AUTHOR'S NOTE: thank you Anonymous Guest for the review :)

Also warning, this chapter is dark...

Chapter 140: The Fearless.

"I do not want to die alone... gasping, raspy breath and harsh stabbing pain... legs that burn and tremble with each step, but still run, faster and faster [...]"

-KentouKurige, Sun Eyes

Bigwig and the owsla cautiously made their way towards the bottom of the Down, keeping a close eye out for weasels. Meadow nervously glanced at a nearby bush.

-"There's one right behind there."

Moments later, the weasel burst out of the bush and ran towards a nearby group of rabbits. Captain Rake kicked some dirt into its eyes. While it stopped to clean itself, Captain Holly ran straight into it, knocking it down, before sinking one of his front paws in the creature's eye. In agonizing pain, the weasel could not defend itself any longer; Spartina had no trouble finishing it off.

While the first weasel was unexpectedly easy to defeat, it soon became obvious that it would get much more difficult, as four more weasels slowly approached, and there were clearly others still hiding further away.

Flyairth spotted a lone weasel sniffing the ground. She started nibbling some clover, pretending not to have seen it. The weasel, happy at the prospect of an easy meal, dashed towards her. However, at the last moment, she gave a powerful kick of her hind legs straight in the weasel's face. While it was still recovering from the shock, she buried her claws in its fur and tore its throat open.

-"I told you I could kill a weasel alone, Bigwig!" she shouted in victory.

-"Good for you," Bigwig said, not really paying attention. He had climbed onto another weasel's back and buried his paws into its fur, with his claws piercing the creature's skin. The weasel was jumping madly in an attempt to get him off, but he held on firmly. Vilthuril, meanwhile, aimed repeated swipes at its head, with several of her strikes drawing blood.

Silverweed was wandering throughout the area. He was too small to fight any of the weasels, and his special powers, largely drained by the look into the Efrafans' hearts earlier, would have limited use. He saw Blackberry and Strawberry further away, fighting one of the elil; the weasel had spotted them before they realized its presence, and it appeared to be overpowering them.

Using what little energy he had left, Silverweed shot two energy beams with his claws. The first hit a nearby tree; the second hit weasel's face, immobilized the creature long enough for Strawberry to squeeze out from underneath its paws. Blackberry cuffed its face repeatedly, pulling off a few whiskers, while Strawberry bit its tail. The weasel would now be easily defeated, but Silverweed felt completely drained. It was all he could do now to slowly make his way back to the warren.

Another weasel was chasing Hyzenthlay, until she suddenly stopped running and fell on her side, playing dead. The weasel, not understanding what had happened, sniffed her body. Thethuthinnang, having just helped Spartina finish off another creature, noticed her friend's situation, was filled with anger. That weasel would suffer for what it did. She dashed over to it and crashed with full force into its side, knocking it down. Then, she scratched the weasel's abdomen, eventually tearing it open. Hyzenthlay, meanwhile, kicked its head with her hind legs several times, knocking it unconscious. She then ran over to Thethuthinnang, and pierced the weasel's heart with her claws. The entire battle had been surprisingly blood-free.

-"Hyzenthlay!" Thethuthinnang cried. "I thought you were dead,"

-"Sorry I worried you," Hyzenthlay said, rather awkwardly. "I know I looked dead, but I was just trying to fool that stupid weasel. Apparently it worked, but not without your help. Thank you so much."

-"I'm just glad you're alive. I..."

The two does were interrupted as another weasel arrived, forcing them both to defend themselves once more.

Clover and Cornflower remained close to the beech tree; Clover raised her head and sniffed the air.

-"What are you doing?" Cornflower asked.

-"Trying to pick up the weasel's scents." She paused for a few moments. "I smell something, but I have no idea if it's weasel or something else."

-"I don't know what a weasel smells like..."

The two does, unsure what to do, did not realize an approaching weasel's presence after it jumped on Cornflower's back and pinned her to the ground. Clover watched as her friend squealed desperately, scratching the ground in a pitiful attempt at breaking free. She had to find a way to save her friend, but how?

