A/N: Just a warning, this chapter gets a bit dark in the middle.

Chapter 31

"So, how are you getting along?" Sam asked Marigold and Hickory. It had been a week since the Redstone rabbits had made their move. Sam, Fiver, and Blackavar were visiting to be sure they had encountered no problems.

Marigold replied, "We're doing well. Thank you for checking on us, Sam and Fiver. And…Blackavar, was it?"

Blackavar smiled in response. "That's me! Pipkin and Snowdrop are on sentry duty, and Gillia was being a lazy ears. So I decided to come with my uncles to see how you were doing."

Hickory, who was listening silently to the conversation, raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Uncles, Sam?"

Sam smiled in a mixture of pride and embarrassment. "Obviously I'm not their blood uncle. Hazel insisted. Not that I mind," he said, playfully ruffling the fur between Blackavar's ears. The young rabbit chuckled and pushed his paw away. "They're awesome kids. Isn't that right, Fiver?"

"As you say," the mystic replied.

"Are you alright?" Sam asked. "You've been acting weird all day." No answer. Sam prodded his friend's shoulder. "Hey, Fiver? What's wrong?"

Fiver did not answer immediately and continued to look ahead. He shook his head suddenly and smiled at Sam. "I apologize, Sunflower, what were you saying?"

"I was asking if you were alright." Sam moved close and examined Fiver's face. "And really…you don't look alright." The rabbit's pupils were dilated and he felt cold.

"I am fine," Fiver replied, "I just need a drink. Blackavar, would you like to accompany me?"

Blackavar nodded. "Sure. We'll be back in a moment, Uncle Sam."

Sam watched the two of them head toward the nearby stream with a concerned look on his face. "I think we should go," he said to Marigold and Hickory. "Fiver's acting really weird right now. It's probably best to get him back to the down."

Marigold and Hickory nodded as one. "We understand," she said. "You go and take care of him; we will be fine on our own.

Sam nodded and went to collect Fiver and Blackavar from the stream. It was a short walk, and he soon heard the running water. Suddenly, a shout of surprise rang through the air, followed by a splash. Alarmed, Sam ran and burst through a cluster of bushes to find Fiver sitting on the bank. Alone.

"Fiver! Where's Blackavar?"

The mystic glanced at Sam. "He fell in," he replied simply.

"What?"

Sam pushed past Fiver and looked up and down the stream. He soon spotted a thrashing blob floating downstream. It was fighting to stay above water, but looked to be slowly sinking.

"Blackavar!"

Sam raced downstream after him. The teen changed to his human form and leapt into the water. Although the current was too much for a young rabbit with no swimming experience, it was nothing for a human. Sam soon caught up to Blackavar and looped an arm around his chest. It was more difficult to swim trying to carry another body, but Sam quickly made it to the edge of the stream and dragged the pair of them onto land. Sam gently patted the young buck's back as he coughed up the water he had breathed in.

"Are you alright, Blackavar?" Sam asked as soon as the rabbit was breathing normally again.

He coughed once more before answering. "I…I think so. Thank you, Uncle Sam."

Blackavar was shivering, so Sam moved closer to keep him warm. "What happened? How did you fall in?"

"I'm not sure. I thought I felt something hit me, but I probably just imagined it. The ground must have collapsed or something. It did look kind of shaky."

"No matter," Sam replied. "Let's get you back to the warren. Can you stand?" Blackavar struggled to his feet and stood on shaking legs. He nodded. "Good. Let's get you back to the down." Sam looked around. "Where the hell is Fiver?"

"I am here."

Sam turned as Fiver slowly walked up to the pair. "Is Blackavar well?"

"We'll be alright," Sam said. "We're going back to the down. Why don't you lead the way?"

"Alright."

Sam let Blackavar lean on him for warmth and support while the group walked back to the down. They got to the foot of the hill, and Sam slowed for a moment. He watched Fiver walk through the barrier. The mystic cringed, his teeth clenched in extreme pain. But in a moment it was gone, and he continued walking.

Sam narrowed his eyes, but followed Fiver nonetheless. When they crested the hill, Sam immediately found Hazel and Primrose and told them what had happened.

"Hazel," Sam said, drawing the chief's attention away from his son, "I need to have a word with you."

Hazel nuzzled Blackavar once more and followed Sam to the edge of the hill. "Sam, I cannot thank you enough. If you hadn't been there…"

"Don't mention it, Hazel," Sam replied. "But that's not what I wanted to talk about. Have you…noticed anything weird about Fiver recently?"

"What do you mean?"

"He's been different the past few days. Distant. At first I didn't think anything about it, but it was really bad today. It's like he doesn't care about anything. He didn't even bat an eye when Blackavar fell into the water!"

Hazel was shocked. "Are you sure, Sam? I can't think my own brother would be so indifferent."

"I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself. Do you know what he said when I asked where Blackavar had gone?" Sam adopted an emotionless tone. "'He fell in.' That's all he said, exactly like he said it! Tell me what part of that says he cares."

Sam and Hazel stared at each other for a moment before the chief sighed and looked away. "Alright, Sam, I'll keep an eye on him. There is too much evil out there to take any chances. And thank you, again, for saving Blackavar."

Sam smiled. "Anytime."

Three days later, Blackavar's accident was all but forgotten, and things were normal on the down. Although Sam and Hazel had kept a close eye on him, Fiver showed no other signs of abnormal behavior. The sun was setting on a beautiful day as the rabbits retired into the warren. Except for Hazel and Sam.

"So what do you think?" Hazel asked.

Sam shrugged. "I'm not sure. I know what I heard, but Fiver has been fine for the last few days."

"Perhaps it was only temporary? He could have been sick. You know he wouldn't have told anyone if he was."

"Maybe," Sam responded uncertainly. "I guess all we can do is keep watching and hope for the best. Hopefully he was just having a bad day." Sam shook his head. It doesn't feel right. I'm missing something, I know it!

Hazel interrupted his thoughts. "Come on, Sam. Let's get some sleep. We won't solve our problems just by sitting here exhausting ourselves."

Sam nodded and the two of them went into the warren. Sam nodded a good night to Hazel as he entered the burrow he shared with Glade.

She raised her head as he approached. "What did Hazel say?"

Sam sighed as he lay down. "He's hoping it was just a fluke and that Fiver is fine. I hope he's right, but I just don't know. Something still seems off, I just don't know what."

"Don't worry, Sam," Glade said as she nuzzled his side, "I'm sure you'll figure it out. You always do."

Sam closed his eyes. "I just hope I figure it out before anything bad happens." With those troubling thoughts in his head, Sam drifted off to sleep.

Elsewhere in the warren, someone was being kept awake. Try as he might, Silverweed could barely close his eyes before his aching head forced him back awake. He groaned, softly so as not to wake his burrowmates, Pipkin and Fiver. Frith above, he thought to himself, I would give anything to get some sleep tonight. Three days of restless sleep. Why now?

"Pipkin, are you awake?"

Silverweed's thought were interrupted when a whisper broke through the silence. Silverweed did not move and merely listened.

He heard Pipkin stir. "Mmm. I am now, Fiver. Are you alright? Did you need something?"

"Fine. Let's go for a walk."

There was the sound of stirring, which Silverweed took to be Pipkin sitting up.

"A walk?" Pipkin said, confused. "It's the middle of the night, Fiver."

"It's important. Trust me."

Silverweed shivered as Fiver spoke. Say no, Pipkin. Something is very wrong with Fiver. I can feel it. As gently as he could, Silverweed tried to probe Fiver's mind. Being a mystic, his mind is somewhat protected. Maybe if I just… Before he could do more than touch the surface of Fiver's mind, Silverweed suddenly felt a burning jolt streak through his head. It was all the rabbit could do not to shout in pain.

Pipkin continued speaking, unaware of the silent attack happening. "What's so important that you have to wake me? Shouldn't you talk to Hazel or Sam?"

"Not the Mess- No, they won't understand. If you're my friend, Pipkin, you'll come with me. Quietly." Without another word, Fiver got up and walked out of the burrow. Silverweed listened as he heard Pipkin sigh and follow the other rabbit.

