Watership Down - Blueberry's Tale, Chapter 7

By Skipai (c) 2009-Present

Chapter 7 - Danger disguised in beauty.

Authors Note: This is a clean fanfiction story written in the Watership Down universe. There are some scenes of natural violence, ie. predators hunting prey. Watership Down is copyrighted to Richard Adams. All world, references etc is copyrighted to Richard Adams.

This story was written during Nanowrimo 2005 and comprises of twenty chapters, however for the time being I'm only uploading the first chapter to see whether or not there is any interest for a clean fanfiction story posted on here by readers and of course this will be quite different to my usual written works on here.

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Blueberry and Hawk got back to the other rabbits that were sitting or lying down miserable as Captain Bracken looked at them for a moment. "Please tell me you have good news." He saw both of the nod as he quickly followed another question. "Then tell me what you have found?"

Blueberry replied back to him. "We found a field that is two fields from here that has long fresh grass, flowers that runs down to a river. We haven't checked it properly but there wasn't any scent of elil in the air. We could rest up there for the time being."

Getting up he looked at Hawk. "Is this true, you both found a perfect place for us to stay at?" Hawk nodded his head back. "It's true sir, we found a perfect place, you have to come now to see it. We can rest there than in this forsaken place."

Having heard quite enough, Captain Bracken gave the order for the group to get up and follow both Blueberry and Hawk to the place that they have found. The does were keeping quiet, wanting to get to the field so that they could eat. It wasn't until they reached the first hedge that Daisy began to fall behind.

Captain Bracken turned to face her and spoke. "Daisy, will you come on and stop holding us back, you don't want to be left behind do you?" Daisy just moaned and began to wobble a bit before slowly she just laid down on the grass and cringed. "I can't go on, I have a pain in my stomach that won't go away." Both Blueberry and Hawk looked on in horror as they saw Daisy there and then just began to twitch and twist until she closed her eyes.

Captain Bracken moved towards her and gently prodded her. "Daisy, you okay?" He tried to prod her again to make her move but he didn't get anything at all. "What in Frith's name..?" He looked down at the ground where the grass was and turned his head to where Blueberry and Hawk was. "You didn't actually eat any of that did you?" He saw them both shake their heads as they replied. "No, it tasted bad, didn't even chewed it."

Nodding his head, Captain Bracken waited as everyone bowed their head to say their goodbyes to Daisy and then moved on quickly. Captain Bracken didn't want to spend another moment in that field and he wanted to get Blueberry and Hawk to the river so that they could wash their mouths out just in case they too went ill.

The rest of the journey went okay and without any further incident as they reached the hedge that would take them into the field that both Blueberry and Hawk had found a while back. Slowly passing through the hedge, all of the rabbits stopped and looked about before running about in the long grass as Blueberry smiled. "You think they check for any signs of elil wouldn't you?" Captain Bracken passed him at that moment and muttered. "They're not owsla, they wouldn't know. Anyways, you two get down to the river and make sure you dunk your heads into it so that it can clean your mouths off. Then drink your fill. And please, no buts either on the matter."

Nodding, both of them headed down to the river as Carbi watched them and followed them down as well from behind. Blueberry sighed but he nodded his head after a moment's thought. "Actually, from all that running and the smoke, I be happy to get rid of that nasty taste in my throat."

Hawk nodded his head. "I know, that smoke really does make your throat taste horrible afterwards, at least we're not coughing anymore though, really lucky to have gotten out to be honest."

Blueberry thought for a moment as he looked down at the moving water in front of him. "I don't even want to think about it and I wasn't even down there. I am not jealous of you having that memory, Hawk." Blueberry bent down and dunked his head right into the water, feeling it move into his ears as his hearing went funny. Opening his mouth, he let the cold running water flow through it as he felt the bad taste of the smoke wash away. Eventually he slowly began to drink before pulling his head out of the water.

Hawk nearly laughed as he saw Blueberry sit down as he began to move his head to the side before attacking it with his hide paw to get the water to come out of them. "You look so funny there, Blueberry." Blueberry just blinked questionably at Hawk. "Pardon? What was that?"

Hawk didn't say anything but did the exact same as what Blueberry did the moment before as he dunked his head into the cold water as well. Blueberry swallowed as he heard his ears go pop as the normal sound came back as water trickled out and went down the side of his head like the rest of the water on his fur. It was then that he heard something behind him and he jumped around to see Carbi sitting there. "Carbi!" He shouted. "Frith save me, you scared me nearly to death there."

