Archive of Our Own

Just before the sun came up over the skies on a dreary cloudy dawn, two rabbits hopped underground for their warren. The slender brown rabbit whispered to the smaller pale rabbit, urging him to stay silent of their journey, before sending him off. After watching the little one disappear, the brown rabbit trudged to his burrow, intent on catching up on the rest he had missed overnight.

However, in his burrow waited another brown rabbit, similar in appearance to him, though also smaller like the other. Lowering his eyes, the taller rabbit made his way in, doing his best to ignore the accusatory eyes of the other.

"You're soaked, Hazel," pointed out the shorter rabbit.

"Grass is wet in the morning, Fiver," snapped Hazel. "What of it?"

"Off to silflay, and you let yourself get that wet? This early?" Fiver shook his head. "No, I don't think so. It rained last night too, late, but I heard it."

"As did I."

"Of course you did, because you were out in it," accused Fiver. He sniffed lightly at the air around Hazel. "You smell of farmyard too."

"Scents like that probably carry further down the hill."

"Is that right?" Fiver frowned as his eyes lowered. "Tell me, how well do the scents of elil carry, brother? Because you reek of one."

"Likely the cat that was nearby," dismissed Hazel. "Got away before one could come after us, though."

"Is that why Pipkin was so shaken when you sent him off?"

"Leave him out of this."

"He's my friend."

"He's part of my warren."

"Yes, your warren," fired back Fiver. "The one you found all by yourself and invited a jolly band of hlessil to come on in. Is that right, Chief Hazel-rah?"

"Do you have a point, Fiver?" Hazel lifted up and towered over his younger brother. "I'm quite tired and would like to get some rest."

"Just that I'm worried about you," insisted Fiver, reaching for his brother. "You're hiding something from me, and that's not like you." Hazel flinched back from his touch, and Fiver deflated. "Not with me…"

"Things change. I have to do what's best for everyone, not just us." Hazel shook his head. "That's neither here nor there. Holly's the one that you should be concerned over, not I. He's off trying to get to that—"

"Big warren as our emissary?" Fiver's ears perked up as he looked to his brother. "Oh, why, didn't you know? He and the others that he took with him reached that warren already, which Kehaar told everyone about yesterday evening." Hazel winced as Fiver raised an eyebrow at him. "If you didn't go far, shouldn't he have told you as well?"

"Suppose not." Hazel twisted away from his brother, trying to get comfortable.

"What's it going to come to, Hazel?" Fiver's ears lowered. "You tell me that you were foraging downhill, but what you've really done is gone to a farm and escape the cat living there." Hazel twitched at Fiver's deduction. "And you're so busy carrying on about that, you didn't even bother to ask how Holly and the others were managing." He poked at his brother. "Are you just going to leave the story like that?"

"Fine, Fiver, since you're insisting," thundered Hazel as he whirled back around. "Pipkin and I went to the farm that Kehaar told us about. There are other rabbits there in a hutch, and I went to talk with them." He brushed under his eyes and kicked back at the dirt lump near his hind leg. "One night soon, I'm going back to them, and I'll get them out to come join us here."

"…How many rabbits?"

"Four."

"All does?"

"Two of them are."

"So, that's it then." Fiver shook his head. "Hazel-rah, off to gather some lovely does—"

"Does and bucks," snapped Hazel. "We'll take them all."

"Oh, so it was a buck batting his eyes that galvanized you, then, my mistake," mocked Fiver. "Funny, I thought that only worked on me."

"It's not about that!" Hazel dug into the ground. "We're going to get as many rabbits as we can, that's all."

"To what end?" His ears lowered as Fiver's expression fell. "Holly is getting more rabbits for us already, probably to gather more than four. Rabbits that, mind you, are already acclimated to living in the wild, unlike these hutch rabbits you've found." He frowned as Hazel glowered to him. "Why would you feel the need to be a silly show-off for new rabbits that will be a greater risk—?"

"Silly show-off? That's what you think of me?" Hazel snorted. "Well, we'll see what Bigwig and Blackberry think when I tell them."

"Right, telling your invited hlessil what's sensible and just to do, of course." Fiver narrowed his gaze back on Hazel's. "A Chief Rabbit's duty should be to his warren foremost, and with this, you're senselessly risking our fellow rabbits' lives, for others that are kept by men, and hold no value to us when another of our rabbits is already off to bring us more."

"It's urgent—"

"No, it's not," protested Fiver. "You only need patience, but you'd rather get yourself and the others killed."

"Is that from a vision you saw?"

"Would it change anything if I told you so?"

