Chapter Forty- Eight

Only to be Expected

Bigwig, Hawkbit and Dandelion landed with a painful sounding thump into the start of the run.

Campion followed soon after, though on his feet. He hadn’t been thrown in. “What are you all like?” he asked. “Trying it again? It had been a two weeks since their first attempt.

“We should be allowed to see our friends,” Hawkbit replied grumpily. “I would have thought you would have been with us.”

“I’m sure Primrose, Spartina, Brunnea and Clover could survive another day without me,” Campion sighed.

“If you keep this up, you’ll put me to shame,” Hawkbit said, trying to be angry.

“I don’t think so Hawkbit,” Bigwig said. The large grey rabbit picked himself up and brushed his fur down. “You were born with a natural talent.”

“Campion, you have to tell us later what’s been going on. Blackberry hasn’t been up for silflay in three quarters of a moon and Bigwig told me you haven’t been sleeping well, if at all,” Hawkbit said.

“I didn’t realise my sleeping habits were being observed,” Campion said, looking at Bigwig.

“Sorry mate, I’m not spying, it’s just, it’s hard not to wake up when you start kicking,” Bigwig said earnestly.

 Campion suppressed a shudder. In the daylight hours he tried to forget the horrors of the darkness and what it brought. “I’m sorry Bigwig, if I could move burrows, I would.”

“I wasn’t having a go,” Bigwig said. “I just wish you’d tell me what was going on in your head.”

“Trust me, you don’t want to know.”

“Keep moving,” a sound said from behind Campion. “Also, try and not get any water over the floor will you? It turns it muddy and gets our fur dirty.”

‘Frith forbid’ came from Hawkbit’s direction.

Campion just rolled his eyes and started to shake his brown coat. Loud shouts of protests came from behind and the troublesome trio burst into sniggers.

“Hraka! You piece of hraka!”

“Piece of hraka am I?” Campion mused. “Ah, it was worth it.”

“You are such does!” Dandelion sniggered. “Oh dear me, a speck of mud got on my fur! Mud! Oh my, what if it stains?”

“Change of plan.”

Campion bristled at Dogwood’s voice. His ears snapped up and his eyes narrowed. The red fawn male pushed by him and ordered the guards to lead the prisoners in the opposite direction.

Campion’s green eyes never left their searching to find the other rabbit’s.

“Have you got a staring problem?” Dogwood exclaimed after a while, finally meeting the probing eyes.

Campion could think of a couple of witty replies, instead he just growled low and quiet in his throat. The other rabbit was looking shifty and guilty about something and he didn’t like it, and he wasn’t one to hide his anger.

Dogwood whispered something that was very surprising to Campion. “Tonight, meet me at the entrance to the warren and we’ll sort this out. I don’t care how you get out; at least you won’t have to worry about getting back in.”

By his tone and flashing eyes, Campion grasped that this was no invitation for silflay and a nice chat. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. Oh and don’t trouble yourself worrying about me.”

Dogwood straightened and pretended to be interested in the roof just above Campion. Nobody had heard the whispered conversation and weren’t suspicious, though Bigwig, Dandelion and Hawkbit gave him inquisitive looks.

Campion heart had automatically quickened and his blood had started to heat up at the thought of a fight. Not an owsla training exercise, but a real fight, maybe even to the death. He couldn’t ignore the adrenaline and when they were directed to dig in a shabby chamber he pitched in eagerly, earning a few surprised glances. After all, he had a whole day to go yet. Crazy as it may be, I can’t wait.

Bigwig shuffled his feet subconsciously in his sleep then awoke with startling suddenness. He stayed still in the empty burrow, listening carefully for any familiar sounds of the rabbit beside him breathing. There was not. He realised what had woken him now, the kicking was missing, Campion was missing, He rolled onto his pelt and stared at the guard around at the front of the run, planning what to do.

He pushed himself into a sitting position and gently, quietly, so that the guard wouldn’t hear, he pawed away at the rocky wall beside him that was rough due to being dug in such a rush.