Carbi didn't say anything at first but then he nodded his head as he saw Hawk lift his head up from the river and then spoke. "I am sorry, Blueberry. I needed to talk to you two alone since everyone else is just prepared to eat grass or the flowers right now."

Blueberry nudged Hawk as he turned to look at him and saw Carbi as well before doing the exact same to his own ears, scratching them with his large rear paws. Blueberry nodded. "Okay, Carbi. What was it that you wanted to talk about then?"

Carbi looked a bit uncertain for a moment and moved a front paw about on the ground. "Well, I was awake last night and heard you and Hawk talking." He looked back up after his head was staring down at the ground. "Tell me it isn't true about Captain Sando and Bracken-Rah."

Blueberry sighed as he hopped towards Carbi and looked him into the eyes. "You didn't tell anyone about what me and Hawk were discussing about last night, did you?" The sound of Hawk scratching at his ears could still be heard with him muttering as Carbi replied back. "Of course I didn't say anything to anyone else. That would send most if not all of the does into panic. But Blueberry, our chief can't have stopped running, what are we going to do?"

"Listen to me," Blueberry said urgently to Carbi. "I want you to do this and do this well. You're to keep this news from the other rabbits that aren't in the owsla for the time being. Not until we are safe at any rate. But this is what you can do, keep telling stories to keep everyone's hearts up, we need it right now. Understand?"

He saw Carbi nod as he turned to go, hopped off a few places and then turned back again. "I won't let you down, Blueberry." With that he was heading back to the others further up the hill.

Hawk had eventually cleared out his ears as he hopped over to where Blueberry was. "So, what did hyper Carbi want then?" He looked at Carbi running back to where the others were as he turned to face Blueberry for his answer.

Blueberry replied back to the question. "He was awake at the time when we were discussing about Captain Sando and Bracken-Rah, he knows what has happened or what we think has happened to Captain Sando at least."

Hawk blinked as he frowned. "He was pretending to be asleep; well I will have to have words with that young buck." He made to head off but Blueberry hopped into his way. "Leave it Hawk, he isn't going to say a word about it and I don't think he will say anything about it either. Let me keep an eye on him but I do trust him."

Hawk muttered. "Well, you know best on how to deal with him but as for me, he's a bit over active and probably say it out loud. You best inform Captain Bracken about it." Without saying anything else, Hawk hopped off leaving Blueberry to watch for a few moments and slowly he followed.

Finding Captain Bracken silflaying, Blueberry came up to him and coughed. "Sir, Carbi knows about what has happened back at our old warren." He looked about and turned his head back to the Captain again. "He said he wouldn't say anything to the does but would keep them in high spirits by telling them uplifting stories."

Captain Bracken sighed as he replied back to Blueberry. "Well, it was to be expected, maybe it would be best if we told them after all, they'll find out eventually, as for the other thing." Blueberry went to say something but Captain Bracken got up and held up a paw. "No, I have to say this, so please let me?"

Blueberry closed his mouth and nodded his head back as he listened to Captain Bracken talk. "I haven't been myself today, what with losing my head with a few rabbits here and there. I just wanted an easy life but that seems that wasn't to be so I have to put myself back in charge again or that someone else will have to be placed in charge. I am sorry." He got up and called out. "Right, everyone to gather round, it's time for a meeting."

Slowly, most of the rabbits got around as he looked about. "Okay, there's two does missing, do you know where they are?" He looked about and spotted them by the edge of the river and nodded his head. "Ah, they're just taking a drink. Anyways," Captain Bracken said. "I'd like to apologise for shouting my head off today. I know everyone Is scared and confused about what has happened. But we have to move on."

Most of the rabbits didn't respond but Captain Bracken carried on. "I was thinking on not saying this but I have to tell you right now about what I do know." He paused for a second and carried on. "Copse Warren is no more, there is nothing we can do about it as man had decided that they didn't want it anymore. We have lost a lot of friends, family during this time but we've also lost our chief rabbit."

A few of the does, squealed in despair as one of them cried out. "What are we going to do, we need a leader." Captain Bracken looked about again. "So who are we going to pick for the new leader and new Captain of owsla, this is something that everyone will have to think and discuss about."

Blueberry spoke up. "Sir, may I suggest that you become our new chief rabbit while Hawk becomes your new Captain." He looked about and carried on speaking. "Mainly as you have most experience than anyone else and that Hawk has been in the owsla longer than any of us." He coughed slightly and looked away a bit. "That and we trust your judgements."

