Watership Down

At this moment Hyzenthlay and Thethuthinnang came running toward them, followed by two or three other does. They were plainly confused and uncertain.

'The stamping, Thlayli!' panted Thethuthinnang. 'They're coming!'

'Well, run, then,' said Bigwig. 'Keep near me, all of you.'

They were better runners than he had dared to hope. As they made for the ash tree, more does fell in with them and it seemed to him that they ought now to be a match for a patrol, unless it were a very strong one. Once through the hedge he turned south and, keeping close beside it, led them down the slope. There, ahead of him, was the arch in the overgrown embankment. But would Hazel be there? And where was Kehaar?

* * *

'Well, and what was to happen after that, Nelthilta?' asked General Woundwort. 'Make sure you tell us everything, because we know a good deal already. Let her alone, Vervain,' he added. 'She can't talk if you keep cuffing her, you fool.'

'Hyzenthlay said-oh! oh! — she said a big bird would attack the Owsla sentries,' gasped Nelthilta, 'and we would run away in the confusion. And then-'

'She said a bird would attack the sentries?' interrupted Woundwort, puzzled. 'Are you telling the truth? What sort of a bird?'

'I don't-I don't know,' panted Nelthilta. 'The new officer-she said he had told the bird-'

'What do you know about a bird?' said Woundwort, turning to Chervil.

'I reported it, sir,' replied Chervil. 'You'll not forget, sir, that I reported the bird-'

There was a scuffling outside the crowded Council burrow and Avens came pushing his way in.

'The new officer, sir!' he cried. 'He's gone! Taken a crowd of the Mark does with him. Jumped on Bartsia and broke his leg, sir! Blackavar's cut and run, too. We never had a chance to stop them. Goodness knows how many have joined him. Thlayli-it's Thlayli's doing!'

'Thlayli?' cried Woundwort. 'Embleer Frith, I'll blind him when I catch him! Chervil, Vervain, Avens-yes and you two as well-come with me. Which way has he gone?'

'He was going downhill, sir,' answered Avens.

'Lead the way you saw him take,' said Woundwort.

As they came out from the Crixa, two or three of the Efrafan officers checked at the sight of the murky light and increasing rain. But the sight of the General was more alarming still. Pausing only to stamp the escape alarm, they set out behind him toward the iron road.

Very soon they came upon traces of blood which the rain had not yet washed away, and these they followed toward the ash tree in the hedge to the west of the warren.

* * *

Bigwig came out from the further side of the railway arch, sat up and looked round him. There was no sign either of Hazel or of Kehaar. For the first time since he had attacked Bartsia he began to feel uncertain and troubled. Perhaps, after all, Kehaar had not understood his cryptic message that morning? Or had some disaster overtaken Hazel and the rest? If they were dead-scattered-if there was no one left alive to meet him? He and his does would wander about the fields until the patrols hunted them down.

'No, it shan't come to that,' said Bigwig to himself. 'At the worst we can cross the river and try to hide in the woodland. Confound this shoulder! It's going to be more nuisance than I thought. Well, I'll try to get them down to the plank bridge at least. If we're not overtaken soon, perhaps the rain will discourage whoever's after us; but I doubt it.'

He turned back to the does waiting under the arch. Most of them looked bewildered. Hyzenthlay had promised that they were to be protected by a great bird and that the new officer was going to work a secret trick to evade the pursuit-a trick which would defeat even the General. These things had not happened. They were wet through. Runnels of water were trickling through the arch from the uphill side, and the bare earth was beginning to turn into mud. Ahead of them there was nothing to be seen but a track leading through the nettles into another wide and empty field.

'Come on,' said Bigwig. 'It's not far now and then we'll all be safe. This way.'

All the rabbits obeyed him at once. There was something to be said for Efrafan discipline, thought Bigwig grimly, as they left the arch and met the force of the rain.

Along one side of the field, beside the elms, farm tractors had pounded a broad, flat path downhill toward the water meadow below-that same path up which he had run three nights before, after he had left Hazel by the boat. It was turning muddy now-unpleasant going for rabbits-but at least it led straight to the river and was open enough for Kehaar to spot them if he should turn up.

He had just begun to run once more when a rabbit overtook him.

''Stop, Thlayli! What are you doing here? Where are you going?'

Bigwig had been half expecting Campion to appear and had made up his mind to kill him if necessary. But now that he actually saw him at his side, disregarding the storm and the mud, self-possessed as he led his patrol, no more than four strong, into the thick of a pack of desperate runaways, he could feel only what a pity it was that the two of them should be enemies and how much he would have liked to have taken Campion with him out of Efrafa.

'Go away,' he said. 'Don't try to stop us, Campion. I don't want to hurt you.'

He glanced to his other side. 'Blackavar, get the does to close up. If there are any stragglers the patrol will jump on them.'

'You'd do better to give in now,' said Campion, still running beside him. 'I shan't let you out of my sight, wherever you go. There's an escape patrol on the way-I heard the signal. When they get here you won't stand a chance. You're bleeding badly now.'

'Curse you!' cried Bigwig, striking at him. 'You'll bleed too, before I've done.'

'Can I fight him, sir?' said Blackavar. 'He won't beat me a second time.'

'No,' answered Bigwig, 'he's only trying to delay us. Keep running.'

'Thlayli!' cried Thethuthinnang suddenly, from behind him. 'The General! The General! Oh, what shall we do?'

Bigwig looked back. It was indeed a sight to strike terror into the bravest heart. Woundwort had come through the arch ahead of his followers and was running toward them by himself, snarling with fury. Behind him came the patrol. In one quick glance Bigwig recognized Chervil, Avens and Groundsel. With them were several more, including a heavy, savage-looking rabbit whom he guessed to be Vervain, the head of the Council police. It crossed his mind that if he were to run, immediately and alone, they would probably let him go as he had come, and feel glad to be so easily rid of him. Certainly the alternative was to be killed. At this moment Blackavar spoke.

'Never mind, sir,' he said. 'You did your very best and it nearly came off. We may even be able to kill one or two of them before it's finished. Some of these does can fight well when they're put to it.'

Bigwig rubbed his nose quickly against Blackavar's mutilated ear and sat back on his haunches as Woundwort came up to them.

'You dirty little beast,' said Woundwort. 'I hear you've attacked one of the Council police and broken his leg. We'll settle with you here. There's no need to take you back to Efrafa.'

'You crack-brained slave-driver,' answered Bigwig. 'I'd like to see you try.'

'All right,' said Woundwort, 'that's enough. Who have we got? Vervain, Campion, put him down. The rest of you, start getting these does back to the warren. The prisoner you can leave to me.'

'Frith sees you!' cried Bigwig. 'You're not fit to be called a rabbit! May Frith blast you and your foul Owsla full of bullies!'

At that instant a dazzling claw of lightning streaked down the length of the sky. The hedge and the distant trees seemed to leap forward in the brilliance of the flash. Immediately upon it came the thunder: a high, tearing noise, as though some huge thing were being ripped to pieces close above, which deepened and turned to enormous blows of dissolution. Then the rain fell like a waterfall. In a few seconds the ground was covered with water and over it, to a height of inches, rose a haze formed of a myriad minute splashes. Stupefied with the shock, unable even to move, the sodden rabbits crouched inert, almost pinned to the earth by the rain.

A small voice spoke in Bigwig's mind.

'Your storm, Thlayli-rah. Use it.'