experience of outwitting a dog and a cat.


By the time the rabbits made it home back to Watership Down, the sun had set and the kittens were given their first supper of delicious carrots. Of course, Holly was quite disappointed in the others going to the farm against his wishes, but once Bigwig explained the entire story, he let it go for now. As for Hawkbit, he and Dandelion tried to share a carrot with Strawberry in attempts to win her over, but as it turns out, Strawberry politely yet sternly told them she was not romantically interested in either of them, but she hoped they can remain friends. Bluebell started to tease Hawkbit and Dandelion over their being dumped by the same doe they've been quarreling over, until the two bucks threatened to chase him off the down if he didn't shut his mouth.

"...And then, that dog rose up from the earth, like some monster mole sent by the Black Rabbit of Inlé, chasing after the cat just before the woman comes out of the farmhouse, blaming the cat and dog for destroying her flower pot and for digging holes in the garden," the lion maned buck concluded the story.

"He gave the cat quite a turn," Fiver chuckled.

"Now that damn cat knows how a mouse feels," Hannah added.

"Yes, indeed. More fun than Bob-Stones. Let's do it again soon, eh Hazel?" Bigwig hoped to plan another raid to the farm someday or sooner.

"Absolutely not!" Holly disapproved of the lion maned buck's suggestion. "Your impetuous ideas could put our rabbits in danger!"

Offended, Bigwig prepared to start an argument with his former boss until Hazel cut him off. "We didn't come home to be criticized, Holly," he said. "We won't be planning another raid any time soon. I hope for a day of relaxation tomorrow. Let's finish these carrots first, shall we?"

Primrose watched her four children sharing a few carrots with their friends while eating, until a particular question came to mind. "Bigwig, if you weren't raiding gardens at their age, however did you get to be your age?" she questioned, but all Bigwig could do was smile and shrug his shoulders.

"He's pure of heart," Hawkbit said.

"And he can be impulsive at times," added Lily, a slight chuckle came after and Bigwig frowned at her in response.

All of a sudden, Kehaar came circling and soaring over the crowd of rabbits before he was clear for landing and his feet made contact with the grass, he dropped a fish he recently caught from his trip to the ocean and gave it to the kittens as a gift.

"There! The best food of all!" the gull boasted proudly. "Makes baby chicks grow into big strong gulls. Try, it's good."

The kittens took one look and one whiff at this strange food offering, their little expressions frowned in disgust and resumed back to eating their carrots. Only Sandwort tried to bite the fish, but he instantly hated the taste and stuck out his tongue, "Bleh!"

"Huh?" Kehaar grew puzzled by the kittens' rejection of his fish. "Okay, I try." Shrugging his shoulders, the gull grabbed the fish with his beak and tossed it in the air. He opened his beak, allowing the fish to fall into his mouth, and gulped it down in one bite. The meal satisfied his taste. "Ahhh… yeah, very good."

Everyone just laughed, including Kehaar.