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Watership Down - Blueberry's Tale

Chapter 18 - Efrafa prepares for war.

Authors Note : This is a clean fanfiction story written in the Watership Down universe. There are some scenes of natural violence, ie. predators hunting prey. Watership Down is copyrighted to Richard Adams. All world, references etc is copyrighted to Richard Adams.

This story was written during Nanowrimo 2005 and comprises of twenty chapters, however for the time being I'm only uploading the first chapter to see whether or not there is any interest for a clean fanfiction story posted on here by readers and of course this will be quite different to my usual written works on here.

***

The next few days were uneventful for Blueberry as he carried on with his duties being on sentry duty during the Ni-Frith and Fu-Inle silflay for his mark. There had been no word back from the patrol and Blueberry hadn't seen Campion back at the warren. But more importantly, Blueberry hadn't seen Vervain for the last couple of days which had made him feel more at ease within the warren once again.

Arrowroot was still next alongside him as usual as Blueberry kepted a look out to the rabbits, silflaying in the blackness of night. They had been out for a while as Inle was hidden and it was too dark to move that far away from them. Flicking an ear, he heard Arrowroot begin to talk quietly. "Well, glad that it's the last time we're out during night time. We're back on the early morning, evening shifts tomorrow."

Blueberry blinked. "Where did you hear that from?" He looked at a doe that was looking at him and then turned his head back to face Arrowroot again. "Avens?" Arrowroot nodded his head. "Yeah, he got the news from the council messenger before this silflay. We should've gone..." He paused and looked at the doe. "Don't you have to silflay right now than eavesdrop?"

Petal blinked back at Arrowroot and shook her head. "No I wasn't listening sir. I was just er. Can I go please?" Blueberry looked at Arrowroot who smiled and nodded his head. "Go on, go." He chuckled as he watched her go before he turned his head to face Blueberry. "I think you have an admirer there."

Blueberry rolled his eyes. "Not interested, not right now anyways. Besides I like to do the looking, not the other way around." He stopped and looked in the direction again of where Petal had gone. "So what can you tell me about her?"

Arrowroot smiled. "Well, she isn't one of the troublemakers if that's what you're wondering about. Don't think she likes causing trouble. Why you interested?" Arrowroot finished giving Blueberry a sly look.

"Of course I am not interested." Blueberry replied back before he turned his head around quickly to the sound of Captain Aven's stamping his rear foot, calling out. "Get everyone down below." Sighing, he turned to see that Arrowroot had already got up and was making sure that everyone was heading back down.

Blueberry stayed behind as he watched the others move in single file down both holes into the warren as he heard Captain Aven's come up behind him. "Where's Arrowroot?" Blueberry pointed with his paw. "He's helping the others get inside, I am making sure no one turns around or hides sir."

Captain Avens frowned. "I thought I told him to..." He stopped and shook his head. "Nevermind, you're to head to the council burrow with me, the patrol has come back and Woundwort wants you to listen to the report at the same time that they do. Come on."

Blueberry and Captain Avens arrived just outside of the council burrow as Blueberry saw Vervain frowning at him. Blueberry ignored as he slipped into the burrow itself with Captain Avens, moving to a place that was shown to him before sitting down. Looking about he could see that Campion was there as with the rest of the patrol that had come back. But there were a few missing. Blueberry blinked slightly as he heard Woundwort begin to speak.

"So Campion, have you found what you were looking for?" Woundwort asked after a slight pause. He looked over to where Blueberry was before returning his gaze back on his captain.

Campion nodded his head as he gave his report. "Sir, we have travelled far and wide, but we did find the warren in question." He looked about as he carried on. "We know as we saw Bigwig himself heading back with a few rabbits from the farm. WE tracked them back to their warren which is on top of a hill." He paused. "We didn't go up on the hill but moved around so that we could get as close as we could to it. We came straight back to report this."

Woundwort nodded as he dug his claws into the ground. "Did you see our rabbits there?" He saw Campion nod his head. Raising himself off from the ground, Woundwort roared as he looked about. "Right, I want all available owsla officers to begin training immediately, I want us ready for the attack on their warren." He lowered his voice as he looked at everyone in the room. "Everyone will be prepared as we will kill each and everyone of those meddling rabbits."

Blueberry swallowed as he felt the cold evil stare rest on him as he looked back at Woundwort who spoke again. "Isn't that so, Blueberry?" Blueberry swallowed and replied back. "I be alongside with you General." He didn't look away from the stare that Woundwort was giving him. Eventually Woundwort turned his head back to Campion. "You and I will be training them, make sure that any officer that is coming on this attack is not to be side tracked by normal duties." He paused as he looked at Blueberry again before finishing. "He's your first officer that will be coming with us."

Campion nodded his head. "I understand sir." He turned to look at Blueberry before beckoning for him to follow as Blueberry left alongside Campion. From behind him he could hear Woundwort talking to Captain Avens. "As for your request about a new mark captain, we regret that we haven't come to a decision yet..."

