Chapter 37

Sam groaned as light hit his eyes.

"Is he waking up?!"

A voice. It was female, and familiar. Sam squirmed when he heard the voice. He longed to hear it again. He had not heard it in far too long.

A few other voices joined the first.

"He is! I just saw him move!" Female, less familiar.

"Stand back, give him some air." Male, very familiar.

"No! Get out of my way, I need to see him! Just let me see him, please!" The first voice again.

The voices died down, and something soft caressed Sam's face. The voice whispered softly in his ear. "Please, Sam, wake up. You have to wake up. Please!" How could he refuse such a request? The teen's eyes flickered open.

A face smiled down at him. "Oh Sam, you're awake. Thank Frith."

Sam smiled weakly and held a paw to his head. "Oh course I did. You didn't think I'd abandon you after all that, did you?"

Glade nuzzled him happily. Tears streamed from her eyes. "I didn't think you were ever coming back. I thought…I thought you…"

Sam wrapped an arm around Glade and held her tight. "Don't worry, Glade. I'm here to stay. For good." He heard a massive cheer from behind him, and looked to see all his friends, awake and healthy, just like Prince Rainbow promised.

"You're staying?!" Pipkin asked excitedly running up to the pair. Suddenly, they were surrounded by everyone. Sam was being nuzzled on all sides. It took at least five minutes for him to get untangled from everyone.

"It's true," Sam said with a giant smile. "I'm staying here, with all of you. My powers are all gone, so I'm just…a rabbit now. I'm here for good. If you'll have me."

Hazel chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Of course we'll have you. Sam, you've been part of our warren for seasons. You…are the best friend I've ever had. Why wouldn't we have you, rusatitha?"

"It's just good to be sure," Sam replied with tears in his eyes. "Thank you." He looked at the smiling faces of all his friends. It felt right. His gaze stuck to one rabbit, standing slightly apart from the rest. "And how about you, Spartina? What do you plan to do now?"

"You're more than welcome to come with us to Watership Down," Hazel said. "After everything you've done for Sam and Glade, we'd love to have you."

She smiled genuinely. "I…supposed I have no other option. Thank you."

"We should make for the down," the chief continued. "I think Scree will be very happy to see you, Sam."

The teen straightened in shock. "Scree is alive?!"

"We found him along that ridge where you fought Vervain," Campion said. "Along with the body of that cowardly excuse for a rabbit. Scree's tale of the battle was quite interesting. Thank you for taking out that log, by the way. It added a day on our travel time. Anyway, one of Scree's wings was hurt, so he couldn't fly. He wasn't able to keep up with us on foot, so he told us to go on while he walked back to the down. I hope he made it back alright."

"I'm sure he's fine," Sam said happily. "Frith is watching out for him."

Dandelion hugged Sam from behind. "Now you're sounding like a proper rabbit!"

Hazel chuckled. "Is everyone ready?" Nods. "Then let's go."

The group started to walk, with Sam and Glade in the middle. He turned to her and touched her nose with his own. "Yeah, let's go home."

–2 Years Later—

Sunflower lay on the ground on the top of Watership Down, and sighed in contentment. It was a beautiful summer day, and the down was filled with activity. The owsla, all except Sunflower, was running drills. The former junior owsla made great time, beaten only by Campion, and Bigwig himself. The new junior owsla, now led by Campion's son, Nightshade, were play fighting further down the hill. Sunflower smiled as a familiar weight pressed up against his side.

He nuzzled Glade under the chin. "Hello beautiful, how're you today?"

"I'm good," she replied, returning his affections. "You?"

Sunflower sighed with a smile on his face. "I'm…happy. I can't imagine life being better than this." He licked her face gently. "It's days like today that reassure me I made the right choice."

"I'm glad you're here," Glade said tenderly. "I love you."

"I love you too." The two were about to lay down, when suddenly they were jumped from behind.

"Super Sisters Strike Squad attack!"

Sunflower felt two small shapes jump on his back, and the grunts he heard on his side, he assumed Glade was getting the same treatment. With a chuckle, he reared up onto his hind legs, throwing the forms to the ground. He turned and pinned them gently to the ground. He smiled as he saw Glade do the same.

The two does under him began to squirm. "Parli, let us up!" one whined.

"Oh, I don't know," Sunflower said, pretending to deliberate, "I don't think you're supposed to let up someone who sneak attacks you. Glade, what do you think?"

She chuckled. "Well, I suppose if the attackers promise to go to sleep tonight without putting up a fuss…"

"We promise…" four disappointed voices said. Sunflower and Glade nodded to each other and let the four little does to their feet.

Sunflower reached down and tousled the ears of one of his daughters, smiling as she giggled. "You really should wait until you're bigger, girls. Your mother and I are very good fighters."

"We know, but we'll be good one day too," one of them replied.

The smallest of them spoke up. "But Laurel, I don't want to be a good fighter! I don't like fighting…"

Sunflower sighed. "Laurel, have you been bullying your sisters again?"

"I'm sorry…" Laurel replied.

"I was the same way when I was little," Glade said. "My marli had the perfect way to snap me out of it. Come along, Laurel." Glade and Laurel walked away, leaving Sunflower alone with the other three. Their prank finished, two of his daughters walked off together.

The smallest doe remained, sniffling and staring at the ground. Sam nuzzled her gently. "Lily, what's the matter? Are you alright?"

"Laurel always makes fun of me because I can't fight. But I don't like fighting, Parli." She cuddled up to Sunflower's chest. "I'm sorry I can't fight like you and Marli."

He stroked his daughter's back. "Hush now, none of that. You don't need to be a fighter for us to love you." She looked up at him with tearful eyes. "Just look at your Uncle Fiver, or Blackberry. Neither of them fight, but they are very important to me." Sunflower bent down and whispered into his daughter's ear. "Don't tell Bigwig I said this, but there are more important things in life than fighting." Lily chuckled at her father's words. "Feel better?"

She nodded. "Thank you, Parli." A pause. "Can I go play?"

"Of course you can, Lily. Go have fun." She scampered off, leaving Sunflower alone once again.

"Hello, Sunflower," Strawberry said as he walked by. "Such a nice day, don't you think?"

Sunflower smiled and looked to the sky. "Yeah. Thank Frith for that."