---

Just outside the main entrance to New Hyfran

Fiver hopped gingerly into the open air to silflay, looking around nervously. Woundwort hadn't yet re-established the silflaying-in-regiment ideal from Efrafa, deciding it made no sense to do so yet when so many of the rabbits were still working on the warren, however he had restored the idea of having designated slots for certain rabbits. Fiver and Dandelion were in this slot, though were supposed to be carefully watched to keep them apart.

"Fiver? What's wrong?" said Dandelion. Fiver jumped, not having heard the storyteller approach, before looking around nervously again.

"Dandelion, you know we aren't supposed to be seen together. What if the guards see us?" he replied.

"I know, but something's up I can tell. I can't just leave it. Is danger coming our way?" asked Dandelion, lowering his voice as much as possible.

Fiver hesitated, before sighing.

"I don't know what it is. Everything seems so clouded and confused lately. Everywhere I look there's something not quite right, and yet I'm sure it's all somehow connected. I just wish I could make sense of it all," said Fiver.

Dandelion looked around nervously too, before lowering his voice further.

"You've been more on edge than normal today though. Do you think they're on to the tunnel?"

"I don't think so..." started Fiver, before sighing again, "...but then I don't know. Something just feels stranger than usual today. It feels... it feels like voices from the past and present are trying to reach me, but I can't quite hear them."

"Shh, someone's coming!" whispered Dandelion as the sound of one of the guards walking about nearby was heard.

"You'd better get out of here before they catch us. I don't want to get you in trouble," whispered Fiver.

"Are you going to be okay?" asked Dandelion.

"I'll be fine," smiled Fiver unconvincingly.

"I'll speak to you again later Fiver. Watch yourself," finished Dandelion.

*************

Later, In some woodland

Hazel's group meanwhile had ventured into the cover of woodland, partly to escape the dull and dreary sky that Frith had provided to them for the day, and partly as it was the only place they'd seen the faintest sign of a rabbit all day.

"There they are again Hazel," said Bigwig, "Rabbit tracks"

"Not anyone we know though?" replied Hazel.

"No, they're strangers. They must be from the warren those foxes were talking about," continued Bigwig, sniffing the ground.

"Do you think we should avoid them?" asked Campion.

"Y...yes, I say we should. No point wasting time on them if they might be dangerous," replied Vervain.

Campion rolled his eyes without looking at Vervain.

"It's unusual I'd agree with Vervain, but I think we should. It's not as though we have a choice though," said Bigwig, hopping a few paces back and forth to sniff at the ground, "The way they've covered these, the trail is so vague it's impossible to tell which way their warren is even if we wanted to avoid them. They're good!"

"Do you two know anything about this warren?" asked Hazel, turning to Quizzle and Rutzy who seemed barely aware of the situation.

"I can't say we do, do we Quizzle?" said Rutzy.

"No, Rutzy, we dont!" came the reply.

"Never been this far out!"

"We haven't. Don't often go far from home!"

"We don't!"

"No we don't," finished Quizzle as the two of them shook their heads.

"Very sorry,"

"Sorry, we are!"

"It's okay, I just thought I'd ask," smiled Hazel, before turning back to Bigwig, "There must be somebody around here we can ask!"

"There aren't many animals down on the ground Hazel. They must have cleared off because of the foxes. Most of them are in the trees, but won't come down to talk to us," said Bigwig, sighing.

"Me think they afraid of Bark," sighed the badger.

"They don't know you like us then," smiled Bigwig.

"What about Quizzle and Rutzy?" said Hazel, before turning to the two squirrels, "Do you think you could climb the tree and ask the tree creatures?"

"We could do that?" said Quizzle.

"Yes, we could!" replied Rutzy.

"We could climb up and ask!"

"What do they want us to ask, Quizzle?"

"I don't know, Rutzy. What do you want us to ask?" continued Quizzle looking to Hazel.

"We could ask them anything you want," interrupted Rutzy before Hazel had a chance to speak.

"Anything!"

"Yes, anything!" finished Rutzy, as they both started nodding.

"Well, ask them everything. Have they seen our rabbits? Do they know of any warrens round here? Any information should help," said Bigwig, raising his voice a little so he could be heard.

"We'd be really grateful for it," smiled Hazel.

"We're happy to help such friendly rabbits," said Rutzy.

"Very happy, yes!" agreed Quizzle. The two of them continued talking as they scurried off into the nearest tree.

Hazel and Bigwig stood at the front of the group, all eyes fixed on the squirrels as they soon found another smaller squirrel and started talking to him.

"Hello there, I'm Quizzle!" started Quizzle.

