"A New Journey" (based on Watership Down)

Petrie. · **Reply #20 on:** August 19, 2010, 07:28:45 AM

Rankin had moved into the small scrape and fell asleep rather quickly. Arvens did not enter immediately, as the sun went behind the hills, and dusk had approached. He would not get much rest that night being on watch at the front of the scrape. With scrapes no rabbit ever entirely went into deep sleep, needing to be ready at a moment's notice for intruders being exposed.

Assured that the area was calm and quiet, Arvens backed into the scrape, but it didn't take long for him to bump into the tree roots and Rankin's furry body. "Tighter than I thought it would be," mumbled Arvens to himself. He barely fit inside the scrape when all was said and done. He would simply doze. That's all captains did....they never slept for any length of time. He confided Rankin that he would protect him and you just don't do much protecting when you're snoozing. Head on paws, lying very still, Arvens dozed uncomfortably, one eye partially open, as he always did.

Malte279 · **Reply #21 on:** August 19, 2010, 07:34:41 AM

Suddenly there was some motion between the trees. A small shadow appeared from somewhere between the brushwood, quietly scurrying from tree-shade to tree-shade. The shape suddenly froze in motion in a spot which from Arven's point of view clearly revealed the outlines to be that of a rabbit who was now sniffing the air casting fleeting looks in every direction.

Petrie. · **Reply #22 on:** August 19, 2010, 07:43:44 AM

A rabbit in the brush did not escape Arvens' notice. He heard it moving about before he could see it. Still, he waited to see if the rabbit would do anything. Sometimes rabbits were sick, hungry, or just passing through. No reason to interrupt. However, this one appeared to be tense, looking every which way in case there was something about. Arvens sniffed the air. No hombas or lendris about. This hlessi had nothing to fear, yet still appeared worried. He wondered if he should call out to the rabbit. Any sort of noise would definitely startle it and Arvens didn't want to wake Rankin behind him either. Figuring it was better the rabbit was closer to the scrape and less fidgety in the weeds, Arvens decided to call his attention to him. "Hey, what are you doing here?" he whispered softly.

Malte279 · **Reply #23 on:** August 19, 2010, 07:52:59 AM

The rabbit did a caper as if somebody had deliberately scared him. He yanked his head in the direction of Arven's whisper while the rest of his body was turned in another direction, squatted low as if to crawl right into the ground, yet clearly ready to rush away at the slightest sight of any danger. It would have looked comical but for the implications of real danger that this attitude might imply. Several moments passed in which the rabbit kept his look fixed in the direction of Arven's voice. Perhaps it was difficult to to spot him clearly between the roots of the oak for after a while the rabbit asked with a kind of shouted whisper that was still quieter than Arven's earlier call: "Rabbit?"

Petrie. · **Reply #24 on:** August 19, 2010, 07:58:36 AM

"Of course, under the tree," said Arvens a little more loudly this time. If the rabbit was this skittish maybe it wasn't such a good idea to have him so close to their whereabouts. Elil would easily spot the nervousness and somewhat comical reactions to noises and fears. "Come on....get over here quickly and close to the tree, you'll be harder to spot that way," urged Arvens.

Malte279 · **Reply #25 on:** August 19, 2010, 08:02:14 AM

The rabbit hissed shaking his head frantically.
"No good place!" he breathed just loud enough to be heard. "Embleer in the air at the stream nearby and tracks of weasels. This is no place to stay or talk."

Petrie. · **Reply #26 on:** August 19, 2010, 08:07:05 AM

Arvens looked back at the frantic rabbit. Weasels? He checked the air again for scents. He smelled nothing except for the terrified rabbit, and had not noticed any sight or smell of elil before retreating into the scrape. Weasels could certainly be out, but they certainly were not nearby. However, with this rabbits frantic panting, it would attract every weasel in miles.

"You need to calm down or you'll attract all sorts of Elil" said Arvens, more firmly this time. "Come over here, shush down and you won't be found."

Malte279 · **Reply #27 on:** August 19, 2010, 08:11:40 AM

"I won't be found because I won't be here when elil will and you'd be well advised to do the same." The rabbit seemed to be about to rush on when he turned his head one more time. "Or are you a whole warren down there?"

