Watership Down - Blueberry's Tale, Chapter 11

By Skipai (c) 2009-Present

Chapter 11 - Efrafa

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 slowed down as he came to another fence that separated the fields. Poking his head from within the tall grass that grew along the fence, he sniffed the air as he listened, looked for anything to be wrong and nodded his head as did the others before slipping through. Carbi had to climb on the wooden plank before jumping off and landing softly in the next field.

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Not that far behind in another field, Campion was tracking the three rabbits as he could see the fresh tracks on the soil. Running across the field quickly, the patrol covered the whole field in no time at all as they slowed down to sniff at the fence separating the field. Vervain began to move into the field, before Campion stopped him. "Careful, we won't be able to keep them all together without more of us and we don't know much about them yet." Going quiet, Campion turned his head back again to look into the cabbage field before nodding his head. "Okay, let's go but keep low and move quietly.

Seeing the tracks stop next to a cabbage that showed signs of being eaten, Campion frowned. "This is just what we don't want?" He looked up and about as he sniffed the cabbage before looking about again urgently. "Man will definitely search for any signs of rabbit unless we clean this up." Campion bent down as he pulled at the remains of the torn leaves of the cabbage until they came off from the stem. Without another thought, the three rabbits ate the remaining leaf quickly to get rid of any sign that the cabbage had been touched.

When they had finished eating the lettuce leaves, they turned to see where the tracks were headed to before setting off quickly after them, running across the field quickly as they came to the edge and looked out. Campion stood up and quickly came back down again as he nodded his head. "They're on the other side of this field, three of them. We will follow them slowly until another patrol arrives and then we will take them down." Slowly they slipped through the fence as they kept low.

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Unbeknown that they were being watched, Blueberry and his two companions carried on moving through the field in high spirits, the weather was looking much better from the day before, the weight of the last couple of days had lifted from their spirits and for the first time they were feeling as though this was one of those normal days. Hawk bent down to sniff at a dandelion before biting off the head with Blueberry looking at him. "Come on, you're not getting hungry already, it wasn't that long before we ate those lettuces?"

Hawk chewed as small yellow petals dropped to the ground. "Come on, it's only a snack." He swallowed as he looked at Carbi hopping about trying to sniff at a white butterfly and grinned as he turned his head back at Blueberry again. "Look at him, you think we haven't been through anything at all?"

Sitting down, Blueberry checked the area again and looked behind him for a moment before moving his head back to Hawk again. "Well, that was a long time ago now, hrair days. I think we decided in our own hearts to move on and carry on living as any rabbit does, which suits me fine." He got up again and stretched. "We're both.." He stopped and looked away from Hawk. "Well, I am a young buck fresh from joining the owsla, you're in your prime and we have young Carbi there that seems to be enjoying himself today, I think the storm washed away all our troubles while we slept, perhaps a gift from Frith, who knows?"

Hawk nodded as he got up. "Well, we best carry on our way, can't stay out in the open like this, I rather we rest at that fence over there." Blueberry nodded and hopped over to Carbi who nearly caught the butterfly but Blueberry scared it off. "Come on Carbi, we have to get going again, not safe to stay out here in the open." Seeing Carbi move to where Hawk was, Blueberry turned his head back around again and sniffed. Detecting nothing, he shrugged and ran up to where Hawk was as they carried on their way.

Hawk looked at Blueberry for a moment. "What's the matter, you've been looking over your back now a few times." He turned his head around to look back as well before he turned his head around to look at Blueberry as they made their way towards the edge of the field.

Blueberry frowned slightly. "I have this feeling of being watched. It's the same I got at the field by the river where I couldn't settle down but I can't detect anything at all. Maybe it's nothing or everything but we will find out soon enough anyways." Hawk looked back himself again and frowned. "You know, you just had to pass that feeling onto me now but you're right, I can't tell anything, the wind is blowing the wrong way for any scent to come our way. Hopefully it will change soon enough."

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Vervain nearly jumped up as Campion growled. "They haven't detected us yet, the wind is blowing towards us, we can smell them but they can't smell us so don't you go thinking that because they're looking behind them all the time is that they know we're here." He went silent for a moment and frowned. "It's an owsla thing."

Vervain blinked. "So they're owsla then? That must mean that they're from a warren. We have to find out where this warren is." Campion frowned. "Actually I think two of them are owsla and one isn't from what I can see of the younger one but we may have trouble with the other two." He turned his head around to face Vervain. "This will mean, that you will let me do the talking and see if we can get them to come to us on their own free will. Once we have them within our sentry lines at the warren then we can take full control of them." He turned his head around and scanned behind them. "That's when the other patrol reaches us."