"She's Quizzle, and I'm Rutzy!" continued Rutzy.

"We're sisters,"

"We are. What's your name?" asked Rutzy.

"I'm c..." started the other squirrel, before being very quickly cut short by Quizzle.

"We wanted to ask you for your help,"

"We did yes!"

"We wondered, have you seen a big group of rabbits come through here recently?"

"I... " started the other squirrel, but found himself interrupted again.

"Big ugly rabbit leading them,"

"Not very friendly,"

"No, he wasn't,"

"Those two aren't going to let him get a word in edgeways," grumbled Bigwig to Hazel.

"Well, what about another rabbit warren round here?" asked Rutzy.

"Another warren, yes. Don't know much about it," continued Quizzle.

"We don't, Quizzle!"

"No, we don't!"

The two squirrels shook their heads, as Rutzy continued, "Do you know anything?"

At that moment, much to everyone's surprise, Quizzle and Rutzy actually fell silent. The squirrel looked around nervously for a second before replying, "Well, the only warren we know of round he..."

"We'd be grateful for any help you could give," interrupted Quizzle.

"We would yes!"

The two continued talking, as the other squirrel snorted in annoyance and scampered off, without them even realising at first. Upon eventually noticing he had left, they both came back down to join Hazel and the others.

"Well, he wasn't very nice, was he Quizzle?" started Rutzy.

"He wasn't," replied Quizzle.

"Not very nice at all!"

Bigwig sighed. "When you ask someone a question, the idea is you give them a chance to answer it," he growled, raising his voice towards the end of the sentence.

"Bigwig..." muttered Hazel, trying to urge the owsla captain to remain calm.

"That was a brilliant chance to find out something Hazel, and they blew it," muttered Bigwig to Hazel as the two of them turned away.

"They're trying their best, Bigwig," whispered Hazel.

"I know, Hazel. It doesn't help us though if they can't talk properly to others! Can't you try Hannah?" Bigwig turned to the mouse at that point.

"'Fraid not Bigwig. Tassle's lessons in tree-law only extended as far as those with lower branches. It'd take me moons of practice to be able to climb these like a true tree-dweller," replied Hannah.

Bigwig sighed, "If only I was half my size and could get around the trees half as quick, I'd sort this out myself in no time,"

"Well, why don't you teach them what you know about talking to others then?" said Hazel, smiling. Deep down he knew Bigwig's skills at talking to other animals were no better than the squirrels. The Owsla captain was always too tough with his questioning, he thought. Bigwig stared blankly at Hazel for a few seconds before replying, "Me? Teach them?"

"Why not? Show them what they're doing wrong and perhaps we'll have more luck next time someone comes along," said Hazel.

"Right now, anything's worth a try!" finished Bigwig, before starting to the squirrels, "Right you two..."

Soon, in a clearing in the woods

"It'll never work," mumbled Vervain to himself, as he watched the events with Hazel, Campion and Bark. Bigwig was slightly further forward than them, giving orders.

"Always the hopeful one, aren't you?" replied Campion, though he knew they all thought the same. This was the hrairth attempt, yet despite Bigwig's shouting, the squirrels didn't seem to be taking anything in.

"Hello there," started Quizzle.

"I'm Rutzy and this is Quizzle," continued Rutzy.

"I'm Quizzle yes,"

"She is!"

"Right, they know your names. Now find out hers. Be polite!" shouted Bigwig. Quizzle and Rutzy were standing in the middle of a small clearing in the trees alongside Hannah, who was acting the part of the helpful other creature.

"You're Hannah aren't you. You're a mouse," said Quizzle.

"Hanna..."

"No, no, no! You don't know her name yet. You've only just met her, remember. You have to ask first," shouted Bigwig.

"Oh right," said Rutzy. Her and Quizzle nodded at Bigwig before turning back to Hannah.

"What's your name then, Hannah?" asked Quizzle. Bigwig groaned, covering his face with his paw.

"Forget it! You're all friends okay. Now, ask her a few questions, and for Frith's sake give her a chance to answer," he mumbled, deciding to move on.

"Have you seen a big group of rabbits come through here?" asked Rutzy.

"Big group of them. Led by a big black rabbit," continued Quizzle.

"Big, nasty rabbit. Has a strange eye,"

The two of them nodded and paused, waiting for Hannah to reply.

Bigwig smiled and whispered to Hazel, "By Frith, I think they might just be getting the hang of it at last!"

"Well, there was this band of rabbits came through here a few moons back. I thought it was odd at the time..." started Hannah. Bigwig continued to smile as everything seemed to be going well. It was Quizzle who broke first.

