AUTHOR'S NOTE: recently, this site has been experiencing a lot of technical issues, including blank pages, and a failure to send notification emails. This has led to speculation that the site may be closing soon. These are just rumours, it is not time to panic yet, but it is important to be prepared.

I wish to clarify I will keep posting new chapters on this site as long as it remains online functional (until I am finished). But, if something happens, this story is also available on AO3 (same username as on here) and also on the Fiver's Honeycomb forum (link on my profile).

Also, I recommend that you use the website fichub dot net to save offline copies of any stories you enjoy, in case this site DOES go offline (and also backing up your own stories if necessary).

PSA finished. Now, back to the story...

Chapter 245: The Tragic Announcement.

"The relief of seeing her again after rescuing her from that monster... I'd give anything to hold on to that feeling. Hope is overcoming my anguish and regret."

-Blazeymix, Chronicles of Acorn

The patrol's search for Dandelion proved to be more complicated than they had initially expected. At first, they tried to follow his scent, but as they got further from the warren, there were several additional scents masking Dandelion's. As a result, they were soon forced to resort to wandering around, hoping to stumble upon a clue as to his whereabouts; this was a highly inefficient method, but it was their only option. Additionally, Dandelion appeared to have done a good job at concealing his movements. Usually, this would be cause for celebration, showing that he took his duties seriously. But in this case, it only made the owsla's job even harder. In order to cover more ground more quickly, the rabbits spread apart and went off in different directions, with instructions to meet back at the warren at ni-Frith.

Travelling alone, Bigwig let his anger grow. What was Dandelion thinking, running away like this? How could he have possibly thought this was a good idea? Did he even want to be found? His thoughts were interrupted when suddenly, he heard what sounded like faint footsteps: he was not alone, there was someone else nearby. Stopping to sniff the air, he quickly realized that the sound came from another rabbit, although they lacked Dandelion's scent. This scent was, in fact, much closer to Spartina's. He was still processing this new discovery when Spartina arrived running, right in front of him, stopping at the last moment, narrowly avoiding a collision.

-"Spartina!?" he shouted.

A quick glance at the doe he loved revealed that there was someone on top of her, another rabbit. He was unaware that Spartina was intentionally carrying Lady May; as a result, he assumed she was being attacked. Therefore, he pounced on the "attacker" and knocked her down.

-"Bigwig, what are you doing!?" was Spartina's horrified response.

-"Saving you, obviously."

-"She's not an enemy."

As Spartina's words dawned on the captain, he quickly jumped off Lady May. The situation was highly awkward; Lady May, groaning in pain, did not waste this opportunity to complain:

-"Ack, you have the worst manners I've ever seen. As if I wasn't already in enough pain as is, you had to almost rip my head off!"

-"She's not the enemy, she's just rude," Spartina said. "She can be safely ignored for now."

-"All right then," Bigwig said. "Anyway, what brings you here? I mean, I'm glad to see you and all that, but you were supposed to be working undercover in Darkhaven."

-"They found your warren. They're attacking today."

Bigwig's eyes went wide.

-"Let's go back to the warren, and tell everyone else. We must hurry."

They started to hop away, when suddenly...

-"No please don't leave me here!"

-"Oh right, she still exists..." Spartina looked back at Lady May, who was still where Bigwig had attacked her. "She's in need of Blackberry's healing skills. I'll go pick her back up and carry her, she can't walk."

-"No, I'll do it, you're probably exhausted, have you been carrying her long?"

-"Long enough."

As soon as Bigwig picked up Lady May, he and started running again. While they both recognized the urgency of the situation, Lady May's weight was slowing Bigwig done, much like she had done with Spartina earlier.

-"By the way, have you seen Dandelion?" Bigwig asked after a few minutes.

-"No, not since I first left this warren. Why?"

-"He ran off, foolish buck...I was out searching for him when I found you."

After Strawberry's announcement, Hazel and a few other rabbits went above ground. The visiting bats were hanging from a branch of the beach tree; Hazel recognized one of them as being Pipkin's friend Darkling. Or, at least, he thought it was Darkling. Most bats looked alike to him, and so many of them had come to assist in Pipkin's rescue the previous summer, he did not recall all their individual names.

-"It's nice to see you again," he said, hesitating a bit. "What brings you here?"

-"It's coming," one of the bats said cryptically.

-"At dawn," the second one added.

-"Be prepared," was the ominous warning.

-"What do you mean?" Hyzenthlay asked.

-"The attack is at dawn."

-"It's really terrible news."

-"I'm confused..." Holly said. "What attack?"

-"Maybe we should ignore them," Bluebell whispered in Hazel's ear. "They may be making it all up as they go along."

-"I don't think so," Hazel said. "There might be something to what they are saying."

-"There's someone else coming," came Thethuthinnang's voice, as she stared in the distance. As everyone turned around, they saw that there were indeed a few rabbits coming. When they were halfway to the top, everyone recognized the one leading the group.

-"Spartina!" Hyzenthlay exclaimed. "What's happening?"

-"They know," Spartina said weakly as she collapsed.

-"Who knows? What are you talking about?" Hazel asked, increasingly alarmed.

-"Woundwort knows," Bigwig explained, as he arrived with Lady May. "He's attacking soon."

-"That's what I was trying to say!" Darkling interjected. Spartina raised her head and looked at the two bats.

-"I'm glad you two made it here."

Bluebell, meanwhile, was looking awkwardly at Bigwig.

-"Who's that on your back?"

-"Oh...some doe Spartina brought here so Blackberry can fix her up."

-"She's even more plump than you are."

-"Let's go underground," Hazel suggested, before Bigwig could get mad at Bluebell over the inappropriate joke. "Blackberry can take care of our new visitor, and you, Spartina, can tell us everything."

-"That's a good idea..."

With that, everyone, including the bats, went underground. In the Honeycomb, Spartina told her entire story, how the patrol had discovered the warren's location, how she had been powerless to do anything about it, and how Campion had been captured while trying to help her.

-"Woundwort is bringing everyone he's got to destroy you," she said, once she was finished. "If you want to evacuate, now is the time to go."

-"We're not leaving," Hazel instantly said. "We're staying here and fighting to the end."

-"In that case, I suggest you prepare some traps and weapons. As for me, I'm going to my burrow. I haven't slept in over two days, and if I'm going to be fighting tonight or tomorrow, I need to rest first."

Tassel arrived at the top of the Down around ten minutes later, to find it completely deserted. How could this be possible? How could Woundwort have attacked so quickly? She started screaming incomprehensibly; this attracted the attention of the only creature still above ground.

-"Tassel? What are you doing here? What's wrong?"

-"Hannah!" The squirrel smiled, pleased to see the mouse, but this expression quickly vanished as she remembered the reason why she was there. "I'm supposed to tell the rabbits that WOUNDWORT IS ATTACKING! Or, at least, he was supposed to attack; am I too late already?"

-"He hasn't attacked yet, but we already know about his planned attack."

-"So I made it in time...that's good news. What will you all be doing?"

-"We'll fight them. If you want to stay and help us, you're more than welcome to do so."

The other patrollers returned to the warren later that morning; none of them had found Dandelion. Upon their return, they were all made aware of the terrible news regarding Woundwort and Darkhaven. As a result, nobody was sent back to the wilderness to keep searching: Bigwig insisted that everyone stay and help secure the warren, noting that they didn't have much time left. When some complained, he bluntly said that Dandelion would have to fend for himself until the end of the battle, pointing out that he had chosen to leave.