Chapter Six
The Easy Life
Holly tossed and turned in his sleep. In his nightmare he was relieving the attack of the owl. Only this time there was nowhere to hide, this time the owl wouldn't miss, this time he would die.
Holly woke with a yell and looked around. He was lying on a bed made of grass in one of the two finished burrows. Holly breathed a sigh of relief and was about to snuggle down again when a voice suddenly asked, "Are you alright?" Holly gave another yell and spun round to find Fiver looking at him with concern. "Oh Fiver, it's you," Holly said then added, "we have to go back for Pimpernel." "When you're better," replied the younger buck. Holly nodded and lay back down to sleep. Fiver muttered a quick prayer to Frith, asking him to keep Holly safe, then he crept quietly out of the burrow so as not to wake the old Owsla captain.
Fiver found Violet, Hawkbit, Dandelion and Pipkin above ground. Kehaar was sitting a little way off, sleeping. Violet was busy digging while the other three had their morning silflay. "Morning all, lovely day isn't it?" he said cheerfully and hopped over to the three bucks. Dandelion and Pipkin nodded politely, Hawkbit just shuddered and turned away with a groan. "Hawkbit's not much of a morning rabbit, are you dear boy?" laughed Dandelion. "Where are Hazel and Bigwig?" Fiver asked Pipkin. "Talking at the far side of the down, why?" he replied. "I just need to talk to them, that's all," Fiver said and hopped away.
Hazel and Bigwig stood side by side gazing out over the horizon. They could see for miles and miles and as they stood looking at the countryside the two rabbits couldn't help but think of their old home. "I still can't believe Sandleford is gone," said Hazel, "Holly was lucky to make it out alive, so were we."
Bigwig nodded, "Well we have you and Fiver to thank for that."
"Yes," agreed Hazel, "His visions saved us all."
"True," said Bigwig, "but it doesn't make him right all the time."
"I never said I was," chuckled Fiver from behind them.
"Oh hello Fiver, how's Captain Holly?" asked Bigwig.
"Getting better, he wants to go back for Pimpernel."
"You see Hazel," Bigwig said proudly, "That's an Owsla captain for you, more concerned about his troops then himself."
"Why worry about Pimpernel?"Hazel asked, "Holly says he's safe in a fine big warren."
"Yes, replied the Owsla rabbit, "well I'm sure it's better and safer than this place."
"You're wrong about that," said Fiver. Bigwig smiled at the other two. "Tell you what, let's find Pimpernel and have a look at this warren, we might like it." "Not trying to get out of digging, are you?" asked Hazel. Bigwig blinked at him with big innocent eyes, "Perish the thought, I was only thinking of Pimpernel." "I bet", replied Hazel with a grin, "well, we had better let the others know where we're going."
Violet had been nagging Hawkbit, Dandelion and Pipkin about the digging all morning and the three bucks were sick of it. They wanted to be left alone to enjoy a quiet meal together and talk about all the plans they had for their new life on Watership Down. They had however agreed to help Violet, "just so she would shut up and quit whining," or so Hawkbit put it.
"Now," instructed Violet, "the trick is to get a rhythm, front legs push back, back legs kick, so who wants to go first?"
"Hawkbit does," yelled Pipkin and Dandelion at the same time and pointed at the unfortunate grey rabbit. "Hawkbit it is then," replied Violet. Hawkbit glowered at the two of them and hopped over to the hole Violet had been digging. "Why do we have to do it now?" he asked grumpily, "why can't Blackberry or Silver help?"
"Because Blackberry has already done his bit and Silver has a bad tummy so he can't dig," Violet told him.
"Lucky sod," muttered Hawkbit.
"What was that?" Violet asked icily.
"I said poor bod."
"I see," she said, "now remember front legs push back..."
"I think I've got it." Hawkbit interrupted grumpily, then disappeared down the hole and began his work. "Right," Violet said as she turned to the others, "after Hawkbit it can be you Dandelion, then you Pipkin, how's that sound?" Before either of them had the chance to reply a painful howl was heard from Hawkbit, causing the three rabbits to jump, and wakening Kehaar. "Yow," wailed Hawkbit, "I think I broke a nail."
