AUTHOR'S NOTE: thank you Anonymous Guest for the review!
Happy 4th of July to American readers!
Chapter 151: The Memories.
"Instead I was filled with angst, despair and depression, the very proof that being in this world wasn't doing me, or anyone, any good."
-Embemxrabbit, Just One Last Time
Later that morning, Hazel gathered several rabbits above ground for an important discussion, about how to protect the warren. Also, he hoped this would distract him from his daughter's misbehaviour; he remained unsure how to make her realize her mistake.
-"Now that it's been decided that we're staying here, we need to come up with ways to protect our warren, from both Woundwort and further plagues of elil. I am open to all suggestions," he said. "...except leaving the warren," he added, seeing Flyairth about to speak. "That's just not happening no matter what."
-"We'll need constant sentries," Holly suggested. "We never know when the attack will come, so we'll need at least one rabbit on the lookout at all times. We can see so far away, we would be able to spot the invaders long before they reach us, and plan accordingly."
-"That's a good idea," Bigwig said, "but it might be hard finding someone who's willing to stay out all night."
-"Oh, you would be surprised," Bluebell said, staring at Blackberry, who blushed. "A moonlight silflay can be very romantic," he added with a wink.
-"All the same, it doesn't have to be the same rabbit all night," Primrose said. "Even Efrafa didn't push its officers that far, they were replaced three or four times a day."
-"It's settled, then," Hazel said. "We will start this tonight; this way, we'll know when the invaders are coming. But we also need to be ready for when they arrive."
-"We need a new emergency exit," the female Blackberry said. "Previously, we had the caverns near Efrafa, until they were used to bury the weasels. I don't support leaving the warren, but if something happens like with Sandleford and Redstone, we need another way out so we don't get buried alive. I'm not sure where such a tunnel should lead, though."
-"That's a valid point," Hazel said. "Since you're our digging expert, Blackberry, I'll trust you to select the best location for this new exit. When you're ready, you may select some diggers and get to work."
-"Running isn't always the answer," Bigwig said. "Sometimes, we need to fight instead, and if that happens, we may be in trouble," Bigwig said.
-"But we won the last two battles," Hazel pointed out.
-"We did, but not everyone helped. Some of our fighters could be considered liabilities."
-"Am I a liability?" Bluebell asked.
-"...I wouldn't go that far. But you could do better. Everyone in the owsla could."
-"You're the captain, Bigwig," Hazel said. "You know the situation better than anyone. Train everyone as much as you deem necessary, and I'm here to help if you need it."
-"I'll let you know."
-"There may be a way to dispose of at least some elil without fighting," Flyairth said. "At Marli-rah, we had a few traps for them around the warren. They didn't do much when Woundwort attacked, but they did keep elil away most of the time."
-"I know a lot about traps, from all these seasons at Cowslip's warren," Silver said. "Perhaps some of them could be replicated here. To protect against elil, of course, we don't want our rabbits to fall victim to them."
-"This might be useful, as long as it doesn't hurt any rabbits," Hazel said. "Warning everyone here wouldn't be enough, we don't want random hlessil to get in trouble. Still, if you can find a way around these issues, make it happen. Does anyone have any other ideas?"
Before anyone could reply to Hazel, Strawberry came running; everyone turned towards the doe.
-"Blueberry's regaining consciousness now," she said.
-"That's great news," Hazel said. "Let's go see."
Most rabbits went over to the burrow where Blueberry was, anxious to hear the results of Silverweed's analysis, once it was completed. Hazel was the first to enter the burrow, followed by Silverweed; the others stayed at the entrance, listening to the conversation.
-"Hello," Blueberry said. "Do you mind telling me where I am? I can't seem to remember this place."
-"You're in a burrow at Watership Down," Hazel replied. "If you don't mind, Silverweed here will look into your heart."
-"Blueberry?" The kitten remained silent for a few moments. "Is that my name?"
-"Are you saying you don't remember your own name?"
-"I don't remember. In fact..." Blueberry's eyes went wide. "...I can't seem to remember anything!"
-"Pretending to have amnesia..." Flyairth rolled her eyes. "You're not fooling us!" she shouted into the burrow.
Ignoring the doe, Silverweed stepped over to Blueberry, placing his paw on the kitten's back. His eyes briefly glowed, until he removed his paw.
-"Woah. I have no idea what just happened, but that was intense," Blueberry said.