No! Silverweed waited until he could not hear the pair anymore, and then got up himself. I have to tell someone, quick! Making sure he was not heard by Fiver, Silverweed quickly made his way to Sam's burrow.

Urgently, he shook Sam's shoulder. "Sam, wake up! It's Fiver. He's taking Pipkin somewhere. Get up!"

Sam opened his eyes and shook his head. "Silverweed? It's the middle of the night. What are you…" he drifted off as Silverweed's words hit him. "Fiver's doing what?"

"Taking Pipkin somewhere. He didn't say where. Please, Sam, something's wrong. Fiver isn't himself. There's something…else there, inside him. I tried to look inside his mind, but it attacked me."

Sam stood, still trying to shake the sleep out of his body. "Maybe it was Fiver that attacked? I know that if you went into my mind, I'd try and fight back."

Silverweed shook his head furiously. "It doesn't work that way. Fiver gets visions, he doesn't attack. That's how I would respond. Why are we still talking? We need to follow them!"

"Yeah, alright," Sam replied. "Lead the way."

"Where are we going?"

Sam and Silverweed turned to see Glade rubbing her eyes. She smiled at their confused looks. "What? You two aren't exactly quiet. Now don't we need to go somewhere?"

Silverweed's ears perked up. "Right! Come on!" The mystic bolted out of the burrow, followed closely by Sam and Glade. The three ran outside, and immediately picked up Fiver and Pipkin's scent. The trail led down the hill.

"Just come on!"

"No, Fiver. I'm not leaving the down without telling someone, and you shouldn't either."

"That's them!" Sam said.

Silverweed nodded. "Come on."

They got to the bottom of the hill and saw Fiver and Pipkin facing each other just inside the barrier. Fiver's eyes widened as he saw the three rabbits running towards them. "No! It's too soon!" Suddenly, Fiver lunged at Pipkin, trying to shove him away from the down. Pipkin, being the larger of the two and having had some owsla training, easily withstood Fiver's charge. The smaller rabbit was thrown backwards, outside of the barrier. Sam heard a feminine grunt as he hit the ground.

"Get off me you stupid rabbit!"

Sam immediately changed to him human form upon hearing Alice's voice. He created a bright fireball in one hand and held it up, illuminating the area. "Where are you, Alice? Show yourself!"

He heard laughter in the night as Alice suddenly appeared.

Sam was so surprised, his fire almost went out. "How did you…" Sam said in confusion.

Alice chuckled. "The night is Master's domain. I can move as I please, seen or unseen."

Sam groaned inwardly. Wonderful. As if she wasn't already bad enough, now she can turn invisible. He began charging a Frith Beam in his hand, making no effort to hide it. "Yeah, night, whatever. Listen, we're already having problems tonight that don't involve you." He pointed his hand at Alice. "Now step away from our friend, and get out of here. I don't have time to deal with you."

Alice chuckled. "Who says it doesn't involve me?" She turned to Fiver. "Would you say it involves me, bunny?"

"I should think so," Fiver replied. "That's what Master says, and who am I to disagree?"

This time, Sam's fire did go out for a moment. He quickly relit it as he stared at Fiver in shock. Which quickly deteriorated into dread. "No. No, no, no, Fiver, please no! Tell me she didn't get you."

The mystic laughed darkly. "Alice did not need to get me. I simply…chose the winning team. Shall we, Alice?"

"Go ahead."

With no further warning, Fiver lunged at Pipkin and managed to grab him by the scruff of the neck. Fiver began to drag him outside the barrier towards Alice. Sam immediately grabbed Pipkin's back end and began to pull. Alice similarly grabbed Fiver, and the two pulled. As hard as Sam tried, Pipkin slowly began sliding outside the barrier.

Suddenly, Silverweed called out. "Sam! Do you trust me?"

"Yeah," Sam groaned as he tried to keep ahold of Pipkin, "why?"

"As soon as I say, let go of Pipkin and fire a Frith Beam at Alice."

"What?"

Silverweed held his paws to his head in concentration. "Just do it! Now!"

Sam let go of Pipkin with one of his hands. The buck quickly began to slip from his grasp as Sam blindly shot a Frith Beam into the dark. He heard Alice give a small yelp in surprise as the pull against Pipkin significantly lessened. Suddenly, Fiver began yelling in pain and let go of Pipkin's fur, allowing Sam to drag him back into the barrier.

"Grab Fiver too," Silverweed yelled, strain evident in his voice. "Hurry!"

Fiver was thrashing on the ground in pain. Avoiding a cuff from his flailing limbs, Sam grabbed the mystic and dragged him towards the group as well. Upon crossing the barrier, Fiver took a shuddering breath and lay still. His chest rose and fell with shallow breaths.

"Damn it!"

Sam looked behind him to see Alice standing outside the barrier with a scowl on her face. "Fine, Sam, be that way. This is going to be interesting, isn't it? How will you deal with a traitor in your ranks?" She began to laugh.

"Shut up!" Sam yelled, firing another Frith Beam at her. Alice dodged and, with a mischievous wink, disappeared. Sam shook his head in frustration before turning his attention back to his friends. Silverweed and Glade were cautiously looking Fiver over, while Pipkin sat by himself off a little way. "Are you alright, buddy?" Sam asked, kneeling down next to the rabbit. "Are you hurt?"

Pipkin sniffled, and Sam could see he was fighting back tears. The teen moved to give him a hug, which Pipkin gratefully accepted. "Why would he do that, Sam? Why would Fiver betray us to the Black Rabbit? He's our friend. He's my friend…isn't he?"

"I don't know what to tell you, Pipkin. The only thing we can do is wait until he wakes up and ask him." Making sure Pipkin was alright, Sam moved over to Fiver. He still showed no signs of waking up. "How is he?" Sam asked Glade.

"I'm not sure," she responded. "He doesn't seem hurt in any way, but he won't wake up. I don't know what happened that caused him to scream like that."

Sam turned to Silverweed, who began to look guilty. "Silverweed," Sam asked, "do you know what's wrong with him?"

Silverweed nodded. "Do you promise not to tell Hazel? I don't think he'd be very happy with me."

Sam's eyes narrowed. "I can't promise that, Silverweed. Now, what did you do?"

The mystic sighed and looked away. "It's another of my powers. One I never told you about. I had hoped I'd never need to use it again. Cowslip used to call it the mind burn, and it does exactly what the name says. Basically, I break into someone's mind, and burn it out. Leaving nothing but an empty shell."

"And you did that to Fiver?" Sam yelled accusingly. "What were you thinking?"

"No, I didn't!" Silverweed said quickly. "Not entirely, anyway. To fully understand, I need to tell you how mystic powers work and where they come from." When Sam made no move to stop him, Silverweed continued. "There's another…place out there, Sam. A plane of existence you can't see. I don't know if it has a name, but it is very strange. And it can be very dangerous. That's where Fiver gets his visions. I believe Frith speaks directly to Fiver's mind through this plane. For my part, that's how I can see into others' minds. Every mind exists separately in there. I can project myself into the plane and travel to another's mind, where I can either look into their thoughts, or adjust them as I see fit. Like I did when I lived under Cowslip."

"Or you can destroy their mind," Glade said in disgust. "As you see fit."

Silverweed was saddened. "It's not something I do lightly. I've only done it once in my life, to a homba that was very good at avoiding the farmer and the snares. When I burn out someone's mind, it isn't a passive process. I have to watch as everything is destroyed. Their memories, their senses, everything."

"How in the world can you even do this?" Sam asked curiously. "I know you're a powerful mystic, but you don't seem strong enough to wipe out someone's mind."

"No, it isn't my power," Silverweed replied. "Like I said, the mystic plane can be dangerous. If you aren't careful, you can lose yourself there. It's a risk I take every time I go there, that if I were to lose my concentration and lower my guard, I would be swept away and my body would die. I use that power to burn out others' minds. Imagine the mind as a bubble, with all that you are inside. Most living things cannot withstand the energy outside their mind, so the bubble provides protection, and separates you from the outside. When I burn a mind, I just open a hole in the bubble and let the force from the mystic plane to the rest."

