Well, this took a bit longer to follow up on than I expected, but I did get the next part together!

It's a bit longer than the first chapter and finally gets us started on that "story in a story" stuff that I mentioned previously. There will be a slight break in the story, and that's when we're in the other story that develops.

Bear in mind that some pretty strange scenes will come up from those, maybe ones that are otherwise impossible for the rabbits, and their personalities will be even more exaggerated there.

Past that? Let's see who will try traumatizing Bigwig first!

... ... ...

As a few stray leaves danced in the breeze overhead, Fiver leaned back against Bigwig, who had started dozing on the ground. He rubbed at Bigwig's belly, eliciting a small smile from his partner's face. Fiver chuckled at the sight, but then sighed as he returned his attention to Holly pacing, Blackberry drawing in a dirt patch, and Kehaar cleared his throat, squawking a bit as he checked his voice.

"How much longer could they possibly take…?" Fiver slid down a bit against Bigwig, with his paw still on his belly. "I know my brief vision assumed it would take a bit, but this is ridiculous…"

"Maybe we should just run away and be done with it," mumbled Bigwig, stirring a bit.

"Weren't you resting?"

"Just a bit." He smirked as he lifted his head. "Had a dream of my own too, about this cute rabbit rubbing at my fat gut while flopped against it."

"He probably thought it was very soft and comfortable."

"That so? I might as well let him rest there sometime." Bigwig grinned as Fiver giggled. "Oh, wait, there he is now. Would you look at that? I can make my dreams come to life too. Go figure."

"Frith above, I wish mine could always be so nice." Fiver shuddered, and then his ears lowered. "Buck up, here we go."

"Huh?"

"Ok, I think I've got it!" Holly clasped his paws together, and Bigwig dropped his head back.

"Oh."

"Truthfully, Bigwig, it doesn't seem that there is an easy way about this at all," determined Holly. "The moment he gets caught up on the matter, Hazel will likely lose his entire mind."

Together, Bigwig and Fiver uttered, "Sounds like rubbish." They looked at one another, and Bigwig lightly squealed in delight while Fiver chuckled.

"Perhaps it could be rubbish like you both claim, but it's also probable that it could lead to something terrifyingly horrid," insisted Holly.

"On that much, everyone agrees," concurred Blackberry.

"Well, I don't." Bigwig rolled up, looking to his partner, who nodded to him. "And neither does Fiver."

"Everyone with sense, then," mumbled Blackberry past his smirk.

"Excuse me?"

"Kehaar shall be telling the stories!"

"Not yet, Kehaar," intervened Holly, pressing the gull's wing down. "We have to take this a bit more seriously, and Bigwig needs to understand the true gravity of the situation he's gotten himself into."

"Come on now, Holly, it can't be anything that bad," insisted Fiver, slipping from Bigwig as they rose. "Hazel's understanding enough."

"But Hazel also knows proper rabbit etiquette, especially for his position," contended Holly. He shook his head and glanced down at the grass. "It's only a matter of time before we have a mess on our hands, I'm certain of this…"

"Mess?" Bigwig raised an eyebrow with an ear. "What kind of a mess?"

"What kind do you think?" Holly sharply lifted his head and studied Bigwig's unnerved face. "After all, how else do rabbits settle disagreements?"

"…A game of bobstones?"

Holly deflated as he lowered his eyes to Fiver, who shrugged as Bigwig stifled his laughter. Pressing his paw to his face, Holly sighed out, and dragged it away, hopping a bit closer to the couple.

"While that might be an ideal way, we all know rabbits set apart by such extremes can turn to much less rational methods," brought up Holly. "Most matters can be cleared up with simple discussions, but this?" He closed his eyes. "After what we've been through, I'm certain Hazel will consider this a challenge to his leadership and declare Bigwig an enemy."

"Hang on, what?" Bigwig's ears shot up in alarm.

"Seriously?" Fiver chuckled. "That's not at all what he would do."

"Neither of you understood just how these things work before," reminded Holly. He opened his eyes, frowning at them. "Best case would be that it's just between the two of you, but…Hazel likely wouldn't take a threat that lightly."

