A/N: Takes place about a week after Darkhaven.

Rusatitha

"Just go ask him!"

Sunflower groaned. "Come on, Glade, why can't you just tell me? It's just a word. I just want to know what Hazel meant when he called me Rusatitha at Darkhaven. Why can't you just tell me?"

"I told you, Sam. Sunflower, sorry. It's really not my place to tell you. Hazel was the one to bring it up, so I think he should be the one to tell you. Just go ask him. It's not as weird as you think it is, trust me."

"Then why won't you tell me?" Sunflower whined. "There has to be something weird about that word if you won't tell me what it means."

Glade sighed before giving Sunflower a serious look. "Sunflower, do you trust me?"

"Of course I do, but what-"

"Then trust me, and go ask Hazel. I could tell you what he means, but it wouldn't be right. It would cheapen it. You deserve to hear it from him. And he deserves a bit of an earful, but that's not really my place either. I'm sure Primrose already had a talk with him about it."

Sunflower sighed. "I'm not getting anywhere with you, am I?" Glade shook her head. "Fine. I'll go find Hazel then."

"Go on. You'll thank me later."

Getting up from where the two were sitting, Sunflower went in search of the chief. He found Hazel chatting with Bigwig and Spartina under the shade of the beech tree. "Hey, Hazel," he called over, "I have a question for you."

Hazel's ears perked up when he heard Sunflower call for him. "What is it, Sam? I'm sorry, I mean Sunflower. I'm still getting used to that." Because Sunflower was going to be staying with the Watership Down rabbits for good, he insisted that he be called by his rabbit name. Many of the rabbits were still adjusting to the change.

"It's fine," Sunflower replied as he sat down. "I know it's still a little weird. But listen, I had something I really wanted to ask you."

"I'm listening," Hazel replied. Bigwig and Spartina cocked their ears forward curiously too.

"Back at Darkhaven, you called me Rusatitha. At the time I was a little distracted with not being dead, but I remembered it the other day, and I was wondering what it meant. Apparently it doesn't translate to English, or I think my rainbow powers would have let me understand it."

There was a moment of silence before Bigwig started chuckling. "I said you wouldn't get off that easily, Hazel."

Spartina looked between Hazel and Sunflower for a moment before turning to Bigwig with disbelief on her face. "You mean he…?"

"Nope," Bigwig responded while getting to his feet. "Come on, let's leave them alone. I think Hazel has some explaining to do."

Sunflower watched the two of them go before turning back to Hazel. "That really didn't clear anything up."

Hazel sighed. "I'm sorry, Sunflower. I really shouldn't have called you that. Rusatitha or Rusamitha are titles that rabbits give to each other when they care deeply about each other. It translates to heart-brother or heart-sister. It is not a title given lightly. It means you care for the other as though you were brothers. But it can, and often does, go far beyond that. In my case, it means I value and love you as much as Fiver or Primrose. But…" Hazel's ears drooped in embarrassment. "It is supposed to be mutual. The formation of a heart-brother or heart-sister bond is usually accompanied by a ceremony. It is incredibly rude and presumptuous to refer to someone as rusatitha unless they have agreed to the bond. I apologize."

"So that's why Glade didn't tell me?" Sunflower asked.

"Yes," Hazel confirmed. "The bond between heart-brothers is almost sacred. It is between them and them alone." Sunflower was surprised when he saw Hazel's eyes begin to shimmer with tears. "I'm so sorry, Sunflower. To insist on such a bond, and to try and force it on another is a horrible thing to do. Can you forgive me?"

Sunflower was surprised. I didn't realize this was such a serious thing. I better make sure I handle this right. He put a paw on his friend's shoulder. "Hazel, don't worry, I promise I'm not offended. I'm flattered if anything. And I'd be honored to be your heart-brother."

Hazel immediately perked up. "You mean it, Sunflower? Please don't feel like I'm trying to force you. If you aren't sure, take some time to think about it."

"You're my best friend, Hazel," Sunflower said sincerely. "I wouldn't have been able to make it if it hadn't been for you. If it hadn't been for your support, I don't even know if the others would have accepted me at all. You always had my back when I needed you. Even when the Black Rabbit started targeting me, and it would have been safer for me to go off on my own, you insisted I stay. That…that really meant a lot to me."

"Everyone was behind you-"

"But you were the one that mattered, Hazel," Sunflower interrupted. "You could have convinced them to let me go. As far as the safety of the warren was concerned, it would have been much smarter. Then Pipkin and the junior owsla wouldn't have been attacked. And the Black Rabbit wouldn't have tried to invade Fiver's mind. But despite all that, you still stuck by my side. Now I don't know much about this heart-brother thing, but that's something that family would do. So…I accept."

Hazel nuzzled the side of Sunflower's face. "That's amazing to hear, Sunflower. Thank you!"

Sunflower chuckled. "It's my pleasure. Now about this ceremony you mentioned…"

Later that evening, all the rabbits of the warren were gathered in the Honeycomb. Sunflower and Hazel were on the speaking platform, along with Bigwig, who would be overseeing the ceremony. Everyone was silent as Bigwig spoke, just as he had rehearsed.

"Everyone, we gather today to witness one of the most sacred rights given to rabbitkind by Frith. The Heart Bond Ceremony. Becoming heart brothers is not a step taken lightly. It title given to a pair who have opened their hearts to each other and become one in friendship. It is a union transcending blood, or upbringing. To make this bond, is to truly connect with one another. Hazel, Sunflower, you have both sought to into a heart bond with each other. Is this correct?"

"Yes."

"It is."

Bigwig nodded, a ghost of a smile on his lips despite the seriousness of the ceremony. "Then step forward." Hazel and Sunflower stepped to the center of the platform, with Bigwig standing between them. "To symbolize your commitment to one another, you will share the blood of your heart." Bigwig walked over to Sunflower first, and with little ceremony, slashed him in the chest. Three parallel wounds appeared, bleeding lightly. Turning, the captain did the same to Hazel. Without a word, the pair walked to each other and touched their paw to the others chest, blood staining their pawpads. With a shared smile, they touched the bloody paws to their own wounded chests.

Bigwig's voice echoed through the warren. "With the sharing of your blood, the heart bond is formed. May Frith light your path as you walk down it side by side."