"Not in the slightest, now that I know you haven't," determined Hazel. "You're exercising caution when we need to expand our ranks, help our home flourish." Hazel twisted away from Fiver. "Your worries will only see us die out here over time."

"My 'worries' are why we left Sandleford in the first place," reminded Fiver. "And Cowslip's corner of hell too, which you disagreed with me back then over too."

"Think you can see all of the futures to the world before us?" Hazel glanced back over his shoulder. "Remind me, but didn't you flounder with the harvest back in Sandleford a few months back? Weren't your visions a bit off the mark with that crow that came after us, after you thought it would take off after a swift kick? But, oh yes, Fiver sees and knows all!"

"That's not how I mean it, and I never claimed to be such," objected Fiver. He sank down and looked away from his brother. "I only want you to be careful."

"While making yourself sound smarter than I am, certainly."

"You say so."

"Oh, be quiet and be off," hissed Hazel. "I'm much too tired for any of this, and I'll have my rest now."

"As you wish, your majesty."

Exiting Hazel's burrow, Fiver plodded from the underground. Two rabbits turned to him as he came out, one with black tipped ears and the other a bulky rabbit with a tuft of fur over his head. They smiled to Fiver, but those quickly fell as he sadly gazed to them. The bulky rabbit raised an ear while his companion hopped forward.

"Everything all right, Fiver?"

"Not nearly, Blackberry," murmured Fiver. "But you'll understand soon enough."

"Is it another of those visions?" The bulky rabbit ambled over to Fiver as well. "You've no need to hold back on those Fiver, believe me." He felt around as his neck, faint scars still past his fur. "We learned from that."

"Perhaps not everyone has." Fiver shook his head. "Don't worry, Bigwig. I've seen nothing. Just worried about what Hazel's next idea will bring."

"And what's that?"

"It's better that he'll tell you, soon enough."

"Hazel certain does come up with some odd yet brilliant plans," mused Blackberry. "I know you worry a bit for him, Fiver, but your brother is clever enough." He smirked and patted his chest. "Take it from me."

"Sure, listen to the stuffy smart arse," muttered Bigwig, earning a glare from Blackberry. He turned back to Fiver. "Still, I can't argue with that. Hazel has gotten us plenty far."

"He has," relented Fiver. He moved to walk off, but Bigwig's paw came down on his shoulder.

"Both of you have," corrected Bigwig. "I've learned better by now."

"That's not…" Fiver lowered his head and shook it, before lifting back up to smile at Bigwig. "Thank you. Maybe I'm just…worrying over nothing." He sank down. "Wouldn't be the first time, which…Hazel rightly called me out on."

"Come on now, buck up, mate! Hazel means well, we both know that." Bigwig nudged him. "You know, I've just a story from Kehaar that I quite enjoyed, and I think you might too. Why don't we go silflay, and I'll tell it to you?"

"Aw, look at Bigwig cozy up," teased Blackberry. "Going soft for Fiver, are you?" He chuckled as Bigwig blushed and glowered at him.

"Shut up."

"If it's all the same to you, I…I actually might like that," decided Fiver. Bigwig spun around and grinned at his offer being taken up. "Maybe I could use a good story."

"Need it to be good?" Bigwig glanced behind him. "Maybe I ought to get Dandelion for that instead. He tells things better…"

"You seemed enthusiastic just a moment ago," pointed out Fiver. "I'd rather hear it from you, if you've found it that nice."

"Rub around my belly and behind my ears, why don't you?" Bigwig laughed. "Fine then, let's go and I'll get us started."

"Enjoy your date, lads," mocked Blackberry again, jumping back as Bigwig swung his leg for him. Darting off, he chuckled and hurried away, while Fiver quelled Bigwig from chasing after Blackberry.

Three days later, Fiver chewed at a berry in the grass. He looked up at the stormy sky, waiting for more rain to fall, but then redirected his attention ahead, as a group of rabbits hopped up the hill. Bigwig and Blackberry led the bunch, but Fiver gawked past them, at the last rabbit that was covered in blood and limping behind them.

Starting toward them, Fiver shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut, but when he opened them again, the bloodied rabbit wasn't there anymore. Blackberry dragged himself to Fiver, ears drooping as they came together.

"Fiver, there's…" Blackberry sank down and lowered his head. "There's bad news."

"It's Hazel, isn't it?" Fiver waited as Blackberry shuddered. "Where is he?" He glanced to Bigwig, who refused to return his gaze, and looked at the baffled and frightened lot of rabbits behind him. "Blackberry, where is my brother?" Turning back to Blackberry, Fiver shivered. "What happened?"