"Threat?" There was a laugh caught in between Bigwig's worried tone. "He…he wouldn't see me like that at all! I mean, sure, I'm the strongest here, and…ok, we didn't start off as friends." His ears dropped. "But, uh, but! You know…Hazel's not the type to hold a grudge, not to that extent."

"Can he really afford not to?" Holly clutched at his chest. "It's only a matter of time before we're sharpening sticks and readying our toughest strategies."

"And they were calling me the dramatic one," muttered Blackberry to Kehaar, who tilted his head at Holly.

"Sharp sticks?" Fiver blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Sounds like more nonsense," persisted Bigwig, though he sank down slightly.

"Not nonsense at all," insisted Holly. "Likely, you'll be settling these matters with Hazel through combat."

"Him against me?" Bigwig snorted. "There's no way. Hazel fighting me makes no sense, because he couldn't win…directly…" Pausing as a bit of sweat formed on his brow, Bigwig glanced behind himself. "…Well…he didn't with Woundwart, so…"

"Perhaps it will be best if I explain how everything is meant to play out." Holly thumped his foot slightly on the ground as he scratched his cheek. "So, it would be best if we started with Hazel learning about the relationship first…"

Clearing his throat and positioning himself between his friends, Holly leaned up as the others gathered closer to listen to him.

…

Autumn leaves blew across the down, as the sun started to set from the hill. A calm brown rabbit surveyed the rabbits all around, watching as they hopped around the fields, chattering or playing with one another. Beside him came a lithe rabbit, one with darker brown fur, as her ears blew with a gentle breeze that carried past her. They nuzzled one another, and then parted slightly, as they returned their attention to the rabbits over the down.

"Such a lovely and peaceful life we've created here, Hyzenthlay." Hazel smiled as he gazed to his co-chief, who brushed her paw over her nose as she blushed lightly from him. "I don't think I could have managed it all without you."

"You were doing just fine before I came," she insisted, sitting upright. "Your leadership combined with Fiver's visions, Bigwig's strength, Holly's order, Blackberry's smarts…" Hyzenthlay watched as two rabbits rolled into a tackle, laughing as they batted at one another. "This warren was doing fine."

"Don't you even know what you added when you came?" Hazel nudged her a bit. "You're the sensible one among us, keeping a good balance between everyone. Even now, you recognized everyone's talents, save for yours." He lowered his head. "I try to keep a good head myself, but I feel like you help me with keeping everyone here sorted and set in the proper way." Hazel turned back to his partner. "Zen, you complete me."

"Ha! Please, Hazel." Hyzenthlay shook her head, but then smiled to him. "You flatter me."

"Only truth from me, my love," contested Hazel.

Just as he reached to kiss her cheek, however, a twig snapped behind him. Whirling around as Hyzenthlay looked past his shoulder, Hazel narrowed his eyes on his intruder. His face softened as Bigwig and Fiver stepped closer to the couple. Hyzenthlay brushed past Hazel and hopped over to the two as they approached.

"Well, well, lovely to see you two this evening," she warmly greeted.

"Yes."

"Hello."

"…Ok, I'm sensing some baseless tension," observed Hyzenthlay. She turned her head slightly, eying the duo. "Are you two feeling all right?"

"There's just…something that Bigwig and I wanted to tell Hazel," nervously started Fiver, tapping his forepaws together.

"Is it a future vision of some kind?" Hazel ambled to Hyzenthlay's side. "Should I prepare the others for something coming?"

"No, not that kind of talk or warning."

"It's about something that I've done, Hazel." Bigwig inched in a bit more, and then sat upright, standing taller than his chief. "Something between…Fiver and I…"

Hazel and Hyzenthlay waited in silence for a moment, as Bigwig lowered his eyes, gazing back and studying Fiver, who shuddered as his attention darted back and forth between his partner and his brother. The wind gusted by again, and as the tree branches swayed in the wind, Hazel deflated.

"Well?" He picked himself up. "Are we going to hear it, or not?"