Petrie. · **Reply #28 on:** August 19, 2010, 08:15:55 AM

"We are but two rabbits. One on the run from a tyrannical warren. I myself am a former captain of Thornbrush, recently destroyed by humans and have been on the run since. We are plenty safe here for the night, I assure you and like yourself, don't plan to stay long," explained Arvens. "We're actually seeking a new warren to join up with or hope to come across something that would be suitable for a couple of rabbits. This scrape was simply made in haste for the night. Come, stay with us, and in the morning we will move on towards Frith in the sky."

Malte279 · **Reply #29 on:** August 19, 2010, 08:22:32 AM

The rabbit hissed again shaking his head frantically and breathed almost inaudibly: "If you stay you may no longer be the one to decide for how long to stay and if you keep shouting every elil in the forest will be here faster than..." In this moment there was a a rustling sound from the direction from where the rabbit had come. The rabbit uttered something that might have been a "Goodluck" (though this was hard to tell). And darted away as if the black rabbit of inleh had just appeared from the brushwood.

Petrie. · **Reply #30 on:** August 19, 2010, 08:40:47 AM

Before Arvens could say anything else, the rabbit was gone in a flash. Rustling came from the direction opposite. Arvens sniffed the air once again. Nothing but the scent of the rabbit. If there are any elil out there, the damned rabbit led them right here! he thought, angrily. But there still remained no signs of elil. Rustling yes, but anything could cause that. Wind, other creatures of the night.

Arvens laid perfectly still once again, watching the brush to his right, seeing if anything was indeed there. Then a paw poked out, then another, and finally a head. What Arvens saw was shocking. Damn it all to Inle! he cursed to himself, there really was a weasel about. How had he missed it?

Moving out of the burrow would offer a chance for him to drive it away, but would also leave him very exposed. Then again, if he tried to fight it off here, he might scratch up Rankin, still snoozing behind him. He didn't feel like hurting an ally so decided to go after the weasel. Element of surprise ought to scare it off for no predator wanted to put up a fight with a healthy rabbit. Arvens tensed momentarily, and bolted out of the scrape, back legs pushed against Rankin for a quick burst of speed. The weasel suddenly saw a blur and it to ran off, unsure of what was hunting it. Arvens had not needed to even law a paw on the predator having spooked the animal away, but it would return, that was for certain now. He quickly hurried back to the scrape.

Campion1 · **Reply #31 on:** August 19, 2010, 09:07:19 AM

Rankin awoke when he felt a force pushed up against him very a brief period of time. He knew that could have only been from arvens, who from what he seen ran off almost as if to chase something. Rankin stumbled out of the hole, then stretched, then whispered angrily to arvens who had stopped what he was doing and was coming back to the scrape.

"I told you something would have happened, and what did you tell me? You told me that we would stick in that hole if any danger were to arrive, and when it did you worked against your own plan, and didn't even wake me as to what was going on. You're a real genius." Rankin angrily said. "Do me a favor next time something like this happens... PRACTICE COMMUNICATION." He emphasized in a small voice

Rankin was expecting some sort of angry response or command.

Petrie. · **Reply #32 on:** August 19, 2010, 09:14:27 AM

Arvens was not interested in hearing how he'd changed things on a moment's notice for now they really had to move or otherwise be prepared to fight elil, which he was not looking forward to.

"Look Rankin," he said airily, "save this discussion for another time. Unless you want to fight elil we need to move now. There was another rabbit that just breezed by here and I want to catch up with him. There is safety in numbers and one more would certainly help now that we have to travel by night and stay on our feet. I'm sorry this didn't work as planned but you have no choice but for that to happen when you're alone without a warren to live with. Now come and follow me or we will be fighting a weasel in no time."

Arvens took off in the direction he had seen the skittish rabbit go earlier, hoping he had not gone far and could be found again. If he made as much noise as he did when approaching before, he should not be too hard to find, thought Arvens momentarily, looking around as he hopped in and out of cover, seeking the rabbit.

