AUTHOR'S NOTE: Slightly later than usual, sorry. ff dot net was experiencing technical issues earlier and it was impossible to log in.
Chapter 27: Bits and Bob-Stones.
"Soon after, I returned home to my family, with a determination to bring them as soon as possible to live in Kentucky, which I esteemed a second paradise, at the risk of my life and fortune."
-Daniel Boone
Hazel was outside, staring at the sky. The previous evening, he had sent Kehaar to Redstone for news of Blackberry and Primrose, and he was awaiting the gull's return. The only other rabbits above ground were Fiver and Flora; Fiver approached him.
-"Spending your day looking at the sky won't make Kehaar come back any faster," he said.
-"I want to know the moment he comes back, so I can hear the news as soon as possible."
-"You don't have to sit here and wait. Even in the deepest burrow, you could easily hear him arrive, you know how noisy he is."
-"There he is now! HEY KEHAAR OVER HERE!"
Hazel started to run madly across the Down, trying desperately to attract the attention of the bird. Fiver cast a quick glance at the sky, and shook his head.
-"Hazel, that's not Kehaar."
Hazel abruptly stopped running as he learned of his foolish mistake.
-"What is it, then?" he said, hesitating.
-"I don't know. But I doubt we've seen the last of this bird."
-"Is it elil?"
-"Hazel, I know you're really worried, but you should at least be able to see that this bird is too small to be dangerous."
-"I'm sorry, Fiver, it's just that..."
-"I know, Hazel. I know. But seriously, calm down. When Kehaar comes back, you will know for sure what's happening. Until then, this is all speculation. Come on, there's a bob-stones tournament going on in the Honeycomb right now, and we're all hoping you can participate."
Fiver managed to persuade his older brother to participate, and all three rabbits went underground. Hazel, however, cast one last glance at the bird he had mistaken for Kehaar. It appeared to be a small falcon, possibly female. She perched near the top of the beech tree, and flew away.
-"Cute, isn't she?" Flora said. "Hopefully the bird you're waiting for will show up soon, though."
As the bob-stones tournament progressed, Hazel's mood greatly improved: he was too busy thinking about the game to worry about Blackberry and Primrose. He defeated all opponents that stood in his way, until only one remained.
-"Guess this one right, Bigwig, and you win," Pipkin said.
-"Don't rush me, Pipkin," Bigwig replied, "I'm trying to think."
Bigwig kept staring at Hazel, trying to pick up hints in the Chief's body language, to no avail. He would have to trust his instincts.
-"Bob-stones guess is..."
The rabbits were interrupted by a raucous cry coming from above ground. That could only mean one thing. Hazel immediately ran outside, revealing the two stones he was concealing. He found Kehaar cleaning the feathers under his wings, with Hannah still on his back.
-"What's happening?" he asked.
-"'ello meester 'azel! How are things going here?"
-"Please, I just want to know..."
-"Ya. Vell...friendly Blackberry and lovely Primrose left Redstone yesterday mornin'."
-"Yesterday morning?" Hazel repeated in disbelief. "Where are they now?"
-"I dunno. Didn't search for 'em."
Hazel was horrified by these news. If they had left the previous morning, they should have made it back by now. What had happened to them? Where they lost? Had they been attacked? Were they still alive? He bolted back underground towards the Honeycomb.
-"Bigwig, we're leaving."
-"Leaving?" Bigwig was visibly confused. "Where are we going? What about the bob-stones tournament?"
-"Never mind, you win, let's go!"
-"Hazel, we need to finish the..."
-"But there's no time! We have to go now!"
-"And you still didn't tell me where we're going or what's so urgent about all this."
-"Hazel, calm down," Fiver said. "Tell us everything from the beginning."
Hazel took a few deep breaths to relax, but still remained visibly nervous.
-"Kehaar just came back from Redstone. Primrose and Blackberry left yesterday morning and should be back by now. Since they are not, we should go and search for them."
-"All right, we'll do that. But first, let us finish the tournament," Bigwig decided.
-"How can you stay calm when the lives of two of our rabbits are in danger?"
-"We've wasted more time arguing than it would have taken to finish the tournament. Let's get back to the game, and in just a few moments, we can leave."
Hazel reluctantly agreed, and hid some stones under his paws again. Bigwig was still taking his time to examine Hazel's body language; he didn't notice anything besides minor trembling, but that probably had nothing to do with the game.
-"Bob-stones guess...is three," he finally said.
Hazel raised his front paws, revealing one stone under one and two under the other.
-"You win, good job Bigwig. Now can we go and search?"
-"Now that our tournament is finished, there is no point in waiting, Hazel. Who do we bring?"
Hazel looked around him. Nearly all rabbits in the warren had gathered in the Honeycomb to watch the bob-stones tournament.