"Hazel…"

"Yes, Bigwig?"

"What I've done…I've broken strict code between a Rabbit Chief and his Owsla soldiers, as well as any of his subjects," confessed Bigwig. "It's dishonorable."

"Whatever could it be?" Hyzenthlay backed a bit, as Hazel lowered his eyes and quieted.

"…Fiver and I have begun dating." Bigwig closed his eyes as Hazel's widened from the reveal. "We have done so without consulting you, and without your permission for such a courtship to take place."

"Bigwig, you…!" Hazel stumbled as his eyes twitched. "I thought we were friends. After all of this time…" Anger rose in Hazel's voice. "All this while, I thought I had earned more respect from you than that!"

"Please, Hazel, you have to understand," Fiver tried to explain. "It's all been very sudden—"

"Silence, little brother," snapped Hazel. He glared at Bigwig, who slowly opened his eyes, but was still unable to look at his chief. "How could you? After all we've been through, after everything…you would do something like this? Something so embarrassing, so against our ways…why?"

"It wasn't to harm you, truly," defended Bigwig. "It simply…escaped my mind…"

"That's it, that's your best excuse?" Hazel sharply laughed. "Oh, no, not good enough, Bigwig."

"Hazel, my love, please," interrupted Hyzenthlay. "There must be a better way for this."

"Absolutely not." The fur on Hazel's back stood on edge. "Bigwig seeks to bring ruin upon not only my leadership, but yours as well, Hyzenthlay. He goes against our backs and takes away my only family for himself?" Hazel snorted. "No. Not allowed. Rabbits, truly good ones, aren't so improper about how they conduct themselves for these things." He bore his teeth at Bigwig. "If you want to challenge my honor and lead so badly, Bigwig, then you shall have it."

Bigwig's eyes widened, and his attention shot to Hazel. "You don't mean…?"

"Yes. We must duel, Bigwig!"

Fiver and Hyzenthlay gasped as Bigwig grinded his teeth, while Hazel maintained his glare.

"Must we…?"

"Taking my brother for yourself, my only remaining family by blood…there can be no other way." Hazel turned and started off from the group, a slight limp on his leg. "Make your way to the lower part of the down, Bigwig. Tonight, you and I, we battle."

"But, Hazel," tried Fiver, but his brother hopped away, followed by his co-chief. "Oh, Bigwig, what shall we do?"

"The only way to make this right…is to do as he wants," determined Bigwig. He turned back to his smaller partner. "I must fight for our love, Fiver."

"Oh, Bigwig…!"

Taking one more moment together, Bigwig twisted away and followed after Hazel down the hills.

Closer to the bottom, Holly clamped his mouth around the end of a stick, and nodded to two rabbits waiting on the side. He crouched down, glowering at a dummy rabbit from grass and mud.

Charging forth, Holly leapt at the target and reared his head around. Slicing a few times at the dummy, he dropped down and skidded aside from it. As he slammed the stick into the ground, his target shattered, dropping into several pieces and scattering to the earth.

"Wow, how impressive!"

"Amazing work, My Teacher!"

Both rabbits hurried over to Holly as he rose. He chuckled as they crowded him.

"Clover, Bluebell, take it easy, you two!" Holly laughed as they bounced around.

"But Teacher, that was so incredible!" The first rabbit reached up to Holly, patting at his powerful forepaws. Her deep green eyes almost sparkled as she gently guided herself down his frame, and settled back to the ground. "Your strength is so enchanting!" Holly surveyed Clover's nicely balanced tawny and white coat, eying her namesake pattern that rested just above her hind leg. "Just seeing you in action is such a delight."

"She's right, it's truly incredible to see you this way!" Holly blinked and turned to the second rabbit, who brushed behind him. "To think your firmness comes from more than just your sturdy, steady personality!" A sweet laugh came from him, as the almost platinum rabbit spun about. His brilliant blue eyes met Holly's, as they stared to one another. "I hope to learn all that I can from you, My Teacher, and make you laugh with pride, not just jokes."

