Chapter Fifty- One

Broken Souls

Campion watched familiar face after familiar face from the past pass him where he sat and he felt decidedly uncomfortable with the glares he was receiving. There was maybe the odd rabbit who was happy to see him and sat down, ready for a long chat, but that never lasted long with Ragwort around. He moved them along with stares and grunting. Campion remembered Ragwort as an unsettled youngster just beginning to rank up in the owsla, so wasn’t surprised that he would resent him now. Why wouldn’t he relish the chance to be superior to a rabbit that had once ruled over him?

Campion shifted his paw away from the sight of the obnoxious buck as he once again pestered away a good willed youngster that had been eager to learn about hlessi life. He hadn’t exactly told the rest here that he belonged to the one warren most of them still hated.

“So, are you going to tell me how you survived then?” Ragwort asked innocently.

“Amm….let me think. No.” He couldn’t believe the cheek!

“Oh come on, sir.”

Campion turned his head in shock at being addressed so. “We both know what you’re trying to do, Ragwort. It’s not going to work.”

“I’m not trying to flatter you. I still have some respect.”

“Where was that respect earlier then?”

“I was shocked, sir. And honestly, I felt a bit threatened. Here I am captain of owlsa. We only have a few since Moss didn’t want any violence, and I suspected you were going to try and succeed me, or even become chief. I mean, let’s face it, you could beat any of us in combat. That why you were Woundwort’s favourite in Efrafa.”

“I’m don’t plan to take your position, Ragwort, or Moss’s. You can relax.”

“It’s been a year. Where have you been?”

Campion opened his mouth to answer when it started to rain again. Heavily.

Ragwort looked as if he was struggling to say something and finally he spat it out.

“You can come in you know.”

Waiting until Ragwort had rounded the first corner in the nearest run, he followed. He had no interest in getting wet again. He didn’t go further than the entrance and sat watching the clouds roll in.

…………

Blackberry stopped and took a deep breath. A deep pain lodged in her stomach and she grimaced without lifting her head, determined not to be weak in front of the other doe.

“Come now, not much further.”

She lifted her head to the encouragement and placed one paw ahead of the other. It wasn’t long until she seen the warren. It was very big and looked comfortable. How she longed for a warm bed and the lost brown rabbit beside her. From what Azalea had told her, good fortune had finally come, and just in the nick of time. Her belly had begun to hurt more often and frequent. With this being her second time, she was considerably calmer than the first time, but that didn’t stop her concern for her daughter arriving early.

The sentries whispered among themselves as she passed, but she didn’t care if she was filthy. The pain became more severe, but that didn’t stop her wanting privacy. “Azalea…can I have a moment….please?” she asked, as soon as she was under a roof.

The brown doe hurried away. Blackberry lay on her side and waited, enduring each spasm of pain with the knowledge that it would eventually be over. She felt something warm at her back and her eyelids flickered open. She hadn’t heard him come in. Too tired to care about does’ natural preference to deliver on their own, she lay her head back down.

“Blackberry, don’t give up. Please, stay with me.”

She wanted to comfort him, but was afraid if she opened her mouth she would cry out.

He started to groom her to keep her calm, or maybe himself. He was obviously stressed; his heart beat was speeding against her back.

Had it been a day? Two days? Three? Blackberry didn’t know. All she knew was that the figure beside her never left.

Finally, it stopped, then nothing except the two rabbits’ breathing.

“Blackberry?” he whispered anxiously. “Come back to me.”

A warm muzzle touched her cheek and then breathed into her ear, “Aren’t you going to say hello to her?”

Blackberry found the strength to pull herself onto her stomach and Campion picked the kitten up gently and placed it by her side.

Blackberry nuzzled her deeply then leaned back. The moment her head hit the nest she closed her eyes. Campion licked her cheek. “Sleep. I’ll stay guard.”

……

Campion took a deep breath and breathed in the sharp, cold air that came with the rain. That was unexpected.

“Thank you, Shadow,” Campion whispered, for he knew that it was against the law of nature for his kit to have survived and still be breathing. Yet she had, and he just hoped that she was healthy. He put his head in his paws as if to groom his face, but couldn’t move them from exhaustion. Blackberry had been giving birth for a whole day and night and he had stayed awake all the time with her. So exhausted, he thought.

