Watership Down - Blueberry's Tale, Chapter 14

By Skipai (c) 2009-Present

Chapter 14 - Caught

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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Campion showed Blueberry around the warren for a while before leaving him back at the entrance to his mark again. "Well, I best be heading off, I am on duty soon for the evening patrol. Your mark should be coming out for evening silflay so you should be okay." Campion looked about and then started to head away. He stopped before turning his head back again before adding. "I would head back down again, see how your other friends got on with talking to the General." Without saying another word, Campion ran off.

Passing a sentry, Blueberry nodded his head as he delve back down into the dephs of Efrafa again. He didn't go far without passing another officer or sentry as he paused to remember which way his burrow was before he turned down the familiar run as he heard some well known voices in the burrow.

Hawk was talking to Carbi as Blueberry popped his head into the burrow from outside. "So, how did it go?" Blueberry asked as he moved into the burrow and sat down, blocking the hole as he moved his head from side to side.

Carbi gave a shudder as he replied. "I don't think he likes me, said I was a terrible storyteller. I did try to say that I was still learning stories though. But I ain't of owsla material." Blueberry nodded. "Well, I would keep out of it, from what I have learnt, some things happen to you if you fail here anyways that you really don't want to know." He moved his head to face Hawk as he gave him a questionable look.

Hawk sighed. "I've been made into an officer myself, though I've only just got back a short while ago after being shown about by Captain Chervil. He was telling me on how things worked around here, that everything had to be reported to the council and Woundwort, the punishments that had to be given out if a rabbit gave any disrespect or broke any laws. We're not allowed to dig the burrow bigger or anything." Hawk looked down as he frowned. "Blueberry..."

Blueberry nodded as he looked behind him again and took a look out of the burrow from left to right before he moved his head back again and lowered his voice. "I know, we just have to make sure that Carbi survives in here, that's all." He looked at Carbi for a moment, noticed the look that he was getting and frowned. "Listen, you find out exactly what sort of punishment they can give out when it's time for silflay. Speaking of which, Campion said that it would be evening that this mark will be going up, so that should be soon before we're called for." Blueberry finished as he looked at Hawk.

Carbi muttered. "I don't need looking after, I am supposed to be seeing this other rabbit that tells stories here. He's an old council rabbit from what I have been told, Woundwort said that he would teach me all about all the tales that have happened here as well as the El-Ahrairah ones." He looked at both Hawk and Blueberry. "Trust me, I think I will be alright."

Both Blueberry and Hawk looked at each other silently before they settled down to wait for what orders that they were to be given. Eventually through the quietness of the burrow, Hawk broke it. "I wonder what duties we will have to do each day?"

Blueberry thought for a moment silently as he replied back. "I suppose the usual stuff, keeping an eye out for any sort of rebellion, talk about escaping here as well as making sure that the mark silflay goes without a hitch." He frowned. "I did learn though that we can move from one mark to another if we get permission from the mark captain to go visit another mark if it doesn't affect our duties of course."

Hawk rolled his eyes. "Wonderful, is there anything else that we need permission for? I suppose we have to get permission to get a mate?" He saw Blueberry shook his head as he replied to that one. "I don't think so? I think that being an owsla officer gives you the right to find any doe and take her, if she's not already taken of course by another officer or captain." He paused as he thought a bit more. "I don't know but I think that if a doe is already mated and I hope I am wrong here, I think the officers can just take her if the buck isn't in the owsla."

Carbi looked aghast from that but Hawk nodded his head. "You're right, Captain Chervil was commenting about it when I was looking at a doe on my guided tour through the mark. The buck hasn't a leg to stand on complaining anyways. In fact, it's encouraged that if a doe is expecting kits, then she has to give them up so that she can bring good quality officer offspring."

Blueberry frowned as Carbi got up and looked about disgusted. "That's it, I can't live in a place like this. What hope do I have if I can't even become an officer?" Hawk cuffed him hard on the head and mutterd. "Lie down and keep your voice down, do you want to end up in trouble." Blueberry added with a low warning voice. "Or your ears ripped to bits."

