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Earperk? A familiar scarred face peered around the corner of the run, looking up at the oddly colored buck with the yellow man thing in his ear. "A race you say? That should be entertaining." Bracken pushed himself up from where he was sitting next to the run inside the Honeycomb and then made his way up, expecting Hallowfell to move aside so that he could pass and get outside.

Once in the open, the chief placed himself next to a protruding tree root to wait for any other participants or spectators to come out.

Bracken chuckled lightly at the young buck's mild taunting, casting his gaze down the down as he smirked just a little bit. "Oh, I would think so. But there is no harm in stretching these old legs." At the suggested course for the race the chief then hummed to himself thoughtfully.

"Why not down the hill and back up? If you want a real race, make it one of stamina as well."

Looking back to Hallowfell he waited to hear his reaction and opinion while also seeing if any more of their warren mates were coming out to join them.

The thump had attracted the attention of another member of the Watership Down warren. Thumps were something that always attracted Blackwort's attention, and although this particular one was not a warning thump (it had no panic or desperation to it), he still thought it as his business to see to it immediately. Thus, the black rabbit was quick to appear in the mouth of the warren, blue eyes focussing on the strange coloured rabbit, nose waffing curiously. He was about to scold the other rabbit for thumping. At least until he smelled the aroma of the cowslip plant.

"Here here, what's all this silly nonsense, then?" He wondered, raising onto his hinds. He was about to add more to the sentence when he noticed the Chief Rabbit nearby. Blackwort was quick to lower his stance, not wanting to appear dominating or disrespectful to his own Chief.

"Is that a cowslip?" He said finally to the strange coloured rabbit, openly staring at his strange yellow tag. "I want the cowslip. Give it to me."

A small red doe stuck her head out of her hollow, twitching her nose at the scents that reached it. She'd heard the thump, and was curious as to what it meant, as it was not panicked or signaling danger. She thought perhaps Bracken-rah was calling some sort of warren meeting, but knew his thumping would be slightly more urgent if he was.

When she looked around, ears swiveling to listen to all the sounds, she spotted the gathered males, consisting of Bracken-rah, an owsla, and the interesting male with the yellow ear-thing. Curiously she listened for just a moment before deciding to join them.

She squeezed out of the entrance of the hollow and lopped gently towards the males, moving swiftly past the owlsa officer with her ears pressed back timidly. She stopped off to the side of Hallowfell and smiled sweetly at the slightly awkward male. "Did I hear something about earning cowslips?"

She was careful not to look at the owlsa, especially not in the eye. They all scared her slightly, even the males. They were large, powerful, and at most times quick to temper. It was best, in her mind, if she just respected them and stayed out of their way. That included making herself as little as possible.

Much unknown to Redwood, a yound kitten had peaked his head out of the hollow after she had left. His wide blue eyes scanned the down until he saw her, and he scurried so quickly across the ground that no on noticed him. He skirted around the tree and hid behind Redwood, his adoptive mother, and listened to the conversation.

He'd heard something about a competition, for a patch of cowslip. He'd had none, before, but it sounded good, and if that big buck wanted some, then if Blackfoot could win it, he'd be tough. He'd be real tough.

"Hey Hallowfell?" He peeped suddenly, having learned the odd male's name from other kittens. He liked odd characters, so naturally he was interested in the buck. He was especially curious about the yellow earthing. Such an interesting story that must have behind it. He'd ask to hear it another day if Redwood let him. "Hallowfell? Can I play please?"

His ears perked hopefully as he took a few steps out, now standing in front of his adoptive mother, who made an odd sort of surprised sound. It was the kind of sound Blackfoot thought only a doe could make, for certainly he couldn't make his head create such sounds. They could be sounds that just Redwood could make, she was an odd doe at times as was, and Blackfoot would not put it past her to be unique in such a way. He loved her though, he truly did.

"I have speed, I have endurance," Blackwort began to grumble, not wanting to entertain the idea that he would have to run for what he found every day on the down. "I also have more bulk and weight than most of you combined." He added sourly, for that was pretty much his entire reasoning as to why he deserved the cowslip plant without any of the competition.

"Why run for it?" He continued, irritated. The buck sat on his hinds and began to wash his face and his paws, running a paw back through tattered ears for a moment. "Why waste your effort on a piece of flayrah? I can settle this easily and quickly - give it to me. If anything, why don't we have a wrestling match for it? That doesn't involve going anywhere, we wouldn't want the warren-members running onto any elil, would we now? Maybe I couldn't wrestle Bracken-rah to the ground for it, but I highly doubt he sees the point in competition over a mere patch of cowslip anyway."

He puffed up his chest, feeling satisfied. Surely they would understand his reasoning and hand it over now, surely.

"Come on, hurry up. Give it to me."

Silanthria hopped slowly out of Dove's burrow, ignoring the protests of her new "mommy". She wasn't about to let Dove's fears conquer her curiosity at the gathering of rabbits she had never gotten to see before. Wriggling her nose, she slowly inched closer to the gathering until she was beside the odd rabbit who had spoken first.

"You have pretty eyes" She stated oddly, nervously,after all, he was only the 4th rabbit she'd ever talked to in her young life and it was fairly terrifying to do so.

Looking up admiringly at the older rabbit, she tried to make herself as tall as possible, and worthy of attention. She didn't really want to race for anything, she was too clumsy. However, she would love to watch all these bucks and does go at it. She only wished Dove was brave enough to come out and watch with her, she was too timid for her own good.

"I can watch you race?" Her eyes pleaded prettily as she spoke, hoping it would be alright.