Finally he felt the sharp outline of a rock which he immediately picked up in his paws. He hobbled awkwardly over until he was just behind the sentry. It was dark, but he brought down his paws with aim and it hit home. A satisfying grunt was heard and the dull grey rabbit slumped forward, unconscious.

“Thank you Sandleford,” he whispered to himself. That handy trick had been learnt at his first warren. The rabbit guard was just asleep since he had been hit in a sensitive nerve on his neck.

Sliding out past, he entered the burrow of Hawkbit, Dandelion, Holly, Blackavar and Strawberry right beside his and nudged them all rudely awake.

“What are you at mate?” Hawkbit mumbled, then he sat bolt upright. “How did you get in here?”

“Who is up for an adventure?”

Blackavar and Holly rolled over to go back to sleep. “Why what’s up?” Strawberry asked worriedly.

“Campion’s gone, and I figured he was away to the does’ burrow. You know how he has been moping recently… and I decided he shouldn’t have all the fun.”

“We are never going to get to talk to the does.” Dandelion shook his head.

“Well, where has Campion gone then?” Bigwig sat back and crossed his arms with a stubborn expression.

“Probably up to get a drink?” Strawberry suggested rationally.

Just then, there was a fierce argument in the corridor. The four rabbits exchanged looks then crawled out to look. Dandelion, Strawberry and Hawkbit didn’t comment at the guard that was down, just raised their eyes to the heavens and shook their heads.

“Where are all the guards?” asked a shocked Hawkbit.

“Wherever that noise is coming from, maybe they have a runner,” Bigwig suggested.

“You don’t think Campion would run?” Strawberry said in awe.

“No! He wouldn’t betray us like that,” Bigwig said.

“Isn’t this the perfect opportunity for us to go to the does?” Dandelion probed.

“You’re right, let’s go lads!” Bigwig shouted. He charged past Hemlock’s burrow and onward.

“Slow down Bigwig,” Hawkbit panted.

“Watch out!” Bigwig cried as a brown blur skidded into them.

“Campion!” Hawkbit shocked. Campion picked himself up quickly and looked over his shoulder then back desperately.

Bigwig didn’t know if his friend was doing a runner, it didn’t matter, he needed their help.

“Strawberry and Dandelion, can you lead the guards away from the main entrance back to our burrow? Go!”

The two scurried off hurriedly and Campion gave Bigwig a look full of respect. “Thanks, I’ll explain later.”

“Wait! Campion, where is the does’ burrow?”

“Well, quick follow me.”

Campion stopped abruptly in front of three connecting burrows. “In there.”

Bigwig watched him run away in surprise, he would have thought he would have wanted to see Blackberry, it had been half a moon!

A cream doe surveyed the scene with the bucks. “Bigwig, Hawkbit, Dandelion, Strawberry, get in here quick!”

“That was quick!” Bigwig exclaimed to the panting Strawberry and Dandelion.

“There were only two of them,” Strawberry replied.

The gazes of all the Watership Down does, bar Ivy, meet their eyes. “Are you trying to get killed?” Primrose spoke again.

“Nice to see you too,” Bigwig said stiffly.

“Primrose has a point.” Spartina nuzzled Bigwig then went over to lie down in the circle that had formed.

“So, what’s been happening?” Spartina continued. “We are as bored as sitting ducks in here! I’m just grateful that we are all together.”

“Are you all together?” Clover asked.

“No.” Bigwig shook his head. “Campion and I, and until a while ago Yew, share a burrow. Then just next burrow are the rest of the guys. It’s not awfully difficult to see each other though, they seem to be lacking security recently.”

“He’s right,” Brunnea pitched in. “You didn’t even pass any guards on the way here?” she asked Bigwig.

“Now you mention it, there was only the guard outside our burrow….. strange.”

“You said something about Yew?” Spartina nudged his neck.

“Am…yeah. When we were out at silflay, they took him and Vervain into the warren to be part of the owsla, Yew not wanting to of course, but they made him.”

“Hmm.”  No one quite knew what to say anymore.

Strawberry said, “Blackberry you’re awfully quiet.”

“Why is Campion not with you?” she asked Bigwig.

“Well, he was just… away for a drink when we decided to leave, wasn’t he lads?”