"Hazel's group and ours were separated, and he…according to Dandelion, he tried distracting the men from the farm that chased them," relayed Blackberry. He slumped down and looked away from Fiver. "…One of them had a gun…"

"…So, you're telling me that he's dead."

"We…well, we didn't see the body," reasoned Blackberry. "But, Dandelion and Bigwig found blood, so…we don't know where…"

"His body is just out there then, somewhere between life and death."

"Possibly, unless the men took him." Blackberry perked up a bit. "Fiver—"

"Please, I…I need to go."

Twisting around, Fiver went for the underground. Blackberry sank back as Bigwig hurried past him, catching up to Fiver and pulling at him to stop. He looked sharply down on Fiver, but faltered at the sight of tears in Fiver's eyes. Sighing, Bigwig adjusted himself and patted at the smaller rabbit.

"Listen, Fiver, we did our best, so don't fall apart or be so cross with Blackberry."

"I'm not." Fiver struggled to keep his composure as his voice broke.

"It was Hazel's idea—"

"I know, and I tried to talk him out of it."

"They couldn't have known about the gun," defended Bigwig. "Dandelion is beside himself over it, and he wanted to go find Hazel, but once I spotted the blood with him, he…well, he's inconsolable by this point."

"Look, Bigwig, I know you're trying to help, but right now, I need to do something on my own."

"But I—"

"Bigwig, please." He sounded worse, desperate, and Bigwig caved, stepping aside. "Thank you."

Disappearing below, Fiver tucked himself into Hazel's burrow and shuffled around, getting himself into a comfortable position. He slumped down, listening to his racing heart, and squeezed his eyes shut. Slowly, he inhaled, held the breath, exhaled, and waited a moment. He repeated this several times, lulling himself as he rested against the earth below him, and relaxed his body as his eyes closed easy.

"If visions can find their way to me," mumbled Fiver, "then I should be able to find my way to them."

Distant sounds of rabbits chattering outside, of the light scuffling outside of the burrow, muffled as Fiver's attention was taken from the world. His body rose and fell as he drifted off.

Snapping his eyes open, Fiver glanced over the dark, hazy field around him. The sky and the areas in the distance were pitch black, and there was little that Fiver could see past the nearest sights. He walked to the end of the hill and made his way down, leaving his home and venturing on.

As he tried to find his way for the farm that Hazel had gone to, Fiver surveyed the trees, the bushes, and the stones of the place, but could not figure out precisely where he was. The ground beneath him made no noise, whether he stepping on what should have been crunching grass or skidding on the dirt road. Branches swayed as leaves drifted by, but Fiver couldn't feel a breeze or the wind.

Huddling close to himself for a moment, Fiver shook his head and pressed on ahead. He searched the ground and spotted boot prints of a man. Following them, Fiver carried on ahead, but slowed as he came across a man that towered over him. He shoved a sign into the ground, and Fiver winced as it crashed into the earth. Backing a bit, he looked at the human that stood over him, adjusting the long gun on his back.

Glancing at the sign beside the man, Fiver's eyes widened as he made out the words: "In memory of Silly Show-off Hazel-rah." Digging into the ground, Fiver sprinted past the man and darted behind a tree. He poked his head back out and watched the man aiming his gun, firing out into the world. Though Fiver heard no sound, watching the shot fire out from the gun frightened him back behind the tree, and he tugged his paws over his ears as he cradled down.

After a moment, though, Fiver forced himself up from the ground, brushing his ears away from his head. Clutching at his chest, Fiver closed his eyes and then forced them back open, with a light flickering against them. Leaping out from behind the tree, he raced for the direction that the man had shot the gun and charged onward.

The scenery flashed around him, as the dull greens and browns flickered by, and Fiver concentrated his efforts on the ground, searching for droplets of blood to follow. He slipped and fell, rolling down a slope, but then speeding up it instead. A hole waited ahead for him, and Fiver skidded and struggled to halt himself near it, tumbling around each and every way but near the hole itself.

"Hazel? Hazel!" Fiver's muffled voice called out, but he failed to stop himself, and couldn't find his brother. "Please, please just give him back to me! He's my brother, and he's all that I have."

"Just him?" Fiver shuddered at the muffled return of another voice, almost mirroring his, but with a fainter, darker tinge to it. "That's all you have left in this world? The all-seeing worrywart only has Chief Silly Show-off, no one else."

"Who are you?" Fiver clamped down hard against the ground, forcing him to stop moving, though the world around him still seemed to spin. "What do you want?"