"Oh, you two, showing me so much kindness." Holly grinned, lightly blushing. "Can't deny how much I love when you both spoil me so!"

"Flattery isn't just to spoil you, Captain Holly!" Clover nudged him, getting in closer to him.

"Spoiling you wouldn't keep you as fresh either," joked Bluebell, bumping his nose against Holly.

"Ok, ok, come now! There will be more time for this later," insisted Holly. "You two should be sharpening your skills as well, of course! So, why don't we—?"

"Captain Holly!"

Jolting up and to attention, Holly twisted about to Hazel, and quickly saluted him. Bluebell and Clover bowed to their chief, dipping a bit back behind Holly as they did so.

"Chief Hazel, welcome!" Holly blinked and watched the second rabbit approach behind his chief, and bowed his head. "Chief Hyzenthlay, welcome to you as well!"

"Always a pleasure to see you, Captain Holly." Hyzenthlay nodded, and then traced up and down as she studied Holly, smirking a bit as Holly puffed out his chest.

"We are in need of your training grounds, Holly." Hazel hopped forward, and eyed the stick in the ground. Holly blinked and glanced at it, but returned his attention to Hazel.

"You, My Chief? Whatever would you need them for?"

"A duel and a battle, Holly, as my honor has been challenged."

"What? By who?"

"None other than Bigwig."

Hazel spiraled around, watching as Bigwig and Fiver approached the others, with two rabbits following behind the couple. Holly stepped back, looking to the coming rabbits, and then back at Hazel, while his chief looked to the ground. He eyed the arena circles that Holly had made for Owsla practice matches. In disbelief and mouth parted, Holly shook his head.

"How has this happened?"

"He has taken to dating my brother," divulged Hazel, "without my permission."

"Breaking the code between Chief and his warren, his Owsla even?"

"Indeed."

"To think that it would be Bigwig," murmured Holly. He scratched behind his ear and shifted his attention between Hazel and the approaching company. "Please, Hazel-rah, permit me to speak with him before you do battle."

"As you wish." Hazel turned to Bluebell. "Fetch Kehaar for me. I'll have him survey our fight as well."

"Of course, sir!"

Bluebell hurried off to find Kehaar, while Holly started to walk off from them. He eyed Hazel for a moment, noticing a jerked movement from his hind leg, as he twisted to talk with Hyzenthlay and Clover. Shaking his head, Holly carried on and intercepted Bigwig, stopping him and his group before they met with Hazel. Bigwig sank down as Holly stood before him, shooting him an accusatory glare.

"How could you do such a thing, Bigwig?"

"It happened quickly."

"That's no excuse, really—"

"Right, Hazel's made that point clear enough," snapped Bigwig. "Have you anything to actually help me, or are you just here to echo his berating?"

"Perhaps take a dive with this duel that you two are having," suggested Holly. "If you let Hazel win, perhaps he'll go easier on you."

"Let him win? Ha!" Bigwig picked himself back up and shook his head. "Not a chance. I've got to have a little pride left in me, and I don't throw fights like that."

"It might be easier, but…if you insist otherwise, I suppose there's no getting through to you," relented Holly. He checked to the rabbits behind Bigwig, looking past Fiver at Blackberry and the pale, smoky furred doe behind him. "Any thoughts from either of you on the matter?"

"There's plenty of advice that I could offer Bigwig, but I don't suspect he'll have any of it," determined Blackberry. He turned to his companion, lifting an eyebrow to her. "Violet? Your thoughts?"

"Honestly, I'm just happy to be included for this," admitted Violet. She blinked at Bigwig for a moment before her purple eyes fixed on Fiver. "Part of me understands Hazel's anger, but part of me also favors Bigwig defending his love for Fiver, even if it's against a chief and a brother." She lowered her ears as she faced Holly. "Sorry. I don't have any advice either."

"Considering that Fiver's the one who saved your life, I can't expect you to go against him," relented Holly.

"Never even saw the hawk swooping for me," recalled Violet. "I'm only here because Fiver saw me die in his visions." She smiled to Fiver and Bigwig, admiring the couple. "If he makes Bigwig happy, shouldn't that be enough?"

