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 Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:22 pm
 Cowslip was worried.
It wasn't a mild worry, like it looking like rain outside of the snug and secure warren.
No, this was a serious, deep down, soul searching worry.
It hadn't been long since those strangers, the ones who stunk of death and decay, and wandered up upon the hill that he and many other rabbits called home. What bothered him more was that they didn't leave. They were out of sight, but far from being out of mind. Every now and again, depending on the position of the wind, he would catch that same, disgusting scent. At least he thought he could. It was faint, but it was there.
Although he greatly looked up to Bracken-rah, now he wasn't so sure and was fearful of his life that the male had made the wrong choice. Yes, they were hlessi, just like he had been once...
But he also hadn't been disease ridden or cursed with death, like this lot was. He couldn't help but to shudder at the thought of it as he left the confines of the warren and ventured out to siflay beneath the evening's sinking sun. The large, spotted rabbit moved swiftly, in the opposite direction of the scrapes, to put some distance between himself and the impending doom that was the vagabonds just on the other side of the warren, and setled amongst a nice patch of clovers.
He sat up on his haunches, peered about, and when he felt it was safe he dropped down to all fours and nibbled thoughtfully at the fresh clovers that he had found.
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 6:32 pm
 Tearing away at some dandelion leaves, she had her back to the Scrapes and her bright eyes focused on the warren. Mentally ticking off rabbit after rabbit, noting where the trouble makers, other Owsla, and everyone in between were. All while munching away furiously. Wild shoots might be tender and soft with water, but it took a lot more of the stuff to fill her. She paused and brought a hind foot up to scratch away at an ear, trying to remember what the old flayrah she used to eat every day and took for granted tasted like. Ah, no matter. Life was good here, even if the recent events had disturbed her greatly.
Diligently watching for any trouble to try and sneak past her, she nearly snorted. Rabbits trying to visit the diseased, were they daft? Rumors of warren members sneaking off to see the hlessi, it was courting the Black Rabbit himself, it was. And all it would take is a single one getting sick. Did they completely lack sense? And here she thought wild rabbits had been raised better than that.
Bounding a bit closer to the warren, she nosed about for new flay, always keeping an eye on the rabbits wandering around the Down.
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 6:57 pm
Something about Althea, though he was not well acquainted with her and she had been there longer than he, drew him towards her. She was owsla, a place he would hope to be eventually once he had settled firmly into the ways of a wild rabbit...
But it wasn't her rank, as it was her size and markings. She reminded him greatly of the hutch rabbits he had once lived with, though he was well sure he had not known her prior. She reminded him of home and while she tore at the grasses, he did not feel all that intimidated. They were roughly about the same size and he made his way slowly towards her, all the while keeping an eye on the surrounding rabbits and towards the scrapes behind her. After the run in with the doe that so reminded him of the old farm cat, he feared she would try the same again, eventually.
With any luck, she wouldn't.
"G'day..." He greeted disarmingly as he nibbled gently at tender, young shoots near his spotted paws. His coat easily distinguished him as one who had been born in captivity.
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Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 9:08 am
She raised her twitching nose from foraging when he addressed her. Her large head bobbed in greeting, recognizing the buck. Cowslip, if she remembered correctly. Their warren wasn't so large that a rabbit could go unknown. Though she would admit to forgetting the names of the kittens she hadn't met, as well as some of the more quiet rabbits on the down. Though that could be taken as a compliment that they were so well behaved that an owsla officer had no need to remember them.
Bright eyes watching him for a moment, her ear twitched in thought. It had been him, hadn't it? That sounded the warning that day? She couldn't be sure, as she'd been on patrol, and had returned to find Cocklebur discarded like so much hraka to the scrapes.
She sighed inwardly, it would be a blessing from Frith if they didn't lose several more in similar fashion before this was over. And another miracle if none of their own died. Though she had nothing but respect for Bracken-rah, this stank worse than a homba.
"And to you, Cowslip."
She added, not minding him silflaying so close by. The other owsla officers were just as on guard as her, and if there was a warren rabbit to be trusted, it would be him. Though, he seemed troubled.