"Pity, I thought you were making other friends." A black rabbit poked their head from the hole, pushing down brown ears that were below. "What of the others?" The black rabbit's eyes opened, a bright red shimmering before Fiver that grounded his attention from the shaking surroundings. "Little Pipkin? Brainy Blackberry?" He watched as the black rabbit neared him. "What about the mighty one that you kept from joining my warren…Bigwig, wasn't it?"

"You can't have him," snapped Fiver. He faltered and tried to lift himself up. "Where is my brother, Black Rabbit of Inlé? Have you taken him from me?"

"Have I?"

"Please…" Fiver forced himself to rise, in spite of everything still spinning. He locked onto the shadowy rabbit that stood before him. "I know you're not…you're not evil."

"After all of the stories that you've been told, you could still utter such words?" The Black Rabbit stood up, their form expanding to tower over Fiver. "You think I won't take your precious Hazel for myself? He's a very cunning rabbit, after all."

"If it's his time, then I cannot stop you," relented Fiver. "But if it's not, then why would you want to stop me?" He waited as the Black Rabbit offered no answer. "Is there something that I am missing?"

"Is there?"

"Perhaps so, but I…" Fiver sank down, gripping at his dizzied head. "What could I…?"

"Was it so long ago that Bigwig got his head caught in the snare?" The Black Rabbit's muffled voice shifted, from mirroring Fiver's to reflecting Bigwig's. "As I recall, he hopped off and got caught up, struggling and writhing as the life slipped away from him, caught up on his own."

"He was close to death, yes."

"What of Holly and his little jester, Bluebell?" The Black Rabbit tilted their head, still concentrating on Fiver. "Shouldn't they have died, several times over, as they escaped the ashes of Sandleford and fought their way to Watership Down?"

"They almost didn't make it either."

"And so now Hazel's left all alone, out to die just as the others have," mocked the Black Rabbit. "Silly of him to ignore your advice, wasn't it?" Fiver didn't answer as the Black Rabbit chuckled. "Ah well. If he is to perish, then he'll be my mine, and mine alone."

"…Isolation…"

"Pardon?"

"You keep focusing on that," pointed out Fiver. "But, that…" He released his head as the world around him slowed and steadied. "None of them have ever been alone. Bluebell kept Holly's spirits up as they kept each other going on the journey. Each of us bit at Bigwig's snare to help him survive. Dandelion went looking for Hazel, so…he wasn't alone. None of them were, none of us have been." Fiver perked up. "We rely on one another."

"Do you?"

"We…I…we're supposed to." Fiver sulked. "But I pushed Bigwig away when he wanted to help me, just like Hazel did when I wanted to help him."

"Brothers through thick and thin," mocked the Black Rabbit, their voice changing to echo Hazel's. "Thin hearts and thick heads, that is."

"Maybe, and maybe we don't deserve to have made it this far." Lifting his head, Fiver gazed into the Black Rabbit's glowing red eyes. "But we are all in this together, and I'm not going to keep pushing others away with my worries and fears." He locked his gaze on the dark rabbit. "Even if Hazel doesn't want my help, or even if I'm too late, I'm not letting him die alone."

"What if he already is?"

"Then I'll find him anyway." Fiver maintained his composure as the Black Rabbit of Inlé approached him. "He's my brother, and I won't let him be alone, because none of us have been so far, and none of us should be."

"…Well, aren't you the clever rabbit after all?" The Black Rabbit chuckled as they backed away from Fiver. "I always had a particular fondness for your lot, but even now, you three can surprise me."

"Three?"

"You can figure it out, I'm sure." Sliding back to the ditch, the Black Rabbit sank into it, but still watched Fiver as they lowered away from sight. "After all, you're the all-seeing one."

"I can't see everything."

"But you see many things, which is part of your name, Hrairoo." They chuckled again. "After all, if you can see through me, you may as well live up to that title." Disappearing into the hole, the Black Rabbit's voice only echoed in the world around Fiver, and he pulled himself forward. "You'd better hurry, though, since Frith is slipping away and Inlé is rising. I won't wait long, and neither will your brother."

"Is he with you?" Fiver brought himself to the hole. "Black Rabbit?"

"Tick-tock, Little Thousand…"

"Hazel? Are you there?" Fiver searched into the dark hole. "Hazel! Please…"

"Steady, Fiver!" He jerked up at Bigwig's voice. "Come on, now, take it easy!"

"Big…?"

Blinking, Fiver whirled around, as the darkness swallowed the world around him.