"So you ripped open Fiver's mind?" asked Pipkin, who had come over to listen as well.

Silverweed shook his head. "Not exactly. I only opened a very small hole, just enough to distract him. And I made sure to close it when he was unconscious."

"But he was in so much pain," Pipkin pressed. "That seems a bit much for a distraction."

This time, Silverweed smiled. "Actually, that pain was a good sign. I thought something was wrong with him, and that proved me right. Fiver is a mystic, and even though he doesn't travel that plane as I do, his mind is still capable of resisting the energy. If he was in his right mind, he would have been able to handle that little energy, easily. But he didn't. Something else did." Seeing the blank looks in his friends' faces, Silverweed continued. "There's something in his mind, holding him captive. That pain was him crying out at the invasion, because whatever is holding him divided its attention and lessened its grip to combat my attack."

Sam interrupted, "What do you mean something has him?"

"I wasn't able to get a very clear look," Silverweed said hesitantly, "but it looked like the same thing Cowslip had wrapped around his mind."

"The Black Rabbit," Sam said angrily. Silverweed nodded. "Well, that shouldn't be a big deal, right? If I shoot him with a Frith Beam, maybe I can set him free like I did Wheatstock?"

"Be gentle, Sam," Silverweed said, stepping away from Fiver. "His mind is sure to be very tender right now."

Sam nodded in understanding and pointed a glowing hand at Fiver. Just as he was about to fire, the small buck suddenly sat straight up.

"Halt your attack, Messenger, or I shall destroy him!"

Sam let the built up energy dissipate in shock. "Fiver! Are you alright?"

"Your friend is under my control," Fiver said in a deep voice. "Any attempt by you to dispose of me will not end well." He turned his attention to Silverweed. "What I will do to this buck's mind will make your 'mind burn' look like a cheap parlor trick. You would be surprised how much agony can fit into a single moment."

"What do you want with him?" Sam yelled, grabbing Fiver's shoulders. He gave the buck a small shake. "Get out of him!"

Fiver chuckled. "If you want me to leave, you need to come in here and get me," he tapped a paw to his head as he spoke. Fiver then point to Silverweed. "I am sure that one has more tricks up his sleeve he hasn't told you about. I will be waiting, Messenger." With that, Fiver's body went limp in Sam's arms. With a shake of his head, Sam lowered his friend gently to the ground.

Pipkin nuzzled his friend gently, tears coming to his eyes again. Glade approached Sam. "What do we do?" she asked.

Sam sighed. "We help him. Somehow. Silverweed," he said, getting the other mystic's attention, "was he right? Do you know of some way we can help Fiver?"

"I m-might," Silverweed hesitantly admitted. "But it could be very dangerous. I've never tried it before."

"Well you have to try it tonight. I'm not just going to let Fiver stay like this. What do we have to do?"

Silverweed replied, "With a cooperative mind, I think I can bring someone with me into the mystic plane. If the two of us could get into Fiver's mind, then maybe we can find the Black Rabbit and defeat him at the source. But there's no guarantee it will work, Sam. Like I said, I've never tried this before."

"Don't worry," Sam said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I trust you. What do I have to do?"

"Hold on," Glade interrupted. "You're doing this right now?"

"Yes," Sam said immediately. "The sooner we free Fiver's mind, the better."

"Alright, Sam, pay attention," Silverweed said. "You're going to feel a pressure on your mind, but you can't fight it. You'll want to. You'll want to fight me as hard as you can. But you need to stay calm and let me in. From there, you just have to trust me." Sam nodded. "Alright, take my paws in your hands, and concentrate."

Sam nodded and wrapped his fingers around Silverweed's front paws. Silverweed nodded, and Sam began to feel a pressure on his head. Although his first instinct was to press back against it, Silverweed's words rang in his head. Sam fought to stay calm past the feeling of someone digging into his mind. His eyes began to droop, and he was soon asleep.

Sam felt someone shaking his shoulder. He tried to push them away, but the shaking only became more insistent. Soon, a voice reached his ears.

"..am! Wa…up, Sa…ou alright?"

The teen's eyes fluttered open. As he blinked, Silverweed's face came into focus. The rabbit helped him sit up. Sam took a look around them, and his eye immediately widened. All around them was a sea of flowing colors. He and Silverweed sat in what appeared to be a grey, dingy bubble. But even through the bubbles walls, Sam could see many colors. He looked in all directions, even up and down, but all he was able to see was the multi-colored maelstrom. Shades of red, blue, yellow, and every color in between swirled around them.

"It's beautiful in its way, isn't it?" Silverweed asked, drawing Sam's attention. "Sometimes when I'm bored, I come here and just watch the colors. You could watch forever and not see them all." Silverweed exchanged a small smile with Sam before addressing their reason for coming. "We need to get to Fiver's mind. I know the way. Just leave it to me." With a wordless command, their bubble began to move through the swirling colors, heading for some goal Sam could not see.

"This…is incredible," Sam said in awe. His mouth temporarily stopped working as they passed a large, white sphere. "What was that?"

Silverweed nodded his head, and a silver thread shot out to connect their bubble with the sphere. The mystic closed his eyes for a moment. "That…is Glade's mind." He opened his eyes and the thread disappeared. He chuckled slightly. "She's worried for you, Sam."

Sam smiled wistfully in return. "That doesn't surprise me." His smiled disappeared quickly. "How far is Fiver's mind? We were sitting right next to him; he can't be that far away."

"It shouldn't be long now," Silverweed replied. "In fact…" he paused as another thread connected to a sphere in the distance. "There he is!" Silverweed grimaced in pain as the thread suddenly shattered. "The Black Rabbit knows we're coming."

As they closed on the sphere, Sam and Silverweed could see black tendrils dancing on the surface.

"That's good," Silverweed said. "Fiver's still in there, and he's fighting back. But it looks like he's losing. We need to hurry, Sam." They closed in on Fiver's mind. "Hang on, this could get bumpy. I have to fight past Fiver's natural defenses, plus whatever the Black Rabbit throws our way."

"Is there any way I can help?" Sam asked.

Silverweed shook his head. "Just keep quiet. I'm going to need to focus. Get ready, we're about to connect!" Sam and Silverweed braced for an impact, but none came. Silverweed's face scrunched up in confusion. "Something's wrong. We should have encountered some type of resistance by now. It's like we're being invited in. But that doesn't make sense unless…" Silverweed's eyes widened suddenly as he turned to Sam. "It's a tra-"

The rest of Silverweed's sentence was cut off as their protective bubble suddenly exploded, sending the two of them flying in separate directions. Sam cried out for a moment before he lost consciousness again.

When Sam woke up, he was surprised to find himself lying on something soft. And furry. The teen opened his eyes and came face to face with the lifeless eyes of a dead rabbit. With a cry of shock, Sam pushed himself away from the corpse. It was then that Sam looked around him, and immediately hit his knees.

In every direction, as far as he eye could see, were dead rabbits.

Tears sprang to Sam's eyes, and he immediately wiped his hands on his shirt. Only the fact that it would be so disrespectful to the rabbits around him, kept the contents of the teen's stomach down.

"Why?" Sam managed to choke out. Is this Fiver's mind? he thought in horror. What has that monster been doing to him? I have to find him! As he completed his thought, a slight breeze blew into his face, carrying with it the smell of rot and decay. Sam turned and saw Watership Down in the distance. The hill looked the same as is always did: the grass was green, and the beech tree stood proudly at the top. "That has to be where he is," Sam said out loud, mostly in an attempt to keep himself from breaking down at the death that surrounded him. "I have to get there."

Sam weakly got to his feet. A lump rose in his throat as a sickening realization hit his mind: to get to Watership Down, he would have to walk across the bodies of the dead. Steeling himself as best he could, Sam began to walk. Although he tried to place his feet carefully, every step was accompanied with the sound of snapping bones and the sickening collapse of flesh.

I'm sorry, he thought sadly. I don't know who any of you are, but I am so, so sorry that this happened. I'll make it right, I swear."