Vervain blinked. "What do we need another patrol for?" Campion replied back. "They can be around just in case they get edgy before we head back into the warren completely. You never know if they run or not but I rather try and get them in without too much hassle first. We're too far out to bring them in by force."

A officer that was looking behind them, coughed slightly as he made Campion turn his head about again. "Sah, the patrol is here." He moved to the side to let Campion run up to there they were and sat down. "Captain Lotus, I am glad that you were able to get here. How are things at the warren?"

Lotus replied back. "Quiet, yet there is still that slight dissection in the air, I think that the council is going to decide on keeping an eye on some of the does." Vervain nodded his head. "Ah, so they suspect someone did help Blackavar then in escaping as well as Holly?"

Campion nodded at Lotus as he changed the subject. "Right, I want your patrol to keep hidden while mine will go and meet these hlessi. You know what to do if they decide to run from us, we will have to corner them. But right now I want them near to the warren before we put them under arrest, understand?"

Captain Lotus nodded his head as Campion turned around and nodded to Vervain and his group. "Right, let us go and meet the new hlessi shall we?" Without saying another word, Campion was through the fence and running towards where the scent of the three rabbits led them.

Catching up, Vervain looked at Campion. "I take it you want me to be quiet as you trick them?" Campion looked at Vervain for a moment and shook his head. "No, but be careful on what you say and follow my lead on everything. You know how other warrens work, they don't think much of being oppressed."

Vervain snorted. "Oh come on, every owsla push their luck on the lesser rabbits from time to time in a warren. It's what we've been told from other rabbits we took in." Campion nodded his head. "Yes, but you can't go overboard on the antics, I want to try it this way. If it fails we can always call for the others to come." Campion went quiet as they quickly reduced the distance to the three rabbits in front of them.

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It was Blueberry that had noticed that someone was following them and he turned his head around again to make sure. "Hawk, we have four rabbits following us, actually they're running towards us and covering the distance quite quickly." Blueberry stopped as he turned around with Hawk moving in front of him as Carbi kept to Blueberry's side. Hawk turned his head around and muttered. "If they're planning to cause us any trouble, I want you to run with Carbi."

Blueberry blinked. "But, what about you, we won't leave you behind?" Hawk huffed right back in Blueberry's face. "It's a Captain's privilege Blueberry-Rah sir." He grinned at Blueberry and nodded. "Carbi, vote now, you want Blueberry in charge as much as I do, right?" Blueberry turned his head to look at Carbi who nodded his head. "But.." Blueberry started but was interrupted by Hawk. "Nothing to complain about, we voted, you're it and my job is to protect you, if needs be that is?"

Blueberry was about to say something back but he saw that the rabbits running towards them were too close to say anything and he remained silent as Hawk hopped a pace forward and looked at the newcomers that came to a stop. "Hello there." Hawk began. "Nice day to be out, isn't it?"

Campion nodded his head. "It is indeed. May I enquiry something?" Hawk nodded as he listened to Campion continue to talk. "You're not Efrafan's are you?" Hawk turned to face Blueberry who replied back. "No, we don't know of the place, is that your warren?"

Campion took stock of the situation right away, the rabbit in front of him was only protecting the two rabbits behind. Vervain spoke up. "Who's in charge of your group?" Hawk turned his head to look at Vervain. "Why to you want to know?"

Campion turned to look at Vervain for a split moment and moved his head back to face Hawk again. "May I enquire what you names are? I am Captain Campion, this is Captain Vervain, Birch and finally Stemleaf." Campion sat down on the ground as he looked from one rabbit in front of him to the other. "So may I ask who you are?"

Before Blueberry could stop him, Hawk replied back. "This is Carbi, I am Captain Hawk and this is Blueberry." Blueberry sighed as he thought Hawk would've said he was in charge, but he nodded his head at any rate. "I take it there is a warren nearby then that you come from?"

"Our warren isn't far away. You must be tired from travelling? May I ask how far you have come?" Campion said as he idly scratched at an ear, keeping an eye on Hawk before he turned his head to face Blueberry.

Blueberry replied back. "It matters not about our warren now, but I wouldn't mind asking if we could come and see your warren." Hawk looked at Blueberry. "May I have a word before we make a decision?" Bluebrry turned his head to Hawk and then to Campion. "Do you mind?"

Campion shook his head and allowed the three rabbits to hop a bit away from them as they talked amongst themselves. He turned his head to Vervain and nodded. "See, we have them within out sentries soon enough, now please just let me do the talking before you mess it up like you do everything."