Gasping as he shot up, Fiver panted and clutched at the ground. The dirt gathered behind his paws as he listened to the scraping earth from his claws. Sighing out, he relaxed as the sweat slipped from his brow and off his head.

"Fiver, are you all right?"

Turning up, Fiver looked to Bigwig standing over him. He reached down under Fiver's forepaws and brought him up. Resting against Bigwig's firm form for a moment, Fiver listened to his hammering heart, and then concentrated on Bigwig's steadier rhythm, settling his down. He softened against the sturdy rabbit as they leaned into each other.

"Blackberry wanted to come see you, but I knew you wanted to be alone, so I told him not to," revealed Bigwig. "But I…I still wanted to see if you were all right too, so I just, uh…well, I came to find you myself." He sighed and nuzzled at Fiver. "Didn't expect to find you thrashing about while you called out for Hazel, though." Bigwig closed his eyes as he held Fiver close. "It's a miserable thing to have happened, and I…I know we all do some day, but for Hazel to now, and for you to lose him, I…"

"What time is it?"

"Huh? Oh." Opening his eyes, Bigwig leaned back to look at Fiver. "It's…quite a bit after ni-Frith."

"We don't have much time then." Fiver gazed into Bigwig's dark red eyes, finding them much more inviting than the Black Rabbit's bright pair. "Hazel's alive."

"He—what?" Bigwig blinked and shook his head. "But…they told me that he was shot. When we searched, I saw the blood."

"Did anyone find his body?"

"…No." Bigwig's ears lifted up as he focused on Fiver. "You got a vision?"

"I made one come to me."

"You what?"

"It's difficult to describe, but I had to concentrate, shut the world out—"

"Wait, wait," interrupted Bigwig, "you're sure Hazel's alive?"

"Yes." Fiver glanced down. "He's not dead, not yet, but he is dying."

"Then we haven't the time to spare." Bigwig nudged Fiver and grinned. "Come on, I can help show you the way!"

They hurried up from the underground and charged outside. Blackberry hurried in front of them, however, and Bigwig forced himself to a halt, with Fiver crashing behind him.

"Blackberry, what are you playing at?" Bigwig stomped down. "We haven't the time to dawdle now. Hazel needs us."

"Hazel?"

"He's alive, Fiver saw him."

"He…wait, no." Blackberry shook his head, frowning as Fiver poked out from behind Bigwig. "Look, I know you want him back, Fiver. Losing him is painful. Even I want him back badly, because Hazel's, well, he's important to me—us, but we can't deny logic."

"Oh, good." Fiver came past Bigwig. "Logically, if you didn't find his body, he still has a chance."

"From a gunshot?"

"Yes!"

"After all this time?"

"Also yes, but he's not going to last the night." Fiver moved past Blackberry. "I need to find him."

"But Holly and the others have returned," brought up Blackberry. "Bigwig, we need to hear him out. His group wasn't able to bring any new rabbits to us."

"They failed?"

"Sadly so."

"Hazel was right to make his effort then," realized Fiver. "Now I have to find him and apologize."

"Please, Fiver, we have to focus on matters than we can control," insisted Blackberry. "Hazel would want us to keep moving forward, together."

"He would, but he also very much would like to not die, not yet," countered Fiver. "If you need to be here together, then so be it, and I shall continue on alone. But I'm not going to leave Hazel on his own either."

"It could still be dangerous out there," warned Bigwig. "It's getting dark, very hot, and there's fog rolling in. Even Kehaar is staying from the sky tonight."

"Then I'll have to be swifter than El-ahrairah," decided Fiver.

"…Blackberry, go to Holly, and hear him out."

"What?" Blackberry hurried in front of Bigwig as he followed after Fiver. "But you'd understand him better than I could!"

"Aren't you clever enough to figure anything out?" He lowered his eyes. "You're the stuffy smart arse, right?"

"Bigwig, I'm being serious."

"So am I." Bigwig pushed past Blackberry. "Go to Holly, get his report, and have the others help him settle down while we get the new rabbits to settle in. Fiver's not going alone, and I'll be damned if he finds Hazel without proper help."

"Fine, fine! But you both better hurry back!"

"That's the plan!"

Chasing after Fiver and taking the lead, Bigwig led him off down the hills and off toward the route from the farm. Blackberry's ears fell as he watched them.

"Good luck," he whispered, and went to a battered Holly and his tired team.

Thundering across the fog coated fields, Bigwig led Fiver along, searching for the trail that brought them back to the farm. He searched around for a moment, as Fiver caught up and searched wildly behind him.