Suddenly, the air turned cold around him. Sam looked around in confusion, when a very young rabbit appeared in front of him. The rabbit had its back turned, but Sam was still able to identify it.

"Fiver?" he asked in surprise. "Fiver! It's Sam! Come on, we have find Silverweed and-"

"Parli! Don't go!"

Sam stopped as a younger version of Fiver's voice cut through the air. He watched as Fiver ran and nuzzled an adult rabbit that had just appeared.

"Please don't go, Parli," Fiver begged. "It isn't safe!"

The older buck rolled his eyes and stroked Fiver's head calmingly. "Don't be silly, Fiver. Me, Holly, and a few others of the owsla are just going on a short patrol. There are never any elil on the route we're taking. Everything is going to be fine."

The youngster shook his head. "No, it won't! I saw it, Parli; a vision in my head. It isn't safe for you out there!"

"Oi, come on, Poppy," called a faceless rabbit. "We're starting the patrol."

"Hazel," Fiver's father, Poppy, called out, "come and take care of your brother. We need to get going."

A younger version of Hazel appeared and ran over to the two of them. He set a paw on Fiver's shoulder. "Yes, Parli. Please, be careful."

Poppy chuckled. "I'll be back soon, Hazel."

With that, Poppy turned to join Holly and the others, and they were off.

Hazel watched them go, and then sighed. "Hrair-roo," he said sadly, "you have to stop telling others when you get these visions. You know they never believe you."

"But you believe me, Hazel," Fiver insisted. "Help me convince Parli to stay. I saw it, Hazel! In my head, I saw him die. Please, Hazel!"

"Maybe you were wrong. I'm sure everything is going to be-"

"No! You know I'm not wrong, Hazel. I've never been wrong!" Hazel would not meet the smaller buck's eyes. With a pitiful sob, Fiver dashed off and disappeared.

"I hope you're wrong this time, Fiver," Hazel said, staring after Poppy and the others. "Just this once, I hope you're wrong."

Sam moved to lay a comforting hand on Hazel's shoulder, but his hand passed right through the buck. None of it had been real.

"Poor kid," Sam said with a shake of his head. "No wonder he was so unsure of his visions when we first met."

With nothing else to do, Sam carried on. Although he had not walked far, Watership Down was noticeably closer. Sam had not walked far before he heard crying. Looking to his side, Sam again saw a younger Fiver, this time huddled next to Hazel, crying on his shoulder. The air around them darkened, indicating it was nighttime.

"I'm sorry," Holly said to the two brothers. "There was nothing we could do. The homba snuck up on us. Poppy…your parli saved our lives. He was a hero." The young bucks did not respond. Holly's ears dropped in sadness. "Let me know if you need anything," he said as he hopped away, leaving the two alone.

Hazel nuzzled his brother close. "I'm so sorry, Fiver. You were right. You're always right. From now on, I promise to listen to your visions, no matter what. I won't let something like this happen, ever again."

The vision faded, just like the last one had.

"I'll find you, Fiver," Sam said to himself. "I promise."

The teen continued to walk, finding Watership Down very close now, as if the land itself was moving for him. He turned toward the hill, and suddenly his vision was filled with a bright light.

He stood facing the down. It was early morning, and a light fog had settled on the top of the hill. "It's beautiful," he said unconsciously. Sam was surprised to hear a different voice come from his mouth. He tried to touch his throat in confusion, but his arm did not obey.

"Yes, Fiver, it is."

Sam's head moved unconsciously to look at Hazel's smiling face looking down at him. Since when was Hazel taller than me? Sam thought to himself.

Sam felt someone tousle the fur between his ears. He looked over to see Bigwig towering over him with an awed smile on his face.

"Frith knows I didn't always believe you, lad," the large rabbit said, "but you were right all along. Good job, Fiver."

I'm Fiver! Sam realized. I'm seeing things through Fiver's eyes! And this…must be the day they came to the down. The teen chuckled to himself. So does that mean there's another me waiting on the hill?

"Thank you for believing me, Hazel," Sam said in Fiver's voice.

"Always, little brother. Always."

Another flash of light, and Sam found himself back in his own body. He was standing at the foot of the down. He took a step forward, and was greeted by spongy grass under his feet rather than flesh and bone.

"Thank you," Sam said both to himself and to the countless dead in his wake. "I don't know if any of you were ever real, but-" Sam turned and his mouth went slack with surprise, cutting off his words. Where before there had been dead rabbits, there was now endless water. Sam looked to either side of the hill and found the same. Watership Down had just become an island. "No way but forward, huh?" Sam said, turning his attention back to the top of the hill. "Fine by me." Sam charged a Frith Beam in each hand and made his way to the top of the down.

As he crested the hill, Sam was surprised to see…nothing wrong. Sam let the beams in his hands disperse as he looked over the down. He saw all his friends, Fiver included, lounging happily outside the warren. The only ones missing were Silverweed, and himself. Sam was about to call out to the rabbits, when he saw a copy of himself walk around the tree. The Watership Down rabbits called out in greeting, but he seemed to take no notice. The other Sam had an emotionless look on his face, and in his hand, he held the staff that Alice had destroyed the first time they met. There were blades fixed to both ends.

Before Sam could react, his clone took a wide swipe with his staff, and caught Dandelion in the chest. The lanky buck hit the ground, a deep gash running across his torso. Sam watched in horror as the life quickly drained from his eyes. The rabbits cried out in fear and surprise. Bigwig and Campion were the first two to react. They rushed the other Sam as one, attempting to end the fight quickly. With a cruel smile, the copy dodged a swipe to the head from Campion and drove a glowing green fist into his stomach. Sam heard a sickening crunch as Campion flew through the air. He landed on the ground, barely breathing. Blackberry cried out in alarm and ran to her mate's side.

Bigwig was almost upon him, and Sam hoped an attack by the owsla captain would be enough to defeat the evil doppelganger. Unfortunately, the other Sam heard him coming. With a swift turn, he held out the staff in front of him. Unable to stop his momentum, Bigwig impaled himself on the spear. With a grunt, Sam managed to swipe the spear to the side, flinging Bigwig to the ground next to Dandelion. He was dead before he hit the ground.

The copy was about to advance on the rest of the rabbits, when he heard a sob behind him. He turned to see Blackberry crying over a barely conscious Campion. With a roll of his eyes, Sam snapped his fingers, and a wave of fire erupted around the pair. The real Sam started to move to their side, when suddenly a ring of fire erupted around him as well, trapping him in one spot. Campion and Blackberry's cries rang through the air as they were burned alive. Soon, they stopped yelling, and slumped to the ground. With another snap by the evil Sam, the fire was gone. Where the two rabbits were, there sat two smoking, indistinguishable forms.

This action snapped the other rabbits out of their panicked stupor, and they began to run from the down. All except the junior owsla. Although Hazel and Primrose nudged and pushed, Pipkin, Blackavar, Snowdrop, and Gillia were too scared to move. Seeing the evil Sam approach, the pair positioned themselves protectively in front of the younger rabbits, grim looks written on their faces.

"No," Sam said to himself as he watched his double close in on the group. He leapt through the fire surrounding him, gasping in pain as the flames licked across his body. Wasting no time, Sam ran at his copy. The other Sam held his staff aloft and was about to bring it down on Hazel's neck, when Sam jumped between them and grabbed the staff as well. For a moment, the two Sams pushed against each other, trying to gain control of the staff. In a desperate move, the real Sam lunched forward and head butted the other, causing him to lose his balance. Sam charged a Frith Beam and launched it point blank into the copy's stomach, causing him to disappear in a puff of black smoke.

Sam sighed in relief. "Hazel, Primrose, are you two alri-" He froze when he turned around. Hazel and Primrose lay on the ground huddled together in a pool of blood. There were deep stab wounds in both of their chests, and neither was breathing. The junior owsla as close by, all of their heads twisted almost one hundred eighty degrees. Sam immediately hit his knees. He knew it was just a dream, and that everything was just a product of the Black Rabbit's influence, but the sight of his friends lying dead was too much for the teen. Sobs racked Sam's body and his vision blurred with tears.

"Hazel?"

