Watership Down

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #20 on:** May 09, 2009, 07:50:40 PM

Mayberry blinked as she opened her eyes and sighed. She'd wanted to Silflay earlier than this, but with her being so tired she wasn't surprised that she'd slept so late. Mayberry then sat up, and simply out of instinct stomped her foot on the ground several times to make sure everyone was awake.
"Come along now! Everyone up! I won't be responsible for those left behind after we silflay...now rise with Frith or I'll kick you awake!"

Raptor · **Reply #21 on:** May 10, 2009, 02:05:12 AM

Thistle had blinked awake when Neltita nudged him, but had now fully risen to his feet by the time Mayberry woke up and started shouting. He hopped over to the doe, and said, hastily, "What are you doing?! You'll-"

There was a loud, piercing cracking sound. Any rabbits that had not been awakened by Mayberry's shouting and stamping stood up and froze.

The crack was from a man's gun.

And it was very, very close.

The whites of his eyes showing, Thistle looked around to the others. His ears were flat against the back of his neck, but soon raised again, listening a sign of just how close the man was.

Walnut, who had been awakened by Mayberry's shouts, whimpered "What... what's a man doing out here.. it's still raining..."

Thistle shushed him, and then whispered "I'm trying to listen..."

The scent was hard to discern due to the drizzle. But Thistle heard a rustling as the man moved through the nearby brush.

"We can't stay here." He whispered. "I think he's still far enough off that we should be able to get away."

Myrkin · **Reply #22 on:** May 10, 2009, 11:48:38 AM

"Agreed. We have to reach that tree line over there." Neltita said pointing to the edge of the forest that was several leaps from a bush they were hiding in. There was a chance that human might spot them, while they will be running through the clearing though.

"Can't we just wait here for man to go away?" Thyme asked "It looks like he doesn't have a dog with him and he can't smell us so... so... aaa" rabbit was about to sneeze, but luckily Neltita lied down her paw on his nose, stopping him from making any loud sound.

"He can still hear us, Thyme, and he can still see us if he will come close enough." she said quietly "Are we going now, Thistle?" she asked the other rabbit.

Raptor · **Reply #23 on:** May 10, 2009, 12:46:36 PM

Thistle seemed a little distracted for a second, perhaps with panic, but then looked to the nearby treeline. "Yes, we have to go now or else he might get too close."

Thistle looked around to the other rabbits. Most of them seemed ready to run. Thistle was a bit worried about Thyme, however.

"Thyme, you get in the middle. Walnut, you too. Hurry!" Thistle whispered hastily. If the rabbits were towards the middle of the group, it would be harder for them to get left behind.

As the rabbits did so, Thistle looked out to the clearing, and to the woods beyond. As soon as they were ready, Thistle bolted towards the woods, with the others following. Thistle's mind was set on one, sole objective: Make it across.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #24 on:** May 10, 2009, 02:24:42 PM

Mayberry heard the shot as well and didn't move...even after the other rabbits had begun to move away. She stared at where the sound of the shot had come from simply too scared to move as her fur stood on end and she slowly began to back away still far too afraid to think straight. It took Mayberry a few moments to realize she was now alone...again and had no way of catching up to the other rabbits without being seen by man.

Myrkin · **Reply #25 on:** May 10, 2009, 05:58:44 PM

Rabbits reached the other side of the clearing without being seen by a man, but there was one problem, wich became evident to Neltita only when they entered the forest...

"Umm... Thistle? It looks like we have lost one of us along the way. That doe is not here." she said "She must have stayed in that bush."

"Wasn't she the one saying that she 'wont be responsible for those left behind'?" Thyme asked with obvious sarcasm. "I wonder if she expect us to go back for her or she will understand if we leave her?" Neltita frowned at him:

"It is not time for holding a grudge, Thyme. We will survive only when we will be working together. We have to help her. There is no other way." she stated firlmly.

"I guess you are right, Nel." Thyme said, sighing "I only hope she will appreciate your concern for her."

Raptor · **Reply #26 on:** May 10, 2009, 09:11:18 PM

Thistle took a deep breath. "I might not like her... but I'm not going to let her get shot." He hopped back towards the edge of the forest. The scent of man had only gotten stronger since they had bolted.

"Neltita, take the others to that tree. The hole nearby should cover you." He said, looking back to the others. "Stay covered regardless of what happens."

Thistle looked ou, and bolted out of the forest.

There were two men. One of them saw him.

"There's a rabbit there! Don, you still got a shot left?"

"Yeah, one left!"

The man took aim, and raised the gun.

Thistle hadn't known they had been that close.

The gun fired.

Thistle's eyes closed....

... and he kept running.

"You missed? How'd ya miss?"

"Oh, shut up."

"Whatever. We already got those pheasants."

Thistle made it the the brush, where Mayberry was still cowering.

"Come on!" He went around and pushed her, thinking the whole time that the doe better be grateful.

