Watership Down - Blueberry's Tale, Chapter 16

By Skipai (c) 2009-Present

Chapter 16 - The Escape

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 left Captain Chervil as he went down one of the two holes available as he looked about for a moment, spotting some sentries at the bottom and passed them. Walking slowly now, feeling several of his bruises and his head thumping he made his way back to the burrow where he immediately fell onto the ground and sighed in front of Hawk and Carbi.

"What happened to you?" Carbi asked, concerned as he moved over to where Blueberry was lying as he looked at him. "You've been fighting haven't you?" Hawk asked with a frown.

Blueberry looked at Hawk for a moment before resting his head back onto his paws again as he replied back. "It was owsla training, they get you to fight one another. All I can say is that if Captain Chervil gets the chance, he knock you out for a while. At least he allowed me to rest for a while until I go on duty later."

Hawk nodded. "I suppose it be my turn for this training at one point. Well, I hope you did show them how we fought?" Blueberry nodded. "I did but I didn't last long." He saw Hawk frown but he carried on regardless. "Look, they do this all day, every day. This is a warren for war, you can just tell that."

Carbi spoke up. "That's it, that's why we didn't see any other warren nearby or that it was so quiet without any other hlessi about while we were travelling. This whole place runs to keep rabbits off the land and they must attack any warren nearby to make sure that they are all safe." He paused. "I heard tales from others about what had happened. There was an old buck here that told me that their warren was attacked a few seasons ago by Woundwort." Carbi went quiet. "I just didn't think it was possible, maybe I didn't want to believe that something like this would ever come about with us." He looked at both Blueberry and Hawk, speaking quietly. "We have to get out of here before this place changes us and we end up just like them, killing and destroying everything when there isn't any need to."

"You know?" Hawk said as he turned his head towards Carbi. "You really do talk too much sometimes about the obvious." Carbi looked away as Blueberry turned to face Hawk. "Oh come on, he's right though but anyways, enough of that." He turned his head back to face Carbi again. "So you still want to become an owsla officer?"

Carbi blinked as he turned his head back again to face Blueberry. "You still remember that?" He saw Blueberry nod his head slowly before carrying on quickly. "Well, yes but not in this place." He looked away again. "Maybe in a small peaceful warren that all you have to worry about is the occasional farm raid and telling stories. Not like here." He shuddered.

Hawk was about to say something but Blueberry looked at him for a moment and Hawk closed his mouth again. Getting up, Blueberry winced as he made his way over to the wall and flopped against it. "I tell you Hawk, don't hold back on fight training as I don't think anyone else will?" He paused. "So has Tacca showed his face around here?"

Carbi got up and moved over to another part of the burrow. "No, he hasn't shown himself since then but I am sure we will see him when we go up above ground." Blueberry nodded and slowly fell asleep due to the heat in the burrow.

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Later on, Carbi woke up Blueberry as he nudged him gently. "Come on, it's time for us to head up and silflay." Blueberry yawned as he got up stiffly and frowned. "Okay, okay. Come on, let's get going." He went out of the burrow, closely followed by Carbi as they made their way up to the outside.

Both passed Hawk as they left to head out into the field and Blueberry spotted Tacca frowning at Carbi. Blueberry looked at Tacca directly and saw the buck turn his head around to avoid looking back. Blueberry slowly passed him as he looked at Carbi. "Don't worry, he won't touch you." Eventually they both found a good spot to silfay and waited as they chewed grass slowly.

Time began to wear on as Blueberry wondered what was going on as he looked about for a moment or two and then back at Carbi but didn't say anything at all. Then he saw it, in the distance. Bigwig was talking to Woundwort and a slight cold feeling ran down his whole body. Carbi looked at Blueberry was was looking at him with a slight worried look but lost it quickly as Vervain was hopping nearby. "Well, good evening Blueberry." Vervain smiled. "Hope Captain Chervil didn't knock you about too much?"

Blueberry frowned back. "No he didn't sir, but that's okay, I am used to getting knocked about during training. It toughens up a rabbit so I was taught." He saw Vervain frown and hop off as he gave a slight smile, but it was lost again as he heard the mark was to go back down again. He turned to Carbi and whispered. "Something is wrong." Carbi looked to face away from the warren and whispered back. "Maybe we should go now."

Blueberry shook his head as he nudged Carbi back towards the warren. "No, we be run down before we got through the first field. Let's just head back and I'll find out what has happened."

