Watership Down

Raptor · **Reply #140 on:** June 14, 2009, 10:21:23 AM

When Thistle came to the hill, he looked down. It seemed like a steep slope to the rabbit. Thistle knew that it could be dangerous heading down the hill, as it would be frighteningly easy for one of the rabbits to trip on the way down and fall.

"We'll have to move slower down the hill." Thistle called to the others. Walnut came up beside him a few moments later.

Walnut looked down the hill, and nervously hopped back.

Myrkin · **Reply #141 on:** June 14, 2009, 04:36:33 PM

"Watch out, kid!" Basil exclaimed as Walnut hopped back and bumped right into him.

In the mean time Neltita looked down the hill and asked:

"Couldn't we use another way? It might be a bit tricky to get down in the darkness..."

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #142 on:** June 14, 2009, 09:29:29 PM

In what little day light was left Mayberry looked over the edge of the hill and then back to the others, and she couldn't help but laugh as she spoke up.
"Oh please, you bucks act like kittens! Back in my old warren, we had several hills just like this, and here is how we dealt with them!"

Mayberry then took several steps back, and once she was sure she had a clear shot, she bounded forward and leaped over the crest of the hill and once she was close enough she pushed off the hill again with her hind paws, and rolled into a ball, or as best she could and rolled into the tall grass at the bottom of the hill.

"Ahhh...what fun that was!" she commented as she sat up and shook the loose dirt from her fur.

Raptor · **Reply #143 on:** June 14, 2009, 11:50:18 PM

Thistle was suprised by the spectacle, but tried not to let it show. "I'm afraid you don't understand. Perhaps you had hills in your warren, but ours was on much flatter ground. We've never had to make our way down a steep hill like this. I know I haven't."

Walnut hopped back to the edge of the hill and looked down again. Dispite Mayberry's carefree abandon in going down the hill, he didn't like the prospect any better.

Thistle looked back down the hill, then back at Walnut. "Walnut may get injured if he tried to go down like that. So could any of us."

He thought for a moment, and added "Though it is for the best you went down first. That way, you can keep watch from the foot of the hill."

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #144 on:** June 15, 2009, 02:58:49 PM

Mayberry sat at the bottom of the hill now waiting for the others to come down and she sighed. "Such kittens..." she said to herself as she continued to wait.

Raptor · **Reply #145 on:** June 15, 2009, 03:15:27 PM

Thistle started down first, followed closely by Walnut, who had no desire to be the last one to follow. It was slow progress, as every rabbit had to keep their footing.

Myrkin · **Reply #146 on:** June 15, 2009, 03:31:54 PM

"It doesn't look so dangerous. I will try it!" Basil exclaimed, before doing the same thing Mayberry did. Although his rolling wan't so perfect as doe's, but it was good enough. When he reached the bottom, he got up a bit clumsily.

"You were right. It is kind of fun." he said to Mayberry "However it makes my head dizzy a little." he added, scratching his ear with his hind leg. Then he watched as the others where slowly coming down.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #147 on:** June 15, 2009, 06:45:12 PM

Mayberry smiled at Basil's attempt.
"You did very well for a hare. I am indeed impressed, but I have to ask...a move like that could've hurt you, so why aside from the rush did you even try it?"

Raptor · **Reply #148 on:** June 16, 2009, 12:22:30 AM

Thistle was the first of the rabbits, other then Mayberry, to make it down.

"I'm not going to be in a hurry to go down any more hills after that." He said, turning to watch the other go down.

Walnut made it down second, only to trip with a small sound of dismay at the bottom, then got back up.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #149 on:** June 16, 2009, 12:48:09 AM

Mayberry hopped over to Walnut's side, and gently nudged him, as she said sternly but kindly. "Hey, come now stand up. I know that hill was easy for a buck like you."

Myrkin · **Reply #150 on:** June 16, 2009, 12:13:11 PM

Basil was going to answer Mayberry's question, but in this moment she hopped to Walnut, so he resigned. In the meantime both Thyme and Neltita finally got down.