Sam's head snapped up when he heard the voice. Standing on the edge of the hill was a rabbit with a shocked look on his face. "Fiver!" Sam immediately stood and began to approach his friend.

Fiver's eyes widened in fright and he backed away. "Stay away from me, you monster!" Tears were streaming down the mystic's face. "How could you do this to us?"

"Fiver, what are you…" Sam raised a hand to beckon his friend to stop, when he realized it was covered in red. Suddenly, there was a weight his other hand. Sam looked to see that he was holding the spear the copy had used to murder the others. There was a copious amount of blood on both ends. A disgusted sound escaped Sam's mouth as he threw the spear as hard as he could over the edge of the hill. "Fiver, I didn't do any of this. You have to beli-"

"Shut up!"

The force of Fiver's shout stunned Sam into silence. The mystic continued. "I watched you kill them!" Fiver shook head, as if trying to clear the memories away. "Why, Sam? They trusted you; I trusted you! Why help us for so long, just to betray us now?"

Sam kept his distance, not wanting to frighten Fiver into bolting. "Fiver, you have to listen to me. None of this is real. The Black Rabbit has high-jacked your mind, and he's controlling your thoughts. You need to fight him!"

Fiver scoffed. "A dream? We're on the down in the middle of the day." Tears appeared again on the small buck's face as he struggled to speak past the sobs. "And you just killed my brother!"

"Fiver, I didn't-"

"Liar!" Sam was flung off his feet as a wave of black energy erupted from Fiver and crashed into him. The teen lay on his stomach and watched as Fiver's eyes slowly faded to black. "I watched you kill them! I saw it! And I won't let you hurt anyone else." With that, Fiver flung a paw in Sam's direction, causing another blast of energy to fly his way. Sam barely had time to move before the blast tore the ground apart where he had been laying.

"Fiver, please-"

Sam was interrupted by another blast aimed at his head. He ducked just in time. Realizing that Fiver showed no signs of listening, Sam went on the defensive, hoping to wear his friend down. He dodged blast after blast, each one getting closer to its mark. I have one chance, Sam thought to himself as he dodged another attack. The teen stood and faced Fiver, charging a Frith Beam in each hand. When Fiver fired a wave of energy, Sam launched a Frith Beam directly at it. He immediately charged the small rabbit as his light cut through the darkness. Fiver gasped and ducked out of the way of the Frith Beam, allowing it to pass safely overhead. Before he could move, Sam was on top of him, pinning the buck to the ground.

Fiver thrashed wildly. "Calm down, Fiver," Sam said as he struggled to hold the buck down. "I'm not going to hurt you; I just want to talk."

"No!" Fiver began struggling harder. Far harder than his small size would imply. "Leave me alone! I said, get off!" Before Sam could react, a dark bolt of lightning struck him in the shoulder, sending him flying. Sam's back struck the tree, and he lay there weakly as he tried to shake the stars out of his vision. When he looked up, Fiver stood there glaring at him. But behind the mystic floated a black cloud in the vague shape of a rabbit. It had its paw on Fiver's shoulder, but he did not seem to notice.

"It is no use, Messenger." The words came from Fiver's mouth, but Sam knew it was not his friend speaking. "This rabbit is mine to do with as I will. And soon, you will be too."

Sam struggled to stand, but his body was wracked with pain that originated from his shoulder. "Leave him alone," Sam managed to say. "Do whatever you want with me, but leave my friends alone."

Fiver chuckled in the evil being's voice. "That's not going to happen. If they had simply let you go, I might have willing to ignore them. But by allying themselves with you, they have made themselves my enemies. And I do not show mercy."

"Sam? Fiver!"

Sam looked up and saw Silverweed floating quickly towards them in a bubble like they were riding in before.

"Get out of here, Silverweed!" Sam shouted, finally struggling to his feet. "The Black Rabbit is too strong. I don't know if I can beat him."

"Would you like some help?" Silverweed asked calmly.

"What? No! I said run!"

Fiver smirked. "Feel free to help, if you like."

Before Sam could respond, his limbs began to move of their own accord. Try as he might to resist, he jerked back and slammed, once again, into the tree. This time, his arms and legs remained plastered to the wood in a spread eagle.

The teen faced Silverweed with a sad look on his face. "No, Silverweed, not you too?"

Silverweed smiled. "What can I say? It's obvious the Black Rabbit is stronger. Why not get in on the ground level?"

"How the hell did you get him?" Sam asked the black mass still floating behind Fiver. "I can understand Fiver, but there's no way you would have been able to take Silverweed quietly. He would have resisted long enough to warn us."

Silverweed chuckled, drawing Sam's attention back to him. "Get him? I have always HAD him! I have held this one's mind since infancy. He has always been mine. Do mind reading, thought manipulation, and the ability to destroy someone's mind strike you as Frith-given?"

"That's why the barrier affected them," Sam said in realization. "It wasn't trying to hurt them, it was trying to hurt you!"

Fiver and Silverweed nodded simultaneously. "Correct. As soon as I realized that neither I nor my servant could infiltrate that damnable wall of yours, I knew I had to find…other methods. It was simple to use the mystic plane to break into this one's mind," the shadow gestured to Fiver as it spoke.

Despite the severity of the situation, a curious thought ran through Sam's head. "Is that why Silverweed is so odd? So…advanced for his age?"

"I admit, there were side effects I did not anticipate. It is a shame, really. He has so much potential for destruction, only to be wasted on such a short life. Pathetic. But enough of this prattle! I have won, Messenger. Do you know what happens if you are killed outside of your body?

Sam frowned. "I imagine I die?"

Dark laughter came from both Fiver and Silverweed. "Not quite, but close enough. Now, my servant, kill him!" Fiver nodded and raised his front paws into the air. The down shook for a moment, until a large stalagmite from the cave below burst through the ground. It floated closer to Sam, the sharp tip resting just over the teen's heart.

"Any last words, traitor?" Fiver asked.

"Come on, Fiver, don't do this," Sam pleaded. Just think about this for a second. Why would I do this? I love you, all of you. I would never hurt any of you!"

"You're lying! I saw everything!"

Sam pressed on. "None of this is real, Fiver. It's all in your head. The Black Rabbit is in your mind and he's trying to use you. Silverweed brought me into your mind so we could save you." Sam glanced at Silverweed, still floating in his bubble. "Although, I admit the rescue isn't going very well. Please, Fiver, you have to believe me. I'm your friend."

The stalagmite lowered slightly as a frightened look crossed Fiver's face. "That can't be right. I watched you kill Hazel…"

"That was a copy, Fiver. An imposter created by the Black Rabbit."

Fiver put a paw to his head and grimaced in pain. Is…is that possible?"

"Why are you hesitating?" The Black Rabbit yelled. "Kill him!"

"Do you remember the first time we went to Cowslip's warren?" Sam asked. "None of the others really understood why it was so terrible there. Only you, and to a lesser extent, me. We slept outside in the rain that night, because it was better than being there. We've always been there for each other. Any time you had a vision, I believed you implicitly. And you were the one who got the others to trust me when I first arrived. Please, Fiver, believe me now."

"I…I don't…" Fiver stammered as the stalagmite hit the ground.

The Black Rabbit growledat Fiver in displeasure, though the mystic showed no signs that he heard. "It looks like you still need more convincing. Very well, I know of one casualty that will cement the Messenger's betrayal in your mind."

Sam's eyes widened as something seemed to come from within him and land on the ground. The figure stood, and Sam saw another copy of himself, complete with the bladed staff.

Fiver took a step back in fright. "H-How did you get down from the tree?"

The real Sam, still being held by Silverweed's powers yelled, "That's not me, Fiver! That's the fake one!"

"He cannot hear you," Sam heard in his head. "I do not allow him to see. He can only see my construction. Now, watch closely, Messenger. Think of this as a glimpse of your future."

"Sam?" Panic gripped the teen's heart as he heard the familiar voice, tinged with fear. Glade stood near the edge of the hill, looking at the bodies of their friends with a horrified expression on her face. "Sam, what in Frith's name happened here?" The copy did not answer. He merely gave a small smile, and slowly walked towards her.