"It would seem odd to a mouse I suppose,"

"Doubt mice see many big groups of rabbits come through here," continued Rutzy.

"Oh, did I ask you your name Hannah?" finished Quizzle.

"Oh, I don't believe this," grumbled Bigwig collapsing to the ground in exasperation, "Right, that's it Hazel! I give up! You can't teach these two anything,"

"It's not the end of the world Bigwig, we'll find them somehow," replied Hazel.

"How? This was the last idea we have," sighed Bigwig.

"It may not have worked, Bigwig," started Hannah, holding back giggling from where she sat on the ground, "But we certainly got a laugh out of seeing you try"

"Bigwig, over here..." interrupted Campion. Bigwig lifted his head to look. Seeing the brown rabbit sniffing at a patch of leaves, he headed over to join him.

"What? Have you found something?" asked Bigwig.

"For a moment there I..." started Campion, as Bigwig arrived and started sniffing too.

"No. I... it can't be!" muttered Bigwig.

"What have you found?" asked Hazel, heading over to the two of them. Bigwig swung round to block his path.

"Nothing, Hazel. J... Just an old scent," replied Bigwig.

Hazel eyed Bigwig suspiciously, knowing from the guilty expression on the Owsla captain's face that he was hiding something.

"What is it Bigwig?" continued Hazel, trying to push forward.

"No really Hazel we..." he was interrupted as a sudden gust of wind carried the scent in the direction of Hazel. Hazel instantly froze to the spot, as something chilled through his body from the tip of his nose, to the end of his tail.

"P... Primrose!"

*************

In the open, outside New Hyfran warren

Pipkin sat patiently as he played Bobstones with an interested Pinecone and Bushthorn. The kits weren't used to the game, being more ones for playing tail tag, however Pipkin had spent a good part of the day teaching them what to do. Pinecone looked back confused at Pipkin, trying desperately to remember how to play this game.

"Come on Pinecone. Remember what I told you to do," smiled Pipkin, covering the stones with his paws.

"Bobstone guess..." started Pinecone. She hesitated before changing her mind and jumping on Bushthorn instead to roll around in the soft grass.

"Hmm, I guess it is a complicated game. We'll work on it some more later,"

"Oi," started an officer, seeing the youngsters playing and heading over to them angrilly. None of them heard him however before he got close, Woundwort placed a large paw in front of him blocking his path.

"No! I instructed him to do so," replied Woundwort.

"Sir?" replied the officer, looking confused.

"Do you question my orders?" growled Woundwort.

"No, no, not at all sir,"

"Good," smiled the General, "I instructed him to do so as it keeps those youngsters out of the way. Not only that, but I'm gradually working that young buck round to my way of thinking. Now, get out of here!"

The officer didn't hesitate for another moment before running off.

"He sees so many things as I do. I am sure he can be the only one to rule this warren after me. He just needs guidance in the way of order," said Woundwort quietly to himself. He was about to continue further, when a chilling cry was heard coming from inside the warren. He ran inside to see a quickly formed group of onlookers crowded around Fiver.

Meanwhile, back in the cover of woodland

After having spent some minutes sniffing around and arguing, mainly due to Bigwig hesitating to believe the fact, Hazel's group had finally concluded that the tracks were indeed those of Primrose. They'd decided to follow them, or rather Hazel had ran off following and everyone else had followed, however it didn't take long for the trail to stop.

"The tracks... they... they just stop," stuttered Hazel, as the others caught up with him.

"They started strangely, so it makes sense they'd stop just as strangely,"

"She got away Bigwig. So...so why didn't she come home?" whimpered Hazel softly.

"M... maybe she was never here. It could have been some other animal stepping in her scent someplace and dragging it here," replied Bigwig. He realised almost straight away just how horribly implausible that suggestion was.

"All the way out here. Be sensible Bigwig!" snorted Hazel.

"Well, maybe someone was stopping her from coming back to us. Or.. or she could have got lost. There's lots of reasons Hazel," replied Bigwig.

"No, she was here not long ago. She left us. She left me, because I abandoned her," sighed Hazel.

"That's not true!" shouted Bigwig, with the vaguest hint of 'not this again' hidden in his voice

"There's a scent of other rabbits here too, but very faint," continued Campion.

Bigwig joined Campion sniffing the ground and nodded.

"There you are Hazel. Perhaps the rabbits from this warren prevented her leaving. I'm really starting to dislike that place, and we haven't even seen it yet, Hazel," said Bigwig, before looking to see Hazel no longer standing where he had been. Instead he was crouched down on the ground shivering.