"If only it were so simple," mumbled Holly. He frowned to Bigwig and shook his head. "Well, you heard my best suggestion, so, if you won't give into him, then, we have little choice, my friend."

"Yes, and I'll make my peace with that."

Heading back to Hazel, Holly watched Kehaar soar overhead, while Bluebell made his way back by Clover's side. Hyzenthlay turned expectantly to Holly, but her ears fell as he shook his head. Hazel snorted as Bigwig stood across from him, near the training circle. As he moved for the arena, Hazel faltered a bit, and Holly slipped to his side.

"Are you all right, My Chief?" Holly eyed Hazel's hind leg.

"Of course, I'll be fine."

"It's acting up on you today, isn't it?"

"Nonsense," insisted Hazel. "This old wound won't stop me." He surveyed the arena and noticed the sharpened sticks along the sides. "Have you been using those for practice?"

"Yes, a type of weapon," explained Holly. "If you swing it, then you can cut into different targets. Thrust it forward, and…well, that works too."

"Good." Hazel rolled one of the sticks into the circle. "Bigwig, get one from over there. We're using these to fight with."

"Are you mad?" Bigwig shook his head. "You haven't even used one of those yet."

"Maybe not, but I'll still fight you with it!"

"Hazel-rah, sir, if I may," interceded Holly. "Rather than you fight this one, why don't you leave it to one of your Owsla rabbits?"

"The only one here from the Owsla is Bigwig," noted Hazel. "Well, him and…" He blinked and tilted his head. "You, Holly?"

"Better I than you," confirmed Holly with a nod. "I cannot have our chief enter combat with his old pains rising in him, nor let him use a weapon that he's had no training on." Holly pushed the stick further in, and entered the arena circle. "There is no shame having one of your best Owsla fight in your stead, and our codes do encourage that."

"If you're certain, then…I don't suppose I can come up with a way to stop you," realized Hazel. He bowed his head and smirked to Holly. "Very well. You can fight for my honor in my stead."

"Hang on, what?" Bigwig stomped his foot down. "Of all the blasted rubbish, you're having Holly fight me?"

"Your friend and former commanding officer understands how to respect his chief better than you do, Bigwig." Hazel narrowed his eyes on the larger rabbit. "You should have considered all possibilities before committing such a personal act of betrayal."

"Unlike you, Bigwig, I know what my duties to My Chief are, what they must be," asserted Holly. He stepped into the arena, standing beside his stick. "If you can't back down, my friend, then I'll have no choice but to defend Hazel's honor myself."

"All this nonsense about defending his honor, but nothing about the love between Fiver and I?" Bigwig snorted, nearing his stick as well. "Fine. If you want things to be this way, then we may as well get this over with." He lowered his head and glared ahead at Holly. "First to drop and stay down loses."

"Naturally." Holly smirked. "It'll be nice and quick."

"Don't count on it."

Another gust of wind went by, as the last of the sun slipped from the sky, and the night started to take over. Everyone hushed almost at once, as tension flared up around the training grounds and in the arena circle. Pink flower petals rode a quick breeze that rushed by, but few trees stirred.

"When both rabbits be ready," called Kehaar. He crossed his wings together, as the two rabbits lowered their heads near the sharpened sticks, and the others crowded along the side. Lifting his wings apart and to either side, Kehaar waved the pair on. "Begin!"

Grasping the branch in his mouth, Bigwig charged at Holly, who scooped his up as well. Rearing their heads back, both swung their sticks forward.

Whacking into each other, Holly and Bigwig fumbled away from one another, kicking up dirt from the grass as they faltered. Moving around with their sticks, they adjusted their grips and faced each other.

Bigwig rushed forward again, swinging down with his wooden weapon. Holly rolled aside and pushed ahead to thrust up. Releasing his stick from his mouth and stepping on it, Bigwig forced it up to block Holly's strike, with shreds of grass flinging up from the earth beneath them.

