Chapter Nineteen

Broken Heart

“What was his vision again Bigwig?” Hazel asked worriedly.

“The evil may be gone, but yet is still here. Time seems as if played over as the threat draws nearer,”

Bigwig repeated slowly.

“Which of the thousand do you think we’re in for now Hazel?” Bigwig asked with a tone of tiredness.

“I’m not sure….. You don’t think it would be those weasels come back for more, do you?” Hazel suggested.

“No, it’s not that Hazel,” Fiver said suddenly.

“Oh Fiver, I didn’t realise you were awake,” Hazel said in surprise.

“What’s this about something other than the weasels?” Hawkbit pestered.

“When I had the vision I seen Woundwort, but only it wasn’t him because there weren’t as many scars. It was almost as if his ghost has come back to haunt us,” Fiver ended, shivering.

“Great just great, how many times is this going to happen to us?” Hawkbit groaned.

“Quiet, Hawkbit!” Hazel snapped. “I need to think.”

“Bigwig, could you go and get Keharr, Hannah and Spartina please?” Hazel asked, strained.

“Right, but why Spartina?”

“You’ll see.” Hazel forced a smile as the kittens came up to silflay.

 “Right, that’s it for today. Your duties resume as soon as Frith rises in the morning except when you are required for night duty,” Yew said to Campion before leaving, leaving him with Dogwood.

They walked in an awkward silence down the run, it had numerous burrows forking off left and right to it.

Campion made to go into the one he had occupied earlier, before Dogwood stopped him with surprise on his face.

“Surely you’re not going to sleep in there?” he said in astonishment.

“Yes, it was the burrow I was assigned to earlier,” Campion replied in confusion. He waited impatiently for the other rabbit to move.

“Yes but now you are an officer you have a much more comfortable burrow,” Dogwood said in a matter of fact way.

“Am I allowed to bring my family with me?” Campion asked. He was answered by another voice.

“Well it’s never been done. Because none of the officers have ever had family, but I’m sure it will be alright,” Yew said, returning down the run.

“I thought you were off duty,” Dogwood said in annoyance.

“I was, then Hemlock-rah wanted me to check all the burrows. Got a problem?”

Dogwood didn’t reply, just hopped on down the run.

“Gather your family and then follow me,” Yew said, smiling.

“Okay Yew and thanks,” Campion returned gratefully

Campion gathered Blackberry and Swift from the burrow and followed Yew above ground, around the perimeter until they reached a small selection of holes in another bank.

“These are the officers and captain’s quarters,” Yew explained. “You’re welcome to take any that aren’t already occupied. That will be your burrow from now on.”

“See you early in the morning,” Yew finished, nodded and left.

“This one looks empty.” Campion sniffed in a burrow.

Blackberry pushed Swift in. He had nearly become tharn with fear, and she huddled into him to try and get him too feel better.

 “Now that we have a more excluded burrow it might be easier to escape,” Campion whispered, crawling in after them.

“Maybe…” Blackberry whispered uncertainly.

“Hannah, Keharr before I put my plan in action I need you and Keharr to scout this warren and if possible, locate Campion, Blackberry and Swift and tell them the plan,” Hazel said.

“Right Hazel-Rah… but what is the plan?” Hannah asked.

Hazel bent down and whispered the plan to Hannah. “And tell them to be ready to run,” he finished.

“Okay Keharr off you go,” Hannah crawled onto his back.

“Pipkin, could you get Bark and Skree for me?” Hazel asked.

“Yes Hazel.” Pipkin left with Mallow.

“Hazel, are you going to tell us what the plan is?” Bigwig asked impatiently.

“Patience Bigwig, I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up.” Hazel spared Bigwig a look. “Spartina, you grew up in Darkhaven, as did Woundwort. Did he have any relatives that may still be living?” Hazel said, turning to her.

“Well, the only ones I heard of were his mother and father, though his mother got killed by a weasel in the great fire.”

“I’ve heard of that one, but what happened to his father?”

“No one has actually said ‘happened’, all I know is that he was called Hemlock.” Spartina shrugged and looked over to Bigwig for answers.

“Okay, thank you Spartina.” Hazel went to watch Keharr and Hannah disappearing into the distant sky and hoped fervently that this would work.

“And Hazel says at that point be ready to run,” Hannah finished. She looked down at Blackberry from where she had decided to perch to tell them.

“If Hazel thinks this will work, I trust him,” Campion said. He looked up to Hannah, who was sitting between his ears, but of course couldn’t see her.