Hawk blinked as he looked at Captain Bracken who was in thought. Looking about he spoke again. "Well, you heard one rabbit's point of view on it, does anyone else think anyone else would be suitable for the tasks we have to face?" Seeing no one speak back for a short while, a young buck, named Balm spoke out. "I can't think of no one else, Bracken-Rah, sir."

Captain Bracken smiled as he looked at Balm and then to the others as they all agreed to Blueberry's decision and it was made final. Bracken was accepted as the new chief rabbit and Hawk was promoted up to being the leader of the owsla. Bracken-Rah coughed as he spoke out. "Well, first thing first, we stay here for a few days and if nothing else shows up, we will set our warren here by the river." He turned around to Captain Hawk. "Arrange a place for us to set out some scrapes before nightfall."

Captain Hawk nodded and turned around to Blueberry and Balm. "You two come with me." He looked at the does who knew what was coming next. "When we have found a place, we like you to dig out the scrapes for us." Seeing them nod their heads, the three bucks went off to find a suitable place.

Hawk turned to face Blueberry and spoke to him. "Why on earth did you put me into the position?" Blueberry replied back. "Oh come on, you're the most knowledgeable rabbit for the position, it's not like I can become a Captain of owsla yet."

Balm coughed. "You could of, it's not like you haven't proven that you have learnt pretty much anything anyways." He muttered under his breath. "You did much better than me or anyone else at the time in training."

Hawk replied back. "He does have a point, besides you did manage to trick to get onto the farm raid faster than anyone else?" Blueberry frowned. "It wasn't a trick, I just played well at bobstones that's all."

Hawk chuckled right back at that one. "Yeah, of course, well since that is the case then I will have to play you a bit later on then to see if you really are the true master of the game." He saw Blueberry look away for a moment and he grinned. "Thought so but anyways, thanks again for putting your faith in me."

Getting back ot the main task of things, the three bucks found a good place to stay by a berry bush that was situated by the only tree in the field. Blueberry went and sniffed the bush before shaking his head as he looked at Balm who was looking a bit too closely. "Leave the berries, they don't smell right. Go get the does and bring them here so that they can start making the scrapes."

Nodding his head, Balm ran off leaving just Blueberry and Hawk at the bush. Hawk smiled as he spoke. "You know, for someone who doesn't know what he's doing, you sure do like speak like a Captain."

"Oh shut up." Blueberry said as he ducked a swipe of Hawk's paw as he quickly added on. "Sorry sir, but right now I feel I be best for this group as I am at the moment." Flopping over onto his side to escape anything else from Captain Hawk wanted to try t do and he sighed. "You think we be able to stay here now, it be nice not to have to move that much, less danger being out in the open."

Captain Hawk watched as Balm was bringing back the does over to them as he replied. "I haven't a clue but Bracken-Rah is hoping that we can stay here, if nothing much happens from man in the next field."

Blueberry nodded as he hopped out and nodded to Balm who began to show the does on where to put the scrapes as he turned to watch them as Hawk joined him and Balm eventually. "Yeah," Blueberry replied back. "But we haven't exactly gone that far so what if man around here are still mad with us?"

Balm sighed. "You know, you worry too much." He hopped off to keep an eye on the does as Hawk shrugged slightly himself. "He'll learn, but you keep with the thoughts there. You may have a point but we know soon I suppose."

Frith had gone down by the time the scrapes were dug, the does were fast asleep as Bracken-Rah insisted that he stayed up to do at least one shift of sentry duty. The whole night went quietly without a single incident but Blueberry found it hard to sleep during the night, something was on his mind all the time but he couldn't see what was wrong at all. By the time that Frith was coming up for the new day, he was found t be sitting by the river bank edge deep in thought.

Bracken-Rah sat down next to him as he looked down to the reflection. "You haven't been here all night have you? I thought you were going to get some rest?" Blueberry replied back. "I couldn't sleep." He looked about for a moment before carrying on with what he had to say. "I don't know, maybe I am still uptight about what happened. I don't like being so close to man either, that field behind smells of man things and it looks like any other farm land. I just hope we're not risking any danger by staying here."

Bracken-Rah frowned. "Look, you put me in charge and as such I decided that this place is okay, we never had one single elil at the moment and as for man." He looked back up the hill to where the hedge was. "You saw that field just over there. It's just grass, not a single thing growing there so I don't think man would mind us being in this little wilderness." He got up and stretched. "I'd suggest you get out of whatever is bothering you and accept that the warren is gone and that we've found a new place to stay." Without saying another word, he turned and ran back up the bank.

