Chapter 230: The Junior Owsla.

"That line's no excuse for how things are done here. You know that, don't you?"

-The Lupine Sojourner, The Rose in the Brambles

As the days went by, life at Watership Down remained largely uneventful. One rabbit spend most of their time digging, despite the warren not needing any new burrows. While several rabbits noticed this, nobody gave it a second thought except this rabbit's mate, who volunteered to help, but this offer was refused.

Bigwig still went to see Spartina every two or three days. She kept him updated on her search for the weapon, how she spent nearly all her free time at it, still without success. He kept begging her to give up and come back to Watership Down, but she was not giving up so easily.

The owsla continued training every day, and Bigwig kept pushing them harder and harder, so they would become "as strong as that Darkhaven lot". Some of the rabbits, full of motivation, did their best to achieve this goal. Others, doubting whether this was realistic, nevertheless appreciated the challenge. Yet others performed just well enough to avoid Bigwig's wrath.

The junior owsla's training sessions also became more intense. Pipkin taught the kittens many tricks he had learned from Bigwig. Blueberry also had a few tricks of his own; due to his amnesia, he was unable to explain where he learned them, but they were still useful for the others. However, the kittens felt they were limited, as they were not allowed to venture further than the bottom of the Down unsupervised. This restriction that had been imposed upon them when the junior owsla was first created; this was reasonable at first, but as the kittens grew up, they started to resent it, and Pipkin was now having trouble keeping them under control. Despite his many talents, Blueberry was also inciting disobedience, further complicating matters.

One afternoon after silflay, Pipkin voiced his frustration to Fiver.

-"You can't really blame Hazel and Primrose for this," the seer said. "They love their children, and don't want anything bad to happen to them. They just want to keep them safe."

-"They can't be protected like this forever. How can they be expected to learn how to take care of themselves if they don't get any opportunities to do so?"

-"Do you want me to talk to my brother on your behalf? He will listen to me."

-"Maybe, but it's not just Hazel that is problematic. There's also Bigwig."

-"What about him?"

-"Do you remember when he and Hazel went to search for Primrose and Blackberry? He left me in charge of the owsla, but even then he wouldn't let the kittens stray too far!"

-"I think you just need to show him that they are ready for patrols further away from the warren."

-"How am I supposed to do that?"

-"You're the captain. You know what they are best at."

Fiver winked, and hopped away. Pipkin, meanwhile, spent most of the afternoon trying to think of what he could do. It was early evening when he finally found a possible solution, that would hopefully impress Bigwig.

The captain of owsla was nibbling some clover; Pipkin hopped over to him as quietly as he could.

-"What is it, Pipkin?" Bigwig asked; despite Pipkin's cautiousness, his presence was quickly identified by the captain.

-"I just wanted to report on the progress of the junior owsla."

-"Can't it wait until morning? It's been a long day, and I'm taking out a patrol tomorrow morning, so I was looking forward to getting some sleep."

-"I would rather do it tonight."

-"Fine." Bigwig did not wish to argue, and Pipkin would likely be finished with his update quickly anyway. "Update me."

-"Things have been going mostly well, they take their job very seriously. You said that you're going on patrol tomorrow, I think they would be ready to join you and whoever else you're bringing."

Bigwig stopped chewing.

-"Wide patrols are dangerous...they may be improving, but I don't know if they are ready yet..."

-"Now."

Bigwig took Pipkin's last remark as meaning that they were ready now. However, it also served as a signal: before Bigwig could respond, he found himself pinned to the ground by the five giggling kittens.

-"All right, all right! You've made your point, Pipkin! Now get them off!"

Pipkin smiled, and gestured at the kittens that they could hop off the captain. As soon as he was able to, Bigwig got back up and started grooming his fur.

-"This demonstration was good, but it is not up for me to decide whether you can go on patrol tomorrow."

-"What?" the kittens said in unison.

-"But you're the captain of owsla!" Periwinkle pointed you.

-"I may be the captain, but your father is the Chief," Bigwig clarified, prompting a collective groan from the kittens. "It will be up to him and your mother to decide. Now, unless there's anything else, I'll be going to my burrow now. Don't try anything while I'm asleep."

-"Well, thanks for letting us know..." Pipkin said, before turning to the kittens. "Come on everyone, let's go."

The six rabbits hopped away, and made their way underground.

-"What do we do now?" Mallow asked.

-"We talk to Hazel," Pipkin replied.

-"I trust your judgment, Pipkin. If you say the kittens are ready to go out on patrol, they probably are."

All rabbits in the junior owsla grinned widely as they heard Hazel's comment: a patrol would be happening after all! Pipkin made a mental note to thank Fiver for his advice earlier.

-"However, it is not for me to decide whether this can happen yet," Hazel continued.

-"But...but..."

-"For one thing, Blueberry will need Clover's consent first. She is his adoptive mother, after all."

-"I can sort this out, I have my methods with her," Blueberry said.

-"And Bigwig will also have to give the word."

-"Bigwig said that it was up to you to decide," Pipkin explained.

-"Oh..." Hazel smiled nervously. "This is awkward..."

-"What do we do now?"

-"Don't worry, I'll talk with him, and everything should be sorted out within a few days."

-"A few days?" Blueberry seemed really disappointed by this. "But we'll miss tomorrow morning's patrol!"

-"Maybe so, but there will surely be additional patrols in the future that you will be welcome to join."

-"Thank you so much Hazel," Pipkin said, as he hugged the Chief.

-"It's a pleasure, Pipkin. Just remember: this might take a few days, so don't try anything just yet. It shouldn't take too long before me and Bigwig agree on something."

This slight delay was rather disappointing for the kittens, but most of them understood why Hazel had said to wait. They left the burrow around the same time Primrose arrived, carrying fresh grass for bedding.

-"Do you really intend to talk to Bigwig about this?" she asked her mate.

-"I told them I would, and I will keep my promise. Why?"

-"I don't know, Hazel...I'm afraid. What if...something should happen?"

-"Do you remember how, a few days ago, I took them over to the ruins of Efrafa for a game? Everything went fine; surely a patrol would be less dangerous."

-"But what if..."

-"I have a plan." Hazel said, hugging her tightly. "And if you're really that worried about it, you too are welcome to speak with Bigwig."