Hawk turned his head to Blueberry and moved his head a bit sideways. "Pardon?" Blueberry sighed. "I saw a buck who has to be on show at every mark's silflay." He paused for a moment as he looked from one to the other before carrying on. "He tried to escape so many times without success, the council ran out of ideas on how to punish him, so after the last escape he had the punishment of having his ears ripped to shreds by officers." He could see the horror in his friend's eyes as he carried on. "I tell you, I have seen some things in my life from fights between bucks before during mating but this sickened me." He closed his eyes before finishing. "Anyways, let's catch some sleep before silflay..." Without saying anything else, Blueberry remained quiet in his thoughts.

Captain Chervil arrived at their burrow a bit later on as he coughed. "Right you two, we need to head out before the mark goes up for silflay." He looked at Carbi before turning his nose up. "As for you, you're going to have to wait and follow the others up when it's time." He moved out of sight and carried on down the run.

Blueberry got up and looked at Carbi as he spoke gently. "Don't worry, just follow the others up and we see you up there. Just do whatever the sentries and officers tell you to do. See if you can make any friends up there." He moved his head closer to Carbi as he added. "But don't let on that you don't like it here or anything, I have suspicions that there are spies in this place." He backed away again and looked at Hawk before they both left the burrow.

They saw Captain Chervil waiting for them at the end of the run as he frowned a bit. "Come on, we don't have all day." Hawk muttered. "We were only making sure that Carbi is okay, sir." Blueberry saw Captain Chervil roll his eyes before he replied. "Whatever, I have to show you where you two will be keeping watch for this silflay, you be under another officer for a few goes until you know what you are doing."

They both followed Captain Chervil out of the warren as they saw other officers waiting out there, some were eating already, some watched as the three of them arrived. Captain Chervil coughed as he got everyone's attention immediately. "Right, as you probably heard by rumour now, that these two here are new to our mark and have been placed within the owsla. I want two volunteers on helping them get to grips with our procedures, even though Blueberry has seen it before, I wasn't able to arrange for Hawk to see what we do?" He looked about and frowned. "So is there anyone at all?"

Cnicus and Arrowroot both hopped forward as they nodded to Captain Chervil. Arrowroot looked at Blueberry as he spoke. "I would be happy to show Blueberry around, sir." Cnicus looked at Hawk with a nod as Captain Chervil agreed to it. "Right, I want you all to get into position. Blueberry, you stay at the hole as the rabbits come out, Cnicus, you go and take Hawk over to the boundary and show him the ropes there. Right, let's get moving."

Blueberry went and followed Arrowroot to where the hole was and he could hear Blackavar down below with the two owslafa officers talking. Arrowroot sat down at the side of the hole with Blueberry beside him as he spoke. "Avens should be bringing up the rest, have you seen him yet? He's the other mark officer around here."

Blueberry shook his head. "No I haven't seen him yet, then again I haven't been around much since I arrived here." He turned his head around to look at where the other rabbits were placed before he turned back again. "Sorry, it's just going to take a while to get used to things, you know?"

Arrowroot shook his head. "I am afraid I don't know since I was born here but I suppose for some that would be a problem but I would rather have you get used to it quickly, like right now before Captain Avens comes up with the mark."

Blueberry didn't have time to reply back as he saw Captain Avens arrive followed by the low bows of the mark behind him. Slowly he moved to the side next to Blueberry as he watched the mark head out slowly and quietly. He turned his head around and spoke. "Ah, so you're the new one. I'd keep an eye out for these, they're trouble some of them."

Blueberry could see Hyzenthlay frown on that as she turned to say something right back but was stopped by another doe before they moved on. Captain Avens nodded. "Like that one, be careful of her, she's quite a lot of trouble, got the council watching her." He paused. "So how are you finding it so far?"

Blueberry blinked as he saw Carbi pass him, noting that Captain Avens had spotted him as well before he replied back. "As well as can be expected, I suppose." Blueberry said quickly as all of the mark had passed them. Captain Avens nodded his head. "Well, let's go through the mark and I'll let you know who is who and who to look out for." He turned his attention to Arrowroot. "You be fine here for a while on your own?"