"What are we looking for?"

"There was a signpost somewhere near…here!" Bigwig pointed up at a signpost with one part of the sign reading "Nuthanger Farm" and pointing down a road. "We go this way!"

Rushing off down the path, Bigwig searched around for where he had checked for Hazel earlier. He stopped for a moment and stood up, gripping his head. Fiver caught up, checking the surroundings as he turned to Bigwig. Scanning the ground, Bigwig grunted, sulking as he leaned back and growled.

"Blackberry had found footprints from the man before," recalled Bigwig. "We've gone the right way, but I just need to find where he was earlier, which should be by some sheds."

"In my dream, there was a slope that I had to go up." Fiver checked the empty fields. "I can't see where that would be."

"Wait a minute, here we go!" Bigwig pointed at the ground, with boot prints leading down the lane. "Follow me, I can take you there!"

They charged off, guided by the footprints that led back toward the farm. Bigwig skidded to slow as they approached the outlying sheds near the way. Fiver spotted the slope, and nudged at Bigwig to have him follow as they climbed up. They frantically searched the slope, but Fiver sank down, tugging on his ears.

"There's supposed to be a ditch near here." Fiver scraped at the grass and flung its blades aside. "Damn it, where is it…?"

"We have to be near it, I'll find it," reassured Bigwig. "I'm going to get him for you."

Pausing for a moment, Fiver turned as he watched Bigwig's heavy breathing. Feeling his chest heave with his breaths, Fiver ambled over to his companion and patted him, taking Bigwig's attention away from the search.

"Fiver, what?"

"You need a minute."

"We don't have one!"

"Bigwig, please take a second," urged Fiver. "I'm grateful that you've hurried along with me to find Hazel, but it's wearing us both out too quickly." As Bigwig opened his mouth, Fiver stopped him. "We still have to get Hazel from the ditch."

"Yeah, ok, you're right." Bigwig steadied himself and exhaled. "Sorry, Fiver. I thought I'd be of better use to you."

"Please. You're doing plenty, Bigwig, and I can't properly express what that means to me." Fiver smiled up to him, relaxing his breathing while Bigwig softened. "I owe you for this."

"For this? No, you owe me nothing," insisted Bigwig. "Hazel does, but I'll bother him about that later." He sighed and gazed around while Fiver watched him. "If I remember, they crushed the land nearby, and it was by…wait a minute, there!"

Running over to a trampled patch of nettles, Bigwig glanced around the ditch while Fiver sniffed about. He closed his eyes as Bigwig turned back to him, and the wind gusted past them. Opening his eyes, Fiver made for the bottom of the hole and searched around, ears twitching from a bird's chirp and a bug's buzz. Making his way further, he spotted the mouth of a drain with dried, dark red stains near it.

"Here!"

Quick to his side, Bigwig leaned beside Fiver as they gazed inside the tunnel of the hole. Further in was the form of a bloodied rabbit, who wearily picked his head up at the sound of the others.

"Fi…ver…?"

"Hazel!"

"By Frith, he's really alive!"

Pushing into the hole and making their way to Hazel, Fiver and Bigwig hurried around him, trying to help him up. They jerked back as he groaned out, and sank down. Inspecting his leg, Bigwig spotted the gunshot wound on Hazel, and shook his head to Fiver.

"We can't lift him to his feet," realized Bigwig. "We'll have to drag him out from there by his good leg."

"Then let's do it," agreed Fiver, tending to Hazel's wound. "If we can get him out and clean him up a bit, he'll survive."

For a little bit, they cleaned what they could, to lessen the wound before they were ready. Dragging Hazel as he wailed out, Fiver and Bigwig pulled him from the tunnel and past the drain, taking him further out of the ditch and down the slope. Finding a softer parsley patch to help Hazel to past the road, Fiver and Bigwig set him softly and did their best to finish cleaning him up where they could.

Checking him over, Fiver frowned.

"We can't get him out of here yet," he determined. "He still needs that wound tended to properly, but at least we don't have to worry anymore." Fiver leaned back in the overgrowth. "Hazel will live, and we can take our time."

"Can't…take…more…"

"Hush, Hazel," eased Fiver. "You'll be all right, I promise. Just rest."

"Thank…you…"

"Let me at least make it a little more comfortable," offered Bigwig. "We can't dig, but if I can just shift some plants around, I can make it a bit softer for him." Fiver smiled and nodded to him, keeping a close eye on Hazel as Bigwig set his new spot up.