"Not so much noise please, Kehaar resting," grumbled the gull, then added in a hopeful voice, "got any worms for Kehaar?"
"Any worms" Hawkbit roared, "no I haven't, but don't worry, if I find any I'll let you have them, I'll stuff them down your throat, you callous unfeeling brute!" At that moment Hazel turned up, just in time for a patch of dirt to hit him in the face. Hazel coughed and scowled down at the gray rabbit, "keep up the good work Hawkbit," he sighed.
"Morning Hazel," said Violet, "where's Bigwig and Fiver?"
"We're going to find Pimpernel and bring him back," Hazel told her.
"What a great idea," shouted Dandelion happily. Violet rolled her eyes, "just like a buck- anything to get out of real work."
"Right," said Hawkbit, "just let me tidy up a bit and I'll be right with you."
"Me too," piped up Pipkin.
"Actually it's just Fiver, Bigwig and me this time, sorry," Hazel informed them. "Humph," Hawkbit snorted, "you're sorry."
"I know," Hazel said with a smile, "Bucks don't usually dig, but this is a new place with new ideas, Violet needs your help," and with that he hopped off. The three bucks looked at each other, all knowing they were thinking the same thing. "I hate new ideas," Hawkbit said with a scowl.
Hazel and the others were just about to leave when Holly came running up. "I'm coming too," he announced.
"I'd rather you stay here, Holly," Hazel told him, "You're still weak."
"Ha," laughed Bigwig, "shows what you know, he's Owsla, we can handle anything, right Holly?" Holly nodded. "Are you sure?" Hazel asked him.
"Yes, I think so," the Owsla captain replied, "who's in charge here anyway?"
"Me," Hazel told him, "Why?"
Holly looked at Bigwig and grinned, "really?" he chuckled. Bigwig looked down at the ground, "Well if we're going then let's go," he murmured quietly and hopped off, Holly following him. "I think Holly thought Bigwig would be the leader", Hazel whispered to his brother. Fiver laughed, "I think Bigwig thought Bigwig would be the leader".
By mid-day the four rabbits had made it into the woods. "It doesn't look so bad in the day," said Bigwig as he looked about.
"The warren's on the far side of the woods," Holly told them. "Wait 'till you see it, a fellow called Cowslip seems to be in charge."
"Well either he is or he isn't," Bigwig said with a smile.
"You'd think so," the Owsla captain replied, "anyway you never saw a healthier, sleeker bunch, they're living the easy life I can tell you that."
"So not much chance of them joining us then," said Hazel.
"Maybe we should join them," suggested Bigwig.
"Maybe," replied Holly thoughtfully.
"Something about Cowslip bothers you doesn't it?" said Fiver.
"I never said that," responded Holly.
"With Fiver you don't have to," Hazel told him.
"Well," said Holly, "since you ask, yes, Cowslip seemed a bit off, they all did."
"As if they were lost?", questioned Fiver.
"Something like that, how did you know?"
"He gets feelings," said Bigwig mysteriously.
"Is something wrong Fiver?" asked Hazel and turned to his brother.
"I don't know, maybe."
"Right," said Bigwig, "we're not here to play Bob-stones, let get moving." And with that he began to move on.
It was early evening by the time they reached their destination. The entrance to the warren was set into the side of a small cliff and two rabbits lay outside nibbling Flayrah. "Not scared of being seen are they?" said Bigwig. "No," agreed Hazel, "And look at the size of the burrow- you could fit a horse in there."
"The fat one's Strawberry," Holly informed them, "the others Cowslip, they said they would look after Pimpernel." Just then Fiver gave a shudder, "I don't think I like this place," he said.
"Shows what you know, these rabbits have a life here," Holly said irritably.
"We're not turning back now Fiver," Bigwig told him. "And I for one am for staying in a warm, dry burrow," added Hazel as it began to throw it down. Fiver sighed and followed the three rabbits as they hopped towards the warren.
