Sorry for leaving this so long! Work's been a bit crazy and stuff, but here's the next chapter for you guys! Hope you all like it!
Before I forget, let me reply to reviews on chapter two (since I sent messages to the reviews on chapter 1) real quick!
Guest: Thank you! ^v^ I love writing her! I'm really happy you are enjoying this story! Hope you like this chapter too!
Chipster-roo: I really appreciate all your feedback! :) I'm really really glad you're enjoying how I insert Roseluck into the story!
Since I'm combining iterations, all of the rabbits that left Sandleford in the book, plus Bluebell, are present. It's just that Roseluck doesn't know everyone yet. Sorry I didn't explain that well! Violet was a kinda last-minute addition simply because I would have liked to see more of her in the old movie before she was unceremoniously killed off.
I actually really like Silver in the book and am super happy you like how I'm handling him! ^u^
I'm thinking the whole 'Buckthorn has a crush on Roseluck' plot thread might have a part to play, but probably not a huge one, since Roseluck literally doesn't want to interact with him more than she has to in a group that small. Right now, she's uncomfortable with the thought of mating. That'll change eventually as she matures and grows (she's not quite fully-grown yet, but close, similar to Hazel I believe), but right now that's not something she's interested in.
I didn't include Wilderry because I didn't want to add too many characters that weren't in the books. I already have Violet and Roseluck, which might it almost ten rabbits, I think. I'll have to recount. Now I think about it, though, I may be able to save her...we'll see.
I'm really happy you're looking forward to more and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
There we go! :) Again, I'm sorry this took so long!
God Bless and Good Day!
~The Lupine Sojourner
No one spoke much as we neared the woods.
We all felt a sense of unease, facing the largely unknown dangers of the dark woods.
"Don't worry. Just stick by me and it'll be fine." Bigwig says softly, but even he's glancing around with a bit of apprehension ins his eyes.
We tentatively hop along, our pace slowed with how anxious everyone was. No one liked being awake this long into the night, especially not in a place like these woods.
In the day, it was alright, as long as you kept your wits about you. But at night…
It's all rather spooky, filled with noises I don't know and smells I can't place and shadows that play tricks on my eyes.
But we press doggedly on, knowing we had to get through the woods and through the meadow if we wanted to truly be clear of Sandleford and whatever Owsla may be on our trail.
From the back of the group, I can faintly hear a rabbit murmuring to another.
"Do you think this is where the Black Rabbit of Inle lives?"
I shudder. I don't like the thought of meeting the Black Rabbit…
At all.
"In a stone warren of dead rabbits, full of disease and death?" The scared rabbit continues.
"Please stop talking." Another pleads.
"With black eyes that burn like the fires of Hell, and a cold grey expression, with sorrow beyond reckoning?"
"You're only making you and every rabbit in earshot frightened. You know as well as anyone that the Black Rabbit lives so far away, no rabbit knows where the warren is. This isn't where the Black Rabbit lives, so shut it and keep moving." I call back, unable to handle more frightening thoughts while still in the dark woods.
"She's right; you're making everyone nervous, Bluebell." The other rabbit, who'd spoken to the one frightening us (Bluebell, apparently) adds, hopping along and trying to ignore his unease.
As we continue on, trying to be brave, a branch suddenly falls, narrowly missing a few of us. The ones closest to it cry out in fright.
We move on, slower now we were all getting almost tharn with fear.
Bigwig was the only one who was not outwardly trembling.
"How are you not trembling?" I ask softly. "I can't stop shaking."
"It helps that I've been out here more than you lot. I know more about these woods." He replies. Then, I notice, he glances Hazel's way. Hazel had decided to more or less take the lead, practically neck and neck with Bigwig and I. "Not that I'm asked for my opinion."
"Hazel's just new to all this. I bet he'll come around. I can talk to him."
"No. If he's gonna talk to me, he talks to me directly, without any rabbit conveying messages."
I huff. "Fine then. You'll sit here sulking without Hazel knowing you've got a better idea. If you don't speak up, he won't know."
In reply, Bigwig huffs and keeps hopping. I roll my eyes and try to keep up. It's hard, though. I'm getting tired. Haven't slept since Frith rose this morning.
