Bigwig was hopping through the orchard in the deadly darkness of night. There were no stars since he left the burrow to be where he was now. It seemed likely snow was going to fall soon, and very heavily foe that matter, from what it seemed like up there. Somehow, from where Bigwig was standing now, fog seemed to be thickening. But he was not letting that put him off night patrol that easily. He was certain that he could get on quite well, Owsla or no Owsla. And as soon as Pipkin had gotten tired of playing hooky, he would be doing night patrol with him all year round - then reward him with the night off on this very night.

Bigwig focused on his whereabouts so not to lose his way in the fog. The wind began to howl rather gently, but he admittedly did not like this very much. Besides, there was the greatest chance of him attracting elil. At that thought, he decided he would go back to the burrow. Bigwig was relieved to find that he was not crazy in doing so, for the fog grew thicker at each hop away from the eerie orchard. Somehow the eeriness had more to offer, for Bigwig, almost convinced that he was hearing things, could sense a faint and very ghostly voice:

Bigwig ….

His ears shot up with vigilance.

"Who's there?" He demanded.

Nothing but the gentle, howling wind. Where did he hear that voice from before?

"Summin' wrong, Bigwig?"

Bigwig yelled and got ready to pounce, but the foe flapped away in time. He looked up to find it was the gull, Kehaar and the rabbits' little mouse friend, Hannah. Both loyal of service to Watership Down.

Bigwig sighed in relief.

"I'll thank you not to trigger false alarms!" he reprimanded.

"Eh?" asked Hannah as Kehaar flapped back down to snowy ground. "What d'ya mean a false alarm?"

"You called name - did you not?"

He was looking back into the tree-line at those last three words.

"No," asked Hannah in confusion. "'Summin' wrong, Bigwig?' was the first thing I ever said to you."

"And Ke'aar's first words to Beeweeg is 'Is the brave bunny scared of zee dark?' Haw, haw, haw!" The gull teased.

"If neither of you are going to take this matter seriously can you please get lost?" Bigwig said crossly.

"Rabbits!" Hannah huffed. "Come on, Kehaar. Let's go back to the warren."

"K'YAAAA!" The gull screeched as they soared up to the hill.

Bigwig partly wanted to investigate the caller of his name, but he was reminded of the fog. So the only sensible thing to his mind was retire for the night.

"Maybug," grumbled Bigwig, reflecting what had just happened.


While trying to shrug the voice off, it still haunted his mind. Maybe it was because he was tired and he was hearing stuff. In any case he was now standing outside the entrance to the warren, so he could just go inside and sleep for a while.

Bigwig ….

Bigwig froze where he was. He heard it again, yet it seemed closer.

A white glow above the entrance caught his attention. He peered at it and, unless he was mistaken, it was forming the shape of a rabbit's face. Not just any face of a rabbit.

"The Chief Rabbit!" Bigwig gasped. "My former chief of Sandleford Warren!"

Sandelford Warren was the former home of Bigwig, Hazel, Fiver, Pipkin, Blackberry, Hawkbit and Dandelion. Fiver sensed a futuristic vision of the warren being destroyed by man. Bigwig secretly left the warren after being treated with disdain by the chief and joined the others, and for that he was thankful since Fiver's prediction was correct, and everybody who stayed behind had tragically perished, Captain Holly being the only fortunate survivor.

Bigwig peered at the shape again only for the white glow, face and all, to face into the bark.

He stood there for a good three minutes before finally getting a hold of himself and clambering side the warren.

The Honeycomb, the main chamber where council meetings were held, was completely vacant. Everyone had evidently gone to sleep, but leaving Bigwig a fair share of his supper. He sampled his share and went to check on everyone's burrows, even the healing chamber (so to see if Pipkin showed any sign of deceit), and found him with Fiver. The shivering little kitten was curled into a ball and snuggled into Fiver's warm stomach, which alleviate the chill for him especially with Fiver's paws around him.

"Sorry, Bigwig," Pipkin murmured in his sleep. "I won't be ill again."

Bigwig felt rather moved, but he tired to convince himself what he believed about him shirking.

Bigwig hopped into his burrow and adjusted his nest. He was getting ready to settle and close his eyes when it happened again:

Bigwig ….

His eyes shot open and he jumped out his nest, getting ready to strike whoever it was calling his name. From the entrance hole of his burrow, mist was floating in. Could it be the fog he escaped?

Bigwig ….

The voice was coming closer.

"It's maybug, still!" snapped Bigwig. "I won't believe it!"