Both rabbits looked up as Hazel and others neared. Cowslip was a medium sized rabbit with well-groomed, silky, cream coloured fur, pale green eyes and whiskers that curled up at the ends. Strawberry was a green eyed, dark- pink rabbit who like Holly had said, was very fat. Hazel was about to speak when suddenly both Cowslip and Strawberry started to dance round them. "Welcome, welcome, greetings all, it's so nice of you to call," they both sang in union.
"What's with them?" Hazel whispered to Holly. The Owsal rabbit shrugged, "It's a thing they do when they meet."
"I see," said Hazel then turned to Cowslip and Strawberry, "We've come for Pimpernel," he announced. "
Come out of the rain, soft and sweet as it may be," said Cowslip then hopped off down the warren's entrance tunnel. "Quite a place you have here," said Bigwig to Cowslip as he and Holly followed the two rabbits.
"We like it," the other rabbit replied, "somewhere to rest one's weary head." Hazel had to push Fiver into the tunnel. Fiver sat down and looked about fearfully. "There's a winter here, a cold that never ends, can you smell it Hazel?"
Hazel took a sniff, "It smells fine to me, you're tired Fiver, things will look better in the morning."
"I don't know Hazel," was his brother's reply, "dawn feels a long way away."
If Cowslip's warren had looked big on the outside it was even more so on the inside. Holly and Bigwig gazed around the central burrow in wonder. This burrow alone was properly half the size of the entire warren back home. It contained at least twenty rabbits and showed no signs of overcrowding. Hazel would have joined the two Owsla rabbits but first he had to literally drag his brother into the burrow. "Oh," said Fiver as he stared at the warren's inhabitants, "look at them Hazel, their eyes- they're so far away." Hazel looked from brother to the warren rabbits and back again. "I see healthy well groomed rabbits, what is wrong with you?" Fiver didn't reply and backed miserably away to the far end of the burrow. Hazel ignored him and ran over to Bigwig and Holly.
"It's really something isn't it?" said Holly to the other two.
"There's certainly room for us if we wanted to move in," replied Bigwig.
"And they smell outrageously healthy," commented Hazel.
Bigwig sniffed. "Yes, better than us anyway, they must eat like El-ahrairah."
"Oh we do," said Strawberry, then he turned to Hazel and much to the others surprise he bowed. "Would you care to see the rest of the warren?"he asked.
"Yes I'd be err... delighted," Hazel replied and bowed back.
"Come on then," Strawberry said happily and ran off. Hazel gave Bigwig a shrug then followed the other rabbit down a tunnel that led to another burrow. "So where's Pimpernel then?" asked Bigwig and turned back to Cowslip.
"The roots you see," said the other rabbit and pointed at the ceiling with his paw, "they intertwine, like ivy to hold the ceiling high."
"Oh", replied Bigwig, "Like ivy is it?" Cowslip nodded and it seemed Fiver was the only one to notice the bizarre, unpleasant look that came into Cowslip's eyes, a look more horrifying then anything Fiver had ever known.
Hazel had been led by Strawberry through what seemed like endless burrows being told that each one was a crucial part of the warren and had to be there no matter what. Hazel was of course too polite to say anything but in truth he was bored out of his brain. That was until they came to a burrow in which one of the walls was made of stone. He stopped and stared at it for a few moments, then turning to Strawberry he said, "It looks man made." "It is," replied the other rabbit, "our builders found it pleasing, so they made it part of our warren, and look at this," he said and ran over to a section of the burrow where some stones were set into the earth wall.
"What happened here?" asked Hazel, "another man thing?"
"No it's a shape, we made it," Strawberry answered proudly, "Don't you see?" he said and pointed with his paw. "Look at it, it's El-ahrairah, surely you must have heard some of those funny old stories?"
"Well yes," Hazel replied as he looked at the shape, "they're part of our lives."
Strawberry let out a long sigh, "You still believe, that must be nice, I wish I..." he began but stopped to smack away Hazel's paw as the other buck reached for the stone shape. "Mustn't touch, beauty is fragile."
"Then why did you make it?"
Strawberry let out another sigh. "Because we have time to think and make lovely things, no worry about enemies or food, just time, all the time in the world."