“Campion?”

The brown rabbit slowly slid his paws down his face and turned his head to Azalea.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

“Wow, you look terrible. Did everything turn out okay?”

“Fine.” He struggled not to yawn and dropped down onto all fours.

“I know what you’re doing,” she laughed. “Seriously, get some sleep. No one is going to harm them, I promise.”

“And he lives!”

Campion and Azalea looked in shock to the three rabbits coming out of the main burrow.

Bigwig came and smacked him on the back, while Hazel looked up at him gratefully.

“Thank you, Campion. You saved my life.”

“As you did mine with the slither thing, Hazel. Anyway, family stick together. Say no more.”

Hazel still smiled. “Fiver,” Campion began, “how is Ivy? And yourself?”

“Fantastic.” Fiver beamed. “Ivy had another shortly after. We named him Magic!”

“That’s great!” Campion said enthusiastically.

“And...” Hazel nudged Bigwig in the ribs. The owlsa captain looked abashed, but also a little smug.

“Aww, Bigwig.” Campion laughed, and delivered a smack back to him.

“Why does everyone laugh at that!” Bigwig said, looking slightly hurt.

“I can just imagine him training his kits. ‘No, you clothed eared lay- about!’” Fiver sniggered.

“Hey! Okay, okay, that’s enough.” Bigwig hid his smile in his fur collar.

“Been here long?” Campion asked all three.

“Last night,” Hazel answered. “It was good to see a few old friends.”

“Hmm,” Campion pondered on his reception.

“What are you doing here anyway? You look shattered,” Fiver said, with concern.

“I’m…”

“He’s guarding the burrow,” Azalea answered coyly.

“Whatever for?” Bigwig asked.

“Kittens! Kittens everywhere!” Azalea laughed.

Campion was greeted with three confused faces and he muttered, “Thanks, Azalea. You eased them in gradually.”

“Explain, or else you will receive a well earned congratulations smack,” Bigwig joked.

“Would running save me?” Campion sighed, but his eyes were sparkling.

“No!”

Bigwig gave him a cuff across the ears and hopped around him when he tried to run.

A gentle squeak came from behind them and they all froze.

“Can we see?” Hazel asked.

Campion smiled and giving another play slap on the shoulder to Bigwig, crawled into the burrow behind him.

Blackberry was awake, no surprise due to the noise they must have been creating. She stretched sleepily and nudged the little body beside her closer. Campion climbed carefully behind the two and sat waiting.

“Can we come in?” Fiver questioned.

“Of course, Fiver,” Blackberry answered.

“Wow, she’s tiny,” Azalea whispered in awe.

“Certainly very small,” Hazel agreed.

“She’s premature,” Blackberry sighed.

News quickly spread through the warren and the burrow began to get crowded with enthusiastic does. Blackberry started to get stressed and fidgeted. Campion gradually moved towards the entrance, ushering them out as politely as he could.

Finally Hazel, Bigwig and Fiver left last with farewells. Campion sighed and laid his head on the bedding that quite a lot of kind does had brought during the day. It’s been such a long day….

………

Hemlock locked his teeth together and groaned in frustration. He ran his claw along the wall beside him with a sharp ring.

The whole owlsa, bar four or five, sat frozen in front of him. Yew was directly across from Hemlock and he tried to avoid eye contact and lowered his breathing. He felt the shivers radiating off Vervain beside him. Poor soul. Unsurprisingly, Hemlock had a tad of dislike lodged permanently for himself and Vervain because they were from Watership Down. Not even Vervain’s pathetic whimpers about how he had faithfully served his son saved him from being on the outside of the invisible barrier of the soldiers Hemlock liked.

“No matter how much I have given you here….you still manage to disappoint me,” Hemlock said. His voice contained a tinge of ‘interrupt me and die’ tone to it, so no one dared speak.

“How hard can it be to stop one rabbit….one escaping from under your hrair noses? Then without realising this, you let another simply run out and away.”