She wouldn't move, so Thistle pushed harder. He didn't know what the men would do, but they seemed to be leaving. But he couldn't quite tell, and was going to take no chances.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #27 on:** May 10, 2009, 10:44:52 PM

After hearing the second gun shot and feeling Thistle attempting to push her out of the bush, she shook her head and bolted from her surroundings and literally bolted for the forest where she assumed the others were and as she did, the smell of man was stronger than before, meaning they were closer...and this only forced her to run faster putting more and more effort into each push of her legs.

She was then so worried about getting away that she in fact ran head first into a tree and rolled onto her back.
"Ow..." she muttered while on her back, she looked up to face Thistle and she frowned, however as she spoke her voice held a hint of respect and admiration. "Thank you....Thistle."

Raptor · **Reply #28 on:** May 11, 2009, 03:03:12 PM

Thistle didn't speak. In fact, it was evident to anyone that he was rather delirious from the escape. Thistle had felt the rush of air from the bullet's passing as it skimmed just above the fur on the back of his neck, a little behind his ears. His eyes were wide with a sort of half euphoria, half terror.

Finally, he spoke. "You're... you're welcome..." As the men rustled off, Thistle started to snap out of it.

"Frithrah!" He exclaimed, now fully realizing what he had managed to do.

Myrkin · **Reply #29 on:** May 11, 2009, 04:36:44 PM

Neltita, Thyme and other rabbits were waiting in the hole, like they were told. Hearing another shot surely didn't make them calmer, but they were still safe though.

"Do you see any of them?" Thyme asked eagerly. As everybody else he wanted to go away from this place, but they had to stay there till Mayberry and Thistle will return.

"No and I don't see a man either. I have a feeling they are safe though." Neltita answered quietly.

"This is a shame you didn't have the feeling that man is coming. It would safe us a lot of trouble." Thyme stated, rubbing his nose with his paw. When he glanced again at a doe he noticed that she became visibly sad and hurt, probably by his words.

"Oh... I am sorry, Neltita. I did not want it to sound like this, you know that?" he said, nuzzling her neck. She was one of his few friends and he didn't intend to worsen her mood.

"It is not that. Well... Maybe it is, partially... I've just thought that if I was more resolute with warning Chief Rabbit, there would be more survivors." she said gloomily "Rather than keep trying to convince him and others about this threat, I just kept silent and did nothing untill it was too late for doing anything else than leaving the warren."

"You couldn't do more than you did. After you warned him it was up to him to decide what to do and he chose not ro listen to you." Thyme said, trying to reasure her "I hate to remember that I did the same and only by luck I wasn't one of those who had caught the White Blindness. However, none of those thing that happened was your fault."

"Yeah... Right." she answered after a long moment of silence, not entairly convinced by Thyme's words.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #30 on:** May 11, 2009, 05:33:01 PM

Mayberry then turned and stood up on her hind legs and could no longer hear the men, and she gave a sigh of relief that she didn't notice she was holding. She then turned to Thistle and asked, "Where are the others? Are they safe....and how by Frith did you avoid being shot by man?! That must've been frightening for you!"

Raptor · **Reply #31 on:** May 11, 2009, 06:49:20 PM

Thistle's eyes were still wide, but he seemed to calm down. "The gun... it missed." He shuddered, and his demeanor went back to normal. "The others are behind that tree. There's a hole in the roots that was large enough to keep them safe." Thistle said, going up on his hind legs and looking to the tree.

He went back on all fours and hopped around behind the tree.

"It's safe. The men left." He decided not to mention how close he had come to the Black Rabbit. "But I don't want to risk staying here."

One of the others spoke up. "Here now, some of us need to silflay!"

Thistle shot him a look. "We can silflay once we're beyond these woods. The men might come back, we can't stay here."

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #32 on:** May 11, 2009, 07:29:00 PM

Almost immediately Mayberry curbed her initial wave of fear and resumed her natural hard attitude. "Here now! All of you up and out of the tree, Silflay can wait and you know it...now come along!" said commented as she stepped up next to Thistle with a frown on her face.

Raptor · **Reply #33 on:** May 11, 2009, 09:08:41 PM

Walnut spoke up. "Thistle?" He questioned, his voice trembling with fear, yet happiness. "I thought you'd been shot!"

"I'm fine, Walnut." Thistle said to the little rabbit. But he looked back up to the others. The rain seemed to have finally stopped.

"We need to get out of here more then ever, now." He said, nervousness entering into his voice. He realized that he'd never been in a forest this long, or even this deep. It frightened him, but Thistle was determined not to let it show.

Myrkin · **Reply #34 on:** May 12, 2009, 01:08:29 PM

Thyme whispered to other rabbits, standing in the hole "I just love how she gives us orders all the time. I am starting to wonder if she is not descendant of our last rah. It would explain her being so bossy." Neltita could hear that, but she told nothing about it. Instead she asked Thistle:

"Should we send a scout first? I am pretty fast, so I could be back here soon after I will check if the way through this forest is clear."