Hawkbit and Dandelion sat huddled together miserably under the small scrape they had made, a scrape that let in a lot of rain water. "What's the rush, you said," Hawkbit commented dryly as he scowled at Dandelion, "We've all the time in the world you said."
"Alright, alright," said the storyteller, "so we should have been digging, we didn't- live with it."
"How are you two getting on?" asked Violet who had poked her head out of another scrape. "Come join us," replied Hawkbit sarcastically, "There's plenty of rain for everyone."
Violet chuckled, much to the annoyance of the bucks. "Oh I'm sorry," she laughed as they glared at her, "but you were the ones who insisted bucks don't dig." At that moment part of the roof fell in and landed on Hawkbit, covering him with water and muck. Dandelion turned to Violet and scowled. "I'm going to be honest; we're having a bit of a re-think." Violet shook her head and disappeared back into her own scrape. Violet was sharing a scrape with Blackberry.
Each scrape contained two of the rabbits; Hawkbit and Dandelion
had the first one, Violet and Blackberry the second, Pipkin and Silver the third. Violet looked over to where Blackberry was sitting at the other side of the scrape. Blackberry and Violet were both good diggers so their scrape was a bit bigger than the others. "Come on Blackberry, come closer, let's talk," Violet said. Blackberry laughed, "No thanks, I choose life."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I mean, no thanks, I don't want to get my head bitten off by Hazel when he gets back."
"Your head bitten off, what are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about what Hazel would do to me if I came between him and you," he replied and fluttered his eyelashes. Violet just stared at him in bewilderment. "Oh come on," he said, "you must have noticed the way he looks at you, the way he trips over his own words when he's talking to you."
Violet's eyes widened, "You don't mean?"
"Oh yes," Blackberry replied with a grin.
"Why didn't he say anything?" she gasped.
"Probably shy."
"You're sure he is in love with me?"
"Yes, but now ask yourself the important question, are you in love with him?" and with that he went to sleep, content to leave her pondering over what he had said.
Holly and Bigwig lay in the central burrow of Cowslip's warren enjoying a quiet evening meal of Flayrah. One of the things that made this particular meal enjoyable was the fact that it was raining outside. "Listen to that rain," said Holly between mouthfuls, "and not a drop in here."
"I wonder how they're enjoying things back at Watership Down?" replied Bigwig.
"Frith knows," chuckled Holly.
"Can I fetch you anything else?" asked Cowslip as he came running up, "carrot, beetroot, perhaps some lettuce?"
"Never thought I'd say this, but no thanks, I'm stuffed," replied Holly.
"Good idea keeping Flayrah on hand," said Bigwig and looked at Cowslip, "but how did you get it all down here and where does it all come from?"
"Tomorrow, you'll see tomorrow." And with that he hopped away. Not far off Fiver had been listening to the other rabbit's conversation and he didn't like it one bit. There was something strange about Cowslip, something odd. Fiver couldn't place it but something in his mind was telling him to stay away from Cowslip, from all of them. Fiver got up from where he was lying and went over to Bigwig. "Fiver," said Bigwig as the other rabbit came to stand next to him, "What can I do for you?"
"Let's get out, now," replied the young buck.
"Now, in the rain with Flayrah coming out of our ears, not likely."
Fiver stared at him then looked up at the roof, "but the ceiling is made of bones, their hearts are cold as stones."
"I've had enough of your twaddle for one night," Bigwig snapped irritably and turned away. At that moment Hazel and Strawberry appeared.
"Hello Hazel how's the warren for you then?" asked Holly.
"It's wonderful," the golden-brown buck told him, "Strawberry's been showing me around the place, and he's an excellent tour guide." Strawberry seemed about to speak, when Cowslip's voice was heard. "Friends, attention, we have an entertainment, the sweet rhymes of Silverweed for your ears."
"That Cowslip sure has an odd way with words doesn't he?" Bigwig murmured to Holly.
"Silverweed!" said Strawberry happily, "You're in for a treat tonight, Hazel".
Silverweed was a silver-gray rabbit with yellow eyes, and much to the four rabbits' surprise, a mere youngster. Back at Sandleford no rabbit his age would have been telling stories save perhaps to a few friends. When he spoke his voice had a strange unreal sound about it. "Well how nice of you to come, let's begin".
