Chapter 18.
Bright eyes.
A mist began to settle around the Down as Bigwig, Pipkin, Blackberry, Clover, and Haystack returned to the Warren, Holly, Bluebell and Fiver were the First to meet them, Along with Silver.
"Where have you lot bean?" Asked Silver.
"Well, a bit of a long story." Said Holly. "We need to… Bigwig."
"Yeah, we're back." Said, Bigwig. "Brought new Does too, these are Clover and Haystack."
"Where's Hazel?" Asked Fiver.
Bigwig, Pipkin, Blackberry, Clover, and Haystack looked down sadly.
"Fiver…" Siad Blackberry stepping forward. "There was trouble, Hazel was shot."
Fiver was almost devastated. "No…"
Meanwhile,
General Woundwort stared down coldly at the Charge in front of him, Captain Bugloss as two Hulking Rabbits named Igg and Ook stood guard over him.
"Prisoner at the Bar." Said the General. "You have been found guilty by this court for the neglect of your Duty and your failing. Have you anything to say before I pass judgment?"
Bugloss spoke up. "Eh General, As Commanding officer of the Right flank mark, I had seen fit to trust the security of my charges to the Guards, who in truth should be-"
"Silence!" Cut off woundwort. "Hold your tongue! You miserable wretch! Every officer in the Owsla understands that Efrafa cannot tolerate Failure, Especially in a Company commander, You failed to properly instruct your guards how to Properly keep their prisoners within bounds, You failed to provide a counter plan for any attempt at escape! As a consequence, Captain Charlock of the Council Police was run down with two of his troops on the Iron road by the Man made Hrududu, What's more, the three prisoners he was chasing escaped!"
"But General-!" Bugloss protested.
"Silence!" Bellowed Woundwort. "You have failed miserably in your duty. Only one sentence is clear, Death."
Before Bugloss could respond Igg and Ook bared on him and nearly clawed him apart, causing him to scream out in pain.
"Guards, Take the Prisoner outside, and Kill him somewhere." Said Woundwort piteously, As the guards dragged Bugloss away Woundowrt turned his attention to Campion, Vervain, and a third Captain named Groundsel.
"Are you just as Incompetent?" Asked Woundwort. "Or perhaps lacking in motivation?" He scratched his right claw against his chest. "I have remedies for both Problems."
"We did our best General." Said Campion. "We tracked the escapers as far s the woods sir, Where they went from there-"
"Is what I want to know." Said Woundwort, stomping the ground with all fours and shutting up Campion, As he and the other two Captains cowered a bit. "Double the wide patrols, Find this new warren, and bring Captain Holly and his companions back! They must pay for this insolence."
Campion, Vervain, and Groundsel all bowed and hopped off, At that moment, A dark brown Rabbit with blue Circles under his eyes named Bartsia, Charlocks replacement had come up behind the General. "Sir." He said in an Oily voice. "We brought her in."
General Woundwort followed Bartsia through the winding tunnels of Efrafa until they came to Hyzenflays burrow, Still lying Unconscious.
"Any thoughts on what to do with her General?" Asked Bartsia.
Woundwort stared at Hyzenthlay thoughtfully. "I'm thinking…"
"WHERE IS SHE!?"
Orchis bounded through the Tunnels towards Hyzenflays burrow, Only to be shoved back by Woundwort.
"Where is she?" Asked Orchis, viciously.
"Calm yourself!" Ordered Woundwort.
"She is responsible for the death of my brother General." Said Orchis. "She is the doe behind every escape attempt and It is only a matter of time before she succeeds! I want her destroyed! Just like her Damn sister!"
Orchis surged forward, But was pinned down by Woundworts paw on his head.
"He who thinks death is the gravest of Punishments knows nothing of what it means to suffer." He then released him and turned his attention to Hyzenthlay. "Her's is the spirit that emboldens the Does, Orchis, Primrose's flame lies with her, Break Hyzenthlay, and you break them all."
Meanwhile.
Back at the down, Everyone had gathered around for recent events.
"These Efrafans are not like us." Said Buckthorn. "They consider all outsiders a threat and plan to kill us all, They mean to discover the location of our Warren and wipe us out."
"Are you sure?" Asked Strawberry. "Why on Earth would they want that?"
"That's what I heard them say." Siad Buckthorn.