Biting on it to grip it, Bigwig spiraled away as Holly swung around with his stick. He hopped aside as Bigwig charged in, swinging his head and the weapon with him.

Smacking off of one another, the sticks cracked as their holders stumbled off from each other. They ignored the gasps and murmurs of the spectators, maintaining eye contact with one another.

Holly made his attempt to rush at Bigwig next, moving to strike with his stick. As he made a feint to stab, he released the stick and grabbed it between his paws. Still trying to follow through with a thrust, Holly's eyes widened as Bigwig twisted around from the attack.

As Bigwig turned, however, his stick shot forward at just the right angle.

"No! Holly!"

"Teacher!"

Gasping as he pulled back, Bigwig gawked in horror, while Holly crumpled to the ground. The other rabbits and Kehaar rushed in, shouting and arguing as they hurriedly tried to make a great effort for their friend.

Sinking down near Holly, Bigwig shuddered, his teeth automatically trying to gnaw at the stick, a fruitless effort to reverse his damage and rescue his friend. Holly coughed and shook his head, pushing Bigwig off. Heaving, Holly tried his best to talk, as Bigwig's ear lifted and he leaned close to his friend's messy face.

"Told you…that you…should have…given…"

Dropping down, Holly spoke no more.

Paled and horrified, Bigwig stepped back and tripped over Holly's fallen stick. He shuddered as he stared at the senior rabbit, but then was knocked from his feet.

Forcing himself up, Bigwig looked up to Hazel, who glowered down to him.

"Dishonor was one thing, but you have killed your friend, our friend!" Hazel shook his head, struggling to keep tears from rolling. "Bigwig, your disgrace is immeasurable. Forget not just dating my brother." Forcing his attention on Bigwig, Hazel growled before continuing. "You're banished from these hills, and you've got three minutes to get as far as possible from here."

"It was an accident—"

"I don't give a damn!" Hazel stamped down. "As soon as I get Kehaar to gather them, I'm having as many rabbits hunt you for this as I can!" Tears shimmered in his eyes as Hazel fumed. "You killed Holly, Bigwig, and for what?"

"Hazel, please—"

"Leave! Now!"

Pushing up from the ground, Bigwig hesitated for a moment, but then rushed off from the scene. Fiver moved to chase him, but Blackberry and Hyzenthlay blocked his path to keep him from following. Hazel barked at Kehaar to fetch the other rabbits, while Bluebell and Clover sobbed over Holly's body.

Clouds littered the night sky, and all went dark and silent.

…

A bright beam remained on Holly's face as he concluded his story. As he opened his eyes, however, Holly was surprised to find soured expressions on his present company.

"Was the tragic death at the end a little too much?" Holly tilted his head. "Perhaps it was…ok, I admit it, a touch dramatic—"

"A touch? A touch dramatic?" Bigwig wildly shook his head before throwing his forepaws up. "That was the most needlessly over-the-top stuff and nonsense that I've heard in a while, Holly!"

"Seconded, and I'm sorry Holly, but you're no Dandelion for storytelling," lamented Fiver. "Not to mention those reactions are totally off the mark."

"Admittedly, that was a bit dreadful," mumbled Blackberry.

"You tried!" Kehaar held up his wings and smiled, while Bigwig frowned to him, and Blackberry narrowed his eyes as he shook his head. "…No? Ok, no good."

"Come on, now, it wasn't all that bad," Holly shakily forced out.

"Not that—Holly, in what world would Hazel force you to fight Bigwig, especially after what we went through with Woundwart and Efrafa?" Fiver dragged his paws over his ears. "Look, my brother may be our chief, but he's got a good deal of sense in him, and he's nothing like the older ones." He sighed and shook his head. "Hazel couldn't be further from Threarah, so I don't know why you'd consider him acting anything similar to our long gone chief."

"Why would you even come up with a story where we fight to the death?" Bigwig stamped at the ground. "Look, Holly, we're both great fighters, and I like the idea of going down in a great battle as much as you would. If we ever had to fight because of ideals clashing, fine, ok, it's realistic. But like that?" He tapped at his head and threw his paws apart. "What even was your thought process on that?"