The three others nodded their heads hastily. “I wouldn’t fear, we’ll come back tomorrow and he’ll want to come then,” Hawkbit said. He immediately winced when he realised what he had said.

“Wait, you said he didn’t want to come?” Brunnea spoke up. She comforted the silent silver doe beside her. “Bucks,” she continued, muttering darkly.

“I think I need a drink.” Blackberry rose. “No Brunnea, I’d rather be alone, but thanks.”

They watched her go. Bigwig gave Hawkbit an evil glare, who cringed. Spartina rubbed Bigwig’s paw, trying to distract him from possible fighting. “Come on now, tell us what we have been missing recently.”

The moon illuminated the eyes of the hidden rabbit, betraying its presence. Campion lifted his head and sniffed the strong wind blowing his fur back. Dogwood, coming. He backed off so that there was no space at his back and couldn’t be snuck up on. He was glad that the other rabbit had shown up, he had been having to much free time to think about his recent nightmare.

The red fawn faced him and they met in the centre of the open silflay ground. “I thought I told you to meet me in the warren,” Dogwood said.

“There were guards,” Campion replied simply.

“So, how did you get out?”

“Bigwig distracted them for me, did we come here to talk or what?”

“Just a little if you don’t mind. I have something to tell you, you’re not going to like it.”

“What, to annoy me?”

“I suppose you could say that. But, it’s more to tell you why I wanted you to come here tonight.”

“You’d think I was stupid. I know of course.”

“No, you don’t know the full reason. I had… thought about killing you, but Blackberry would hate me forever and I don’t want that.”

Campion was caught off guard and dropped down onto all fours. He looked sideways at Dogwood through the rain and for the first time talked to him without contempt. “Why do you care?”

“Look, I’ve come to make a deal with you,” Dogwood rushed. “I’ll get you out, out of Shadowsky. You can even bring a couple of friends with you. Only a couple though.”

“Why would you ever do that? What can I ever give you that would make you even consider that?”

“You leaving. I…. am in love with Blackberry and as long as you’re here…” But he didn’t get to finish.

Dogwood was knocked backwards by the sheer force, and together they tumbled down into a muddy ditch. They fell apart and landed with splashes into the water drowned hole.

Campion felt the teeth at his throat grabbling for a hold and he desperately tried to twist away. Dogwood was heavy on top of him and had a good grip with his hind claws, drawing little rivulets of blood on Campion’s stomach.

Campion reached his foreleg over Dogwood’s head and pushed it down into the water. The other buck cut off with coughs and choking. Both furious, they matched up, head against head, paws struggling for a hold beneath the water.

They were equal size, equal strength, equal age, and equal ability. No more was Campion held back by his past blindness, and Dogwood had grown just as strong under Hemlock’s rule.

Their ragged breathing was indistinguishable and the panting never stopped. Campion closed his eyes and pushed hard against Dogwood’s shoulders. They slid back. A brilliant, but risky idea came into his head. Quickly he dropped his hold and his head. Holding his breath he pressed himself against the earth. Immediately, he felt a heavy weight fall onto his back then stagger off as the fawn’s balance was lost.

He lifted his head and breathed in deeply. It happened so quickly. He was flipped onto his back and in his effort to defend himself he hit Dogwood across the face, stopping him from applying the deadly bite to his neck, but this cost him deep. The chisel like teeth sliced down into the paw, right between the bones. He faintly heard Dogwood make a disgusted noise, almost as if he was sick as he spat out the blood.

Campion pushed the pain aside and turned the tables. Flinging himself forward he pressed Dogwood into the ground, immersing his enemy’s face with water. Every second matched his speeding heartbeat, and to his intense surprise Dogwood’s struggles slowed and stopped early. The bloodlust seeped out of him, he may have wanted Dogwood’s blood but never his death, not really. He tried to force himself to maintain his hold but he lost his nerve, he didn’t want to be a killer. He backed off. Dogwood rolled onto his side and looked up in shock. “You….let me go.”

“No doubt I’ll live to regret that. No deal, Dogwood. If you possess the ability to love, it must be a pretty sick kind of love.”

