Chapter Three

Accused Ally

The next morning Blackberry awoke to find Campion gone. She sighed and stretched across the soft hay. She was afraid about what he was doing with Walnut still around to taunt him. Rolling onto her stomach she went above ground. The morning was fresh and clear with a blue sky and a cool breeze. Several of the rabbits were already up for silflay, including Campion, Hazel, Bigwig, Walnut and Honey. There was a definite tenseness in the air between Campion and Walnut and if it wasn’t for Hazel and Bigwig grazing between them another fight would have broken out.

“Didn’t hear you get up,” Blackberry said, going over to Campion and silflaying beside him.

“Worrying about what Hazel wanted to talk to me about actually,” Campion said, lowering his voice. “If he wanted to talk to me about the fight, he would have asked me to come with him and Walnut last night while we were going under.”

“Hmm… what do you think Walnut was talking to Hazel about?” Blackberry asked worriedly.

“Don’t know, but I’m sure it wasn’t good. I can’t put off talking to Hazel much longer,” Campion said, nibbling a mouthful of grass. “I’ll go after silflay.” He finished talking and lowered his head again. Blackberry was hungry too. Then she had an idea. “How about a short raid, to put your mind off things?”

“Good idea,” Campion agreed, “It’s also an excuse to get away from him.” Campion inclined his head towards Walnut, who Blackberry had not noticed until that moment was staring at them.

“Come on lets go now.” Campion had already started off down the hill, Blackberry close behind him.

Hazel watched them go sighing. He had been hoping to catch Campion before he went underground after silflay. “Ok that’s our chance gone.”

Bigwig swallowed his mouthful of grass, “I still can’t believe what Walnut told you, I’m sorry but Campion just wouldn’t do that.”

“I know how much Campion has done for us and how many times he has saved our lives, but why would our old friends lie to us?” Hazel asked.

“Walnut has a couple of reasons to hate Campion, he’s got the doe Walnut wants and Campion humiliated him yesterday in front of the whole warren,” Bigwig said between mouthfuls.

“But what about Honey, Pebble and the others? They have no reason to lie.”

“Tell you what, while you talk to Campion about the situation I’ll distract Blackberry or send her somewhere, I’ll break the news to her after.” Bigwig stretched and was about to leave when he turned round in surprise and asked, “When are we going to tell everyone about what we saw yesterday?”

“When the whole Campion, Walnut thing has blown over,” Hazel replied.

“Not for a while then,” Hawkbit said quite loudly.

“Oh didn’t see you there Hawkbit,” Hazel said in surprise. “And it will have to blow over or else they can’t live in the same warren, one will have to go.”

“But surely you wouldn’t send Campion away?!” Hawkbit demanded. “You wouldn’t just be sending him away, Blackberry would go too.”

“We won the last battle and won peace and I can’t have fighting in my warren. If it is Campion I have to send away I would do so regretfully,” Hazel finished before hopping off.

…………….

Campion sighed a couple of minutes later. “I’d better get back; I have to face the grief sometime.” He rose and turned to go home, Blackberry followed, worry troubling her heart. What would happen to Campion because of Walnut and the fight?

Shortly around ni-frith Campion and Blackberry arrived at the top of the hill and saw Bigwig and Walnut arguing.

“I’m telling you Campion wouldn’t do that!” Bigwig exclaimed.

“I wouldn’t do what? Bigwig?” Campion said suspiciously, eyes narrowed.

“Oh am…. maybe you should go talk to Hazel now Campion, and Blackberry I need your help with something,” Bigwig said as Blackberry made to follow Campion down the burrow.

“What? Can it not wait until later Bigwig?” Blackberry said impatiently.

“All part of being the warren’s healer Blackberry, fulfilling your duty and that,” Bigwig chuckled trying to laugh it off.

“Right I’ll see you later,” Blackberry said to Campion, rolling her eyes. She gave him a quick nuzzle the cheek and wished him good luck. Campion caught her eye worriedly.

Bigwig looked at Campion closely as he turned to go down the burrow, there was worry but no sign of guilt on his face.

………………..

 “Hazel?” Campion’s voice echoed around the soil walls.

He could make out muffled sobbing and it worried him, what need was there for any rabbit to cry?

“Oh yes Campion come in,” Hazel answered, his voice was strained and tainted with anger.

Campion entered the homely burrow and saw Primrose crying quietly beside a nest of grass and leaves.

“Primrose what….?” Campion started looking at her with his brow furrowed.

“Don’t talk to me! How can you even live at Watership Down after what you have done? They were little innocent kittens, did you kill them to frame Walnut or something all because of this fight over a doe?” Primrose shouted, her ears back against her head and her eyes accusing.

“What are you talking about Primrose? Kill? What’s happened?” Campion asked confused.

“Primrose it would be best if you leave, I want to talk to Campion alone,” Hazel said his voice sounded far away and lifeless.