"The fact that you put me with Bigwig's side and not Hazel's was also terribly inaccurate," noted Blackberry. He leaned back and gave a disproving look to Holly. "Really, pitting Bigwig against you and Hazel is at least acceptable, but I'm a proper fit to Hazel's company."

"You could be at least a little less obvious to where you'd end up in a fight," snapped Bigwig, while Blackberry waved him off.

"Also, can I ask why my role was so…limited?" Fiver scratched his head. "I know that it was a big fight between you and Bigwig, and I know that I don't have a lot going for me, but…did I really have to amount to being Bigwig's arm candy?"

"You're sweeter than any candy I know of, honey!" Bigwig grinned brightly to Fiver, who chuckled.

"Not quite where I was going with it, but I do appreciate it." He nuzzled Bigwig as they laughed a little more. "Thank you, love."

"Being judge made Kehaar not important too," pointed out Kehaar. "Did not fly much or have any mentions of big water."

"How very tragic indeed," deadpanned Blackberry.

"All right, all right, I get it!" Holly sighed as he dragged his paws along his ears. "I'm no storyteller, I'll admit it. But, but!" He lifted his paw up. "The whole point was that Bigwig was supposed to learn to give into Hazel so that he'd get a better result! After all, that would've prevented my death."

"Then it probably would've caused mine! Those sharp, pointy sticks you talked about only offered one ending!" Bigwig patted on his chest, and then readied himself to make mocking voices. "What, did you want me to turn around with, 'Oh certainly Hazel, you seem quite mad! Why yes, mate, feel free to run me straight through!' Would that have been better, Holly?"

"Ah…when you put it like that, perhaps I should've given it a bit more thought," relented Holly.

"Perhaps more than a bit," murmured Fiver. He perked up and smiled to Bigwig. "Well, at least I can tell you with absolute certainty that Hazel will not act anything like that one bit!"

"True there, but there are other ways that he could act as well," accounted Blackberry. "Kehaar and I still have ideas of how he might react to such a twist on his life and relationships."

"Yes, yes! The news would be very much upsetting Hazel!" Kehaar flapped his wings and held out a foot. "Oh, oh! Or, it become something Hazel never thinks of at all!"

"After the hraka that Holly dropped on us, anything should sound more likely," joked Bigwig, as Holly hung his head.

"Might as well move on, then."

"Wait a minute." Blackberry blinked and gave Holly a sidelong glance. "Now that I think of it…was there any reason that Clover and Bluebell were so…smitten with you?"

"They seemed like a good fit for it, I suppose," muttered Holly, twisting away to hide his blushing face.

"Hold on, wait." Blackberry poked his head around, spotting Holly's face before he could turn it away. "Oh, I don't believe it. You have crushes on both of them, don't you?"

"What? No!" Holly spiraled around. "What kind of young buck nonsense is that? Really, you think I'd have a crush on Bluebell or Clover? Please!"

"Oh, you definitely did, didn't you?" Fiver smirked as he leaned forward. "Blackberry had us figured out, and he seems to have it with you."

"Holly, you cheeky rascal!" Bigwig laughed. "We're sitting here talking about my scandals with Fiver, and yet you're dreaming up a life with two rabbits fawning over you, huh?"

"Come off it! Really now," grumbled Holly. "So I had a little bit of a spot to fancy my two favorite rabbits. What's wrong with that? Nothing!" His face burned as he sank down. "Really now, kicking a poor old buck when he's down. The shame of it!"

"Kehaar is confused. More mates for rabbits is good thing, no?"

"Oh, that's not the part we're laughing about," clarified Bigwig. "We're just having a go at Holly for chasing rabbits that he hasn't even confessed his feelings for yet."

"I'll get there when I get there!"

"Shall I go and fetch them now for you?" Blackberry swayed around. "Oh, I do believe I see them sitting off over there. Anyone mind if I invite them over?"

"Please do!"

"What? No!"