Raptor · **Reply #151 on:** June 16, 2009, 12:21:13 PM

Walnut didn't say anything, but his expression showed that he was glad for the comforting words. After a pause, he said "Thanks."

'How things change. Just yesterday, she wanted to cuff him.' Thought Thistle, as he watched the scene.

As he watched the others come down, the impending need to cross the water ahead once again appeared in his mind. The more Thistle thought about it, the more questions he had. How large was this body of water? Was it fast? Slow? Was there anything dangerous nearby the water?

Thistle reminded himself that it was no use worrying about it now. But then, he remembered another impending danger.

Man's Warren.

What was that to be like? Thistle hadn't the slightest idea. As far as he knew, men only lived in farmhouses. Was this to be a massive farmhouse? With many men? That would surely be extremely dangerous.

Thistle decided to ask Neltita again, later, to see if she had seen anything. He hopped closer to the foot of the hill, to wait. When at last every rabbit made it down, he chose to wait for a moment, so they could all catch their breath.

After the pause, Thistle said "As soon as we find shelter, we can rest for the night. But we need to find it first." He turned, and continued onward. After a short moment, the others started to follow as well.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #152 on:** June 16, 2009, 09:29:39 PM

Mayberry turned to Thistle and looked nervous...she didn't want to admit it...but something about the upcoming river was starting to get to her. But at the mention of resting for the night Mayberry looked around and couldn't find anything suitable for a sleeping place.

Raptor · **Reply #153 on:** June 16, 2009, 09:39:00 PM

Thistle had hoped they wouldn't have to go very far to find a good place to rest, but there was no shelter in the immediate area.

Then, Thistle noticed an old, overturned wheelbarrow. He had no idea what it was, but it had a sizable portion that had been rusted away. It also seemed like it might be large enough to fit all of them.

Thistle hopped up to it, and sniffed it. He thumped, to get everyone's attention.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #154 on:** June 16, 2009, 11:17:47 PM

Mayberry looked up at Thistle thumped his foot and she hopped over slowly. "what is it Thistle-rah?" she asked as she noticed what he was standing on.

Raptor · **Reply #155 on:** June 16, 2009, 11:26:48 PM

"I'm not entirely sure. But we can get inside of it, there's room, and it's sheltered." Thistle said, hopping off the top and sitting by the rusted out hole.

"We're far enough away from the farm that this should be safe. Perfect place to rest." Thistle continued.

Walnut hopped over, his exhaustion overriding his cautious nature. He entered to overturned wheelbarrow and lay down without a second thought.

Myrkin · **Reply #156 on:** June 17, 2009, 01:06:14 PM

Thyme, Neltita and Basil entered the wheelbarrow as well and once inside, they lay down...

"Do you want me to take guard duty, while the rest is asleep, Thistle?" Hare asked the rabbit leader "Despite our little journey I am still rested."

Raptor · **Reply #157 on:** June 17, 2009, 01:11:51 PM

"Yes. I don't think the man will come out this far, but there's always other elil." Said Thistle, as he hopped into the shelter of the wheelbarrow. The cumilated fear from crossing the road, passing the farm, and the snare had worn him out. Once he lay down, Thistle went to sleep almost instantly.

The Great Valley Guardian · **Reply #158 on:** June 17, 2009, 08:26:55 PM

Mayberry scoffed at Basil.
"Please, let a former Owsla captain handle guard duty! I am more than capable!"

Myrkin · **Reply #159 on:** June 18, 2009, 07:24:55 AM

"So am I. Remember, I am hare and unlike rabbits we live most of the time outside of any burrow and alone. I suppose that counts as much as Owsla training does." Basil said, trying not to sound like he was arguing.

"Of course." he added "Two pairs of eyes and ears will be better than one, so we could do sentry duty together. What you say, Mayberry?" he smiled politely.