"No…" Sam said as he realized what he was about to watch. "No!" He struggled as hard as he could, but his invisible bindings held. An idea quickly entered his head. Sorry, Silverweed, he thought as he twisted his hand and shot a Frith Beam at the floating rabbit. Silverweed cried out in surprise. The beam shattered the bubble, and the rabbit dropped to the ground. At once, the force holding Sam to the tree dissipated, dropping the teen to the ground. He looked up to see the other Sam raising the staff in the air. Glade just stared at him, uncomprehending. Sam dove at the pair.

"Glade!"

*Spuck*

Sam's right shoulder was on fire. He could not feel his arm, and his side suddenly felt wet. The teen forced his eyes open, and saw the staff stuck in his shoulder. The copy, who stood with a stony look on his face, had chopped downward, but Sam had been faster. He managed to take the blow, leaving Glade unharmed.

Fiver stared at the scene in shock. "S-Sam? How is there two of you?"

The Black Rabbit flew in front of him, blocking his view and shouting. "Do not look at him! Kill the Messenger, now! Fiver simply walked through him, unseeing.

"I told you, Fiver," Sam managed to say, "there was a copy." He tried to prop himself up on his good arm, but collapsed again when the staff shifted in his shoulder. The right side of his body lay in a quickly growing pool of blood. "I'm the real one. That is the copy you saw do all the killing." Fiver hesitated. "It's a fake, Fiver. We're in your head. Please, you have to believe me."

"Sam, I…" Fiver hesitated for a moment, but then ran to the teen. As he ran by, the copy vanished in a puff of black smoke. Tears ran freely down the buck's face. "Sam, I'm so sorry. I…If I had believed you in the first place…"

Sam raised a blood-covered hand and laid it on the buck's shoulder. "What's important is that you believe me now. Because we aren't done yet."

"What can I do?"

"You petulant worm! How dare you disobey a direct order from me."

The angry shout drew Sam's attention back to the Black Rabbit, who was slowly extending a tendril of black smoke towards Fiver. "Move!" Sam yelled as he fired a Frith Beam at the Black Rabbit. Fiver ducked just in time and the beam flew between his ears. The eyes in the smoke widened, and it disappeared just before the beam hit.

"Wha-What was that thing?" Fiver asked in shock.

"It was the Black Rabbit," Sam grimly replied. "He's been on your shoulder the whole time, you just didn't see."

"And you beat him?"

Sam shook his head. "I'm not sure. Look around, Fiver. Don't forget, we're in your head. If he's here, you should be able to find him."

Fiver nodded and closed his eyes. Sam waited anxiously as the mystic concentrated. "He's still here," Fiver said at last. "But he's scared. Cautious. I don't know if he will approach again while you and I are together."

"Then you need to make him, Fiver."

The buck looked at Sam with doubt on his face. "Sam, this is the Black Rabbit. How could I make him do anything?"

Sam shook his head, trying to stave off the unconsciousness that threatened to overtake him. "It's your head, Fiver. You're in control here. Sure, the Black Rabbit broke in and captured you, but you're free now. He's in your territory and you're calling all the shots. You can do whatever you want, and no one can stop you. Just believe in yourself."

Fiver nodded slightly. "I'll try." He again closed his eyes. Sam looked around, though his vision was quickly fading to black. Nothing happened. Sam was about to ask Fiver if it was having any luck, when suddenly, the pain in his shoulder disappeared. His eyes widened as the staff slowly worked its way out of his shoulder, but Sam felt no pain. The staff hit the ground and disappeared, and Sam watched as his shoulder slowly began to mend itself. When it was whole, the teen moved his arm, and was pleased to find no pain. Fiver opened his eyes and smiled. "It looks like you were right: I can do anything here."

"Thanks, Fiver," Sam said gratefully as he stretched his shoulder. He was pleased to find there was not even any tightness. It was as if he was never injured. "I owe you one."

The rabbit shook his head with a smile. "No, now we're just closer to being even. And next up…" He again closed his eyes. In a matter of moments, small puffs of black smoke began to collect in front of them. Once it was all back together, a domed barrier formed around the cloud. Angry black eyes glared at them from within the shield.

Sam gave a wide smile. "Fiver, that's brilliant!" He stepped closer and flicked the barrier, finding it to be rock hard. "It's a lot more fun being on this side."

Fiver replied, "The best part is that I made it noise-proof." With a wave of his paw, the down was filled with enraged screaming that Sam could not understand. Fiver let the Black Rabbit yell for a moment before silence fell once again. "I figured I've been listening to his voice for too long already."

"It's probably for the best," Sam agreed. "Now what are you going to do?"

The rabbit's gaze drifted to the stalagmite he had threatened Sam with, still sitting on the ground. "You have to defeat him, right?"

Sam grinned. "I'm up for a bit of poetic justice." Fiver nodded, and closed his eyes. The stalagmite slowly rose from the ground and floated over to them. It positioned itself directly over the cage, its tip just touching the surface. The Black Rabbit looked up at the rock, and back at the pair.

"He doesn't seem very afraid," Fiver observed.

Sam put his hand to his chin while he thought. He snapped his fingers as a realization hit him. "Hey Fiver, can you bring that thing down here?" The stalagmite floated down next to Sam. The teen touched his hands to the rock and concentrated. He smiled when he saw a yellow glow spread along the surface. In just a few moments, the stalagmite was glowing brightly. It lit up the down, even though it was daytime. Sam watched in satisfaction as the shadow inside Fiver's barrier pressed itself against the far side, trying to get as far away from the shining spire as it could. "Alright Fiver, let him have it!"

Fiver nodded, and with a swipe of his paw, brought the stalagmite crashing through the shield. As the wall broke, Sam and Fiver heard a scream of agony. A shockwave knocked the pair off their feet. When they got up, the Black Rabbit was gone.

Sam helped his friend to his feet. "Fiver, you did it! That was amazing. I'm so proud of you."

Fiver nuzzled Sam in gratitude. "I couldn't have done it without you. If you and Silverweed…hadn't…"

Their eyes widened in realization.

"Silverweed!"

As one, they raced over the down to where Silverweed had fallen. He lay on the ground, moaning his pain. One of his legs was bent at an odd angle.

Fiver immediately set to work healing him while Sam softly shook his shoulder and spoke. "Silverweed, wake up. We did it. We won. The Black Rabbit is gone now, you're going to be fine."

The rabbit coughed weakly. He opened his eyes, and Sam was dismayed to find they were still black. "You think he would come here personally? He would be away from his territory, and it was inevitable you would find him. Don't be so foolish. My master yet lives."

Sam immediately began charging a Frith Beam. "I don't care about that right now. Get out of my friend. Now!"

"I am your friend! I stole into this rabbit the moment he was born. There is nothing in here but me. If you destroy me, you will merely have a shell."

Reluctantly, Sam let the beam go. He sighed. "Any ideas, Fiver?"

"One moment," Fiver replied. He waved a paw at Silverweed, and then opened his eyes. "I've pinned him to the ground, he won't be going anywhere."

Sam nodded. "That's a good idea. But now what do we do? We can't just leave him like this, and I refuse to let the Black Rabbit have another slave. I don't know if there was ever a real Silverweed or if everything was an act, but I won't let him go through that."

Fiver shook his head thoughtfully. "I don't believe it. There has to be something in there of Silverweed."

"But he said-"

"Then he's lying, Sam! The Black Rabbit would do whatever he can to tear us apart, to make us turn on each other. I went into his mind, long ago at Cowslip's warren. I talked to a rabbit then, not this puppet before us. And do you honestly think the Black Rabbit would have done for us everything Silverweed has done? You have to believe in him, Sam. You have to fight to get him back, because I can't do it on my own."

Sam looked over at Silverweed, who was glaring at the pair through dark eyes. "Of course I'll help you. If our friend is in there somewhere, you can be damn sure we're going to get him back. What do we do?"

"Well…I'm not sure," Fiver said weakly. He thought for a moment before he hopped next to Silverweed. "Let me try something." Fiver laid his paws gently on Silverweed's chest, ignoring the other rabbit's protests. Sam watched for a moment before Fiver's face scrunched up and he jerked his paws away as if he was burned. Tears began forming in the mystic's eyes. "I can't…how can he…"

Sam was at his side immediately. "What's wrong, Fiver? Are you alright?"