"Something unsettling you this evening?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 11:22 am
Heh, seemed he was more of an open book than he had credited himself, not that he really had any intention of hiding his concern from every rabbit on the Down. He mulled over a response as he nibbled the fresh shoots. She didn't seem to mind him being there, which was pleasant. He certainly didn't have it in his mind to bother the Qwsla, especially at this point in time. Death loomed so close and the thought of it seemed to pierce his heart.
"Have you seen any trying to get down there... To the scrapes?" He asked, unable to hide the curiosity in his voice as he made his inquiry. He tilted his head to one side, casting a silver eye downwards, then turned his gaze back towards the warren.
"I think... I think what is bothering me is probably on the minds of many other rabbits, here, too. It is lucky that none of our own have fallen ill, too. Can't help but to worry about the little ones that are out there." He mused quietly as he spoke his fears aloud, something that he had been refraining from doing within the warren, lest he cause fear or stir up trouble down there, amongst the others.
He worried about the warren as a whole... And there was little Wren, too.
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Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 2:41 pm
Stretching out a back leg, her gaze followed his down towards the scrapes.
"Not since I have been on watch, but I can't say for the others, or when no one is around at all."
Turning back to eye him carefully, she listened to his concerns while grabbing another mouthful of greenery. It gave her time to think before having to respond.
"I would think it's the concern for the little ones that would bring most rabbits to try and make it to the scrapes. Or, others yet in search of Cocklebur, feeling that the warren is in great danger without him."
She couldn't help but find herself agreeing with the last sentiment, but if she knew Cocklebur, he was patrolling as faithfully as ever. Just because they couldn't see him didn't mean he wasn't the same old Captain.
"Though I've thought about the kittens myself, I would gladly trade their lives for the rest of the warren. Though if I had it my way, I'd have given my own for the kittens'."
Quiet again, she nosed about and went back to ripping up grass, disturbed by the turn of events brought to their warren. The best she could do was save her strength and stand guard. She prayed that Frith was with those in the scrapes and cast out from Watership.
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Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:47 pm
"Those poor kittens..." He echoed his own sentiments quietly and there was a solemn tinge to his voice.
He could hardly help but to second guess Bracken-rah as he nibbled slowly and thoughtfully on the fresh roots that had grown up. Was it a good idea to let the diseased live so close? Accidents were easy, at it was seen already with poor Pepper and the youngster called Mud. Would there be more?
Only time will tell.
He even found himself missing the presence of Cocklebur, despite he being so looming and almost menacing. There seemed to be a strength in the warren when the Chief had been there, but now what? Everyone seemed to be holding up, but there was a certain tension in every nook and cranny of the warren and he, though never really a pessimist, wondered if things would ever right themselves.
"Do you... Think it is a good idea to have them so close? I fear other... Accidents, if you know what I mean. Those little ones might just be the start, unfortunately."
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Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 8:18 pm
Swallowing, she closed her eyes and scented the air, breathing slowly. Her ears rotated, listening, then laid back against her fur. Drawing it deep into her lungs, she held it for a long moment, sitting on her hinds and puffing up her chest with it. She let it go as she fell back to earth on all fours, a single word with all that breath.
"Suppose..."
Settling into the grass again, her eyes searched out Cowslip before continuing.
"Suppose you live in a warren. Not so much different from our own Watership Down. You have a family, perhaps a mate and kittens. Everyone you ever loved, ever respected. And slowly you watch each one die."
Pausing to let that image sink in, she continued with her thought.
"Suppose only a handful of you make it out alive. You run, run for a week from everything you've ever known, everything you've seen; to a new warren. A warren that doesn't know your grief. The horrors you've seen. They treat you like hraka, and rub their perfect lives into your fresh wounds."
Althea herself wasn't there the day the diseased came to their Down. But she could imagine, imagine what it felt like to be wandering again. How her life was turned upside down, and she scrambled to survive. Her first day here, and the stares; and that was even without smelling of death.
"If they turned you away, told you to wander off and die, so long as you left them to their perfect lives, what would you do? What in Frith's name would you say?"
Had she been diseased when she came to the Down, and they turned her aside, she didn't know the answer to that herself. It felt so long ago, and she wasn't the same rabbit anymore. Would it have been her anger that would've won? Fear? She shook her head, ears flopping around a bit.