Seems so long ago now, but it's been an entire Frith.
There is one point, after many startles over nothing, that we finally halt under some bushes, still trembling, this time more with weariness than fear.
We've been in the woods what feels like forever, and the brook we've been following had been getting thinner until we lost it altogether, managing to stay together through the woods somehow.
I swallow and wonder what our next move would be; whether or not we'd stay here or press on to at least get to the edge of the wood before flopping down for a bit of sleep.
I was so tired, I may fall asleep if we stall here too long.
"You alright?" Fiver asks.
I yawn a little, shaking myself to try and stay awake. "Yes, as well as I can be, thank you." I reply.
Bigwig was coming over (when had we gotten separated?), but before he could arrive or say anything to either me or Fiver, Hazel took off toward a path on the other side of the bushes toward an oak tree.
"Where's he going?" Fiver asks, making as if to follow his brother, when we hear a faint tapping, as if Hazel was thumping his foot. I instinctively huddle down, glancing around warily. Usually, thumping meant something was wrong.
But then Dandelion takes off after Hazel as if the thumping was a signal. I tilt my head.
"What on earth is going on?" I ask, hopping toward the path, when Bigwig blocks my way.
"Stay here." He orders. "I'll go and talk to Hazel and Dandelion."
Everyone wanted to regroup, so we all ended up going toward the path together, spotting Hazel and Dandelion around a bend, crouching in the bracken. We all wearily joined them as Bigwig pushed forward, coming toward Hazel.
"We'll have to rest here." He says gruffly. "I know it's not a good place, but Fiver and this other half-sized fellow you got here - they're pretty near all in. They won't be able to go on if we don't rest."
It seems Bigwig listened to me after all, speaking up and offering advice instead of sulking.
If Hazel is as smart as I think he is, he'll listen.
As Hazel mulled it over, I glanced around at the rabbits around me, and I could hardly help noticing that a lot of them looked so tired they were almost tharn.
If Hazel ignored what Bigwig said and made us press on, I think there's a good chance some, if not most, of the rabbits would bolt or even try to go back to the warren.
My thoughts are then disrupted by the sight of Pipkin. Poor little Pipkin was one of the ones closest to going tharn, his ears drooping miserably and his front paw stuck out at an unnatural angle.
I hop over as Hazel talks to Dandelion.
"Are you alright?" I ask. "Your foot seems to be bothering you. Is it injured?"
"No, I'm fine." The way he replied makes me think he's definitely in a bad way.
"Let me see, then." I press and without waiting for him to reply or deny treatment, I push his foot so I can see the bottom of it.
I found the problem after moving aside a bit of the fur with my nose; a large thorn had gotten embedded in his foot.
"I told you, there's no- -Agh!" Pipkin cries, just as Dandelion was beginning to speak. I feel bad interrupting, but I had to remove the thorn before the wound went bad. Upon looking at the thorn, I reel back a hop.
"By Frith, Pipkin! That thorn would have slowed Bigwig down! Why didn't you tell someone?" I ask, sharper than I meant.
In Pipkin's state, all he can do is cower back a little, shaking his head. "I thought I could manage." He moans.
I take a breath. "I shouldn't have spoken harshly. I'm sorry." I amend softly and Pipkin relaxes. "Its just...that thorn is so large, the wound could have very easily gone sour. You need to tell- -"
"What's going on?" Hazel asks, hopping over. Every rabbit had turned toward us at Pipkin's cry.
I nod at the thorn. "That was in Pipkin's foot." I report. "Didn't mean to startle everyone."
"Great Frith above!" "How did he keep going with that thing in his foot?" and other murmurs rang around the group as all the rabbits saw the size of the thorn on the ground.
"I believe Dandelion was about to say something before I pulled the thorn out." I call, and quiet comes back over the group. "I'll clean Pipkin's foot while we listen. Go on, Dandelion."
Hazel looks at me gratefully as everyone shifts into more comfortable positions and Dandelion begins a story.
I start licking poor Pipkin's foot. He protests wearily, flinching away a bit, but eventually he lays still and lets me continue.
It was an old story Dandelion picked, but it was one that always made me happy.
It was the story of the Blessing of El-ahrairah.
It's a fairly simple story, and Dandelion told it wonderfully.