The rest of what Woundwort was saying faded away as they got further away from the council burrow. Campion came to a stop and looked at Blueberry for a moment. "I have to warn you that Vervain still thinks that you have something to do with that escape. If you weren't involved I would suggest that you keep your wits about you in case anything happens." He started to leave but stopped, moving his head back again. "However, if it does turn out that you did have something to do about it. I have to report it and let Woundwort deal with you, but I thought you appreciate the warning anyways. Get some rest, you'll need it for tomorrow." Without saying another word, Campion has left, disappearing around a corner.

Being on his own again, Blueberry slowly made his way back to where his burrow was and sighed as he could hear Arrowroot talking to Petal. Taking a deep breath, Blueberry came into the burrow and blinked.

"Well, hello there. Petal was just coming to see you." Arrowroot said as he got up and moved towards Blueberry himself. Stopping briefly he whispered into his ear. "Now, don't go ruining this will you? Not everyday you get a doe coming to you but she could be after something so just warning you. I'll wait a bit further down the run if you need to call me." Without saying anything else he left.

Blueberry gave Arrowroot another bad look before he heard a soft cough and immediately removed it before he turned his head to face Petal again. Sitting down, he looked at her. "So may I enquire what do you want?"

Petal blinked. "Oh, I just wanted to talk that's all?" She said softly. "Get to know you and all. Please, do you want to stay in the entrance of the burrow all the time?" Blueberry blinked, and then nodded his head as he came into the burrow and sat down in front of Petal. "Oh, sorry, is this better?"

Blueberry saw Petal nod her head as she spoke again. "So tell me about yourself?" Blueberry thought for a moment and closed his eyes. "Why would you want to know? You're not one of those spies of the council are you?"

Petal frowned slightly, then gave Blueberry a small cuff on the face that surprised him as she replied back. "No I am not and I have you know that I just want to know you." She got up and frowned. "But it looks like you're just another officer in this place. Sorry to bother you." She made a move to get around Blueberry who got up and blocked her way. "Get out of my way." Petal frowned, baring her teeth.

"Whoa, calm down. I didn't mean to offend you in any way, just I had enough of being within the council dealings these past couple of days." Blueberry replied back gently. "Please, sit down again and I'll tell you what you want to know."

Petal paused, then gave Blueberry a look as she sat back down again and sniffed slightly. "Well, first I like to know where you stand here exactly? Are you from the council yourself?" Blueberry opened his eyes more and shook his head. "No I am not, I don't think they like outsiders to get too high a rank here." He got up and moved over to the far end of the burrow and fell down against the soil wall. "So what made you interested in me?"

Petal gently lay down again and replied. "It was the talk about you protecting Carbi from Tacca. No officer would've stopped anyone else from trying to get in on another by killing them or would've cared. You made quite a few think about what you did, me but I think also others within the owsla and the council of course."

Blueberry lied. "Yeah, that's what I was in trouble for a while, I wasn't giving enough of being a true Efrafan apparantely." He paused and frowned. "How many others think they can get in on me now for protection?"

Petal frowned back. "Now, don't start again, what is up with you, you're as jumpy if you were facing a weasel himself." She relaxed again as she replied. "A few but they're too scared to approach you. I don't want anything at all apart to get to know you better. Besides, I have a mate already."

"Oh, I see." Blueberry said after a short while. "My apologies, but I thought Arrowroot said that you weren't?" He blinked as he saw Petal move towards him before lying down next to him as she spoke very quietly. "We aren't supposed to be, but he isn't in the owsla. It's not allowed you see, so I really need to ask you a favour?"

Blueberry blinked as he thought for a moment and replied back. "You want me to be your mate so that they will stop wondering why you haven't accepted another officer approach?" He frowned. "Surely your mate would've rejected the idea?"

Petal nodded. "He has but I can't keep rejecting or trying to change the subject when someone came up trying to mate me." She sighed. "Look, he's accepted it for now and I really don't want to ask but if it keep me and him safe for the while then hopefully one day things will change here." She looked at him and carried on. "The escape that happened recently has given many the hope that things will change here but we don't know when or how but all we do know is that most have a glimmer of hope that we didn't have before."

"I do it." Blueberry replied back. "But I suggest that I don't meet your mate in the meantime in case anyone notices the look that he may give. I'll tell you about myself so you know what to say." He paused for a moment and then went on to talk about where he had come from, the descruction of his warren, the journey across the wilderness and finally how he arrived at Efrafa. By the time he had finished, Petal had fallen asleep right next to him and Blueberry remained awake thinking on what he had gotten himself into now.

***

Arrowroot came in to see that Blueberry and Petal were asleep, lying against each other and nodded his head approvingly before slipping into the burrow and gave Blueberry a gentle nudge with his nose. "Blueberry, it's time for us to leave." He saw Blueberry wake up before moving back.

Blueberry nodded his head. "Could you give me a moment?" He saw Arrowroot nod his head and then left the burrow. Giving Petal a look, Blueberry nuzzled gently and then go up, leaving the burrow as Petal opened her eyes and smiled, before she closed them again and fell back asleep.