Malte279 · **Reply #33 on:** August 19, 2010, 09:34:04 AM

The chase however was not to be a long one. Already after a short distance the wood came to a rather sudden end bordered by fenced in fields where the humans apparently kept their cattle though none of them was to be seen anywhere at this time.
The skittish rabbit had crossed a field and now seemed to be waiting at the other end below a pole of a barbed wire fence with a shallow drainage ditch behind it. It was a rather open spot offering little cover (while the rabbit stayed out of the ditch), but at the same time it was so surrounded by open ground that it would be impossible to approach without being seen and every direction was open for an escape rush while the fence offered some cover from any bird of prey diving out of the dark night sky.

Campion1 · **Reply #34 on:** August 19, 2010, 09:57:09 AM

Great, just great. Rankin thought.. Another idiot to add to the group. This is gonna make things even more complicated.

Rankin did mean to catch up with Arvens, but at a lagged pace on purpose. He knew that Arvens couldn't yell at him to hurry up without being loud, and the slower he was the less likely he would be able to help arvens with finding or rescuing this unnamed rabbit. If he was really lucky, they would find the rabbit prey to elil, but that was just a hope. He would also have to look out for arvens as well, because as far as he knows he may not have gotten much sleep at all. However, for the time being, rankin did not spot any elil yet...

Petrie. · **Reply #35 on:** August 19, 2010, 06:03:51 PM

Arvens looked this way and that for the strange rabbit but couldn't find him. He couldn't go much further for a large fence blocked the way, apparently the edge of some farmer's pasture. Well, the other rabbit couldn't have gotten far with this fence here, thought Arvens. He took a look back the way they came and saw that Rankin was nowhere to be found. Where had he gone? He was behind me, wasn't he? Did he decide to just bail and go his own way?

Arvens didn't feel like calling for Rankin, any extra noise could draw attention. Hopefully Rankin would be able to smell him and catch up. Focusing on the fence again, he tried to see if a rabbit could go through it but the metal wiring quickly caught the fur on his head and chin. Clearly no rabbit went through here. Sniffing the ground, he could faintly smell rabbit, so there was a chance he had passed this way recently. He didn't want to remain in the open either, and moved to the side near an oak. Here he would be reasonably hidden but yet would still be able to catch sight of Rankin should he wander by again.

Malte279 · **Reply #36 on:** August 19, 2010, 06:20:09 PM

"Here rabbit" a voice said suddenly. And while it was not exactly careless shouting the rabbit Arvens had seen in the wood didn't seem to be overly concerned about suppressing his voice anymore. Compared to his previous appearance he was looking oddly relaxed now standing at a fence pole just a few poles away from Arvens. But perhaps the appearance was deceiving for the rabbit still seemed to be ready to continue his flight if he should spot any danger. For the moment however his look was fixed on Arvens and he was looking a bit surprised.
"Er... what's with your ear?" he asked in a tone as if he and Arvens were old acquaintances somewhere deep in the safest tunnel of a burrow.

Petrie. · **Reply #37 on:** August 19, 2010, 06:26:38 PM

Arvens looked behind him and he saw the rabbit he had been chasing a few fence posts away. He hopped closer and this time the other rabbit did not bolt or leave him, but instead asked about the feather. Arvens responded quietly, "I came from another warren, and I was a captain in its Owsla. The feathers are a way of telling who is in charge from a distance. Its the only thing that still connects me with the warren and my position within it."

Malte279 · **Reply #38 on:** August 19, 2010, 06:37:17 PM

The other rabbit just nodded and there seemed to be a smile passing over his face, but it was difficult to tell if it was friendly or taunting.
While the rabbit did not bolt he did inconspicuously back away as Arvens approached seemingly intent to keep at least one fence pol distance. "How did you get birds to give their feathers?" He asked before Arvens could say anything else.

Campion1 · **Reply #39 on:** August 19, 2010, 07:01:52 PM

Rankin feared he had been too slow and may have lost track of arvens, but he saw a big fence ahead on an open field which would indicate that arvens would have to had stopped there. And, as clear as frith on a beautiful day, he saw that arvens had found the rabbit.

Darn. Rankin thought, with a defeated look on his face. Rankin went to go meet with the two, but didn't hurry in case of accidentally giving the impression of being chased.