"Think of it this way. I heard the pfeffa doe nearly entered the warren before Cocklebur took her down. One, unorganized doe. What if all 9 came charging at us? They'd die of course, and a quicker death than what they'd suffer if we turned them away; but how many of us would they take with them? With how many more diseased themselves?"
Another long pause, she felt rather talked out after that long bit, she wasn't a storyteller after all, but it needed to be said. Still, she hadn't exacty answered him had she?
"I think Bracken-rah took a gamble. I hope Frith led his choice, and this will prove to be the right one. In any case, it's too late now."
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Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:31 pm
"When you put it that way..."
His voice trailed off softly as he considered the situation that the large doe had proposed. He couldn't exactly fathom the feeling. He, himself, had been in prime health when he had found his way to the Down. Sure, he was exhausted and in need of a place to call home. What would of happened had he been driven away by Bracken-rah and Cocklebur?
Would he of been devoured by a homba?
Would a pfeffa torn him to shreds, unlike the old tom-cat that had lived within the human barn and often slept near the hutch? That pfeffa was ancient and harmless... But he would of not been so fortunate to meet another face to face.
What about the winged Thousand? Would a hawk or another raptor snatch him off?
"I honestly... I don't know. They must be miserable out there, but at the same time to allow them in might spell the death of every buck, doe, marli, and young one within the warren. It's a ... Touchy situation."
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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:19 am
Rather upset at herself for getting sentimental, and for talking too much, Althea simply watched him as the spotted buck mused. It wasn't very professional of her to be letting emotions best her.
Ah well, no taking back words now. At least it had him thinking, perhaps seeing why Bracken-rah acted as he did. Nosing over a dandelion before devouring it, she nodded towards him.
"Yes, it is. No matter what choice was made, our warren would be at risk."
She raised her head to turn towards the scrapes, sniffing out as if she could smell zorn from all the way over here; and then tilted her head to look along the Down, focusing on the beech hanger and their home.
"Best we can do is keep others from doing something stupid. If you hear word of any rabbit talking nonsense about visiting the hlessi, try to deter them and warn the Owsla. We can't afford any chances."
Her golden eyes were sharp as she looked gravely at him, making sure he understood her.
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:51 am
Her grave glance only seemed to increase the sense of duty he held toward his new home. He loved it there, in Watership Down, much more than the dull and humdrum life he had been leading in captivity. He would do what he could to keep the Down safe and content.
"I'll keep my ears sharp, Ma'am." He replied swiftly and gave her a cut nod of his head. He certainly would keep his ears perked and listening, lest there be dire consequences. He understood all too well what could be if some crazy rabbit did the unthinkable and tried to venture out to the hlessi.
"Frith help us and watch over us... And those poor rabbits down the way." He shook his head grimly as he wrinkled his nose and peered down the slope, behind them, for a brief moment.
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Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 2:08 am
Content that Cowslip would indeed be an extra pair of eyes and ears, she returned his nod in kind. She made note to keep an interest in him, perhaps he would make a good Owsla later on. With all the commotion going on, and with new litters and a larger warren not too far off, the Owsla would do well to gain a few more in her opinion.
She looked longingly at the flay, but felt perhaps she should take a quick trip around the the reach of the warren. It seemed that quite a few rabbits were out now, and perhaps seeing an Owsla patrolling nearby would help dispel some trouble. Stretching out, preparing to take off at a lop, she looked at him once again while stretching out her hinds.
"Yes, let us hope Frith guides us all. These next few days will prove tricky I'm sure. Thank you for the company, but I best be patrolling. take care Cowslip, and do keep your wits about you. I have a feeling that few will if this turns bad."
And on that ugly thought, she flicked her ear in a casual farewell and bounded further up the Down, stopping now and then to survey all that her senses could tell her.
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Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:46 am
"I shall take your words to heart. Good luck with your patrols and, if I see anything, I will find you right away."
The spotted, monochrome buck called after her, glad to have spent some time speaking with another, especially one so attentive to issues in the warren. She was certainly worthy of Owsla and he was glad she was there, patrolling to help keep their home safe.
As she shifted herself further up the Down, he settled to graze on the soft, tasty grasses that grew abundant on that particular patch. He ate slowly and thoughtfully as his silver eyes watched the atmosphere around him attentively.
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