Night fell and Hazel drifted off to sleep, steadily breathing as he slumbered. Fiver kept his eyes on his brother for the while; in spite being reassured that Hazel would be ok, Fiver still wanted to watch his body rise and fall as he rested. Though Bigwig let him for a while, his exhaustion caught up, and he slumped back, bumping into Fiver and taking his attention away.

"Sorry."

"Don't be." Fiver nuzzled Bigwig. "I can't thank you enough, Bigwig."

"Thank yourself too," insisted Bigwig. "Wouldn't have thought of anything if you hadn't told me that he'd survived."

"We got lucky," determined Fiver. "By tomorrow, we need to tell the others and get him more help if we can."

"Right." Bigwig straightened up and gazed at the sky. "If I spot Kehaar, I'll have him come over while I gather the others."

"That sounds good, thank you." Fiver rested against Bigwig, rubbing against him. "I couldn't have done this alone, Bigwig. You being here, your efforts for us…it means so much to me."

"Ha, well…" Bigwig blushed and looked to Fiver, but then past him at Hazel. He sighed and relaxed. "I'm just glad we've got him safe and sound." He licked at Fiver's head and chuckled. "I don't see you smile enough. It's nice."

"Huh?" Fiver blinked and looked up to him. "Really?"

"Uh. I, um…yeah!" Bigwig twisted away. "Smiling is good, you should do it more."

"If it makes you happier, I guess I will."

"Do it for yourself too."

"Sure, fine."

"Good."

They sat quietly with one another for a bit more, before they bid each other a goodnight, cuddled together, and slept.

When Bigwig stirred early in the morning, he eased Fiver back beside Hazel and forced himself off to tell the others. Sitting down beside Hazel, who shuddered a bit, Fiver waited as his brother opened his eyes, taking in the dark sky, the plants, and finally Fiver too.

"Ok. You were right," hoarsely admitted Hazel. "I shouldn't have risked it." He groaned and slumped against the ground. "Might've been dead without you."

"But you were right too," brought up Fiver. "Holly came back, and they couldn't get any other rabbits. So, you had the right idea."

"He didn't…? Damn." Hazel grunted as he tried to rise. "We have to get back—"

"No, you need to keep resting," asserted Fiver. "You're not dead, but you're not ready to get home yet."

"Fair enough." Unable to argue or move much at all, Hazel dropped down. "Still…I shouldn't have snapped at you the other day."

"It's fine." Fiver brushed at his brother's fur. "You were just trying to do what was best for the warren."

"We wouldn't even have a warren without you, Hrairoo," pointed out Hazel. "Your visions cleared us out, you kept us on the right path…we're here because of your guidance."

"And your leadership."

"With Blackberry's smarts, Bigwig's strength, Dandelion's speed and stories…we all made it here together, truly," decided Hazel. "We're all in this together."

"Yes, that's exactly right." Fiver smiled. "I think we both lost sight of that."

"Speaking of sights," brought up Hazel. "While I was…down in there, I think that I…I saw the Black Rabbit of Inlé." Fiver froze and set his attention on Hazel. "It was a…rather odd thing. I asked them if they came for me…but they didn't seem to answer." His eyes twitched a bit as Hazel stared off to the distance. "It was like they were just…waiting there, watching me. For a little while, they left, and then they came back…but then the Black Rabbit was gone a bit before you two showed up."

"They found you too…"

"I really was dying, huh?"

"…Maybe, but you were guarded well," determined Fiver. He watched as the sun peeked out from the horizon and started into the sky. "You've got a lot of eyes on you, Hazel-rah."

"Don't call me that, not you," insisted Hazel. "No matter who we become…you are my brother foremost, Fiver. I won't lose sight of that anymore."

"Oh, that's…huh." Fiver smirked as he returned his attention to Hazel. "Speaking of sights," he echoed, "you've got a lovely one coming this way."

"Is she pretty?"

"Not quite how you'd find him."

"Oh…" Hazel dropped his head. "Then he's yours."

"Ah…I don't know if we'd get on right either." Fiver checked back. "Well, not with one of them, anyway."

"Huh?"

"Mister Hazel!" A large gull flapped over and settled down, as Hazel flinched while his eyes widened. "Mister Bigwig came to be getting Kehaar! Tells story about small rabbit helping find you, and—oh!" Kehaar spotted the gunshot wound as Bigwig came beside Fiver. "There, he telling me about shoots from the gun." The bird ambled around to Hazel's rear. "Kah! We need to be getting the, ah…tiny black stones."

"Tiny what now?"

"Kehaar be pulling them out! Very quickly!"

"You're what?"

