That night, Cowslip and his rabbits threw a huge party in Cartman's honor.
"Here's to Eric Cartman," said Cowslip, "the rabbit who not only showed us how to avoid the shining wires, but actually found a way to ensnare the farmer in his own trap!"
"You're as clever as El-ahrairah!" Laburnum said to Cartman.
"Yes, I am, aren't I?" Cartman was letting all this praise go to his head.
Silverweed came forward and recited a poem he had written about Cartman. It was really just the shining wire poem again, except that the words "shining wire" were replaced with "Eric Cartman" every time. But Cartman loved it anyway.
"You know what, Cartman?" Cowslip said. "This warren has never had an official Chief Rabbit, but I think it should be you."
"Really?" Cartman said with false modesty.
"Absolutely. You're the smartest rabbit I've ever come across. We were all just going along, letting that human kill us just because he fed us and kept other predators away, but then you came and taught us how to fight back. You're just the sort of leader we need." He turned to the other rabbits. "What do you guys say?"
The crowd set up a resounding cheer. It was so loud that the echo could still be heard a minute or so after they had finished.
"This is so kewl," Cartman thought. "Finally, I've found a group of rabbits that respects my authoritah!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Next morning at the new South Down warren, Tweak and Craig were out looking for breakfast when they came across a seagull lying on its side. He had his eyes closed.
"Is that bird dead?" Tweak asked.
"I dunno," said Craig. "It's not wounded anywhere I can see."
He moved in for a closer look. Suddenly the gull's eyes shot open. He made a snap at Craig with his beak. Craig jumped back just in time.
"That would have broken your foot!" said Tweak.
The bird began gabbling in a strange accent. "I keel you! T'ink me finish? Me no finish! 'Urt you damn plenty!" He tried to jump up, but he fell back down.
"We'd better get Stan," said Craig. They ran to fetch him.
When Stan arrived, he looked at the bird in awe. "I've never seen a bird like that before. What is it?"
"I think it's a seagull," said Wendy, who had decided to come along with Stan and the boys.
"What's a seagull doing this far inland?" Stan wondered.
"No idea," said Wendy.
"I think it's hurt," said Tweak. "Craig tried to take a look at it, but it attacked him."
The seagull had pushed himself up to a sitting position. "No come near me! You 'urt me, I 'urt you like damn!"
"What's the matter with you?" Wendy asked.
"Nutting wrong vit me! Piss off! Doan hefta answer nuttin' but name-rank-and-serial-number!"
Wendy persisted. "Are your legs hurt?" she asked in her sweetest voice.
Something in her tone seemed to resonate with the bird. When he next spoke, he sounded a little less hostile. "Legs fine. Ving no good. 'E bad."
Now Wendy noticed that one of his wings was bent. "I think it's dislocated," she said to Stan. "I dislocated my leg once when I fell going down a hill. My dad yanked it back into place. Maybe I can do the same thing to this bird."
"Be careful," Stan warned. "Don't let him hurt you."
Wendy stepped closer to the gull. "What's your name?"
"Kehaar."
"Well, Mr. Kehaar, I want to help you. I'm gonna do something to your wing that might hurt for a second, but when it's over with you'll feel a lot better. Do you want to give it a try?"
Kehaar cocked his head to one side. "Okay. But if it doesn't vork, I keel you!"
"I'm willing to take that risk," said Wendy. She walked over to Kehaar and took hold of his wing. She tugged on it with all her strength and it snapped back into place. Kehaar screeched. Stan froze. He was sure the bird was about to attack Wendy. But then Kehaar gave a whoop of joy and fluttered into the air. His pain was gone!
However, he was only able to fly for a few seconds before he sank back down to earth. Although his injured wing was healed, he still didn't have the energy to fly for long distances.
"You need to rest," said Wendy.
"Me stay here small time, den go," said Kehaar.
"You can't just lie out here in the open," said Stan. "There's a kestrel in this area. We stopped it from killing a mouse yesterday. If it finds you lying here, it'll attack you!"
"Me fight plenty, keel kestrel! Keel everyt'ing dat moves!"
"Not in the state you're in," said Stan. "Why don't you come into our warren. You can stay there till you get your recuperated."
Kehaar considered this. "Never been in a rabbit hole before, but dere's a first time for everyt'ing. T'ank you. You good rabbits. Not like some."
"And we'll get you some food too," said Stan. "What do you like to eat?"
"Vorms und insects."
Stan shuddered. "To each his own, I guess."
Kenny came wandering over. He had already recovered from being killed by the kestrel the day before. "Kenny, this is Kehaar. He's going to stay with us for a while. Will you dig him up some bugs to eat?"
Kenny raised a paw and saluted. "Mm mm!" he assented.