Campion wasn’t listening for an answer. He became aware that he was very cold and he held his paw gingerly to his chest, forcing himself to look. He thought it looked worse than it probably was, and the pain was so severe because the paw contained more nerves than the rest of his body.

Dogwood hadn’t moved, he still contained to stare at the sitting rabbit as he quivered with shock.

They made no move towards each other and stood frozen. What a weird sight it would have been if they had had an audience, one rabbit staring down the other, sprawled out in the water and standing holding a paw that looked as if it had been massacred.

“Campion! Dogwood!”

The two rabbits broke the stare and swivelled towards the voice. “Blackberry!” Dogwood spoke first. “How did you get out of the warren without an escort?”

“Were you two fighting?” she asked, with anger rising.

“Well, yes,” Campion started. He stared at the rabbit in the mud, as if for help. Wow.

“When will you learn to settle things without violence!” she shouted at Campion.

He took a step back in shock and slid onto his back, landing beside Dogwood. He quickly recovered himself and said in annoyance, “Try and handle things without violence? With Dogwood, are you kidding?”

“You know very well I’m not joking around Campion! I’ve had enough, when I really need you you’re never there!” And with that, she turned and ran into the woods.

Dread spread through the brown buck and he tried to sit up but it felt as if every muscle was frozen in denial. What in Frith’s name had just happened? He looked sideways at the rabbit still sprawled beside him.

He was laughing. Laughing! He clearly hadn’t hit him hard enough. “Shut up!” he exclaimed, as the deep chuckles were getting on his nerves. “You may have won the fight…” Dogwood said between gasps for breath, “But you have lost her anyway!”

“I have not!” Campion shouted, jumping over Dogwood and climbing the ditch to gaze to the dark space where Blackberry had gone. He hadn’t, had he? He didn’t think twice about sprinting into the dark woods. “Blackberry! Come back here!”

 “Brilliant Hazel! Just, brilliant!” Fiver kept whispering in awe. “I can’t believe it worked.”

“How many of them do you think will have realised?” Pipkin asked.

Hazel glanced over. “It depends, it could have been everyone, or just whoever is nearest to the front.”

“It won’t keep them away for long though,” Swift whispered. “I think we should go in and tell them.”

“Hold on a second,” Hazel cautioned. A chestnut brown paw appeared on his arm.

“This may be our only chance,” Fiver warned. “It’s almost as if I can feel it. Which is an improvement, as my sight has been absent for a while.”

In their small patrol were Hazel, Pipkin, Fiver, Swift and Gillia. Hazel hadn’t wanted to bring too many, and he didn’t want any to hinder any chances they had with any ( I can’t remember word )

“One of us has to stay here..” Hazel started when a loud shout interrupted him.

“Blackberry, would you listen for just a moment!”

Blackberry kept running, then slowed dramatically as if it sunk in what she was doing. She collapsed on the ground and her white pelt stained brown. Campion’s annoyance faded when he saw that something was really wrong.

“What is it?” he toned his voice to a controlled whisper. He lay down in the mud beside her and nudged her with his nose. It was as if the swooping owls and pounding rain couldn’t touch them now, as if the real world sunk into the background once there was a serious problem.

“I can’t…” she sobbed.

“You can’t what? Tell me!” Campion became desperate. “You’re killing me here.”

“You’ll hate me,” she continued. “You’ll never be able to look at me again, or call me your mate. You’ll call me weak and selfish and it will all be true.”

“Blackberry, I don’t think I have it in me to hate you.”

“You will after this.”

Hazel nudged Fiver and then indicated his head towards Swift. The young buck was nearly crying. “Why are they fighting so?” he asked.

“It’s not right that we are listening,” Hazel explained.

“But marli is crying and they were both shouting.” Swift trembled.

“Swift, move on now,” Hazel said sharply. “I insist, move.”

Swift was still upset but he recognised an owsla order when he heard one and shuffled after Fiver.

“It’s alright Swift, everyone has disagreements,” Fiver softened his voice.

“Right.” Swift blinked away the childish tears and fastened his pace to catch up with Hazel in front.

“So here’s the plan…” Hazel whispered urgently.