Everyone laughed as Holly groaned and sank to the ground, covering his head. Eventually, Fiver settled and patted his back, while Bigwig and Blackberry spat out jokes between their uproars of laughter, and Kehaar hooted alongside them, not really understanding the jokes, but having fun as well.

"Right, we ought to keep it moving," managed Blackberry after his last fit. "So…next?"

... ... ...

Holly's hellish world isn't one that's likely to come about at all, but all the same, pretty wild stuff!

Originally, I had tried writing a full-scale war going on between a faction for Bigwig and Hazel, but that ended up being too big and using too many additional faces. So, I scaled it down to what was essentially meant to be a sword fight between two of the rabbits, with sticks being used in place of the swords. There was some loose basis from samurai duels and maybe a bit from rapiers and fencing too. Yes, we really had little bunny rabbits involved in a dramatic sword fight. Go figure!

The main point that Holly wanted to make for Bigwig, which clearly did not land, was that he would need to be at Hazel's mercy when revealing his relationship, and that he'd need to cave into whatever demands that Hazel would come up with. Unfortunately, Holly did not do well detailing how that would pan out, so...it didn't land. Maybe he should have left his death out of it, huh? (But hey, at least he made an exciting event in there!)

...

Character Notes:

Making Hazel extra mean for this scenario felt so jarring, because I keep picturing him as a warm older brother and a kind leader, but...well, he had to get to the level that Holly wanted him at, so, angry Hazel it is. Fiver knows better, and the others could figure it out from there too.

I have been waiting for so long to write Hyzenthlay, and I didn't even get to write her exactly how I wanted her, but it was a fun first effort! Haven't quite gotten through her moments in the story, but at least I've read a few lines from her. And then I had to keep in mind that I was writing her from Holly's imaginary perspective, so that was a bit tricky too. Still, I wanted to do my best depicting her in a different manner, and wanted to make Hazel a little more romantic with her than he gets to be in the canon proper. Oh, and I made an attempt at nicknaming her "Zen," which I find pretty cute and a bit fitting to her personality.

Bluebell and Clover were Holly fans and students because Holly crushes on both of them. Clover is Holly's partner in the books, having partnered with him after "The Raid" arc chapters with the farm, while Bluebell is a good friend that traveled with him from the destroyed Sandleford warren and all of the way to Watership Down. I couldn't decide which one I wanted Holly to have a crush on, so I shrugged and went with both. In his little scenario, they're both drooling over their cool senior teacher, but in reality, they haven't a clue that he likes them so much. (Granted, Holly and Clover should have already had children by this point, but eh, they didn't in this fanfic. Sorry not sorry, I guess, ha!) Their roles would've been bigger in the original idea that I had, but that also took away too much from the core cast, so, they got a little less here. But, it was fun to have added them in as well, even if only briefly.

There was a small surprise inclusion in Holly's scenario, and that was none other than...Violet! She's a plot device character from the first movie, in which she was originally the only doe to survive from Sandleford's destruction, but very quickly gets picked off by a hawk not long after. She was with Fiver in that scene, and when the other rabbits approach him, he glumly remarks, "Violet's gone." That was needlessly sad, so I imagined up the idea that Fiver had a blur vision of that scene happening, and then warned Violet about it, narrowly keeping her alive instead. A strange inclusion perhaps, but I really enjoyed the idea of changing the fates of various rabbits from the books and expanding their roles into full characters, so, Violet is the first to get that luxury! Welcome to the wonderful world of fanfic magic.

Poor Holly gets killed in his own imaginary story, and then gets made fun of for it all. I feel bad for that, but at the same time, he probably should've came up with better. It was interesting to write somewhat based on his perspective, but still in the third person narrative. A type of unreliable narrator, perhaps, but it worked with the idea, I think.

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Anyway, that would be the first crazy take on Bigwig's relationship confession, which neither he nor Fiver felt would be the correct version. But, they've still got Kehaar and Blackberry's ideas yet to come, and the madness dwelling within their minds, so, who knows what's next there? Can they outdo Holly's efforts too?

That's for another day though. Until then, please take care, and thank you for reading!