"Silverweed, he smells like autumn, like dead leaves," Fiver whispered to his brother. "Quiet," Hazel hissed, "shut up and don't be so rude." Silverweed cleared his throat and began.
The wind is blowing, blowing over the grass.
It shakes the willow catkins; the leaves shine silver.
Where are you going wind; far, far away
Over the hills, over the edge of the world.
Take me with you; I will be rabbit-of-the-wind.
Into the sky, the feathery sky and the rabbit.
The stream is running, running over the gravel.
Through the brooklime, the kingcups, the blue and gold of spring.
Where are you going, stream? Far, far away.
Beyond the heather, sliding away all night.
Take me with you, stream, away in the starlight.
I will go with you, I will be rabbit-of-the-stream.
Down through the water, the green water and the rabbit.
In autumn the leaves come blowing, yellow and brown.
They rustle in the ditches, they tug and hang on the hedge.
Where are you going, leaves? Far, far away.
Into the earth we go, with the rain and the berries.
Take me, leaves, o take me on your dark journey.
In the deep places of the earth, the earth and the rabbit.
Frith lies in the evening sky.
The clouds are red about him.
I am here Lord Frith, I am running through the long grass.
O take me with you, dropping behind the woods.
Far away, to the heart of light, the silence.
For I am ready to give you my breath, my life.
The shining circle of the sun, the sun and the rabbit.
"Let me out," screamed Fiver and tore towards the exit.
"Fiver!" shouted Hazel in alarm, but Fiver didn't seem to hear him as he shot out of the warren, knocking over Strawberry who happened to be standing near the exit.
"Sorry, my brother takes things a bit funny sometimes," Hazel apologised to the bewildered Strawberry, before dashing out of the warren to find his brother.
"I'll give him funny," growled Bigwig as he followed Hazel.
They found Fiver huddled miserably under a tree, eyes wide with terror. "Alright Fiver, what's the game?" asked Bigwig impatiently.
"There's sad and evil in that place, can't you feel it?"replied the young buck.
"Are you coming back inside?" asked Hazel, trying not to sound as angry as he felt.
"No it's safer out here."
"Fine," sighed Hazel then turning to Bigwig he said, "Go on, get back to the burrow before you get soaked."
"What about you?" asked the Owsla rabbit.
"I'll stay out here with Fiver."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes now go or you'll get wet through." Bigwig nodded at Hazel, gave Fiver a hard stare then walked away. Hazel sighed again and made a mental note not to take Fiver with him next time he went to have a look at a new warren...
Hazel woke with a start. Could he really have slept all night in the rain? The sun was shining brightly and the wood was silent, but Hazel was sure he had heard something. After a few moments of looking around and seeing nothing he was just going to lie down again when something snarled from one of the bushes and he saw a red tail with a white tip, a homba (Fox). Hazel sat bolt upright. "Fiver, wake up now," he hissed. "What, what is it?" his brother asked as he woke up.
"Homba, we need to get away, now before he sees us." But it was too late.
With a growl the fox leapt out of the bushes and straight at them. "Run!" yelled Hazel. But before either of them could move a man appeared, gun in hand. He raised the gun and pulled the trigger.
Bigwig and Holly jumped awake. "What was that?" Bigwig asked.
Holly sniffed. "There's a homba about and a man."
"Not to worry," said Cowslip poking his head round the corner of their burrow. "The man just killed the homba for us, it's quite alright, really."
"Alright?! Fiver and Hazel are still out there," Bigwig exploded then shot out of the burrow.
"Bigwig, wait," shouted Holly, but it was no good. The other rabbit was already gone.
Bigwig didn't stop running until he reached Hazel and Fiver. "Where's the homba?" he panted, "where's the man?"
"It's alright, Bigwig," Hazel reassured him, "they're gone, it's alright, we're safe."
"Oh thank Frith," Bigwig said with a sigh, then turning on Fiver he roared, "You! This is all your fault."
"But..." began Fiver.