Blueberry looked at Hawk as he sat down again. "What is wrong in going into their warren?" Hawk looked at the four rabbits. "I don't know but there's just something on my mind about them and I don't know what it is. I mean, did you see Campion give Vervain one of those looks and those other two haven't said a word since they arrived."

Blueberry looked down for a moment in thought and then looked back up at Hawk. "Well, they could be very wary of us as well, I mean, how many times have you seen three hlessi moving through the countryside near to their warren?"

Carbi flicked an ear before bringing himself into the discussion. "Well, what harm would it be to go and see their warren, we could always leave and move on if it doesn't work out or if they don't like us anymore?"

Blueberry nodded as he thought and looked at Hawk before ending the discussion. "Okay, Hawk you didn't trust me when I had a bad feeling and look what happened to us so I am going to trust you on this one. The first sign of danger and we will get away if we can. Let's keep our eyes and ears open to what we can see and hear, okay?"

Hawk nodded his head as he replied back. "Now that's good thinking from our leader." He was about to turn when Blueberry stopped him. "Listen, both of you. I don't want them to know that I am a chief rabbit, even if I don't think I am and you two do. Let's just say I am a Captain or an officer." He looked at Hawk who nodded but Carbi spoke up. "Why?"

Blueberry turned his head to Carbi and answered him. "A warren only accepts one chief rabbit so for the time being I rather not have it if it will upset these rabbits. If we have to move and leave the warren I take that title again but not now, okay?" He saw Carbi nod and turned around to hop back to where Campion was waiting. "Okay." Blueberry said. "We're ready to go with you to your warren."

Campion nodded as he turned around with Vervain while Birch and Stemleaf moved to the back of the three rabbits as Blueberry blinked as he looked around. "Why have they moved around the back?"

Campion replied back. "They're just there to ensure your safety, there has been some sightings of a homba about and we don't want anyone to get hurt while out here." He turned back again and started to lead the rabbits through the field, back the way they had been before turning around to the side as they began their journey.

Blueberry was in thought as he and the others continued to follow both Campion and Vervain back to their warren. Every now and again, Blueberry would give Hawk a sideways glance which he saw that Hawk was giving him one from time to time. Carbi who was in between them just looked from one to the other, unsure of himself. Eventually, Blueberry coughed. "So what is your warren like?"

Vervain looked at Campion for a moment who nodded his head as he turned his head around and simply replied. "You find out when you get to it." Blueberry blinked and came to a stop, feeling Birch behind him hop right into him as he blinked. "What do you mean, we find out when we get there? It was a simple question I asked?"

Before Campion could respond, Vervain snarled and looked directly at Blueberry. "It was a simple question, sir and you have no right to talk to me in this way." He turned his head to face Campion. "Right, I had enough of this silly nonsense."

Campion frowned as he saw Hawk begin to push Blueberry to the side as Birch moved in his way. Hawk turned to face Campion. "Okay, what is this? Why can't we move on our own."

"Because I can't let you do that." Campion said as he frowned at Vervain for a moment, having to do this his way. "You're within Efrafan territory and as such you all have to come with us to the warren. I have to put you under arrest."

Blueberry blinked. "Why? We can just leave and you won't have any trouble from us if you didn't want us near the warren." Campion shook his head. "I cannot allow that, you must come with me back to the warren to see the General." He looked up and saw Captain Lotus arrive with his officers. "Now don't make this any harder than it has to be."

Captain Vervain smiled as he gave the order. "Split them up, two officers per rabbit." Blueberry frowned as he saw two rabbits move beside him so close that he could feel their bodies pressing against his. The same happened to Hawk and Carbi. Vervain turned around to Campion. "I take the rear." He turned and ran around the three group of three rabbits as Campion frowned facing away from the others as they carried on moving on their way.

Not being able to do anything, Blueberry allowed himself to be lead to the warren, unable to turn his head to look at the other two or to talk as he just looked ahead as he saw them approaching the edge of the field once again. However there were tree's now and he could see a lot more rabbits sitting about the field all looking in as he saw a group of rabbits on the far side being hurried back into the warren again by a few other rabbits.

Campion came to a stop and turned around. "Right you lot." His voice had changed as he looked at Blueberry, Hawk and Carbi. "You're to follow me down below to see the council and our chief rabbit." He turned around and spoke. "Come."

Blueberry found himself being pushed down into the warren itself as he followed Campion through the runs with an officer beside him. Not being able to see the others behind him, Blueberry came to a stop as he was pushed against the run wall and told by an officer to wait there and be quiet.