"A New Journey" (based on Watership Down)

Malte279 · **Reply #240 on:** February 20, 2011, 09:47:47 PM

Cinankhen got to his feet glancing around nervoulsy almost as if he had been caught at some mischief he didn's say anything.

Myrkin · **Reply #241 on:** February 21, 2011, 06:42:39 PM

"Good," Arvens said, seeing that everybody was ready to go again "Let's move. Cinankhen, Thyme - you lead the way. I and Mayberry will guard the rear." That way Rankin would be in the middle and if the weasel attacks him again, all rabbits will be able to jump to his help immediately. Thyme nodded and started moving in direction they had been hopping before the attack.

Malte279 · **Reply #242 on:** February 22, 2011, 07:34:50 AM

Cinankhen just did as Arvens had told without having acknowledged his words by any response, or nod or any gesture whatsoever. As he hopped along he was conspicuously silent keeping a headstart of everyone but sometimes casting a look back and it was difficult to decide whether it was the look of one trying to ensure that the others were keeping up or the look of a chased one looking for pursuers.

Campion1 · **Reply #243 on:** February 22, 2011, 11:02:32 AM

"Damn it, I can tell they want to leave" Rankin thought

However, he could only trek slowly. He made sure to never put any pressure on his wounded paw as they slowly moved, attempting to keep his balance on the other three, but this was very difficult since it was his hind leg. Every once in a while he would accidentally trip and and fill it with pain, but it would only last for a few seconds. "This time..." he thought, "That weasel isn't going to have the element of surprise.."

but the thought their stalker bringing back up still loomed in his mind... and if that happened, there would be a good chance that Arvens group would be forced to flee. It all depended on the number however, he thought... if he only brought one friend, then he would aim for that weasel, this time strike to kill... Or maim.

Myrkin · **Reply #244 on:** February 22, 2011, 12:05:38 PM

Arvens looked after Rankin, before moving. He hoped that the weasel had given up on trying to hunt them or that they will find some safe place soon. Rankin's leg looked like it could use some rest and healing...

---

Weasel decided he had enough rest and it was time to return to following that group of rabbits. Maybe they will be more alert this time, but he needed only one chance while they needed to keep caution all the time...

---

Thyme was running slowly, watching around in case the predator decided to attack them again. For now everything seemed perfectly fine. Birds were singing and one could hear all normal sounds of the forest. However, that could change every moment...

"You've been travelling for long time now, right?" Thyme asked Cinankhen, as he needed to talk somebody or his nerves would start getting to him "Do you have much experience with weasels?"

Malte279 · **Reply #245 on:** February 22, 2011, 06:38:18 PM

Cinankhen looked at Thyme and nodded while shaking his head at the same time so that for a moment it looked as if he was about to enter another of that strange moments he had shown before.
"I have been travelling for long now. About as long as I remember I think. But as for weasles I have seen few and from afar. Never tried to get any closer. But I heard many talk of them who have been in the... position of taking closer looks."
Cinankhen cast a hasty look in every direction without slowing down. All the while he maintained some distance between himself and Thyme but he didn't seem to wish to avoid any talk. His voice was one of genuine interest when he asked: "What about you?" He hesitated for a moment before he continued with some compassion in his voice: "Neltita told what befell your warren. Had it been your home all your life till now?"

Myrkin · **Reply #246 on:** February 23, 2011, 09:23:13 AM

Thyme winced at the memory that question brought. The memory of disease and death. It wasn't pleasant topic to talk about, to say the least, but he didn't refrain from answering Cinankhen's question.

"Yes. I was born there and I had never left the warren till the White Blindness broke out. Since Neltita told you about it, you know that she had seen that happening before it actually happened. Aside from me and her, there were a few other survivors and after escaping from the warren..." at that moment he lowered his voice "...they all started blaming her for bringing the disease. They called her 'bad luck', 'doombringer', 'cursed' and other names. What a band of fools! Before that tragedy none of them listened to her warnings and after that they accused her of causing it. They wanted her to leave the group and so we did."

Malte279 · **Reply #247 on:** February 23, 2011, 11:38:02 AM

Cinankhen nodded looking not like any of this was new to him. "Yes, they sure didn't treat her well back there."
After a few moments had passed he hastilly added: "I mean they wouldn't. Most don't like warners, least of all those who could do something about it."

Myrkin · **Reply #248 on:** February 23, 2011, 05:24:08 PM

Thyme looked at other buck curiously. What a strange choice of words that was, as if he had seen it happening. Cinankhen corrected himself too hastilly for Thyme to believe that that was what he originally meant. Then gray buck remembered the incident in the ditch.