Hazel wondered whether anyone would be suited for such a mission. In most situations, they brought Pipkin along, but with Primrose absent from the warren, he would have to stay behind to keep the kittens under control. They also often brought Hawkbit and Dandelion along, but Hazel wondered whether they would actually be useful this time. Primrose, if she was still alive, would probably be depressed, and Hawkbit's sarcasm might end up making things worse.
-"Just the two of us, with Kehaar and Hannah," he finally decided. "Fiver, you're Chief Rabbit until we get back."
-"Who, me?" Fiver said suddenly. "Oh no Hazel, not me. I don't know anything about being a Chief Rabbit. You're a natural leader, I don't have that skill."
-"I'm sure you'll do fine, Fiver. Don't underestimate yourself."
-"You should at least give me some tips as to what to do."
-"It's really not that hard, now that the war is over. Just be confident and optimistic, and if there are any disputes, use your wisdom to settle them. There's nothing to it, really."
Meanwhile, Bigwig was discussing things with Pipkin.
-"Pipkin, you've done a good job leading the Junior Owsla for a while. As you know, I'm not as young as I used to be, at some point I will probably retire from my position of captain of owsla, and I think you would make a fine replacement for me when that happens. I'm not really good at speeches, am I?"
-"No, it's a good speech, Bigwig. I just don't know what you're trying to tell me. You're not retiring now, are you?"
-"Of course not. What I'm trying to say is: while I'm gone on the rescue mission, you're captain of owsla."
-"That's amazing, Bigwig! Thank you for trusting me with the job. Exactly what do I do?"
-"Keep in mind that you're still not as experienced as I am, so don't do anything crazy. Just make sure the others train every day, and your Junior Owsla stays under control. Feel free to take out some patrols if you want, but don't go further than the bottom of the Down."
-"Eh, Bigwig..."
Bigwig turned and saw Hawkbit and Dandelion standing in front of him. Dandelion continued to speak:
-"I've, uh, WE've been thinking about things, and how you're leaving Pipkin in charge while you're gone...he's still young, and still in the Junior Owsla. Don't you think you should appoint someone more experienced...look Hawkbit, I'm better at telling stories than making speeches, you explain, all right?"
-"Heh. Essentially, he's saying that you should leave me in charge instead."
-"Not necessarily you! It could also be me, or even Strawberry..."
-"I've considered it," Bigwig explained. "But you're forgetting one thing."
-"What?"
-"Pipkin, unlike you lot, actually takes his job seriously. Any further complaints are to be addressed to him. You ready, Hazel?"
-"Yes, I'm ready anytime you are," Hazel replied. "Let's go."
Hazel and Bigwig made their way outside; along the way, however, they came across another rabbit, a scarred brown buck with an unusual overgrowth of fur on his head.
-"Blackavar?" Hazel asked.
-"Yes, that's me."
-"I thought you were dead!" Bigwig shouted. "I saw you die with my own eyes."
-"I came back. Am I still welcome here?"
-"Of course," Hazel said. "I'm sorry we burried you alive, you really looked dead. We're really glad to see that you survived, against all odds."
While Hazel seemed to accept Blackavar's return easily, Bigwig wasn't convinced. As Blackavar hopped past him, Bigwig bit his tail. He could feel the fur on his tongue, so logically Blackavar really was alive and not a ghost.
-"Ouch! What was that for?"
Bigwig immediately let go of the tail.
-"Sorry...sorry..." he awkwardly said, before following Hazel, who was outside speaking with Kehaar:
-"Kehaar, we're going on a mission. We're going to search for Primrose and Blackberry."
-"Ya, ees very eenteresting mission."
-"We would want you to come with us, to help us with the search."
-"Very good idea. I'm ready anytime. HANNIAH!"
The mouse came out of a nearby hole holding a few sunflower seeds.
-"What's the mattah, Kehaa?"
-"Ve're going flying."
-"But we juss came back!"
-"Good, good. Ve start now."
-"But...oof never mind. Yur one stubborn gull, Kehaa."
-"I'll do my best to keep the warren alive while you're gone, Hazel," Fiver told Hazel. "And I'll make sure Blackavar doesn't die again."
-"I know you will. Just one last thing: did you have any feelings or visions that could help us?"
-"I'm sorry Hazel, but no. The visions come when they do, I can't make them happen. I didn't see anything about Blackberry and Primrose or where they are. I didn't see anything about you two either. So please be careful. I want you all to come back alive."
-"Don't feel bad about this. It's not your fault you didn't have any visions. And we'll be careful, I promise."
Fiver and Hazel exchanged one last hug, before the two searchers left the warren on their journey. Kehaar, with another of his signature cries, took off, carrying Hannah on his back. Fiver looked at the two rabbits until they vanished from view further down the field.