Arrowroot nodded his head. "Yes sir, shouldn't be a problem here." He moved back to sitting still as Captain Avens nodded before beckoning Blueberry to follow him. "Right, let's go." He began to walk Blueberry through the mark as he commented on various rabbits. "Take this one." He stopped looking at a buck who was eating grass. "He's a bit edgy sometimes but he is well known to give us word if something is going on in the mark."

Blueberry looked at the buck before asking. "And what is his name?" Captain Avens moved on as he replied back. "His name is Ash, his mother died last winter, I suppose he's only helping us to get an easy life here, although..." He went quiet as he looked at Blueberry and whispered to him. "If he's found out by anyone else, I can assure you that rabbit who let someone else know would be killed. As I can't see the others not trying to harm him so he's very valuable to us."

"So is he a council spy?" Blueberry asked as Captain Avens shook his head. "No, even I don't know who is or who isn't a council spy. Be warned and do your job properly, as even we are kept an eye on by them and Woundwort. They like to know everything." He moved to where Carbi was and stopped. "Ah, a new one, so what's your name?"

Carbi looked up and relaxed a bit as he saw Blueberry standing there next to Avens. "My name is Carbi, sir." He said back, looking at Blueberry. Captain Avens looked from one to the other before speaking. "I take it that you two know each other?"

Blueberry nodded his head. "He came from the same warren as me and Hawk. He's no trouble at all, I can put my reputation on it." Captain Avens nodded his head as he turned to look at Carbi for a moment. "Hmmm, so it would seem. However, we shall see if that remains to be true or not." He turned to go as Blueberry looked at Carbi for a moment and then turned to follow Avens.

Catching up, Blueberry saw Avens looking at Hyzenthlay as he noticed that she was frowning back at him. Coming right next to him, he sat down and looked back at her. Hyzenthlay frowned as he spoke. "Well, looks like we have a new officer." Captain Avens went to lift up his paw as he spoke right back. "Yes he is and you will show him the proper respect, Hyzenthlay."

Still frowning, she nodded as she turned her gaze onto Blueberry and spoke back. "Yes sir." Blueberry watched as Captain Avens moved off as he gave the doe another look before heading off himself. Hyzenthlay blinked slightly watching Blueberry leave before hopping. It was then that she stopped when another buck came right up to her and she went back to nibbling again.

Catching up with Captain Avens, Blueberry listened to him explain the situation. "She's the main trouble causer within this mark. I would suggest that you keep well away from her. After the Blackavar situation, the owslafa are keeping a very close eye on her."

"I take that under advisement." Blueberry replied back as he saw Captain Chervil and another rabbit run up to them. "Ah, there you are Blueberry." Captain Chervil spoke. "I want you to go back to Arrowroot. Avens, come with me, it would seem that Campion has found another hlessi, we've been summoned to go meet him."

Captain Avens turned his head to face Blueberry before running off with Chervil and the other rabbit. He sat there for a moment, watching them before making his way back to where Arrowroot was.

"So, how did the tour go with Captain Avens?" Arrowroot asked as Blueberry took his place again next to the hole. Replying, Blueberry looked about. "It was going okay but he was called away on some other important business. We may be getting another new rabbit in the mark, but I don't know."

Arrowroot blinked. "Oh? Hmm, okay. What do you know then?" He looked at Blueberry who stared back quietly for a few moments. "Well, all I know is that Campion found a lone hlessi somewhere out of the warren and brought him in. That's all I know about it."

"I see." Arrowroot said quietly. "I wonder why there are so many rabbits out and about now." Blueberry blinked as he flicked an ear. "Oh, why's that?" Arrowroot blinked as he looked out and nodded his head, calling out. "Alright, time's up. Let's get these back underground." He hopped away from Blueberry and didn't say anything for a while. Blueberry eventually gave up on the question and remained quiet, just looking about the whole area when he noticed in the distance Campion showing around another rabbit through the mark.