"But nothing," the Owsla rabbit snapped, "it's all the same with you isn't it, it's all me, me, me. You selfish little pipsqueak, you're ruining this for everyone, and what's more you drag Hazel out here to look after you. What would have happened if that man hadn't been here, the homba would have got Hazel, your brother would have been killed and it would be all your fault."
At this Fiver burst into tears. He tried to say something, couldn't and flopped to the ground sobbing bitterly. Bigwig looked down at him shocked. He hadn't meant to go so far- he was just angry and scared for them both.
"Hey, hey, it's alright," he said kindly and put his paw round Fiver's shoulder, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
Fiver sniffed loudly and looked up at Bigwig.
"You really hate it here that much?" the Owsla rabbit asked. Fiver just nodded. At that moment Holly appeared. "Are you lot alright?" he inquired.
"Yes," replied Bigwig. "Holly do me a favour and stay with these two while I go back to the warren."
"Why?" asked Holly, "What's going on?"
"We're going to get Pimpernel, then we're leaving", replied Bigwig then disappeared into the bushes. In that instant a fearful commotion began on the other side. There were sounds of kicking and plunging. A stick flew into the air. Then a flat, wet clot of dead leaves shot clean through the gap and landed clear of the bush, close to Hazel. "Bigwig!" Hazel shouted then leapt through the bush, Fiver and Holly following. Hazel gasped at the terrible sight before him. Bigwig lay on his side, his back legs kicking and struggling. A length of twisted copper wire, gleaming in the first sunlight, was looped round his neck. "Hazel," he cried, "Help, help me". Hazel ran forward and bit into the wire; it was sharp and bitter and hurt his mouth. He bit harder but it was no use- the wire was too strong. "It's no good," he told the others, "I can't bite through. Holly run back to the warren, get everyone you can find." Holly nodded and ran off.
"Bigwig," Hazel said turning back to his old friend, "You're in a snare, we'll get you out." Fiver hopped forward and bit the wire.
"No Fiver, that's no good," Hazel told him, "It's too hard and the peg's stuck in the ground.
"Hazel," said Fiver, "it's stuck like a carrot."
"Of course," said Hazel as he realized what his brother meant.
"Come on," Fiver urged, "Dig quickly."
Holly ran to the warren rabbits as fast as his legs would carry him. "Bigwig's caught in a snare, this way quickly."
"Didn't you hear me?" he shouted angrily when none of the rabbits moved, "Bigwig's caught."
"There is no Bigwig, there never was and now he's gone," replied Cowslip and began shaking his head up and down. Holly stared at him in horror. "You're mad, all of you," he yelled and raced back the way he had come. Strawberry watched him go, a look of longing on his face.
Hazel stopped digging and moved in with his mouth, biting at the peg. No good; he couldn't get down far enough. "I can't get my teeth on it," he told his brother.
"Here, I'm smaller, let me try." Bending down Fiver griped the bottom of the peg in his teeth and pulled. The peg didn't budge. Fiver looked up at the sun. "Frith gave me strength," he prayed then pulled again. The peg moved. Gathering all his strength he pulled again. The peg tore from the ground and Fiver spat it away just as Holly arrived.
"You're free Bigwig, we've got you out," Hazel shouted then turned to Holly. "Where is everybody?"
"They wouldn't come," Holly replied. Shocked, Hazel turned to Bigwig who hadn't moved. "Bigwig?" he said moving closer to him. There was no answer. "He's not breathing."
"We're too late," said Holly quietly. "Not Bigwig," gasped Fiver, "What'll we do without him?"
"Oh Frith, my heart has joined the thousand, my friend stopped running today," whispered Hazel, saying the old rabbit prayer of the dead.
"They're everywhere," said Fiver in horror, "shinning wires, Cowslip knows about them, they all do."
"The man will come soon," said a voice behind them, "He'll take Bigwig away." They all spun round to see Strawberry.
"Why didn't you and Cowslip come?" Holly roared at him, "you could have helped."
"The man feeds us," replied Strawberry miserably, "protects us from the homba, the badger, there's only one thing you have to fear, just one."
