AUTHOR'S NOTE: thank you Anonymous Guest for the review; I'm glad you liked the chapter. I am trying to make Silverweed more interesting than in the "official" series.

Also, sorry for the extended delay between chapters; real life hasn't been going very well recently. I hope to resume posting one chapter a week though.

Chapter 101: I Have a Feeling.

-The clouds were rolling thick and white through the darkening sky. At the gray edges, they suddenly shifted shades into brilliant pinks and oranges, reflecting the light that burst from the setting sun.

-spider pie, Sunshadow

It took until early evening before Hazel was able to get up. After having slept all day, Primrose was feeling much better. They remained sitting next to each other for a while.

-"I love you so much," Primrose said.

-"I love you too," Hazel replied, nuzzling her.

-"So...while I was gone...did I miss anything?"

-"We've had several new rabbits join us. You've already met your sister again, but she also brought several other rabbits from her warren. They're a nice bunch."

-"Oh yes, I remember she mentioned a few of them. I'll have to meet everyone. But did anything else happen?"

-"In addition to Hyzenthlay's friends, there were also a few Efrafan survivors, but that's about it."

-"Efrafa." Primrose shuddered and pressed herself against Hazel.

-"Don't worry, darling. They are simply other victims of Woundwort's cruelty. Nobody will bully you (or them) ever again."

Primrose smiled, and the two rabbits nuzzled again.

-"Do you feel ready to silflay?" Hazel asked.

-"I think so. Let's do this."

Hyzenthlay was aimlessly hopping on the Down. She had been momentarily excited over her promotion to the owsla, but this feeling soon vanished, as she thought back to her adventure in other planes of reality. Did it really happen, or was it just a dream? And why had El-ahrairah chosen her, of all rabbits, to take part in this adventure?

-"What's the matter Hyzenthlay?" She was startled by this comment, and looked at the rabbit who had spoken. "You've just been pacing around ever since you came back. It's not like you to act like this."

-"Oh...Thethuthinnang...I appreciate that you care. I was just thinking."

-"What were you thinking about, if you don't mind me asking?"

-"What if there were parallel universes? Other planes of reality where things are similar yet different? Where some of us exist, but others don't?"

-"It seems you've been thinking deeply again."

-"Yes. What do you think about this theory, though?"

-"I don't know. I'm not sure I even understand everything you're saying. But honestly, I don't really mind. I don't know if those other realities exist or not, but either way, I'm staying in this reality, and that's good enough for me."

-"Interesting. Well, thanks for the thoughts Thethuthinnang."

-"I hope you will feel better soon, Hyzenthlay."

-"Thank you."

Hyzenthlay nibbled a few blades of grass, before calmly hopping towards the bottom of the Down to see if there were any more interesting plants there. Perhaps Thethuthinnang was right, and it didn't really matter whether there were other realities or not. Besides, the whole concept seemed so crazy it was probably not even real after all. It was all most likely a dream.

Halfway through her descent, however, she abruptly stopped. There was a small area covered by a thin blue substance. She cautiously touched it with her front paws, and scratched it away. She immediately remembered how her adventure in other realities had started with her digging a hole in the sky. She really had done that: there was no other explanation for the presence of this sky dirt on the ground. Her adventure was real. It wasn't a dream; there really were other realities.

"Hyzenthlay-rah, you have been granted the rare privilege of existence. It is up to you to decide what you shall make of it."

El-ahrairah's last words came back to her mind. She had done nothing to exist, but it had happened anyway. The entire trip had been a reminder of how fragile life is, and that she should make the most of it, and make sure everyone else at the warren did. Especially Holly; hopefully, in this dimension, he would be able to live a long and fulfilling life, instead of getting killed by the enemy. If necessary, she would save him. She slowly made her way back to the Down without even nibbling the plants at the bottom.

As Hazel poked his head out of the warren's main entrance, he stopped for a moment to take a breath of fresh air. He had not been above ground in nearly a full day, and it was refreshing to experience it again. He hopped over to the edge of the Down and stared into the distance; Primrose soon followed. Fiver hopped over to them.