"Holly, You, Fiver, and Bluebell were at their Warren weren't you." Said Bigwig as he turned to Holly. "Are you sure it's everything Buckthorn just said?"
"It's far worse and you can't imagine it until you've been there." Said Holly grimly.
"Okay what we must do is not Panic." Said Bigwig.
"Yeah, That's right everyone, Nothing to fear." Said, Acorn. "Just because there's a… Nasty terrifying warren nearby that want's to kill us and the fact that Hazel's gone so we don't have a leader, Which means… This warren is completely finished!"
All at once, The Rabbits began to talk over each other, Each frantic to make their voice heard, At last Pipkin spoke up.
"I can't give up on him!" He said. "Just like He wouldn't give up on us!"
"He's right." Added Clover. "Maybe we could form a search party and-"
"I want to find out what's happened to Hazel as much as the Next." Said Holly interrupting them. "But no one goes out in this fog, It's too dangerous."
Just then, Fiver rushed into the Burrow.
"Holly! Everyone! Hazel's not dead!" He cried. "I know where he is."
"What?" Asked Clover. "Fiver where is he?"
"He's in some kind of hole down near the Farm." Said Fiver.
"Right, well if no one's coming with me, I'll go out to find him myself." She said. "I owe Hazel that much."
But before she could get outside, Holly suddenly stopped her.
"Now wait a moment, You just got out of a hutch Clover." He said. "You wouldn't last two days, Not in this fog."
"I'll go with you." Siad Bigwig.
"BY Frith, Thalyli! Use your head!" Cried, Holly.
"I didn't realize you had been made chief Rabbit." Said, Bigwig.
"Nor do I wish to be." Retorted Holly. "But now is the time for Consideration, Not impulse."
"What in friths name is there to consider?!" Asked Bigwig. "If Hazel's out there we have to find him!"
"Not in this fog." Said Holly. "You have a reputation of being Impetuous Thalyli-"
"How dare you call me Impetuous." Snarled Bigwig. "No one thinks that! Who here thinks I'm Impetuice, Huh?!"
Pipkin faltered. "Uh… I don't really know what Imtentuous means but… Yes?!"
"It means Hot-headed." Said, Bigwig. "He's calling me a hothead."
"Well, he's not wrong." Said Dewdrop.
"I say If Clover wants to go find Hazel." Said Hawkbit. "We should let her."
"Yeah, He's right." Agreed Dandelion.
"We can't let her go on her own." Said Bluebell.
"One of us should go with her." Said Rosemary.
"Enough you're making things worse." Said, Bigwig.
And all at once, the Arguing started again, Clover lost patience.
"Right, that's it!" She snapped. "I'm going and none of you can stop me! Fiver you-"
She stopped suddenly when she saw that Fiver wasn't there.
Everyone else also stopped arguing upon realizing this.
"Fiver?" Asked Bigwig.
Fiver had left the Warren, He headed downHill to the Forest below, His eyes locked on what looked like a Rabbits shadow hopping down the Hill, Fiver followed the unknown figure as Words began to sound in his head.
...Or is it a dream.
There's a fog along the Horizon!
A strange glow in the sky.
And nobody seems to know when you go.
And what does it mean?
Oh…
Is it a dream?
Bright Eyes!
Burning like Fire!
Bright Eyes!
How can you close and fail?
How can the light that burned so brightly?
Suddenly burn so pale?
Bright Eyes!
Fiver wandered through the mist, Sill entranced by the Shadowy Rabbit, He came beneath an Iron tree, Which seemed to sway and morph into real tree's Fiver moved on and Caught view of the Shadowy Rabbit, And followed it one last time.
Bright eyes.
Burning like fire.
Bright Eyes.
How can you close and fail?
How can the light that burned so brightly
Suddenly burn so pale?
Bright eyes!
As the Shadowy Rabbit vanished into nothingness, Fiver found himself Scrambling towards a Tiny ditch, near the gate, Coming to his senses he heard a Voice that almost sounded like his Brothers.
"Fiver…"
Fiver jumped down and entered the Hole, And there he found Hazel, Lying in the TUnnel with a bleeding leg.
"Hazel!" Cheered Fiver. "I'm here!"
"Oh, Fiver." Sighed Hazel. "I knew you would find me, I knew you wouldn't leave me to the Black Rabbit."