"He called out to me, Sam. Silverweed is in there, and he's fighting as hard as he can. But the Black Rabbit…is hurting him. There was so much pain, Sam. I don't know how he can bear it!"

"Then we need to help him," Sam replied.

Fiver nodded. "I think the only thing to do is use to Frith Beam to try and get the Black Rabbit out of him."

"But he said if we do that, then Silverweed will die too!"

"No, Sam, what he said was that there was nothing left of Silverweed. But I know he's wrong. I felt Silverweed in there. Please, you have to do to it. Even in my own mind, I'm not strong enough to fight the Black Rabbit. Not really."

Sam hesitated. "But what if you're wrong? What if Silverweed can't fight back?"

"Do you trust me, Sam?"

"You know I do."

"Then believe in Silverweed, and use your Frith Beam."

Sam sighed and approached the rabbit still lying on the ground. His hands glowed yellow. "Are you sure?" he asked, looking back at Fiver. The mystic nodded. "Alright, here it goes."

Without another word, Sam laid one of his hands on Silverweed's forehead, and the other on his chest. He concentrated and pushed the energy into Silverweed's body. For a moment, nothing happened. But suddenly, Silverweed's eyes and mouth snapped open in a silent scream. Sam watched shock as a thin trail of black smoke emerged from his friend's mouth. Silverweed's back arched as smoke began billowing out.

"Is this supposed to be happening?" Fiver asked in alarm.

"How am I supposed to know?" Sam asked. He struggled to keep Silverweed still. "It's not like I do this kind of thing a lot."

The smoke continued for another few moments before it cut off. Silverweed took one last shuddering breath before his eyes closed again. He lay on the ground, motionless.

Fiver hopped over to the pair and bent to examine the other rabbit. "Silverweed, are you alright?"

No answer.

Sam shook his shoulder gently. Desperately. "Come on, Silverweed, wake up. You have to be alright. Please!"

Suddenly, Silverweed took in a ragged breath. His eyes fluttered open and he looked around. "S-Sam? Fiver?"

"Is he alright, Fiver?" Sam asked as he set a comforting hand on Silverweed's forehead.

"I think so," Fiver said, after a moment of concentration. "I can't feel the Black Rabbit anymore."

Before Sam could respond, Silverweed had gotten up and tightly thrown his front paws around Sam. His shoulders shook as he cried. "Thank you. Both of you."

Fiver hopped close to the pair and nuzzled Silverweed's shoulder. "You're our friend, Silverweed. We would never let you go."

The three shared an embrace before Sam spoke. "I'm glad you're both alright, but how exactly do we get out of here?"

Silverweed gave a nervous look before he answered. "I think I can still get us out." He closed his eyes and scrunched up his face. Sam watched a bubble appear around him. But instead of the dingy color it had before, the bubble was now crystal clear, and shone like a diamond. Silverweed wavered a bit where he stood inside the bubble. "That was…interesting."

"Silverweed, are you alright?" Sam asked. "You shouldn't be pushing yourself so hard. You just had a lot taken out of you, literally."

"I imagine I'll be feeling it once I'm back in my body, but I should be fine for now. Come on, Sam, let's get you back into your own mind. We can't very well leave you in Fiver's head."

Sam nodded. "Alright, let's go. Fiver, are you going to be alright here?"

"I think so," Fiver replied. "I'm ready to be in control of my own body again. Besides, I need to apologize to Pipkin and Blackavar."

"Why Blackavar?" Silverweed asked.

Fiver looked ashamed. "I was the one that pushed him in the river a few days ago. The Black Rabbit was trying anything he could to distract us, and he thought hurting Hazel through his children would be perfect."

Sam knelt down and gave his friend a hug. "Don't worry, they'll forgive you. I'm sure of it. We'll see you in a few minutes, alright?" Fiver nodded, and Sam walked over to Silverweed. He passed into the bubble and the two took off.

"This may be a bit bumpy," Silverweed warned. "This is technically the first time I've used these powers. In the past, it has been the Black Rabbit that did everything."

"Even the times that you helped us?" Sam asked.

The rabbit nodded. "The powers were hosted in my body. I had some say over what they were used for."

The pair rode in silence for a time until Sam spoke. "Are you sure you're going to be alright? After everything that happened to you, both today and before, you seem strangely calm."

Silverweed gave a small smile. "To be honest, I don't know what's going to happen when I reach my body. The Black Rabbit is gone from here," he gestured to himself, "but I haven't been back to my real body to feel it yet. It hasn't hit home, so to speak."

"I…think I understand," Sam said with an utterly confused look on his face. "I guess we'll just have to see."

"Here's your stop," Silverweed said as their bubble pulled up to a large, glowing sphere.

Sam could not suppress a chuckled as he looked at the orb. "It's weird to think that I'm looking at my own mind." He scrunched his eyes as the sphere began to glow. "Is that normal?" he asked Silverweed.

Silverweed shook his head, still smiling. "Sam, your mind is anything but normal. Frith allows you to strike down evil with his power. Does it really surprise you that he protects you as well? It's why I couldn't break into your mind back at Cowslip's warren, although I didn't know it then. As far as I can tell, your mind is still impenetrable."

Sam's eyes narrowed slightly. "You've tried lately?"

"It was one of the first things I did when I came to the down," Silverweed replied. "I asked Hazel about it in private, and he agreed it would be a good idea to know how strong our friends' minds were. I merely prodded their defenses; I never went into their minds."

"I find it strange that Hazel wouldn't have told me about it," Sam said.

Silverweed chuckled. "Why? It isn't like you could have done anything. Why would you stop me? It's useful information to have. And you certainly couldn't have helped me."

"I supposed you're right," Sam admitted. He soon grinned. "Just out of curiosity: who was the strongest?"

"It was actually rather surprising. Fiver noticed the second I even grazed his mind, and your mind lashed out at me. But excluding the two of you, some of the strongest were Bigwig, Primrose, Snowdrop, and Hawkbit. They-"

"Hold on," Sam interrupted, "Hawkbit? How did that happen? No offense to him, but he doesn't seem like the type to resist a mental attack."

"Most rabbits defend themselves with force of will, but with Hawkbit, it's pure stubbornness. As soon as I started pressing, his mind began twisting and turning to keep me out. It was rather disconcerting. But you'll never guess who had the strongest mind."

"I would think it would be Hazel," Sam replied. "Or maybe Campion. I could even see Glade having a shot at it."

"Glade was actually on the weaker end," Silverweed said. "No, the strongest mind was actually Pipkin. I'm not even sure if I can get into his mind. I pushed much harder than I did with anyone else, and his mind barely yielded at all. I was afraid to try harder in case I hurt him. He's so worried that if something gets in his mind, it will use him to hurt the rest of us. His loyalty to his friends is one of the strongest things I've ever felt."

A smile grew on Sam's face as he listened. "I suppose it isn't that surprising, after all. Pipkin would do anything to keep everyone safe." The two were silent for a moment before Sam turned back to his mind. "So how do I get back in there? Do I have to meditate or something?"

Silverweed chuckled. "Nothing as serious as that." Without another word, Silverweed pushed Sam out of the bubble. The teen barely had time to register what had happened before a blinding white light filled his vision.

Sam slowly opened his eyes. Once they adjusted to the darkness, he saw Glade standing over him with a concerned look on her face.

She smiled when she saw him wake up. "Sam! Are you alright?" Glade moved to support him as he struggled to sit up. "Fiver woke up just a moment ago, and Silverweed is still sleeping."

"How long were we out?" Sam asked. Hearing voices, Sam turned to see Hazel and Pipkin talking quietly with Fiver. "Long enough to get Hazel and drag us to the top of the hill, apparently." The group sat at the top of Watership Down, close to the beech tree.

"Hazel, Pipkin, and I brought the three of you up here," Glade replied. "We thought it would be safer than staying at the bottom."

"Probably," Sam said. "Thanks."