This happened for a while until Captain Chervil came back up to Arrowroot and Blueberry giving Arrowroot the nod. Arrowroot hopped back to where Blueberry was and looked at him as he spoke. "Right, the job now is to count them coming back in, once we know that they're all down below, we can head down ourselves. We are the last to go down while the captains are away." He paused before adding. "If anything goes wrong, it be us that will be in for it as well so please don't interrupt me."

Blueberry went silent as he began to watch the rabbits forming up in a line as they slowly moved past them. As Arrowroot said their names, he tried to remember the names to the faces as he saw Carbi move past, heading back down below. Eventually, Arrowroot nodded his head as he called out. "Okay, everyone's down below." He watched as the officers and sentries moved past them. Hawk gave Blueberry a look before heading down himself as Arrowroot looked at Blueberry. "Okay, you down first."

Not arguing the point, Blueberry headed down, feeling that Arrowroot was following him down the run as he past Blackavar again still being watched by the same two owslafa officers. Not saying anything at all, he carried on his way, ignoring Arrowroot for the time being as he headed back to his burrow again.

Blueberry did turn his head around as he reached the burrow but didn't see Arrowroot anywhere and slipped inside to see Carbi lying on the ground. "Where's Hawk?" Blueberry asked as he laid down on the soft soil.

Carbi shook his head. "I don't know, he was called to help with something elsewhere within the mark. Who was that with you before?" Blueberry placed his head down on his paws as he replied back. "Oh, that was the other mark captain, Avens I think his name is."

"I don't like him." Carbi said after a short pause. Blueberry smiled. "I don't think he likes you either but then I don't think he likes anyone." He decided to change the subject. "So did you manage to make any friends while me and Hawk are busy with our duties?" He turned his head around to look at the burrow opening, expecting some other rabbit to come for him to do something. It was the sound of Carbi's voice that made him look back to the front again.

"Yes, I did and I didn't. But some weren't really in the mood to talk, its as though they don't trust me because I am new." Carbi sighed. "I don't know, it's like everyone is looking over their backs in case something that they do or say will be reported to someone else."

Blueberry frowned slightly. "So what did you find out if anything?" He closed his eyes as he listened to what Carbi had to say. "Well," Carbi began as he stretched before settling back down again. "They don't really like the place, they want to leave if they could. Everything is too stifling here." He paused as he looked at Blueberry. "They're terrified as well, some wouldn't mind being picked off by elil than continue to live here, so overcrowded and being told to go up or down, being told when to eat." He looked down. "To tell you the truth, I haven't even been here that long as some here who have lived here all of their lives but I don't like it." Carbi lifted up his head again. "To tell you the truth, I want to leave."

Blueberry sighed as he looked at Carbi for a moment. Getting up, he moved close to the young buck and laid back down again, with his back to the opening of the burrow. "Listn, Carbi. I make sure you get out of here at some point but you have to trust me on a few things. Just try and cope with it for the time being, okay?"

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Hawk had followed Cnicus to another part of the warren where he they both stopped. Cnicus turned around and spoke. "Wait here." Cnicus turned and popped his head into the burrow. "Dew, the council wants to see you, I've been sent to collect you." Hawk saw a doe pop her head out of the burrow shaking all over as she looked at Hawk and then back at Cnicus. "W-what have I done sir?"

Cnicus sneered. "Oh you know what you have done? Captain Vervain overheard your conversation with Palmgrass. Plotting to escape, saying bad things about Captain Chervil. Shall I go on?"

Hawk felt disgusted as he saw Cnicus cuff the doe hard on the head, his claws making her nose bleed slightly. "Now stop asking questions and come with us." He turned to face Hawk. "You follow behind her and make sure she comes. If not, we're under unders to force her, any means possible."

Hawk frowned as he turned his head towards Dew as Cnicus started to move. As he passed her, he whispered gently. "Just do what he says, you be fine." He saw her nod her head before moving off to follow Cnicus down the run.

As they moved down towards the runs, passing various rabbits from within the owsla or not, Hawk was starting to get a bit uneasy on the whole situation with just the atmosphere that was being shown to him from all angles. He looked at Dew and saw that she wouldn't stop looking about, jumping at the slightly movement or sound around her and it just got worse as they approached the council burrow.