“Typical that Campion and Bigwig would run away leaving us to pick up the pieces and deal with the consequences….” Vervain muttered darkly, but the effect was wasted when his voice shook again.

Yew’s brow furrowed. He didn’t know what had happened, but felt sure they had good reason. He gave the dull black rabbit a nip on the ear and felt a little satisfaction when he yelped and dashed forward.

“Yes, Vervain? Have something you really are dying to share with me?” Hemlock hissed.

“Sir…..I think I know what direction they went in. I was out for a drink and I wasn’t sure if I was imagining or it really was rabbits.”

“And you tell me this now!” Hemlock yelled. He reached forward as if to grasp the cowardly rabbit’s throat, then stopped himself. “Half of you are to follow any direction this rabbit tells you,” he indicated to Vervain, “and don’t come back until you are definite that you are getting nowhere or you have captured them. If you do catch them, crippled them by hamstringing, snapping of the neck, I do not hold a preference. Then leave them to the elil, do you hear?”

Rapidly every rabbit nodded, but still did not move. “If you do not divide into two groups right now you’re necks will be snapped!”

A reluctant half departed the burrow, leaving about fifteen or so owlsa remaining.

“This is how it works, so listen up. Every outsider is to be brought to the front of the warren tonight. Does included. Each of you will slit every throat out there, then clean up the mess using the good, old help of the nearby stream. Except a few. We shall keep them until my old friend Hazel sees them. Understand?”

Yew was standing with his mouth hanging open, not even comprehending what was to be done.

Then his mind slid into place. He would make his friends proud to be his friend.

“No,” he said bravely. “Every single one of those rabbits is my friend, my family. If you kill them, you’ll have to kill me with them.”

Any rabbit that had been standing close backed away nervously. Hemlock’s eyes seemed to be alight with fire. “Fine, join your doomed ‘family’. Take him away.”

.........

Hawkbit sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time and continued to flick the small pebble between his paws. Left to right, right to left. He stared in disinterest at the stony roof above him.

Primrose and Clover sat subdued in the corner, as did the rest of the bucks in the opposite corner. Except Dandelion, who seemed to be musing away beside Hawkbit, twitching his whiskers now and again and giving no clue to what he was thinking.

Spartina was looked most miserable, but they knew better than to ask, as they thought it was quite obvious. Bigwig leaving had shocked them all. Anyway, when they had timidly questioned her earlier she had snapped.

Seven guards stood in an orderly formation at the front of the burrow. Now and again they would whisper among themselves.

“I’m so glad I was picked to be sentry.”

“Poor fellows….”

“Damned outsiders….”

“He is not happy…..”

“Reckon I know what he is going to do…”

……….

Blackberry finished grooming herself and hopped hesitantly out to silflay. Slightly unnerved by the stares that were shot her way, she bent down to the grass. She found herself drifting away from the main grazing grounds towards the woods. A strange smell drifted across to her nose and she put her head to the wind. Fear and denial froze her muscles. She closed her eyes and wished that it was not true.

Her safe little world collapsed around her, only ever fragile. Blackberry stood still on the grass for a long time. Finally, she brought herself to thinking. At least she was sure Dogwood wouldn’t hurt her. Another thing that made her hesitant was her knowledge of how angry Campion would be at her if she just left now. But she knew if she was to tell him, she couldn’t do what she was planning now.

The dark trees loomed above her. What a stupid thing she was doing all on her own. “Dogwood?” she breathed out questionably.

No reply came. Then a trail of blood became clear along last year’s autumn leaves. Blackberry cast a unsure glance around the foliage before following it. A faintly familiar red rabbit lifted his head slightly at her approach. He didn’t seem to see her, and dropped his head in defeat again. Never had she seen such a broken soul, a broken body. A sickening chunk of flesh had disappeared from the right side of his face, taking with it his whiskers. His eye had survived, but was cloudy and it became obvious he was blind.

“Who’s there?” he whispered.

“It’s me.” Blackberry voice shook when he attempted to sit up in vain. There was sharp pieces of rock in his left haunch. He moaned and lowered himself to the ground again.

“Blackberry, leave me to die.”

She didn’t reply at first, just ran her eyes over the rest of him. Swallowing hard she replied, “I would leave no rabbit to this, Dogwood. Can you move?”