"It's we who have to thank you, Sam." Sam looked as Hazel approached him, followed by Fiver being supported by Pipkin. "Fiver told me everything that happened. I wouldn't have thought the Black Rabbit capable of invading our minds. Thank you, for helping my brother."

Sam nodded. "How are you holding up, Fiver? Feeling any better now that you're yourself again?"

"I certainly feel better than I have in the past few days," the mystic replied. "I'm a bit weak and I have a slight headache, but I'm alright otherwise."

"Me too," Sam said, standing up slowly, and finding himself to be sturdy. "I wonder how Silverweed will be."

A pained groan answered his statement. Sam moved immediately to Silverweed's side as the buck's face scrunched up in pain.

Sam set a gentle hand on Silverweed's forehead. "Silverweed! Are you alright? How are you feeling?"

He whimpered in response. "Not so loud, please," he begged. "My head is killing me." He twitched for a moment before lying still again. "Ow!" Tears appeared in the corners of the buck's eyes. "I can't move. Everything hurts!"

"Just take it easy, Silverweed," Sam said calmly. "One step at a time. Can you open your eyes?"

Silverweed's eyes flickered open for a moment before snapping shut again. "Why is everything so bright?"

Sam exchanged a confused look with the others gathered behind him. "Silverweed, it's the middle of the night. And it's cloudy."

"It was like looking into the sun."

"Let's just get you into the warren," Sam said with a sigh. He changed into his rabbit form, and with Glade and Hazel's help, managed to get Silverweed balanced on his back. "I think some sleep will do us all some good. Glade, is it alright if Silverweed spends the night in with us?"

"Of course," she replied immediately. "You can stay as long as you need, Silverweed."

"I plan on spending the night with Fiver and Pipkin as well," Hazel said. "Bigwig and Campion were the only two to wake up when Pipkin came to get me, so none of the others know that anything is wrong. We can tell them in the morning."

"Sounds like a good plan," Sam replied. "Have a good night."

Hazel and Pipkin helped Fiver into the warren first, with Sam and Glade following behind them. Sam entered their burrow and set Silverweed on the floor gently. He moved the rabbit into a comfortable position and lay down next to him, with Glade on the other side.

"Try and get some sleep, Silverweed," Sam said. "Hopefully you'll feel better in the morning."

"I'm sorry for all of this, Sam," Silverweed said quietly. "I'm sorry I'm causing so much trouble."

Before Sam could respond, Glade spoke up. "Silverweed, if Sam got mad at everyone that caused trouble in this warren, he would hate all of us. You're our friend. You can't cause enough trouble that we wouldn't help you."

"I...thank you…" Silverweed's words drifted off as he fell asleep.

Sam smiled. "That was well said, Glade," he said quietly.

She chuckled. "It's true, though. You have your paws full cleaning up all our messes."

"I don't care," Sam responded. "There's still nowhere else I'd rather be. Good night."

"Good night, Sam."

Sam walked out of the warren the next morning feeling completely refreshed. Glade had already gone, and Silverweed was still sleeping. The other rabbits were awake, having had a full night's sleep. The only ones not present were Silverweed and Fiver, who was presumably still sleeping.

Campion approached him immediately when he exited the warren. "How are you doing, Sunflower?" he asked. "Glade and Pipkin told us what happened last night."

"It was pretty crazy," Sam admitted. "I'm not sure I'd like to do it again."

Campion's concerned gaze hardened slightly. "You should have woken us up. It was foolish to do something so dangerous without help."

"But what help would you have been?" Sam replied. "We didn't have any time to get anyone else when Silverweed woke us up, and you wouldn't have been any help when we went into Fiver's mind, either. The Black Rabbit would probably have shown Fiver visions of you attacking everyone at my side. Probably possessed like Wheatstock was." Seeing the logic in the teen's reasoning, Campion calmed down. "Thank you for caring, Campion," Sam continued. "But I was brought here to fight the Black Rabbit, and you have to understand that there will be a time where you can't help me. I'm going to have to do it by myself. But knowing you, Bigwig, and the others are here protecting everyone, takes a big weight off my mind."

"I feel almost as powerless as I did at Efrafa," Campion admitted. "There is no worse feeling than watching innocent rabbits get hurt and knowing there's nothing you can do about it."

Just then, Glade and Blackberry walked up to the pair. Blackberry gave Campion a nuzzle and sat next to him. "What are the two of you talking about?" Glade asked as she sat next to Sam as well. "You look so serious."

"I was just telling Sunflower that he shouldn't do everything on his own," Campion said, touching noses with Blackberry.

Glade rolled her eyes. "Good luck. I've been trying to drive that into his thick skull for a while now. He just doesn't get it."

"I get it just fine!" Sam protested. "There are just some times when I would be better off alone."

"How do you know?" Blackberry asked. "You never ask for help, so how do you know you're better off alone?"

"It never goes well when I have other rabbits with me. They always end up getting hurt."

Campion shook his head. "That's because you don't ever bring enough. Take the entire owsla against Alice, and I bet she won't come out so well."

"Frith knows I've been waiting for a chance at her," Glade added.

Sam smiled smugly. "Ganging up on me isn't going to work. The bottom line is that Fiver and Silverweed are alright, and I did it by myself."

"For once, I agree with him."

The four of them gasped in surprise as Fiver walked slowly out of the warren. His legs quivered slightly with each step, but he made his way steadily over to the group. "I don't like Sam trying to protect us all on his own, either," Fiver continued, "but it was for the best this time. There's no telling what the Black Rabbit would have done to any of you."

"How are you feeling, Fiver?" Sam asked. "Should you be walking around yet?"

Fiver smiled. "I'm alright, if a bit weak. I can't imagine how Silverweed must be feeling. The Black Rabbit was only in me for hrair days. He has been there Silverweed's entire life!"

"Why don't we go see how he's doing?" Blackberry asked Campion. He nodded and the pair stood. "I'm glad to see you're doing well, Fiver. Just be sure you take it easy. You're already weak, and too much exertion could make you sick."

"I will, Blackberry," Fiver replied. "Thank you." He watched them go before turning back to Glad and Sam. "Glade, I was wondering if I could have a word with Sam in private?"

"Sure," Glade replied with a yawn. "I think I'm going to go take a nap. Sam and Silverweed kept me up all night with their glowing."

Sam's eye widened slightly. "I was glowing last night?"

"Yeah, you and Silverweed both. Just after you fell asleep, the two of you began glowing. You kept it up most of the night. I was tempted to go join Hazel, Fiver, and Pipkin in their burrow."

"Um…sorry?" Sam replied in confusion. Glade chuckled and waved away his apology before she, too, went into the warren. Sam turned back to Fiver. "Any idea what that's about?"

Fiver gestured for Sam to follow him and he began walking to the edge of the hill. "Dandelion could probably tell it better," Fiver said as they walked, "but I may have an idea about it. There is a legend that when Frith gave the animals their gifts, a piece of Him entered into them as well. Every animal has a bit of Frith in them. But if the Black Rabbit has held Silverweed for his entire life, that might not be the case for him. Now that he's free, I assume Frith would seek to correct that. He probably used you as a conduit, since you're already so receptive to His powers."

"That makes sense, I guess," Sam said. He stopped when he realized he and Fiver were almost to the bottom of the hill. "Fiver, where are we going?"

"I suppose this is far enough," Fiver said, more to himself than in response to Sam. "I didn't want to worry the others, but you need to know."

Sam put a paw on Fiver's shoulder. "I'm getting a little worried here, Fiver. What's going on?"

"Sam, while the Black Rabbit was holding me captive, I was able to pick up some of his thoughts. Do you know why he took over my mind?"

Sam shrugged. "I thought it was an attempt to get to me. He know how much I care about all of you; hurting you would be a good way to make me lose my focus."

Fiver frowned. "He was trying to get to you, but not in the way you think. He knew Silverweed would bring you into my mind, and then turn against you. He wanted to kill you in my mind, leaving your body an empty husk."

Sam's eyes widened in realization. "Do you mean…"

Fiver nodded grimly. "The Black Rabbit wants to take control of you."