-"He's telling the truth," Silverweed told the others, as he hopped out of the burrow, followed by Hazel. "He really doesn't remember. The amnesia is most likely a side-effect of all that he's been through, but I would say that he's lucky not to have suffered a worse fate."
-"It seems we'll never know if he was guilty or innocent, then," Bigwig said.
-"The amnesia isn't necessarily permanent. His memories might come back on their own eventually, and before anyone asks, no I can't help him with that. At the moment, he's disoriented and scared. If there is any hope for him to lead a normal life, he's going to need emotional support. Ideally, parents."
-"We don't know anything about his parents, and since he doesn't remember anything, he won't be able to tell us about them either," Fiver said. "We don't even know if they are alive."
-"That's true," Silverweed confirmed. "Someone will have to adopt him."
-"Hazel, you and Primrose are the most experienced parents in the warren," Bigwig said. "Perhaps you could adopt him."
-"That may be so, but one of my daughters tried to kill him," Hazel recalled. "It'll have to be someone else."
-"Hickory and Marigold, then?" Bigwig suggested.
-"About them," Hawkbit said, "they're in no condition to take on another kitten."
-"I suppose it's to be expected," Hazel said, "after having lost most of their own."
-"It goes beyond that. Their relationship is in trouble."
Hawkbit retold what he had witnessed the previous day: Hickory thinking he and Bluebell were weasels, then hitting his mate.
-"Oh, that is not good at all," Hazel said once Hawkbit had finished. "I will have to go talk to them now. Come with me."
-"But what about Blue..." Silverweed started to say, but it was too late, nearly all other rabbits had left to deal with Hickory and Marigold. Fiver hopped over to Silverweed and nuzzled him.
-"I assume you saw Blueberry's future, and who will adopt him?"
-"Unfortunately, I did. I have no idea how that will happen, considering the futures I've seen for both parents."
Silverweed whispered something in Fiver's ear.
-"I didn't even know these two had a thing," Fiver said.
-"It's complicated, as you'll soon see."
-"Am I involved in Blueberry's future?" Strawberry asked.
-"Not as family," Silverweed explained, "although you'll be good friends. However, someone needs to take care of him until the permanent parents take on their role."
-"Brambles...I'll do it, for now."
-"I'm sure you'll do a good job."
Debbie had had a hard time falling asleep in the barn. It would have been advisable to go back to LH's apartment, or get a hotel room, but she wanted to be close to Lucy in case something happened.
She was woken up early that morning by the sound of an approaching vehicle. As she opened her eyes, she saw another face staring right at hers. It was just a chicken, but in the darkness and tiredness, it looked terrifying. There seemed only one logical course of action: screaming.
She stopped a few moments later upon realizing what the terrifying creature actually was. The chicken didn't seem to mind the entire incident, and simply walked away, pecking at the ground. Debbie, meanwhile, got up and ran out of the barn. Beaumont's van was gone, but otherwise it seemed that little had changed since she had fallen asleep.
-"What's happening?"
-"Cynthia went to get the judge," Beaumont said, walking over to Debbie. "And Officer Dusty has just returned."
Indeed, Dusty stepped out of Hazel C's vehicle, holding a briefcase.
-"Have you found the files we wanted?" Zara asked.
-"...kinda." Dusty shook his head. "The water penetrated the archive room. I think we've lost more than half our files, including all those on the first kidnapper."
-"Don't you have computers?" Debbie asked.
-"That would be great, but expensive, so no, we're still almost entirely on paper. Anyway..." He pulled out a few visibly damp sheets of paper out of the briefcase, and started to read the first one. "The woman's name is...Ban...ya..." No matter how hard he squinted, he was unable to decipher the remaining letters.
-"Banks Anya?" Yates asked.
-"Could be. She was arrested for...murder? That can't be right...oh wait, that's just the ink on another page staining this one. It's going to be very hard to get any useful information out of this."
-"I have never seen such incompetence before!" Debbie shouted.
-"Thanks for looking into it," Beaumont told Dusty, patting him on the shoulder, before turning to Debbie. "Do not let this setback worry you. We've recovered hostages from much more dire situations in the past. At the moment, there's just not much we can do, until Cynthia comes back with judge Logan."
-"I'll try to get some more sleep. Wake me up when they get here."
Debbie went back to the barn. She did not, however, go back to sleep: instead, she phoned her boyfriend LH. She let it ring for several minutes, but nobody answered. She tried again, in case she had misdialed the first time; same result.
-"Please answer," she said, although nobody except the chickens heard her. "Why don't you answer? You said you would be there if I needed you."