The fog engulfed the burrow, and through it, Bigwig could see the shape of a rabbit, the rabbit with the very same face of the one he saw outside the tree. But this time it was his full bodied appearance. Grey in fur, except for his huge, white stomach. The phantom was also bound here and there in tight shining wire, tangled onto his paws, feet, ears and even over his neck. The wire was also coiled around his waist.

"What do you want?" Bigwig interrogated.

"Much," replied the figure.

"Who are ya'?" Bigwig inquired. He knew by appearance who it was but he wanted to try and challenge his own sanity to make sure he had not lost it.

"In life," ghost replied, "I was your Chief Rabbit of Sandleford Warren."

Bigwig suddenly remembered Fiver's vision of ghostly visits, but he wanted to try and covince himself he was just simply overworked.

"Is that a fact?" He remarked.

"Why do you doubt your eyes?" replied the ghost. "A blind rabbit at birth could see me, like you see me now."

"Well …" considered Bigwig. "I mean I've been working pretty hard and thinking of words form others that may have triggered my thoughts to this. There's also potential I might have eaten something dodgy, an aged carrot or something, maybe an undigested leaf of cabbage."

"Well I highly suggest you believe in me!" the ghost rebuked. "For I am here for your own good."

"In what way?" Bigwig remarked. "I mean don't you wanna take all that off first?"

"I cannot even I wanted to," wailed the ghost. "I wear the shining wire I forged in life. The wire of my arrogance and pomposity as leader. It is required of every child of Ela-Rah that the spirit within him should hop aboard among his kind and listen and help with kindness and compassion. If the spirit fails to master those two traits, it is forced to wander the world in death, and witness those in need of help and could have been helped. Such as myself now; wanting to help, but never can and never will!"

The ghost wailed again in heavy lament.

"Well," said Bigwig thoughtfully. "That is most unfortunate. But everyone has flaws. Yes you started treating me like rot but where credit is due, you always had strong qualities of leadership."

"Do you not see from what I've said?" Snapped the ghost. "Compassion was my leadership, the well-being of others was my leadership, charity, mercy, forbearance and benevolence were all my business. I only only cared about power, refused to listen to others, including the warning of young Fiver. I allowed many to die including myself. Loads of them at peace, but here I am forevermore coiled in this punishment of shining wire. Of all involved in that very devastation, I suffer most! And I am telling you right now, Bigwig. You are on the same path as me right now."

"Eh?" replied Bigwig. He was already disturbed by what he was told, but this further explanation soon to be told was not making him any comfortable.

"Your lack of mercy to everyone here is lengthening your very own wire. Almost longer than mine. Growing longer even now - unless you learn pity for others for even such an important title of Owsla."

"I'm listening."

"I'm relieved to know that you are. For I have come here to warn you, Bigwig. You have been given a chance to escape my fate.

"Thank you," Bigwig sighed. He was happy to know of there being light in this meeting.

"You will be haunted by three spirits."

Bigwig suddenly flashed back to Fiver's earlier vision of ghostly visits.

"That's what Fiver predicted earlier. Is that the chance?"

"Yes," replied the ghost.

"Is there another way?"

"Without their visits," the ghost said sternly, "you wire is as good as long!"

"What are they going to do?" Bigwig inquired.

"Tonight," answered the ghost, "these three spirits are going to take you on a journey. A journey to your Frithmas past, Frithmas present and your possible Frithmas future. Follow me outside. I have something to show you before I leave."

Thinking it wise to obey, Bigwig followed the ghost to the entrance. Before he could set foot outside, Bigwig heard a chorus of wailing, lamenting and woeful sobbing. He followed the ghost outside flying everywhere in the sky were rabbit spirits. Like the Chief Rabbit, there all coiled and bound in shining wire, howling and wailing in sadness. Bigwig identified some of the Sandlefordians who assisted his chief. Very tough in appearance but their remorse was stronger as they moaned and cried out in guilt.

"We spirits try to assist the living wherever we find them," the spirit of the Chief Rabbit said to Bigwig as it floated upwards, "but we have lost the power forever! Don't expect to see me again, Bigwig. But for you own sake, remember this moment between us. Good luck, Bigwig! Good luck!"

The spirit joined in the wailing of the other spirits.

Bigwig watched in horror until their noise faded away, as did their presence. He stood there for almost five minutes before hopping back to his burrow, reflecting on everything that has happened. He climbed into his nest closed his eyes, falling asleep from the overwhelming events of this evening.