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The down was quiet, a peaceful air blanketed the rolling hills of Watership broken only by the buzzing of insects and the occasional far off call of a songbird. Many of the warren's rabbits lay scattered about under the beach anger, dozing in the warm sunshine, safe and relaxed in their hilltop home. A few others were at silflay, nibbling on the tender shoots or hunting out coltsfoot among the grasses. One such rabbit was the doe named Cloudberry, a sleek and graceful female who had seen several seasons. She was a smart creature, yet strong minded and sensible with it. She had been ear-marked for the owsla as a youth but had never joined the elite ranks, thought it was certainly not for lack of courage or brains. She was a rather peculiar doe indeed, often preferring her own company and even when she was with other rabbits she was watching rather than partaking in their antics. However if one could persuade her to a game of bobstones, she proved to be an expert paw, rarely beaten once she started to play.

Despite, or perhaps because of her slightly unusual demeanor, many of the warren's younger rabbits sought her out. First time marli went to her for advice and young outskirts called to hear her stories of past seasons. During these times she proved to be far more than a distant observer, happy to lend her paw to any who wished. She certainly didn't know everything there was to know about the world and was always the first one to pint that fact out, but she was not a rabbit prone to going tharn and her steady nature often helped calm those of a more fretful temperament than she.

This morn she was settled a short distance from the beach roots, nibbling on a coltsfoot plant. Alone as was typical for her she seemed as peaceful as the rabbits napping near by. Sitting up she glanced about habitually, one ear flicking slowly as she groomed the second. Humming softly to herself she finished with her ear and carefully groomed her paws, bright sky-blue eyes slitted with contented calm.

The arrival upon the down of another rabbit did not immediately disturb the doe, many were running around near the burrow entrances or laying in the warm grass. But as was a rabbit's way, she wandered as she grazed, hopping slowly from a patch of shoots to a few broad leaves, nibbling calmly. Eventually her slow procession led her close to Bracken-rah were he sat at silflay. Sitting up on her hinds as she groomed an ear, she glanced over, recognising the rich red coat and strong figure of their chief. Unlike many who were rather in awe of their chief rabbit and often nervous in his presence, this mature female was not and hoped the last step to arrive at his side, close enough for conversation but not sitting right on top of each other.

"Good morning Bracken-rah." She greeted him warmly, her voice rich and soft. She was still perfectly respectful as his rank dictated, but not scared or cringing, or worried about disturbing him. If he wished to be alone she was certain he would tell her so and likewise she would not take offence if that was the case. But she had seen him around as all rabbits did, and knew he had the same habits as herself in staying apart from the rest, though she rather suspected his reasons were different.

Smiling as he turned to face her, she nodded her head in return as h named her correctly. "Indeed it is, sir. I believe our marlis were of the same year." She replied. Though there was a couple of seasons between her age and the chief, she had been from one of her marli's last litters and was fairly sure she remembered her marli speaking of the other doe as a kit. Though her memory of those days was fairly fuzzy now, still, she was mostly certain of her words.

Pausing to follow his gaze she studied the sky as much for elil as to enjoy the blessings of frith. "Certainly." She agreed before turning to look over the warren behind them, a half smile flitting across her features. She rather suspected that more than just frith was watching over them. The rabbit beside her had a great deal to do with the health of the warren and looking out across the contented rabbits scattered over the down, she knew their chief took great care of the warren and everyone in it. The thought made her smile. He was their very own frithrah.

"It is good here." She said softly, gaze roaming the down, looking out across the landscape that fell away like a tapestry below them.

Turning her sky-blue eyes back to him her smile warmed, becoming one of a personal nature rather than the general expression it had been. "They did. The stories of Hazel-rah and his companions were some of my marli's favorites. I know several different versions, for they changed as she aged." Laughing softly she sat back on her hinds and pulled one sleek ear forwards to groom it thoughtfully. "I am sue more stories will be added after we have gone as well." Turning to Bracken-rah she regarded him quietly, those pale eyes bright and almost seeming to gaze right through a rabbit. She was not ignorant of the troubles plaguing the warren, of Cocklebur and his lackey. Though she knew none of the specifics it would take a doe far less attentive than she to not realise something was coming. But what ever was to come, Cloudberry was not afraid of it. They were rabbits, they had their tricks and their cunning. Just as all the stories of El-ahrairah proved.

Tilting her head she blinked up at the muscular, older buck. Not that he was that much older than she, come to think of it. She could remember when he had been a young chief rabbit, full of vigor and energy. That youthfulness had gone now.. but it was replaced with something even better in her humble opinion... wisdom. Older, more experienced, he was the rock of the warren... the roots that bound and held them all in his steady, sure strength. She was certain that without him the warren would be worse off.

The brief image of Cocklebur as chief made her shudder and drop both front paws to the ground, though she disguised the move by dipping her head and nosing for a tender shoot. "You don't sound overly pleased...." She replied softly, her tone having gone from casually friendly to something more cautious, more intimate.... a concerned tone that was so rarely audible in her speech.