Pipkin was grumpily hopping around the Honeycomb, kicking a pebble in frustration as he went. Nyreem followed him, listening to his complaints.

-"I was captain of owsla for a few days, because Bigwig said that I took my job more seriously than any of the others. I know that more rabbits joined the owsla since then, but still I should be allowed to participate. What's the point of being captain of the junior owsla if I can't do anything?"

-"I'm sure he has his reasons," Nyreem replied.

-"Sure he does. The truth is, the junior owsla is just a way for Hazel to keep his kittens occupied when while he and Primrose are busy with other things. It was given a fancy name to make them interested. As a captain, I'm just a glorified babysitter."

-"That can't be true, there was a junior owsla at Marli-rah too and..."

But Pipkin was not paying attention. He angrily kicked the pebble one more time; it landed on Fiver, who was lying further away with his eyes closed in an attempt at getting a vision, and he woke up immediately. Pipkin rushed over to him.

-"Fiver! Fiver are you all right? I'm sorry I hurt you..."

-"I'm all right Pipkin," Fiver said, as he got up and scratched the spot where the pebble had hit him. "It's nothing. What's the matter though? You look like you have something on your mind."

-"I'm sorry Fiver...Nyreem, I'm sorry to you too, for bothering you with my problems without listening to what you say."

-"You're not bothering anyone!" Nyreem said.

-"Just tell us what's wrong," Fiver added.

-"It's just that I'm tired of being treated like a baby. I want to be treated like the mature and capable rabbit that I am."

-"I understand your desires, Pipkin," Fiver said as he hugged his friend, "but remember that Bigwig has the best of intentions. Fighting weasels is much more dangerous than supervising training. When he thinks you're ready to participate on such a mission, you will be the first to know."

-"I suppose you're right...thanks Fiver."

With that, Pipkin hopped over to a corner of the Honeycomb, followed by Nyreem. It was clear that he was still disappointed, but he nevertheless accepted Fiver's explanation.

A few moments later, Silverweed stumbled into the Honeycomb. He was himself surprised at how he had managed to make it back without getting attacked. Nevertheless, he was exhausted, and collapsed in a corner of the burrow.

Suddenly, Fiver started shaking uncontrollably. He tried to stop it by burying his paws in the dirt floor, but was unsuccessful. Pipkin and Nyreem rushed over to him.

-"The elil have made it here

Hunting everything they hear

There's only one thing to stop them:

Those we don't expect to fight them."

As the vision ended, Fiver fell unconscious. No matter how much Pipkin shook him, he did not reopen his eyes.

-"Does anyone have any idea what that was supposed to mean?" Pipkin asked.

-"The first part is clear enough," Nyreem replied, "it's about those weasels outside. The second part though, 'those we don't expect', who could that be?"

-"I don't know..."

Suddenly, a huge smile appeared on Pipkin's face.

-"What if it's us? Nobody expects us to save the day since we're not even supposed to participate."

-"It could be. Shall we go fetch the others?"

As Pipkin and Nyreem hopped out of the burrow, Silverweed raised his head. Fiver's vision had been really spooky, and very vague. "Those we don't expect" could be anyone, not necessarily the junior owsla, but it gave Silverweed an idea. Before putting it into action, however, he had to ask the seer himself, and hopped over to him.

-"Fiver, do you think getting Bark the badger to fight the weasels would be a good idea?"

Fiver slowly opened his eyes, processing what Silverweed had just said and remembering his vision.

-"She could be the unexpected one."

-"Is that a yes?"

-"Go get her. With everyone else fighting, you're the only one who has a chance to reach her."

-"I'll be as quick as I can."

With that, Silverweed walked to one of the warren's side exits, in the direction of the orchard.

Above ground, a falcon was walking on the grass, occasionally flying near the ground. During one of these short flights, she crashed into a weasel, knocking it unconscious.

-"Oops!"

Following this incident, she flew away, higher in the sky than previously.

Cornflower was baffled at how the weasel had suddenly fallen unconscious for no apparent reason. Glancing at Clover, she saw that her friend was just as confused. Before either of them could react, another weasel pinned Clover to the ground.