Hawk looked at them both as they passed him to head back inside but didn't say anything at all. Eventually Blueberry reached his burrow and then left Carbi there by himself as he went through the warren himself. Eventually he came to a part where he could hear a buck and a doe talk with worried voices. Blueberry listened and heard Bigwig talk to Hyzenthlay a bit more. "Don't worry, we can try again tomorrow. I'll let the others know." Hyzenthlay's voice sounded very worried and stressful. "But if one of the does talk, the council will surely find out." Bigwig replied back. "We better hope that doesn't happen."

Blueberry turned around and headed back to the burrow where he saw Hawk lying there next to Carbi as he frowned. "So what happened?" He said quietly as Blueberry lowered his body down to the ground as well.

"Woundwort was talking to him for one reason or another." Blueberry replied back. "The only reason I can think of is that Captain Chervil and I saw him talking to a seagull earlier today. That must be it as I don't think he's leading us on." He paused with a frown. "Hawk, you be taking Carbi with you tomorrow, that's when it will be tried again, if we get that far that is."

Carbi blinked. "Howso?" Hawk looked at Blueberry who didn't reply straight away and added. "Come on, what?" Blueberry looked away for a moment as he replied back. "We're in Frith's hands now, we have to hope that whoever Hyzenthlay has told to come doesn't say anything about it or the council will find out and you know what will happen then?"

Both Carbi and Hawk nodded, they knew exactly what would happen and they both shuddered at the same time. Hawk spoke after length. "So you're the one that will be staying behind then?"

Blueberry nodded his head. "Yes, for the same reasons as before. Do this for me, Hawk. Keep Carbi safe." He paused and lowered his head. "I did make that promise to Captain Sando before he died but it looks like it's fallen to you."

Hawk nodded. "Don't worry, I will do the same." He turned to Carbi. "As long as you do what I tell you?" Carbi nodded his head as he shuddered again. "If it means getting out of this place, then I'll walk into a homba's den to get out."

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The rest of the next day was heavy for all of the rabbits that wondered when one of those that were involved would let slip of the plan and ruin everything. Added to the fact that there was an oppressive atmosphere all throughout the warren as Blueberry moved through the warren alongside Captain Chervil. "Thunder is approaching us, it should hit us this evening. Could put the silflay off but we won't unless ordered to. So you okay from yesterday's training?"

Blueberry nodded his head. "Yes sir, I am fine. I've had quite a few knocks during my training in my other warren when I was a kit. You can't practise anything without actually doing it."

Captain Chervil nodded his head. "Exactly." He paused. "Oh yeah, that bird came again during morning silflay. Bigwig sang to it to drive it away, I tell you, we found a good find there with him that can deal with elil birds."

Blueberry blinked as he looked at Captain Chervil. "Oh, what did he sing to him?" He saw Captain Chervil think for a moment and then shook his head. "I can't honestly remember. He came to a stop within a junction of the runs and sighed. "Well, this is going to be the last of the morning, evening silflays. We be on the ni-frith and fu-inle ones tomorrow. We best start to head up there."

Blueberry nodded and went down one of the runs while Captain Chervil headed down antoher. Blueberry reached the end of one burrow and popped his head out, sniffing the air as he could smell the heaviness in the air and nodded. "Definitely thunder."

Captain Chervil was already out with another officer as he nodded and watched as Blueberry made his way across the area to his post on the far side on the right. He saw Arrowroot was already there and he nodded. "I hope we can get this over with before that thunder starts. Don't want the mark to end up being tharn and running all over the place. I have to wonder why this hadn't been cancelled."

Blueberry didn't reply as he looked back out again to the field as he saw Bigwig heading towards Captain Chervil. Bigwig looked at Captain Chervil and another officer who was nearby and spoke. "I've been told to inform that evening silflay has been cancelled today."

Blinking, Captain Chervil looked at Bigwig. "Funny, I haven't been told anything about it?" Bigwig smiled as he continued. "Don't believe me, then why not take a look over there, then?" He saw Captain Chervil turn his head to seeing several rabbits run out. He was about to say something but Bigwig charged him down into the run. Blueberry blinked as he saw what was going on and in a few moments, Bigwig was out alongside with Blackavar.

Blueberry went to move but all hell broke out within the warren, the sentries around him started to sound the alarm as another rabbit ran into the warren. By the time Blueberry turned his head back, he couldn't see where Bigwig or the other rabbits were. Blueberry muttered under his breath. "You better make it."