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #35 on:** May 12, 2009, 03:13:34 PM

Mayberry nodded as she heard Neltita's request.
"Yes, that sounds wise, but are you sure you're the fastest? If you then I say go for it, but if not, then send someone else!" She then turned her attention to Thistle. "I say once we send the scout we should all move to the edge of the forest so we can get clear of it immediately should our way be clear. If not, someone will have to be..." She hesitated for a moment before she spoke again. "...sacrificed to make our escape. And that is all there is too it!"

Raptor · **Reply #36 on:** May 12, 2009, 03:21:47 PM

Thistle didn't like they way Mayberry spoke about someone being sacrificed to get away, but he ignored it.

"Neltita, you go ahead and scout out the forest ahead." He turned to the others.

"After Neltita returns, we can find out for sure if it's safe to move on. Then we can silflay."

The rabbit who had spoken up about waiting before groaned. Thistle didn't seem to take notice, although it was slightly irritating. He pricked his ears up one more time, to make sure the men gone. They were.

"Alright. Neltita, move up."

Myrkin · **Reply #37 on:** May 12, 2009, 06:41:08 PM

Doe just nodded to Thistle, starting to run silently through the forest. From time to time she stopped for the moment to look around her, before she resumed her scouting. After awhile she heard a weird sound coming from a distance ahead. It was strange, because Neltita coul not recognize what thing was making that sound, although she had felt that she heard it before. Especially when it seemed to fade after a second and then resound again, with irregular periods of silence between each time of noise. She listened to this, when suddenly she heard another sound, a rustle behind her. Neltita turned around to see a hare coming to her. He stopped a leap from her and they observed each other without saying a word. Finally, the silence was broken by hare:

"You are rabbit doe, not hare." he said with a slight tone of disappointment "What you are doing here alone?" he asked, tilting his head in display of curiosity. The hare was brown-fured and like all of his kind he looked as a strong and fast creature.

Neltita thought about the answer for only a moment. Being honest would not cause any harm probably and this hare could have a value informations about the surroundings.

"I was send to scout the way for others, to make sure it is safe to go through this forest." After saying that she asked "Do you know what lies there?" she pointed in direction of the source of noises she was still hearing.

"You know... When I saw you running that fast, I thought you might be another hare... It is shame you are not. I've not seen any hare in this forest for many moons." he said giving her a somber look. "Answering your question: there is a... what you call it? Hrududu? Yes, that is it. There is a hrududu's trail there. You can cross it without a trouble, if you do it quickly. After that, you will be going though the woods for a days, before you will reach the other edge."

"Do you know well this forest?" Neltita asked, to which hare simply nodded. Then, acting on impulse she asked:

"Maybe you could help us go through it?" This question really surprised the hare and he just stand there speechless. Neltita used that silence to explain her idea "If you know well this area, then you would make a perfect guide for us and I am sure that in the place we are going to there are other hares living, so you wouldnt be alone anymore."

"How can you know that?" hare asked doubtfully.

"I have a feeling." she answered.

"A feeling. You mean the 'I had a vision about it' kind of feeling?" he asked.

"Well... Yes." after that answer there was again a silence between this two. The hare was obviously thinking about doe's proposition, but she couldn't tell if he was going to agree for it or not. Finally he spoke:

"I dont know if you have a real feeling or not, but I will have better chance finding a mate by moving out here than staying. I will join you." he stated firmly "And by the way... My name is... Well... I dont think you know how to speak hare language, so you may call me... Basil."

"Alright, Basil. I am Neltita. It is nice to meet you." she said.

"It would be a lot more nice, if you were a hare." he said, but this time he didnt sound sad, but it seemed more like as he was joking. "Where is your companions?" he asked.

"Follow me." Neltita said, going back the way she came...

Raptor · **Reply #38 on:** May 12, 2009, 06:55:39 PM

Thistle was getting a bit worried. It seemed like it was taking a bit too long.. Had he just sent Neltita to her death?

Walnut was even more worried. "Thistle, what if one of the Thousand found her?!" He said, his voice shuddering with nervousness. "I can't bear to think-"

Just then, Neltita came into view. Trailing her, was a large Hare.

"Neltita, what did you-is that a hare?"

The other rabbits hopped over to see what had happened. Indeed, Neltita had brought a large hare with her.

Thistle hopped closer, his nose twitching, to get a better look. "Hello?" He asked the hare. "Did Neltita ask you to follow her? Do you have information about the forest?"

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #39 on:** May 12, 2009, 07:14:47 PM

Mayberry was hopping around in circles trying to keep calm, but when she heard something she turned and almost immediately had her claws bared and ready for a fight as she hopped forward and growled, not sure what to expect but ready for anything that might attack. "If you are Elil show yourself and you may not die!" she said aloud still looking around the forest.