Fiver looked at the others, "That's why they dance and make shapes and the poetry, to forget their fear, to hide from the truth, Oh Frith," he whimpered and cowered on the ground, eyes closed.
Hazel glowered at Strawberry, "you knew about the wire and you didn't tell us." The other rabbit looked away shamefaced.
"The wire got Pimpernel, didn't it," said Holly, "He's stopped running, hasn't he?"
"When a rabbit dies we never speak his name again."
"Why didn't you warn us?" snapped Hazel.
"If the wire took you we'd live one day longer."
"I'll kill them all," snarled a voice from behind them making them all spin round. Bigwig was standing upright, a furious look on his face. The wire had cut deep into him and a large amount of blood was trickling down his neck and soaking into his mane.
"Bigwig you're alive," shouted Holly, "Oh thank Frith. Bigwig nodded then went over to Fiver and gave him a nudge. Fiver opened his eyes. "Bigwig," he squeaked in surprise and joy.
"I'm alive, we all are, now up on your feet lad we have a score to settle."
Cowslip and his rabbits were enjoying a peaceful silflay. That is until they heard an angry roar as Bigwig and the others came running up. "Go away," Cowslip told them, "unless you want a fight."
"You don't know how" spat Bigwig, "You've forgotten all the tricks of cunning El-ahrairah gave us."
Cowslip lunged at him. Bigwig knocked him aside effortlessly. Cowslip stared at them from where he had fallen, a look of surprise on his face.
"Leave this place," Hazel said to him, "you need the freedom of the hills, you can re-learn the stories of El-ahrairah."
"El-ahrairah is a lie," replied Cowslip as he backed away into the warren. "The man takes care of us, we don't want to leave, we don't want your freedom."
"The wires will get you if you don't leave, you don't have to give in to the shinning wires."
"They won't get me," sneered Cowslip, "maybe others but never me," and with that he began to laugh insanely.
"Run," said Hazel, "we need to get away from here.
"Stay in the open," Bigwig warned them, "stay away from cover, that's where the wires are." Strawberry watched them go. Hazel's words still running through his head. "You don't have to give in to the shinning wires."
"I just need to stop and catch my breath," Bigwig panted after they had been running for about ten minutes.
"Take your time, Bigwig," Hazel told him, "we'll move on when you're strong enough." Bigwig turned to Fiver, "the trouble with being Owsla is you tend to think you're right all the time, I should have listened to you."
"We all should have," added Holly.
At that moment Strawberry came running up. "Take me with you," he begged.
"You lied to us, why should we do anything for you?" demanded Bigwig.
Hazel scowled at the dark pink buck. "We have to work hard to survive, we don't live an easy life in the high hills.
"There is no life in the warren of the shinning wire," came the reply.
"Well," said Hazel to the others, "what do you say?"
Fiver smiled, "I say, welcome to the team Strawberry."
The sun was setting by the time they made it to the down. "Hello rabbits," shouted Kehaar who was flying high above them, "look Kehaar all better now." "Good for you Kehaar," said Hazel, "now you can get your own worms." "Yuck," said Kehaar, "Kehaar not want worms, want fish, some day go to big water, eat like egg gull," then he added, "me beat you home."
"You're on," Hazel said with a grin.
"You two go ahead," said Bigwig, "I need to talk to Fiver."
Hazel nodded and started up the hill, Strawberry with him.
"Look Fiver," Bigwig said, turning to the other rabbit, "about not believing you at that warren. "
"It's alright," replied Fiver.
"No, no, it's not alright and I'm sorry I shouted at you, I was just scared for you and Hazel."
"Thanks," said Fiver, "I'm just glad you're okay."
Bigwig smiled weakly. "So...friends?" Fiver threw his paws round Bigwig and hugged him, hard. "I'll take that as a yes, now, come on, let's catch up with Hazel and the others."
"Well I hope you've had a nice time gallivanting about the country," said Dandelion as he, Hawkbit and Pipkin watched the four rabbits approaching. "Because we haven't." "We're soaked and the burrow collapsed and Violet won't gave us a moment's pace," added Hawkbit grumpily.
Hazel shook his head and looked at Strawberry. "Home sweet home," he laughed, "home, sweet home".