Blueberry frowned slightly and sighed; he looked down into the water and muttered. "Please let me be wrong." He turned around before heading back up the hill himself to see what was to be done for that day. Captain Hawk was sitting there as he waited for Blueberry to come up. "Okay, thanks to you with your words to Bracken-Rah we have to go and check on the area." He looked a bit miffed as he turned to go. "Let's get going."

Blueberry swallowed and began to follow behind the rest of the group, feeling that they were a bit angry with him as they made their way further away from the others. Eventually, Captain Hawk slipped back as he came alongside Blueberry. "Look, we're just a bit annoyed that you can't seem to see anything good from this at the moment." He looked ahead as he carried on. "But I do understand that being careful is the best thing right now. So since this is your fault, come up front and help me, I be damned if I am going to do all the work that you have made."

Moving alongside Hawk at the front, Blueberry apologised to him. "Look, I am sorry, I am still a bit shaken up with this whole thing and to be quite frank I want to settle down and all but I want to be safe. I don't want to ever see anything like that ever again." He shuddered slightly. "I just want everything safe and checked, you understand?"

Hawk nodded. "Yeah, I do and I hate you for being so right all the time, would you mind stopping that and letting someone else do that from time to time." He saw Blueberry nod as he replied back. "I am not right all the time and I still don't know everything." Hawk sighed. "It seems that way but then maybe it's okay to be so, I am just not sure right now if it's a good thing or a bad thing to have someone like that who I know."

The three rabbits ended up at the other side of the field and rested under the safety of the hedge. Blueberry was looking out to the field on the other side of the one in front of him with the bad smell. "We don't have to go back into that field, do we? Can't we head over that way?" Blueberry asked Captain Hawk.

"See, now those are the questions that I like." Captain Hawk looked over to where the bad smelling field was and shuddered. "I am not going back into that field, even if I was chased by a homba."

Balm shuddered. "Oh yes, that's what we could really do with about now, a big homba running down towards us. Anything else you like to happen, sir?" Hawk turned to face Balm but Blueberry just laughed, falling to his side as Hawk turned to face Blueberry. "Oh come on, it wasn't even that funny."

Blueberry gasped and got back up. "I am sorry, sir but the mood did have to be lightened up and it is kinda funny to wanting a homba to show up." Hawk frowned. "Me, want a homba to show up? I never said such a thing. I'd rather take up flying like a bird or climb a tree like a squirrel." He paused. "And I would swim before I would even agree to want a homba chase us." Captain Hawk turned to face Balm. "Now, listen here. You started this and another thing..."

Blueberry closed his eyes while he listened to Captain Hawk remind Balm about what was expected from him. Everyone seemed to be fighting each other or arguing, even Blueberry couldn't agree to anything at the moment, something else was starting to get on his mind like a loud noise ringing through his head. "Will you two shut up, you're starting to give me a headache." Blueberry complained as he hopped out of the bush and stood up.

Hawk blinked as he spluttered out. "Pardon, didn't know I was talking so loud." He saw Blueberry turn his head back around and frowned. "Don't you see what is happening, we're starting to move into the mating season and everyone is so wound up with the situation we're in we can't agree with anything." He winced to the sound coming to him again and he shouted. "And that thing is really starting to annoy me!"

Captain Hawk came out now as he stood up on his hind legs, followed by Balm who sat down slightly behind him. Captain Hawk sniffed the air as he twisted his ears around again to the sound in the air. "Sounds like something I should remember..." He said quietly. "Come on, let's go see what it is." He looked at the other two and then ran off towards the field that smelt bad.

Blueberry ran alongside Captain Hawk as he muttered. "Are you sure that you want to go back into that forsaken field, I don't fancy having to go about and dipping my head again into water, took me ages to get that out of my ears that did."

Captain Hawk replied back. "Well, no you won't have to if you don't eat it but let's go see what that noise is, it may be important." He carried on running and slowed down as they reached the hedge again. Slowly all three of them entered the hedge as Blueberry slipped around a thick trunk as he felt the leaves brush over his back. Sticking his head out of the hedge he spoke rather urgently. "Erm, Hawk. You remember only just now that you said you wanted a homba to run towards us?"

Hawk stuck his head out and muttered. "Are we into that again, why?" He blinked as he swallowed. "Blueberry, is that what I think it is?" Blueberry shivered as he blinked again to see if he was dreaming. There in front of them was a fox, closely followed by what seemed to him, hrair number of dogs, horses and man. Snapping out of his confusion, Blueberry turned around and shouted. "Run! Run for your lives!"