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Sparrow was on edge. Well, he was always on edge. He had been running circles around his favorite rock for some time now, talking to his trusted "Zorn-rah", desperate to get a clearer answer from him. Of course, few others even bothered to tell him to quieten down anymore. He had the madness, and no doubt his cries would be quietened soon enough if he kept it up in this rain. Even Oakvale, his one and only friend had given in trying to calm him, and had retreated to a warm, cozy burrow after eating in this miserable weather.

Though despite this mocking, Sparrow was insistent on talking to Zorn, ever since he had muttered about something on the wind. Something was coming, something he was certain was bad. When was it ever good for a rabbit if it traveled on the wind?

But for now, his spirit remained calm and watchful, sitting proudly, unseen on the rock that Sparrow encircled like a playful kitten in summer play. It had been a few days since he had opened his mouth, choosing to go quiet and observe the forthcoming events. Zorn knew everything. He knew of the travelers, their reason for coming. He even knew which ones the black rabbit had his eye on. Yet he said nothing, he never did. Only riddles and verse. It was clear that the strange, strong lop-eared was once a story-teller of sorts, as well as a seer, using his visions to aid him in his curious, and sometimes blasphemous tales. He saw of things that wasn't just a world governed by Frith and his servant, the black rabbit. No, there were others. Many others that served Frith, some just as powerful as the great fiery ball in the sky.

He had spoke of them many a time before to Sparrow, the young buck being the only one that could listen, though for now he had chosen not to share word of these other deities. He was considered mad enough.
But for now, even with a head ful of fanciful, and dangerous words. Zorn fell quiet. and it ailed Sparrow to no end. He had never been so quiet in the whole of the time Sparrow had known of the deformed rabbit.

That ended today, in this despicable weather.

I'm coming to see you, though it will bring fear, rightly so!
I'm bringing my friends, and a symbolic doe.
We're weary and tired, from a warren long gone,
and soon you will learn of our mournful, pained song.

The voice that came from Zorn's mouth only brought fear and anguish to every inch of Sparrow's body. Something was coming. And not just one! A warren, though. Rabbits? Hlessi? Were they dangerous? They should be feared, not trusted. But who would listen to him? Why was he, such a runt amongst the ranks be trusted with such cryptic information?? He knew he wouldn't get anything more from Zorn-rah, so all that he could do was drown on the vagueness.
Something was coming.. He could feel it himself now. And he certainly didn't like it.

Sparrow nearly leapt into the heavens as Cowslip spoke to him. He was certainly one of the most skittish in the warren, by far. He landed and pounded his foot into the ground briefly through nerves. It wasn't strong enough to send alarm bells ringing through the warren, however. He had never been good at thumping the right spot to echo the call through the ground, even accidentally.

He turned to look over his shoulder at the curiously colored Buck. The had heard tales of farm creatures that looked similar, sometimes more of a brown and white. Having never strayed too far from Watership Down, he had never personally seen such docile creatures. But that was besides the point.

"Is something the matter??" He repeated, almost a little hysterical, before moving to turn to the larger buck. "Is something the matter?!?" Again, he repeated the question, a little more panicked.
"We're all doomed, that's what's the matter. There's something on the wind. Something to be feared. They're coming straight for us and we're just sitting ducks." He whined, barely breathing between words, crouching low as he looked around with wild, frightened eyes.

"Getting sick is the last of our worries. At least maybe Inle will take us before it happens.. It's coming.. Some thing's cominngg..."

Zorn-rah, however, seemed much more amused, and simply sat on his rock, cleaning his own ears.

What a handsome buck. Painted like such a strong, calm creature. I wonder if his personality matches.

Sparrow-roo snapped out've his slight delirious state at the sound of Zorn's voice, barking at him. "Is that all you can say?? In a time like this you can only talk about the fact he looks like a Cow??"

Well his name does happen to be Cowslip.. Did you not hear him?

It had totally slipped his mind that Cowslip couldn't hear or see the form that was tormenting him so much, and so thought little of talking to an invisible being on a rock.

The thumping from Sparrow was at least enough to raise a few heads, Bracken's included. However, they all recognized the eccentric buck and simply went back to their feeding. One however, decided to take this opportunity to bully the pathetic rabbit.