Before Hazel could put it together and protest, Kehaar plucked the pellets out and spat them on the grass. Bigwig sniffed at them and pulled back from the smell. Hazel groaned and clawed at the ground, while Kehaar flapped his wings.

"Little more bleed, but Mister Hazel be good in day or two," reported Kehaar. "Should be all better. Kehaar will be going to get more rabbits!"

Soaring into the sky before anyone could reply, Kehaar called out and flew for the hills. Fiver chuckled and watched him go, as Bigwig came to him and Hazel.

"Have either of you eaten yet?"

"No."

"Then go silflay, Fiver." Bigwig nudged him toward a spot for taller grass to feed. "I'll watch Hazel."

"Let me see if I can get some to bring over for him too."

Wandering nearby, Fiver plucked at some grass, chewing a bit to eat, and setting some aside for his brother. Bigwig watched him for a moment, and then turned to check on Hazel, who winced at the sight of his wound, but tried to keep his attention off of it.

"Thought I was going to have the coolest scars," joked Bigwig. "Had to one up me, huh?"

"Oh, silly me, sorry," deadpanned Hazel. "Next time, I'll get strangled, and you can take the bullet."

"Ha, when you put it like that…" Bigwig chuckled. "Funny that you got close and personal with Kehaar of all creatures."

"Don't start."

"Come on, just having a go." Bigwig smirked as Hazel rolled his eyes. He sighed and relaxed his body. "You really had Fiver worried, you know." Hazel blinked and looked to him. "He's been spooked before, but this…this was definitely different."

"Yeah…" Hazel sighed. "I have to make it up to him somehow."

"Join the club."

"You did this."

"Wasn't just for him, so no, I'll figure something else out." Bigwig shrugged and checked on Fiver, still feeding and searching. "He's in much better spirits now, though, and I'm glad that I could help."

"Of course it'd be you." Hazel smirked. "You're his favorite, after all."

"His what?"

"Ah, never you mind," hastily brushed off Hazel. "Come to think of it, we need to figure out what to do about Holly's efforts."

"It's better that he explains his search to you," decided Bigwig. He shook his head. "We've got a big mess coming up, from how he and Blackberry were putting it." He perked up, and glanced back down to Hazel. "Oh, Blackberry's very relieved that you're ok, by the way."

"Isn't everyone?"

"He wanted me to make a special note of himself in particular." Bigwig rolled his eyes. "Can't imagine why."

"Well, that was nice of him." Hazel smiled. "Blackberry, Dandelion, and I were fast friends back in Sandleford. I'm glad they both still look out for me."

"Right, looking out, sure."

"Huh?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Hazel, here, eat of this," called Fiver as he hopped over with fresh grass. "It'll help you get better."

"Sure, just leave it here, and let me at it."

After feeding and chattering a bit, Hazel plopped down and dozed for a moment. Bigwig and Fiver sat together, waiting for the others to come find them.

"Thank you again, Bigwig."

"This one should go to Kehaar."

"But you got him for us."

"Yeah, well…ok, yeah, you're welcome." Bigwig snorted and glanced away. "Just thank him too, got it?"

"Of course."

"Also…what would Hazel have meant about me being your favorite?"

Fiver stiffened at the question as his cheeks burned, while Bigwig raised an eyebrow to him. Forcing his mouth closed as he gripped his face for a moment, Fiver check to see the Kehaar guiding the other rabbits to them.

"Hello, you there, Fiver?" Bigwig nudged at him. "What'd Hazel mean by that?"

"Oh, he was…a bit out of it, probably, so I have no idea." Fiver forced out a laugh and waved his paws. "He's been a bit here and there this morning, so, nothing to worry about."

"Uh-huh."

"Are you still planning on staying out here with us tonight?"

"What kind of a question is that?" Bigwig nuzzled Fiver. "Of course I am!"

"Just checking. I like having my stability support around." Fiver giggled as he rubbed into the grinning Bigwig as well, but then pulled back from him. "Is Blackberry also staying, do you happen to know?"

"Hopefully not," mumbled Bigwig. "And don't suggest it to him."

"Hazel might like it if he does."

"Absolutely not."

"Well, we'll find out soon enough." Fiver brushed into Bigwig once more and returned to Hazel. "Let me wake him back up."

Bigwig waved Kehaar and the other rabbits over as Fiver woke Hazel. Blackberry and the others excitedly crowded around Hazel, clamoring about his incredible efforts and survival. Fiver smiled as he listened, while Bigwig leaned over him and rested his head over Fiver's, while Hazel smirked at the sight of the two.

They were at their best when they were together.