"Never Hazel." Said Fiver. "What happened to you?"
"There was a sound and a… Pain like nothing I've ever felt before." Siad Hazel as he winced. "Did Bigwig and the Other make it back alright?"
"Yes." Said Fiver. "They're safe… I think."
"Fiver?" Asked Hazel. "What is it?"
"Well, While you and the others were away." Said Fiver. "Me, Holly and Bluebell heard about another warren and-"
"FIVER!?" Called a voice that Sounded like Bigwigs.
"Oh, Bigwig." Said Fiver. "I better find him, He can help us get back to the down."
And he hopped off to find him. "Stay here." He added before leaving.
"What else can I do?" Asked Hazel.
Fiver made his way out of the Hole and looked for Bigwig Until at last, He saw a Rabbit that he thought was Bigwig.
"Bigwig!" Said Fiver. "I've found Hazel He's-"
"So what do we have here lads?" Asked a sinister voice.
The Rabbit turned around and turned out not to be Bigwig, But was actually Captain Chervil, The Rabbit Fiver saw before in Efrafa, With him were Avens and Several other Rabbits.
"Oh No." Gasped Fiver.
"Oh yes." Sneered Chervil. "Bean lookin all over for you outsider, No escape for you now, Nab im Lads!"
Fiver darted away before the Efrafans could grab him.
"After him!" Called Chervil.
In another part of the Fog, Bigwig, Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Bluebell heard Fiver's cries and saw him dart through the mist. "Fiver!" Called Bigwig, and they quickly caught his attention, But before they could do anything else, they saw the Efrafans running towards them.
"There!" called Avens. "More of them!"
"Everyone scatter!" Cried, Bigwig.
The Rabbits all hurried off in different directions, The Efranfans followed suit, Hawkbit jumped through a Fence and the Rabbit chasing him caught his foot and tripped, Dandelion was chased by two more Rabbits named Marjoram and Moneywort, He zigzag as he ran, Making the two Rabbits so confused they bumped into each other, Bigwig and Fiver called out to them.
"Hawkbit! Dandelion!" Shouted Fiver.
"Over here!" Called Bigwig.
Hawkbit and Dandelion joined up with them and they all fled back to the Hole where Hazel was.
"Bigwig! Called out Hazel.
"Hazel?" Asked Bigwig. "You're alive!"
They all scrambled into the Tunnel.
"What's going on!?" Asked Hazel.
"The Efrafans!" Said Dandelion. "They're after us!"
"Efrafans?" Asked Hazel.
"Wait." Said Bigwig looking back. "Where's Bluebell?"
"I thought he was right behind me." Said Hawkbit.
Bluebell had scarpered in a completely different direction, Sometimes tripping and Tumbling as he ran. He didn't know which way he was going or where he was, But he knew what was right behind him.
"Get him!" Shouted Chervil, As he and his Rabbits chased after him.
Bigwig and the others peaked out and saw what was happening.
"It looks like he's leading them away." Said, Bigwig. "You lot get Hazel out of here!"
"What about Bluebell?" Asked Dandelion.
"I'll get him, Go!" Said Bigwig, As he raced off.
Fiver lifted Hazel off the Ground and onto Dandelions back and they quickly hopped off back to the Warren.
Bluebell scrambled down the Road, Quickly overtaken by Three of Chervils Rabbits, He skidded to a stop and hurried the other way, Only to find Chervil, Marjoram and Avens waiting for him, Bluebell was trapped.
"Nowhere to Run now Escapee." Cackled Chervil.
Just then, A great Squak was heard and Kehear swooped down, scaring the Rabbits away, Just enough time for Bigwig to Run up and get to Bluebell.
"This way."
The Two Rabbits sped off, With Chervil and Avens in Pursuit.
We're not gonna make it Bigwig!" cried Bluebell. "They're gonna catch us."
"Not if I have anything to say about it." Said Bigwig. "This way!"
Bigwig and Bluebell veered to the left into the Farm gates, Chervil and Avens following, As they did, Bigwig and Bluebell thundered out the other way, Chervil and Avens turned to give chase only to hear a Hiss come from behind them.
Bigwig and Bluebell listened as the Two Rabbits screamed and fought back.
"I think they're in for a bad time." Said Bigwig, As he and Bluebell headed back for home.
To Be Continued.