Primrose pushed roughly by Campion and hopped up the burrow still sobbing.

“Campion I don’t know where to start, how… how could you?” Hazel shook his head.

“HAZEL! Can you please tell me what I have been accused of here?” Campion said very annoyed now. This had something to do with Walnut, he knew it.

“Walnut, Pebble and Honey seen you this morning when you… They saw you taking Snowdrop into the forest at the back of the down and when we searched we found blood on the forest floor,” Hazel stuttered but continued, “Walnut told us that he overheard you telling Snowdrop before taking her away that you were doing this because you loved Primrose and were jealous of what she and I had. You were hoping that the grief would rip her and I apart.”

Campion just stood frozen, absolutely horrified at what he was hearing. Hot, livid anger spread from his ears to his tail. This was all a ploy to get him out of the way, to have him sent away from the warren.  He slowly rose from his sitting position and started to slowly climb upwards to the down as if in a trance, the only thing alive in his mind was the urge to get to Walnut and fight, fight him properly. He faintly heard Hazel shouting for him to come back but he had to do this before he was sent away. He reached the warren entrance and quickly scanned the down, at first glance he couldn’t see Walnut, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the accusing stares of the others rabbits. Clover and Spartina were comforting the crying Blackberry, whose stare pierced Campion the most.

 “Blackberry I…” But he was cut off by the growling of about ten or so rabbits who were advancing slowly towards him.

“You never cared about me? You were just… using me?” Blackberry asked her ears dropping and her eyes dull though shiny with tears.

“Of course I cared I still do, I never loved anyone else none of its true Blackberry please believe me,” Campion said pleadingly. “You know me! I’m not hiding anything.”

Just then Walnut appeared, looking unsurprisingly smug. He went over to Blackberry and attempted to comfort her too.

“I’ll kill you I swear it!” Campion shouted, causing the owsla to grab him.

“What did I tell you? Complete nutter,” Walnut said shaking his head.

The owsla that had grabbed Campion consisted of Hawkbit, Dandelion, Blackavar and Strawberry, who weren’t known for their strength. Even so Campion was outnumbered as they dragged him down the hill. “Leave, Campion, before things get any worse for you,” Bigwig said, following them down.

Bigwig waited until everyone else had left then said, “Though for the record I don’t believe any of it and I’ll try and help you to prove it.”

“Thanks Bigwig but I can’t what’s the point? Not even my own mate believes me. Walnut has poisoned them all against me. Its better I just leave,” Campion said quietly. “There’s nothing there for me now anyway.”

Campion hopped sadly into the forest without looking back. The accusing eyes directed at his back seemed to burn to his very core. So much for trying to fit in.

……………..

Late that night, while the owls were out hunting, Blackberry woke up in her empty burrow and decided quickly. She was going after Campion and staying with him even if it meant leaving the warren for good as well. She didn’t believe that Campion never loved her, let alone use her. Campion wasn’t that sort of buck. She didn’t believe Campion would be able to kill a kitten either.

The night air was cold bringing with it the coming of winter and Blackberry shivered, no rabbit should be out alone on a night like this. She crept silently around the warren sentries and her light grey body blended in with the night.

When she reached the bottom of the hill she easily detected Campion’s scent and followed it into the wood. It wasn’t long until she found him sitting under a tree, beside the river looking miserable and lonely.

“Campion?” Blackberry said hesitantly.

“Blackberry?” Campion inquired, surprised. He straightened up and turning his head round so his good eye faced her.

“I don’t believe any of it and I’m sorry you thought I ever did,” Blackberry said snuggling down beside him.

“Blackberry, I can’t let you leave Watership Down just for me. However much I want you too.”

Blackberry thought to herself quietly, was this the right time to tell him? So many times she had imagined this moment, and nothing here resembled it. Then again, she hadn’t expected to fall in love with a buck from the enemy warren, things were always going to be complicated.

The silence disturbed Campion, what was she thinking about so intensely?

“Well, you know the kittens need their father too,” Blackberry said casually glancing up at him.

“Come again?”

“Please do not make me explain biology to you, it would be extremely awkward and embarrassing for the both of us.”

“What, you’re having kittens?” Campion said surprised but joyfully.

“Yes! Do you really want them growing up thinking Walnut is their father? He’s been acting like my mate all day it’s so frustrating! “

And, it’s a ‘we’re’ I’m afraid,” Blackberry laughed. “You are in this whether you like it or not.”

“Am… wow… when did you realise?”

Blackberry thought for a moment. “Am… our last night in Darkhaven.”

“Why didn’t you say? I was wondering why you were a bit quiet.”

“You were going through so many emotions that night with Woundwort blackmailing you to lead him to the down. I didn’t want you to have to worry about anything else.”  Blackberry nuzzled his neck and laughed quietly when she seen he couldn’t stop smiling.

The two rabbits settled under the tree and waited for morning to come, where there might come with it more hope.