The story goes that the Lord Frith, a time long long ago, scattered his droppings in the sky and made the earth and all the stars. His presence lit up the world, and the grass grew thick and the trees took root. He made the brooks, streams, rivers, and other waters. He made the animals, at first all the same.
Then, one day, the animals began to complain.
The Prince of the Rabbits, El-ahrairah, had had so many mates and so many kits, not even Frith himself could count them. There were so many, they'd eaten all the grass on the ground, and there was barely any food left.
Lord Frith warned El-ahrairah to control his people or Frith would be forced to control them himself.
But El-ahrairah was proud of how his people had grown and refused, claiming rabbits were the strongest in the world.
And so Frith, loath to kill the Prince of the rabbits and his children, decided to outsmart them.
So Frith called a meeting of all the animals. As they came to him, he blessed them in different ways.
To the fox, weasel, and stoat, he gave sharp teeth, claws, and cunning. He also gave them a hunger for rabbits.
To the blackbird, however, Frith gave a beautiful song.
To the cow, sharp horns and strength enough that there was a lack of fear.
To the cat, he gave silent feet, eyes that can see in the dark, and also a will to attack and eat rabbits.
So on and so forth the animals came.
A bird warned El-ahrairah of a weasel and fox approaching as it flew over the hills a few days after its meeting with Frith.
El-ahrairah was so infuriated at Frith, he sped over to the meeting place and demanded to know why Lord Frith had condemned his people to death and lives of fear.
Frith asked if El-ahrairah would like to receive his blessings, but the Prince turned his bottom toward Lord Frith and said 'to my bottom give your blessings!'
So Frith did. Frith gave El-Ahrairah a fluffy tail, powerful legs to run faster than he could before, and ears to hear his enemies from great distances.
Thus became our life, running from Elil, the Thousand Enemies of Rabbits.
But Frith gave El-ahrairah a promise. "All the world will be your enemy, Prince of a Thousand Enemies, and when they catch you, they will kill you. But first...they must catch you. Digger, listener, runner, Prince with the Swift Warning. Be cunning, and full of tricks, and your people will never be destroyed."
That was why we lived in burrows. That was why we had to be careful when straying from our warren; one never knew when Elil would come, but we would have warning enough to evade our enemies, if we were quick and clever enough to manage it.
I smile to myself, thinking that, if this strange danger Fiver spoke of came, we'd prove the cleverest out of all the rabbits at Sandleford by evading it.
That thought was promptly dashed when Acorn startled, nose twitching with some rank, strange smell I'd just noticed myself. All of a sudden, there was a head unlike anything I'd ever seen, poking through the bracken.
It was some kind of monster; of that I was sure. It looked how Bigwig had described dogs to look, with a large, furry head, stripes of white fur going up its face, and powerful legs attached to a shaggy black body.
Its eyes were savage and its mouth was grinning as it stared first out around us, then fixed on us, grinning wider.
I found myself unable to look away from the awful sight, body tensed in preparation to bolt.
Bigwig, having been more toward the other side of the group during the story, came back now toward us, murmuring as the creature continued to stare.
"It's a lendri." He explains, his voice being me out of a half-tharn trance of fear, "It may be dangerous and it may not, but I'm not taking any chances with it. Let's get away!" And so we were off again, running after Bigwig and Dandelion as best we could. Somehow, I was more toward the head of the others, but I was starting to lag with exhaustion as we came out of the ferns and down the path.
Frightened of losing sight of my brother, I put on what speed I could manage and find Bigwig and Dandelion staring over the edge of a bank, a rather steep one too, and when I caught up to them, I saw...well I don't know it's name, but I do know I've never seen a stream like this.
We call the stream by Sandleford a river sometimes, but that water pales in comparison to this. It was incredibly wide and flowed faster than I had ever seen water flow. I couldn't be sure there wasn't some magic on the water that made it flow this fast.
Was this a true river? Like in that one story of El-ahrairah crossing a river with a pike in it?
A few more of our group arrived as I stared at the river, remembering how that story went.
El-ahrairah had, story goes, fashioned a rabbit-shape out of clay and collected enough fur from his shedding to cover it. Then he let it harden and when it was hard, the Prince pushed the thing into the water.