Cocklebur was soon beside Cowslip and sneering a bit at the speckled idiot who was making such a fuss. "What are you prattling about now?" He then snorted lightly as the buck also seemed to be speaking to the rock. The hefty captain then turned to Cowslip, "Pay this fool no mind. He's always going off like this. Bracken doesn't need to be bothered with the likes of him... AGAIN." The last word emphasized with a glare shot at Sparrow.

Baring his teeth, Cocklebur approached the lunatic and loomed over him. Glaring down with his menacing red eyes. "Now calm yourself and be silent! You make everyone around you uneasy."

Cowslip listened intently, though he seriously doubted that what the speckled rabbit said was true. Coming from a warren and flying on the wind? The only creatures he knew to fly were the birds, and what bird came from a warren?

"A bird, perhaps? They fly on the wind and it wouldn't surprise me if they lived like we do, in large groups. maybe they some times call their trees warrens?" He tried to reason as the smaller buck circled him, urging him to make some sort of move, but he had little idea which one to do. To leave the smaller buck out in the rain would do no good, at least in his own eyes, but to willingly partake in something so strange could be the last he got along well with other rabbits in the warren.

What an interesting turn of events!

He felt his fur bristle as the large Captain bounded up beside him. Had the spotted buck been born to the wild ways of the rabbit, he might of been a match. He was easily the same size, but seasons of soft living had not prepared him for fighting and it would take some time before he would feel ready. He was willing to throw his weight around, but not with such an elite rabbit.

"It has happened before, then, sir?" He inquired, if anything to strike up conversation. Maybe a small chat would distract him from approaching the smaller rabbit any more violently. At least that was what the black and white rabbit hoped for.

__________________Mud--

Mud looked about what was all this about? He had joined the group when cocklebur did, he followed him closely learning what it takes to be in the owsla. He turned the crazy bunny he knew as sparrow was making the warren uneasy.

He looked about as he waited to see or hear what this danger was that the bunny was talking about.

'Probably gone mad' he thought to himself. Plus cocklebur thought that was the reason too. No doubt why the captain thought this bunny crazy, mud thought he was too.

He thought to himself though if this danger was perhaps true, maybe like some bunnies before who could predict the future...maybe he was one of them. Or he is as crazy as he looks. Mud shook his head is disgust the warren did not need weak rambling frightful bunnies that talk to things and think they know what is to come. It was things like this that made mud mad at his chief but he pushed it away maybe this rabbit is still in the warren for a reason.

'maybe something is lurking'

He thought as he turned around to cowslip who suggested it a bird.

"Can't be a bird if this rabbit says it is not of the thousand that eliminates all things that prey on us"

he said feeling a bit rude since he was a kitten correcting an adult. But he was only being wise and truthful. He looked down thinking hard of the possibilities.

"Well if what sparrow says is true perhaps it is a flood or fire, but I cannot personally make myself all worried and prepared on the words of a bunny who has no proof of what he says."

Mud said speaking his mind stating that if something were to happen it could be bad but he will not get ready for something that may not come or happen. He understood everyones views, cowslip for being cautious and cocklebur for thinking this rabbit a loony. Even as cocklebur told this bunny off he had no empathy for sparrow or anyone, he never has.

Sparrow whined some more, clutching at his ears as he hopped around nervously behind his rock, seeking guidance or, well anything from the lord of disaster that watched over him, perched, invisible as the wind itself on the rock the small rabbit found himself attached to. The runtish seer was under attack from questions and scrutany, and there was no way to actually prove anything.

Then Zorn-rah turned his heavy head, looking towards U'tuhlroo. He smiled softly, like he always did when his predictions showed themselves to be true.

Why don't you ask her..? Zorn spoke, motioning to the panicked looking doe as she started to speak in her worried tone to the chief.

Sparrow noticed her fear as well, as it would soon spread like wild fire. "Yes yes! The Doe! Look! She's seen it too! She knows of the death on the wind! It's here it's here!!" He called, rather panicked and crazed by his own fear of what lay in store for them. "Ask her! She'll tell you!"

"H'oh, no good, no good at all."

Only these words escaped the red furred lop as he sat back on his haunches and observed the female that strode so confidently out into the lush field, so near to the new rabbits. His heart beat sped up and his pale pink eyes widened as she made their presence more easily known and his large, dark body began to quake with fear.

"The death! She carries it closer!"

"They'll scent it! They will! She's going to ruin our chance!" The quaking rabbit turned his head and gaze to fall on their Captain, the one who had led them this far. He would surely know just how to handle the situation, right? Ninebark was certain Dewberry would spread fear before ever a word reached this new warren.