All three entered the burrow as Hawk saw the whole council once again sitting down with Woundwort right in the middle clearly bigger than any of the other rabbits there. He looked at Cnicus and Hawk with a nod before he frowned at Dew who was in between them.

Digging his claws into the soil, Woundwort spoke in his soft, yet ruff voice. "Well, Dew. I hear that the punishment that Blackavar got wasn't enough to stop you from planning to run away from us?" He paused as he looked down at her. "Would you mind telling us why?"

Hawk flicked an ear but remained where he was as he heard Dew speak up. "I didn't see what happened, well I did see what happened but I didn't want to believe it, so I usually keep my eyes shut." She stammered. "I didn't want to see it."

"Enough!" Woundwort snarled. "You have learnt nothing and that I know you were planning on making a run in the next silflay. Therefore there has to be another lesson learnt." He turned to face Hawk and Cnicus. "Kill her."

Hawk blinked as Dew gave a startled cry, lowering her body down to the ground as Cnicus was already preparing to give the fatal attack on the doe. Hawk didn't move as the eyes of the council turned to face him. Woundwort looked at Hawk for a moment, then he spoke very slowly. "I gave you an order Hawk, either you help kill her for breaking Efrafan rules or you can join her. What is it to be?"

With a resigning look, Hawk turned as he faced Cnicus, rose up into the air and both bucks went into Dew. Within a matter of moments, she lay dead on the ground while both Hawk and Cnicus were covered in her warm blood. Woundwort nodded his head in satisfaction. "Good. Remove her body and bury it out of sight. Use one of the burrows, the occupants can find somewhere else to live."

Both Hawk and Cnicus began to drag the body out as Woundwort set his mind onto other things as he called Campion over to him. "How does it go with the newcomer?" Hawk could hear Campion's reply as he fumed inside. "He has settled in quite well into the position, we were glad he was so willing to join..."

---

Blueberry sighed as he tried to change Carbi's mind on the matter. "Look, we can't make any moves such as that right now. They still be watching us very closely for a long time before they could trust us." Carbi was about to say something back but Blueberry carried on. "Besides, I haven't been able to do anything right now on my own. You have to give it a bit more time."

Carbi frowned. "I don't want to, this place is just evil through and through and after hearing what some of the rabbits were on about what happened and..." He stopped before he shivered. "I really can't get that image of poor Blackavar out of my head, being shown up like that to everyone. It would've been less cruel to just kill him."

Blueberry shook his head. "But what about the council rabbit you're learning stories from in here? He isn't that bad is he?" He blinked as he heard Carbi spill it out. "Bad, bad isn't the word. He's so wound up with the rest of them to allow Woundwort to do whatever he wants as long as they get the flayrah and that he allows them to make a judgement from time to time but it usually has to be one that would please the chief. Oh and they get to set punishments or even order to kill someone as well." He frowned. "No, I can't stand it. I want to go home, back to our warren where you were free to do whatever you wanted."

Blueberry frowned. "You know very well that warren was destroyed by man because we were careless. At least this place has the security from that ever happening again." Carbi got up suddenly and cuffed Blueberry right on the nose as he growled. "You're starting to sound just like them, what good is being undetected by elil or man if you don't have the freedom to enjoy life. Is this how you're going to make sure I am safe on your word to Captain Sando, keep me prisoner in this place. I'd rather die."

Blueberry felt his anger slip away from him as he rubbed his nose before sneezing. Looking up at Carbi he spoke. "No, I don't want you locked up, I don't want myself locked up or Hawk. Fine, as soon as we can figure out how we can get away from here, we're leaving."

Both Carbi and Blueberry felt themselves go stiff as the blood ran from their bodies as a voice spoke from outside of the warren. "Oh, so you're planning on escaping then from here? You know, you really should keep a look out, you never know who may be listening. You could get into a lot of trouble over that? So what do you two have to say about it? That's an order by the way." Blueberry turned around and swallowed as he looked at the dark figure in the open of the burrow.