“A little,” he replied quietly finally.

Blackberry slowly closed her eyes and prayed. “Shadow, I need your help.”

Her heart thudded when a pair of red eyes greeted her. “Blackberry, you have done well on your own up until now. I’m here to help you all. Now take his other flank and we’ll go back.”

……….

Campion drank carefully from the overflowing stream. Very cautiously leaning over the debris running along the sides, he lowered his head again.

“Freaking out?”

Campion opened his eyes and leaned back. “I don’t think so,” he replied to Bigwig. “Not yet anyway.”

He sighed heavily, then looked up. “What’s up, Bigwig?”

The large grey twisted his head to the side and mused. “Hazel has a preposition for you and I. He wasn’t sure you were going to like it.”

“What is it?” Campion asked wearily. He turned his back to Bigwig and dipped his paw into the chilly water. It prickled slightly.

“Maybe you would rather hear it from him. Meet us here at sunset? And don’t tell Blackberry that you are to meet us, she might freak out that you are going to be thrown into the front line.”

Campion groaned. “That is never a good idea. She is so going to find out, and I have a feeling that she should be worried?”

“Later,” Bigwig persisted. “Go and be with them for now.”

The brown rabbit looked at him carefully for a couple of seconds, then slowly hopped back the way he had came.

…………

Shadow paused just before the warren.  He dropped the flank and signalled for the doe to wait. Blackberry hid her face guiltily when a brown buck came forward. He stopped a foot away from her and she was confused by what she seen in his eyes. He wasn’t angry at all, instead his eyes were pitying and reflected sorrow. He cast Blackberry a quick glance before gently taking up the other shoulder. Shame swept through her at her earlier thoughts and she flashed him a warm smile of gratitude for understanding. His expression was understanding and he indicated with his head to proceed to the warren. Their progress was slow and Dogwood, being a large buck, was heavy.

Azalea looked surprised at the two rabbits’ burden and moved to the side. “I’ve prepared a burrow for him just next to yours.”

Campion grimaced. Azalea meant well, but this would only make things worse. He glanced down at the red rabbit below his shoulder and past the pity he felt some of his earlier anger, no matter how much he tried not to. He heard slight panting near him. It was Blackberry, struggling under the weight of the rabbit head and shoulders taller than her.

“Blackberry, I can manage. Go and rest!” he exclaimed gently.

She hesitated and slid under the weight. Hopping away, she went to wait in the burrow. Campion hobbled forward and was grateful when Bigwig came towards him. “Hraka hlessi, embleer Frith…” Bigwig muttered darkly. He stared in disgust at the enemy buck. “Come on, Campion. Let’s get….him…inside.”

Blackberry made sure he had enough straw and dry grass before speaking to Azalea and explaining how to clean his wounds.

“I’m handing over responsibility to Azalea now for his treatment,” Blackberry explained to Campion outside the burrow. “I can’t deal with it.”

“You’re doing the right thing, Blackberry,” Campion comforted. He honestly felt a lot happier this way. “Hazel wants a chat with me. I’ll come back to the burrow later, okay?”

“I’ll start thinking up names. “ Blackberry smiled weakly.

“I won’t be long, I promise.”

…………

Cloud quivered slightly and stared blankly at the drop. He was disgusted at himself and now he couldn’t get the other rabbit’s thoughts out of his head. A hundred dreams and feeling flashed across his mind again and he yelled in frustration. He started to feel emotions that weren’t even his own, experience yearnings that didn’t make any sense. He felt sick at himself as he saw private memories. He should have never consented to invade the dreams of one rabbit and read the thoughts of another. Now, he couldn’t think straight or access his own mind.

It had to end. End now. The grey buck took another step towards the fall and the angry river. It would be quick, and Hemlock could never use him to hurt another ever again. Finally, he would join his brother, Silverweed , once more.

………..

“You’re sure you can do this, Fiver?” Hazel asked.

“I’ve done it before. The only thing that worries me is that Cloud’s mind is stronger and more powerful than Silverweed’s ever was and I’m not sure mine can equal it.” Fiver frowned.