-"I know your secret."

Primrose looked at her mate's brother, and sighed.

-"You have visions about everything, don't you?"

-"I didn't have a vision. I just had to look at Hazel's face to figure it out, just like last time."

-"I'm not really good at hiding my feelings, am I?" Hazel said.

-"You're not, but that's a good thing. You shouldn't attempt to pretend to feel another way than you really do."

-"Just...don't tell anyone about this just yet. Please," Primrose asked.

-"I don't intend to."

-"Thanks Fiver."

The couple lied down in the grass, and nibbled the clover in front of them.

-"What about you, Fiver?" Hazel asked. "How did it go with Vilthuril?"

-"I still haven't asked her. I tried a few times, but we were always interrupted."

-"I'm sorry this happened. What do you plan to do now?"

-"I don't know Hazel. I could try again, but the odds are that someone else would bother us again."

-"I'll tell you what, Fiver. You go and ask her now, and if anyone else tries to bother you, I'll keep them busy long enough for you to get an answer."

-"Thank you Hazel. It's really kind of you to do this."

The two brothers nuzzled, and Fiver hopped towards the doe he admired, who was at silflay further away.

Hyzenthlay was climbing back to the top of the Down when she spotted her sister at silflay. She was still rather anxious over her interdimentional travel, and could use a diversion.

As she hopped over to Primrose and nuzzled her, she thought of how life had treated them very differently. Hyzenthlay had had everything a rabbit could ask for, and more: a peaceful warren with enough to eat, a place in the owsla, several good friends. Primrose, meanwhile, had spent most of her life in a prison warren, starving and friendless. After she had been freed, she was satisfied with a more simple, but nevertheless positive life.

-"Come on Prim. Let's run."

The dark-furred doe dashed away, culminating with a powerful leap. Her sister followed, more slowly but nevertheless catching up with her.

The two rabbits frolicked through the grass for a long time, completely ignoring the world around them. This went on until the wind blew the leaf off Primrose's tail.

-"I had forgotten about your injuries," Hyzenthlay said as she hopped over and started grooming her sister's ears. "I shouldn't have pushed you too hard..."

-"It's all right Hyz. I haven't had as much fun since..." she glanced at Hazel, who whopped over to her and nuzzled her, "well you know. But I'll need help getting back underground..."

-"Don't worry. I'll help you. I'll get your friend Blackberry to take care of your tail."

Blackberry was in her burrow, reflecting on the events of the day; more specifically her encounter with Campion, and becoming mates with Blackberry. The whole situation was profoundly disturbing. It was all entirely unrealistic, but it had all felt so real at the time. She would have to ask Blackberry about it. Maybe he would have a clearer idea of what was happening.

Blackberry was lying in a corner of the Honeycomb. He was not asleep; he seemed to be thinking about something. Blackberry hopped over in front of him.

-"Uh, Blackberry, there's something I would like to ask you..."

The buck raised his head to look at the doe.

-"What is it, Blackberry?"

Blackberry scanned Blackberry's face, to try to figure out what he was thinking about. No matter how long she looked, she remained full of uncertainty. Should she just ask him quickly, or slowly bring up the subject?

-"I was wondering if, if..." she tried to say, before the awkwardness of the situation made her pause.

-"You seem rather nervous. What's wrong?"

-"Did you ever have one of those dreams that makes no sense at all, yet feels so real?"

Blackberry stared at Blackberry, wondering how he would react. Time seemed to grind to a halt as she awaited his response. It finally came.

-"Yes. It's enough to make you wonder if, perhaps it wasn't a dream at all."

-"Good. Interesting." Blackberry was having trouble coming up with a decent response to Blackberry. "I was wondering if you would want to silflay with me?"

-"I would love to."

Blackberry breathed a sigh of relief. The conversation had gone rather well. She hopped above ground, and Blackberry soon followed.