Arrowroot was smiling as he saw Blueberry approach him. "So how did last night go?" He said as he walked along the run alongside Blueberry. "It went as good as it can get." Blueberry replied back as they turned around a corner. "You were right, she did like me after all so I may as well settle down here, I accepted her as my mate."

"Ah good, a few were wondering when you were really going to settle down here." Arrowroot said as they went up the run to head up to the top and outside of the warren itself. Blueberry didn't reply back as they made their way towards the group of rabbits that were already up on top.

Campion was there alongside Woundwort as they both looked at Arrowroot and Blueberry arriving before Woundwort began to speak. "We now know where the rabbits are that escaped and the traitors Hawk and Bigwig. You all have to pass a test to see who will be granted this moment of glory and possible promotion within the warren." He looked at Campion and nodded.

Campion carried on. "There are a few runs that have had the cover collapsed, this is in case they decide to block their runs as other runs have done in the past. You're all to go into pairs and dig them out. You will have to do this before the mark is ready to come out for silflay or they will have to do without."

Woundwort nodded his head and gave the order. "Alright, get to it." Officers from the ground picked their companion as they headed off to the various runs within the warren as Blueberry went with Arrowroot to one that had been blocked from their mark. Both went at the soft soil with their front claws and began to dig out the soft soil blocking the run.

Throughout the early morning, both Woundwort and Campion moved through the ranks to see how they were doing and were impressed by a few and not so impressed by others. Woundwort frowned by some from the neck mark that he sent them away, while cancelling their mark silflay for a whole day. Eventually he had got the rabbits down to who he wanted for the attack, they were all summoned back to where they were before next the crixia.

Woundwort looked at the group of rabbits in front of him and spoke. "You all did very well in that test. We may not have to use that but in case that we do have to dig them out. You're all to be off duty. There has been a new reserved for you within the council section of the warren. We will not mention any plans for escape until after we have left. Then the warren will be informed. If you follow Campion, he will show you to your new burrows."

Blueberry began to follow Campion as did the others, leaving Woundwort to head off in another direction. It was then that Woundwort saw Vervain who was within the group and moved his head back with a frown. Arrowroot was next to him and spoke. "Let me guess, you saw Vervain?" Blueberry just nod as Arrowroot carried on to speak out quietly. "Ignore him, we have a job to do now, a chance of glory when we kill every rabbit within that warren."

Blueberry didn't reply back as he felt the cold shiver of what Arrowroot said run right through him. There wasn't any chance of getting word to his friends as he didn't know the location of where the warren was and didn't think either Campion or Vervain would make a mistake in giving it's exact location, all that it was on a hill.

Gradually rabbits left as Campion stopped to show them that they were to rest here for the rest of the time that they were to be at Efrafa. Arrowroot and Blueberry were placed in a large burrow as the others moved along past them, all except for Vervain who stopped and looked in on Blueberry. "Well, we shall see soon just where your loyalities lay, won't we?"

Arrowroot frowned. "Leave him alone, he's loyal to the warren alright, he has a mate here now so what does that tell you?" Blueberry shook his head as he saw Vervain smile. "Oh? Is that so? We have to find out what he has told her then won't we, when we get back from our mission?" He turned around and headed off as Blueberry sighed. "I wish you didn't tell him, you know he's out to get me."

"Ah, you worry too much." Arrowroot said as he laid down his head on his paws before closing his eyes. "You think that the council or the General would allow you to come on such an important mission if you were on the other side. Just ignore him." Not saying anything else, Arrowroot fell asleep again.

Blueberry settled down himself and thought to himself as he looked at Arrowroot then closed his eyes again, deep inside of him he wanted this whole event to be over, lying all the time was starting to become a burden on his heart, making it heavy with guilt. He didn't know what to do if he came up in front of either, Hawk, Carbi or the others. Yet he knew that he had a choice to make on the matter.

***

It was late evening that a rabbit went along the run, waking up the inhabitants of the burrows alongside it to say that it was time to head up on top. Blueberry and Arrowroot got up and made their way back to the top of the warren again and slipped back outside without saying much at all.

Blueberry had noticed that no one else was saying anything right now, but there was a air of anticipation, fear and uncertainty in the air as they all headed to where Woundwort was with his captains. "Right, we're all here?" Woundwort asked as he looked about and nodded his head before he carried on. "Efrafa had been attacked by another warren, we had some of our rabbits kidnapped by a traitor who acted as a spy for the other warren. We cannot and will not allow this to carry on, they declared war on us and war that they shall get. We will all head off to bring punishment down on them in the Black Rabbit's name, for EfraFA: "

Blueberry's ear twitched as he heard the rest of the rabbits cry out. "For EfraFA: " Without another word, Woundwort gave the orders for them to leave in formation and slowly the attack force of Efrafa began to filter out from the hedge onto the Crixia itself in the lead of Campion and Woundwort.