Captain Avens shouted. "Everyone get back down below!" He looked at Blueberry who was running back and shouted. "Not you three, Woundwort wants you both." He turned his head and pointed with a paw to where Blueberry should run. He turned his head and saw Arrowroot and Vervain was just behind him as he ran right past Avens through the bush.

Woundwort was there alongside Campion who looked as though he had hit something but lost. Blueberry could see the anger in Woundwort's face as he gave out orders. "I want their tracks found immediately!" Following Arrowroot, Blueberry slipped into formation as Woundwort led the patrol in the direction that Bigwig and the others had headed a short while ago.

The whole group ran fast as Blueberry panted as he ran alongside Arrowroot. Vervain moved alongside Blueberry and frowned. "When we find them, they're going to be killed, if they don't give themselves up that is." He looked up as the first spots of rain began to drop down. Blueberry felt a bit relieved as rain began to fall down as he hoped it would get rid of all marks of where Hawk and Carbi had gone. Blueberry felt his heart sank as he heard Campion up ahead alongside Woundwort shout. "They're heading towards the iron road!"

Arrowroot nudged Blueberry to the side as they moved up the hill while some of the other rabbits slipped to the side of the tunnel as they ran up and over the iron road. Moving down, he could see that Woundwort had made it there already with a few others and was face to face with Bigwig. With water running down his ears, he couldn't hear what was said but jumped when a bright flash of lightning lit up the sky followed by a loud noise from up above as he saw something dark swoop down, knocking Woundwort down.

By the time Blueberry got down the hill, he saw Bigwig and other rabbits run right past and saw Hawk alongside Carbi and Blackavar. Woundwort shouted as he got up from the ground as the seagull flew off. "Come on, get after them!" He was up and running after the group as Blueberry followed after them, he could feel his heart pounding, remembering that he had been here before, the same smell of road lay ahead followed by the sound of running water.

Woundwort didn't stop as he came to the fence the separated the road from the field and tore across it in fury, seeing Bigwig just jump through with another rabbit he hadn't seen before. Blueberry went to slow down but Vervain who was next to him shouted. "Keep going you fool!" Blueberry swallowed as he fought back his fear of the road and leapt through the fence, before tearing across the road within seconds as he jumped through the other fence into the field that sloped down towards the river.

The whole group came to a stop just behind Woundwort as Captain Vervain and Campion sat down beside him. Blueberry looked down the slope as he moved his head to the side and spotted another rabbit nibbling away at something but he quickly moved his head back again in case anyone else wondered what he was up to.

Woundwort looked at Bigwig with murderous eyes as he spoke. "There's nowhere for you to run now, Bigwig." Blueberry blinked as he saw Woundwort turn his head around to the side and spoke quietly. "When I give the word, we go into them."

Blueberry jerked his head to the side as he heard the loud snap and saw another rabbit run right past them before leaping into the air. Woundwort and the others ran up ahead as Blueberry followed and came to a stop at the edge of the bank and saw Hawk and Carbi looking back, just their heads popping over the edge. With a few more seconds they were out of sight.

The whole group was silent as they just stood there looking in the direction of where the boat disappeared to a few moments ago. Eventually Woundwort growled. "I want them found, I don't care how long it takes, I want the found!" He turned around and barged right into one of the rabbits and knocked him over to the side. "Campion, get someone to wait here while you go back and get more patrols sorted out." He looked down for a moment and angrily added. "Let's go back."

Campion picked a rabbit as they began to move back up the hill. Arrowroot was next to Blueberry as they carried on up in the middle of the group, some of the other officers had moved to be behind them both as they wanted to keep away from Woundwort's anger.

Behind them at the rear were Campion and Vervain who were talking but very quietly. Vervain looked up ahead as he spoke. "Did you notice that two of the new lot escaped." Campion blinked. "No, it was too dark to make it out." He paused as he looked in the direction of where Vervain was looking. "But you were in a different position so who did you see?"

Vervain sneered slightly. "Hawk and Carbi, now what does that say about Blueberry when he paused in his chase a while back?" Campion frowned slightly. "Are you saying that he knows where they could be?" Vervain nodded his head. "Perhaps, we should see what he knows when we get back."

Campion nodded his head as he hopped faster to get to the front of the group and began to talk quietly to Woundwort. Blueberry at the time just kept on running, wondering still on how Bigwig managed to make such an escape but more importantly, whether he would see his friends again.