The pike stopped attacking it soon, and El-ahrairah fished the object out of the water. El-ahrairah did this many times before the pike had lost all interest in the strange thing. Thus it was that El-ahrairah crossed the river.
"Well this is a nice surprise, Hazel." Bigwig grumbles at length, refocusing me on the situation before us. "Or were you expecting this when you took us into the wood?" And this was the first test of Hazel's apparent leadership.
I can't recall when Hazel had become the unspoken leader of our gathering, but it seemed we all had unknowingly selected him as the chief.
And now Bigwig was unsure, and when Bigwig was unsure, he became very nearly dangerous. Likely, though, if Hazel could find a way across the river, Bigwig would be satisfied for a while on the subject of Hazel's leadership.
I spoke without realizing what I was saying til I'd said it. "It's not that Hazel expected the river any more than us, Thayli." I shrug, "We're as new to these woods as, well, any rabbits could be, I suppose."
"...Doesn't answer the question of what to do about the river." Bigwig grumbles, still in a mood.
I roll my eyes.
Hazel remains quiet for a moment, thinking, then speaks. "I don't know what we would have done without you just now, Bigwig." He says placatingly, and I see Hazel has somehow guessed that flattery restores your standing with Bigwig nearly every time there's a bad disagreement. "What was that animal? Would it have killed us?"
"A lendri." Bigwig explains, huffing in annoyance at the mention of the creature, "I've heard about them in the Owsla. They're funny things: I've heard of rabbits living almost on top of one and coming to no harm. But they're best avoided all the same. They'll dig out rabbit kittens and they'll kill an injured rabbit if they find one." I shiver. I didn't fancy running into another lendri at all. "They're one of the Thousand, all right. I ought to have guessed from the smell, but it was new to me."
"Still, you weren't going tharn like all of us, and you led us away safely." I point out, smiling and hoping it would cheer Bigwig up.
"It had killed before it met us." Blackberry says with a shiver, coming over to join our conversation. "I saw the blood on its lips."
Bigwig shrugs. "A rat, perhaps, or pheasant chicks." I shudder again. If that lendri eats chicks, what would it have done if it found us all asleep? "Lucky for us it had killed, otherwise it might have been quicker. We really came out of it very well."
I nod, going to drink from the river, finding the water clean, cold, and refreshing.
I then think of the story of El-ahrairah crossing the pike river again and frown. "Bigwig?" I ask, eying the water as if to spot a pike, "Do you think there are any pike in this river?"
Bigwig snorts, knowing exactly why I was asking. "Not likely. I heard that pike only live in big rivers. This one's probably too small." He replies, chuckling at my ignorance.
I flush a little.
Fiver, who I just noticed was fairly close by, smiles at me, hopping a little nearer. "I thought it was a good question." He says softly.
I smile. "Thanks."
Hazel hops over, looking to Fiver. "What do you think we should do now, Fiver?"
Fiver's ears twitch as he thinks. "We shall have to cross it.," He replies, "but I don't think I can swim, Hazel. I'm worn out, and Pipkin's a good deal worse than I am."
I look over, and sure enough, poor Pipkin is trembling with exhaustion. I hop over to him. "Try some of the water." I encourage him, "It'll do you good." I gently guide him over, offering support if he needed it.
"Thanks, Roseluck." He murmurs and begins to drink. It's a good few seconds before he finishes his drink. "My word, you were right, Rose. This water is rather refreshing, isn't it?" He smiles at me gratefully and I nod.
"I had some myself and I feel better. Let's see if we're crossing or not."
There wasn't much in the way of decisions happening when we rejoin the others, however. No one seemed thrilled at the idea of crossing and Hazel wasn't pushing terribly hard despite what Fiver had said.
"Why don't we just go along the bank?" A rabbit (Hawkbit, I realize) asks.
I was about to say if Fiver thought we ought to cross, then we ought to cross, and probably quickly, since Hazel hesitated to use authority.
As I was opening my mouth, however, a river lark began singing and I suddenly found I could see clearer.
It was morning! Through the light I could see that this river bordered the woods. We were nearly out!
There were fields across the river, which looked less daunting now I saw it in the day. In fact, I think I should be able to cross soon.