“Fiver, I know you can do it,” Bigwig encouraged. He continued pacing nervously.

“Fiver, I don’t think we should work to possess his mind like with Silverweed. It’s too dangerous. On that task we had Campion and Blackberry on the inside helping us out. This time we have no one.”

“What do you suggest then, Hazel?” Fiver implored.

“If we can just figure out Hemlock’s plans…..I’m assuming Hemlock would tell his trusted seer everything? If you can just read his mind a tad?”

“Then that’s when Campion and I go in?” Bigwig asked.

“What exactly do you need us to do, Hazel?” Campion spoke for the first time.

“Just lead the others out and away to here.” Hazel nodded to himself. “I had a word with Heather and she says we can stay as long as we please and the rest are welcome too.”

“By the way, does anyone know where Fog went to?” Campion asked hesitantly.

“Azalea said something about a dark grey doe returning home here, if that helps,” Fiver offered.

“I’m glad she got home.”

“Anyway, since Swift is away to gather Pipkin and his siblings, it’s time we got down to work,” Bigwig pressured. “And passing on that message to Ivy for you, Fiver, of course.”

Fiver rubbed his head with his paws to release tension and closed his eyes. Campion leaned forward intently as he had witnessed Silverweed trying to reach out for Fiver’s mind in the past and was intrigued.

Fiver let his mind slip out of focus and drifted along a black space. “Cloud…..where are you, Cloud?”

Hazel, with nose slightly flared, leaned against Fiver to keep him upright.

“Campion, describe Cloud for Fiver,” Bigwig whispered. “To refresh his memory.”

“A small buck the colour of rainy skies,” Campion said clearly, “with pale blue eyes…..and amm…..maybe just starting his first year?”

“That’s good…” Hazel muttered.

Fiver’s grey eyes took on a familiar glow and he said slowly and pronouncing each word perfectly, “Let me in, Cloud. What does Hemlock plan to do?” Then he shook his head viciously. “It’s no good. His mind had too many barriers and all I’m getting are thoughts that aren’t his…..or mine.”

Fiver closed his eyes again and muttered. “The thoughts are intrigued, curious and wondering. Now, they are worried and…..”

“By Frith, Fiver! Those are my thoughts!” Campion exclaimed.

Fiver broke off and blinked speedily. “What did you say, Campion?”

“Are you reading his mind?” Hazel asked, with widened eyes.

“No,” Fiver said. “Well, not anymore. But, how can this be? It’s as if his mind is bonded to yours in a way I can’t explain, Campion….”

Campion’s ears sagged and he sighed. “I might know what’s going on.”

……….

Ivy finished the small square space in the earth and looked at it tiredly. A very small figure hopped over to here. “Marli, what are you doing?” he asked in that innocent voice that youngsters have.

“Nothing important.” Ivy smiled. She lovingly nuzzled his furry head. “Here,” she said, giving him a small wild rose. “Placed this in the small grave.”

Wish looked confused but crawled carefully over and gently let go. Ivy put the small wreath- like jumble of ivy and holly on top.

“Come here, Wish.”

Wish clambered inbetween her paws and gazed up at her.

“Say goodbye to him, Wish. Say goodbye to your brother, Magic.”

……..

“I’m glad you managed to locate the warren, Hannah and Skree. I was afraid we would have trouble finding it,” Pipkin said gratefully. “Not much further now,” he called to his eight companions.

“On we go then,” Swift said, and entered another stretch of forest.

“And remember to avoid Shadowsky,” Hannah called after them.

“Will do,” Pipkin shouted back.

……

“What’s Vervain up to?” Yew hissed to Moss, as he was being brought to the prison cell. “Why would he help them if he didn’t have to?”

Moss shrugged as he ran, but steely determination was in his eyes.

Moss hurried along and skidded to a very abrupt halt. “Twig, I need to speak with the prisoners. Now!” He strained to look beyond the old rabbit to the Watership Downers.

“Ah, it’s time,” Hemlock said with pleasure, rounding the corner. “Moss, organise them and bring them out. The time for justice has arrived.”

Moss’s mouth hung open then closed. His eyes saddened in defeat. There was nothing he could do anymore.