"Hazel?" he repeated, however the brown rabbit continued shivering, totally oblivious to the voices around him.

"The spirits of the past and future unite, it's the only way to win this fight," he screamed out in panic, before collapsing to the ground unconscious.

"What in Frith's name?" started Bigwig, running over to Hazel.

"Was that... a vision?" said Campion, joining him.

"Impossible!" said Bigwig, as he prodded Hazel with his front paws, "Hazel? Hazel wake up!"

Meanwhile, in the Grand Chamber, New Hyfran

Woundwort pushed his way to the front of the assembled crowd of rabbits, just in time to see Fiver fall to the ground.

"Ohhh... The spirits of the past and future unite, it's the only way to win this fight," groaned Fiver, speaking in perfect synchrony with Hazel, not that either group knew it at the time.

"Fiver? Fiver wake up!" shouted Dandelion, prodding him.

Fiver groaned for a few seconds before blinking and opening his eyes to the crowd.

"What did you see?" growled Woundwort.

"I... I don't know. Everything just seems so fuzzy, but some..."

"Tell me what you saw! Does it show the destiny of the warren? Is anyone daring to plot against the great name of Woundwort? Tell me, and I'll kill them now where they stand,"

"His visions don't wont like that General," said Blackberry.

"Yeah, they always give us a wonderfully helpful answer," snorted Hawkbit, just quiet enough so that no-one actually heard him.

"Bah, everyone clear the area. If anyone hasn't moved from here by the time I reach the edge of the Grand Chamber, I'll send them to meet the Black Rabbit," growled Woundwort, before storming off.

"So, what did you really see?" whispered Dandelion.

"Nothing much, like I said..." started Fiver, before hesitating.

"...but?"

"I... I don't know. It... it felt like Hazel talking. I've never heard his voice in a vision before though," sighed Fiver, thinking about his older brother.

"Perhaps he's in the Land Beyond Life helping us now to escape here," whispered Dandelion.

"I've had a feeling like this before though, with Campion. What if... what if Hazel isn't dead?" said Fiver.

"You saw that cave-in. I don't think any rabbit could survive that!" whispered Dandelion.

"Ah, but Hazel wasn't just any rabbit, was he? Though in this case, I think you could be setting your hopes a bit too high Fiver," muttered Hawkbit.

Fiver sighed again, "I don't know what it means. I'll think on it, and if I work anything out or have any more visions, I'll let you know. Now go on, let's move, before Woundwort loses his temper again,"

*************

Later, by a small brook

Unlike Fiver, after the vision Hazel hadn't come straight round again. It was Bigwig who'd decided it best they find some water in an attempt to wake him again, a task made easier with the help of the badger who could carry Hazel easily. It had taken some time for Hazel to wake, and upon finally doing so he remained weak for some time, however with patience he was now almost back to full health physically. Bigwig sat down next to him, disturbing him from his thoughts.

"Sorry Hazel, I didn't mean to disturb you," said Bigwig hesitantly.

"It's alright. I was just thinking about that vision," replied Hazel.

"What could it mean, Hazel?" asked Bigwig.

"I don't know. Perhaps there's something in it to do with Primrose. Some clue," replied Hazel.

"You haven't had any more strange feelings then?" said Bigwig, smiling.

"No," chuckled Hazel, "I don't think Fiver needs to worry just yet,"

"What is it with your family?" smiled Bigwig, "Your parli must have been good friends with Frith!"

Hazel smiled, "Perhaps he was!"

He looked around, before looking back at Bigwig a little more seriously, "No, we'll probably never know what caused it. Frith works in mysterious ways,"

"Are you okay now then?" asked Bigwig.

Hazel smiled, "Okay? I'm better than okay!"

"Are you sure?" asked Bigwig, not entirely convinced. Hazel was good at hiding things when he wanted to.

"Before today, we all thought Primrose stopped running by the river. Now we know not only did she make it out of the water alive, but she managed to come a good distance from there. That means there's a chance, however little, that she's still alive Bigwig,"

Bigwig nodded slowly taking this in, before speaking, "Just don't get your hopes up will you. I don't want to see you disappointed again,"

"I know Bigwig, and I'll try not to," finished Hazel, before heading off to take the lead of the group as they began to move.

"I wish I could be as hopeful as him," sighed Bigwig.

"About Primrose?" asked Campion, walking alongside him.

"About everything. Things seemed so easy at first, but we've been wandering for moons now and found nothing of our rabbits. Do you ever think we'll find the others?" said Bigwig.

"Hope is what keeps us going Bigwig, and it's what'll see us through this. Something will turn up soon, I'm sure"