"When you bumped into Neltita earlier, you've said a few strange things. Something about burrows, black doe and blindness," Thyme said Cinankhen "What exactly did you see back then?"

Malte279 · **Reply #249 on:** February 23, 2011, 06:42:20 PM

"Huh?" Cinankhen said. "You were there. You have eyes. You saw what I saw, wouldn't you?"

Myrkin · **Reply #250 on:** February 24, 2011, 10:43:08 AM

"What I meant by that question was, what made you act like that? Most rabbits I know, when they bump into someone else, they usually say: sorry, I didn't see you there. You, however, started trembling and behaving like you were sick and then you screamed: It's not your burrow. And then you said a few other words that didn't seem connected to each other." Thyme described the events from the ditch "I saw Neltita behaving in similar manner once or twice when she had one of those 'Seer times', so to speak."

Malte279 · **Reply #251 on:** February 24, 2011, 05:20:19 PM

"Nothing", said Cinankhen. He suddenly seemed to pay a lot of attention to screening the surrounding landscape for any sign of possible danger.

Myrkin · **Reply #252 on:** February 24, 2011, 05:31:31 PM

Thyme glanced at Cinankhen doubtfully, but didn't say anything and instead started watching around as the other buck did. If Cinankhen really hadn't seen anything before, then ther was no point in asking him about it. If he had seen something, but didn't want to talk about it, then it was better to let him be.

---

Whitetail was following the trail rabbits had left. Now, that he had injured one of them, he didn't have to hurry up.

Campion1 · **Reply #253 on:** February 24, 2011, 08:08:16 PM

As Rankin continued his stressful hopping, the the pain grew worse as time went on... He looked back to Arvens and asked

"I don't think I'll be able to keep on doing this... I'll have to rest soon. Where are we gonna stop, Arvens?" Rankin looked around

Myrkin · **Reply #254 on:** February 24, 2011, 08:34:25 PM

Arvens looked at Rankin with concern. It seemed that his paw-injury was worse than they thought earlier. The weather was getting worse, in addition, as rabbits could hear the sounds of coming rain. They obviously need to find some shelter, but where? All they could see was trees, trees... And a single mouse searching for something on the ground. Having no other idea, Arvens walked slowly to mouse, as to not scare it and asked:

"Excuse me. We need a hiding place. Could you tell us where to find one?"

The mouse stared at him for a moment or two, like she was deciding if she should answer to that question. Finally, she said pointing with her little paw the direction they should take:

"There. You can find a safe place there. In the ruins." she explained, then added "I live there."

Campion1 · **Reply #255 on:** February 26, 2011, 01:48:13 PM

After the mouse had spoke, the rain began to pad the grass softly and wet the group's fur.

"Let us get there quickly, then..." Rankin muttered, turning to where the mouse pointed...

Myrkin · **Reply #256 on:** February 26, 2011, 05:11:16 PM

One drop of cold rain fell on mouse's muzzle. She trembled. She wished that she had knew as much about the weather as her mother. Maybe then she wouldn't had caught in the rain so far from hiding place.

"Come with me, if you don't want to get wet!" mouse cried before she run towards her home.

"Alright. Let's go!" Arvens said and the group followed the mouse...

Malte279 · **Reply #257 on:** February 26, 2011, 05:34:32 PM

Cinankhen run forward to the head of the line, but it was apparently not so much any intention to keep up the previous order but rather an apparent interest in their new found leader. Running on the side of the mouse on which his body offered the greatest possible shield from the rain for the mouse (which wasn't much since for lack of wind the rain fell mostly vertically) he seemed to engage in conversation with the mouse though both the mouse's and Cinankhen's voice were too quiet to be overheard by the others over the splashing of the ever increasing downpour of rain.

Myrkin · **Reply #258 on:** February 26, 2011, 07:18:35 PM

"It's an old stone building," mouse answered one of Cinankhen's questions "Men built it long before my mother's mother was born."

She spoke no more, as she was running as fast as she could to get out of the rain. After a minute of running, they saw ruins amongst the trees. It was an old chapel.

"There it is! Home" mouse exclaimed joyfully.

Malte279 · **Reply #259 on:** February 27, 2011, 06:29:13 AM

Cinankhen looked fascinated at the building with the tower that had caved in on one side. For some moments he seemed to forget even the rain dazzled at the prospect of being able to explore this building from the inside. At this moment the flash of a lightning and the roling thunder just a few seconds later brought him back to reality. He cast a short look to see if everyone was there and made a movement with his head that was probably meant to ask whether everyone was okay with entering this building while at the same time he wasn't even trying to dissemble his own eagerness to go there perhaps even in case anyone else did not.