There was a path along the river on the side we were on, with fairly high banks leading down to the water.
If we could get across the river, though, there were open fields and no more woods.
However, for the moment I was happy to see some grass and other plants that I could eat on the small strip of land at the bottom of the bank before the water.
I was about to go on my own when Hazel seemed to read my mind and suggests we all eat. I hop down instantly, and find there are several martin holes in the bank, as it sloped steeply up from the river to the path. Their song rang out as they flew off to find food.
It is quite a lovely spot, I think, chewing grass, but it doesn't solve the problem of crossing the river.
Directly in front of us is a wide pool without much in the way of a current, it seems, but downstream there was a sound of water over gravel, indicating that the water sped up downstream, which would make crossing harder.
So it seemed here, where the water was wide but fairly still, was the best place to cross.
Problem was, I can still see that Pipkin is in no condition to swim across. Fiver wasn't much better, though they both seemed to be improving just a little by eating some grass and drinking a bit of water.
I then notice that Hazel was slowly edging Fiver away for a private conference. For some reason, I decided to go after them.
This was our idea, after all. Why shouldn't I be involved in planning our next step?
"Are you sure we've got to cross the river, Fiver?" Hazel asks. "What about going along the bank one way or the other?"
Fiver shakes his head. "No, we've got to get across, Hazel," He says firmly, "so that we can get into those fields, and beyond them, too. I know what we ought to be looking for-a high, lonely place with dry soil, where rabbits can see and hear all around them and men hardly ever come. Wouldn't that be worth a journey?"
I can picture it all in my head, and it's an astounding thing. If such a place exists, I dearly hope we can find it.
"Roseluck?" I hear Hazel's voice and remember where I am.
"Oh, sorry. It's just...I was curious. I want to help how I can." I reply sheepishly. "You were saying something about crossing the river?" I prompt to get their conversation back on track.
"Yes, well I'm not so sure the place Fiver described exists."
"If it does, we'll find it." I counter with a smile. "Don't worry, Hazel. We'll get there, somehow."
"Yes, but it's not going to be near a river, so we have to cross." Fiver reiterates. "We ought to cross and go to the top and in the open."
I nod. "I've had enough of this wood, either way."
"I'm not sure the others will go any further." Hazel sighs, "Fiver, you say we ought to cross, and yet you say you're too tired to swim."
"I can rest, Hazel, but Pipkin's in a pretty bad way, even after getting the thorn out."
I frown. "I'll have to either lick the spot again or get him to do it." I say, sighing.
"Alright, let's go talk to the others." Hazel says, finally reaching some decision. "They may not mind staying. It's crossing they're not going to fancy, unless something frightens them into it."
I had a feeling something would frighten us into crossing, but I don't know what.
As we rejoin the others, I spot Bigwig coming over. He seemed grumpy, so I remain silent.
"I was wondering where you got to." He says sourly. "Thought I told you to stay with me, Rose." He adds, frowning at me.
"I wanted to go with them." I reply. "No need to get upset."
Bigwig huffs, but turns to Hazel. "Are you ready to move on?"
Hazel shakes his head. "No I'm not. I think we ought to stay here til ni-Frith." I can't tell if Hazel is faking this confidence or not, but I do admire him stepping up and sticking to his decision.
Before Bigwig can reply, Blackberry has come over and addresses Bigwig.
"Bigwig, why don't you swim over now, and then go out into the field and have a look round?" He suggests, "The wood may not stretch far one way or the other. You could see from there; and then we might know which would be the best way to go."
Bigwig is thoroughly unhappy with this suggestion but rather reluctantly agrees. "Oh, well, I suppose there's some sense in that. I'll swim the embleer river as many times as you like. Always glad to oblige." He grumbles sarcastically. With that, he goes into the river, swimming across and pulling himself onto the bank, where he shook himself off and went into the field.
"I wish he wasn't mad…" I mumble, more to myself than anything.
"But I'm glad he's with us." Hazel remarks. "He's the fellow to find out all we need to know."
I nod and look out over the field beyond the woods where my brother should have been, and find him running back toward us in a hurry.
"That's strange." I murmur. "He doesn't normally run like that, unless…" My eyes go wide and I feel fear grip me.
He only ran like that when there were elil around.