“Okay thanks Hannah for risking telling us,” Blackberry said gratefully. Hannah climbed down and went over to Swift.

“Cheer up little one.”

Swift looked to the side then asked quietly about his siblings.

“They can’t wait to have you all back,” Hannah replied quickly.

“Really Hannah, how are they faring?” Blackberry asked sadly.

“I’m not going to lie to you, they are missing you three like crazy.” Hannah looked awkwardly between Campion and Blackberry.

“Thanks Hannah,” Campion hinted. She left hurriedly and Campion vainly tried to comfort Blackberry but in the end Swift did a better job. It was like he reminded her that one of her kittens was here.

 “The owsla will probably call me when the plan is put into action, but you and Swift go and I’ll meet you at the corn field okay?” Campion questioned. “And don’t worry, this will work.”

“Aren’t you coming up for silflay?” Yew asked, stopping in front of Campion and Blackberry’s burrow and peering gingerly in.

“Oh hello Yew, yes we’re just coming now,” Campion answered, nudging Swift awake gently.

“Where’s Dogwood at this time at night?” Blackberry nervously asked Yew. She trusted this owsla captain because Campion did.

“Supervising a mark, so it’s all clear.” Yew smiled. He began to play with Swift.

“Oh, good.” Blackberry stepped into the sunlight and scratched her ear. “Do you like kittens, Yew?”

“Oh, yes,” Yew laughed as Swift managed to climb onto his head.

“Just don’t let Dogwood see you, he’s never let you live it down,” Campion said, smiling.

“Oh Dogwood! I’ve had enough of that buck!”

“Do you think they’ll be allowed to silflay with me?” Campion said, indicating Blackberry and Swift.

“Well….” Yew started uncertainly. “You can try and hope for the best. If not, they’ll have me to answer to.” He shrugged.

“Do you usually silflay at full inle?” Blackberry asked in interest.

“It’s the only time of the day we have time,” Yew answered, feverishly grabbing the grass.

Campion copied his actions. After feeding Swift, Blackberry did to.

“Yew, Campion?” Dogwood shouted across the dark grass. Campion sighed and dropped the grass, casting a dark look across the clearing.

“What is it Dogwood? Can’t you see we’re busy?” Yew asked, annoyed and with his face full of grass.

“Stop stuffing your face and come with me.”

“You would be too if you only got a chance to eat once a day…. and after a hard day’s work,” Yew said, still snatching up grass.

“You and Campion are required for night patrol, we need extra eyes because we scented a badger nearby.”

Yew sighed and swallowed his mouthful of grass. “Guess we’d better go then.”

Campion gave Blackberry a significant look and followed Yew.

They arrived in the clearing in front of the warren and went over to talk to Hemlock.

“We’ll do a wide patrol and see if we can find this badger,” Hemlock ordered. “Move out.”

Campion panicked silently, it was vital he stayed close to the warren so that the plan could work.

“Sir, wouldn’t we need all the owsla close to the warren in case the badger attacked?” Campion asked frantically.

“We have enough here, is there a problem?” Hemlock asked suspiciously.

“No of course not I was just thinking….” He pretended to sound disinterested.

“You have been acting very strange Campion, what are you hiding?” Dogwood burst out.

“I don’t know what you mean….” Campion started.

Suddenly there was a fierce commotion back at the warren. Bark and Skree, Campion thought.

He attempted to slip away, but Dogwood, seeing that Hemlock had disappeared, jumped on Campion growling.

“Are you mad?!” Campion shouted. He tried to shove the heavy rabbit off with his hind legs, but Dogwood had gripped on well.

“Campion?” Blackberry called frantically from the edge of the forest with Swift.

Campion was prevented from answering because another rabbit had pounced on him. “Ouch! For Frith’s sake!”

“Why are you attacking Dogwood?” the guard growled, pressing his claw to Campion’s throat.

“I think you will find he attacked me…” Campion cut off again as he attempted to defend himself.

He was once again pinned and he looked up to see Bark and Skree departing the warren quickly in the shadows.

“Blackberry go without me!” Campion yelled, once again struggling pointlessly against his opponents, hopelessly outnumbered.

“But I…” she began.

Hemlock’s enraged scream filled the night, “Bring back the escaped!”

Campion once again looked up at them. “Go!”

Blackberry felt a tear run down her cheek as she picked up Swift by the scruff and turned and bolted.

The battle growls and cries of pain continued to pierce the night air.