Watership Down, стр. 79

Bigwig was trying to think of some appropriate reply to this when he saw Chervil running across the grass toward him. At once, without speaking again to Kehaar, he took a few hops in Chervil's direction and began biting busily at a patch of clover. As Chervil came up, Kehaar flew low above their heads and disappeared over the trees.

Chervil looked after the flying gull and then turned to Bigwig.

"Aren't you afraid of those birds?" he asked.

"Not particularly," answered Bigwig.

"They sometimes attack mice, you know, and rabbit kittens, too," said Chervil. "You were taking a risk, feeding there. Why were you so careless?"

For answer, Bigwig sat up and gave Chervil a playful cuff, hard enough to roll him over.

"That's why," he said.

Chervil got up with a sulky air. "All right, so you're heavier than I am," he said. "But you've got to learn, Thlayli, that there's more than weight to being an Efrafan officer. And it doesn't alter the fact that those birds can be dangerous. Anyway, it's not the season for them and that's odd, for a start. It'll have to be reported."

"Whatever for?"

"Because it's unusual. Everything unusual has to be reported. If we don't report it and someone else does, nice fools we shall look when we have to say we saw it. We couldn't say we didn't-several of the Mark have seen it. In fact, I shall go and report it now. Silflay's nearly over, so if I'm not back in time, you and Avens had better see the Mark underground yourselves."

As soon as Chervil had left him, Bigwig went to look for Hyzenthlay. He found her in the hollow with Thethuthinnang. Most of the Mark did not appear to be unduly affected by the thunder, which was still distant, as Chervil had said. The two does, however, were subdued and nervous. Bigwig told them what he had arranged with Kehaar.

"But will this bird really attack the sentries?" asked Thethuthinnang. "I've never heard of anything like that."

"It will, I promise you. Get the does together as soon as silflay begins this evening. When I come out with Blackavar, the sentries will be running for cover."

"And which way do we run?" asked Thethuthinnang.

Bigwig took them well out into the field, so that they could see the distant arch in the embankment about four hundred yards away.

"We're bound to meet Campion," said Thethuthinnang. "You know that?"

"I believe he had some trouble stopping Blackavar," replied Bigwig. "So I'm sure he won't be good enough for me and the bird. Look, there's Avens bringing in the sentries-we'll have to go. Now, don't worry. Chew your pellets and get some sleep. If you can't sleep, sharpen up your claws: you may need them."

The Mark went underground and Blackavar was taken away by the escort. Bigwig returned to his burrow and tried to put the coming evening out of his mind. After some time he gave up the idea of spending the day alone. He made a round of the lower burrows, joined a game of bob-stones, heard two stories and told one himself, passed hraka in the ditch and then, on an impulse, went to Chervil and obtained his consent to visit another Mark. He wandered across the Crixa, found himself in the middle of the ni-Frith silflay with the Left Flank Mark and went underground with them. Their officers shared a single large burrow and here he met some experienced veterans and listened with interest to their stories of Wide Patrols and other exploits. In the mid-afternoon he came back to the Near Hind relaxed and confident, and slept until one of the sentries woke him for silflay.

He went up the run. Blackavar was already slumped in his alcove. Squatting beside Chervil, Bigwig watched the Mark go out. Hyzenthlay and Thethuthinnang passed him without a glance. They looked tense but steady. Chervil followed the last rabbit.

Bigwig waited until he was sure that Chervil had had time to get well away from the hole. Then, with a last, quick look to where Blackavar was sitting, he went out himself. The bright sunset dazzled him and he sat up on his hind legs, blinking and combing the fur along one side of his face as his eyes got accustomed to the light. A few moments later he saw Kehaar come flying across the field.

"This is it, then," he said to himself. "Here we go."

At that moment a rabbit spoke from behind him.

"Thlayli, I want a few words with you. Just come back under the bushes, will you?"

Bigwig dropped on his front paws and looked round.

It was General Woundwort.

37. The Thunder Builds Up

Bigwig's first impulse was to fight Woundwort on the spot. He realized immediately that this would be futile and would only bring the whole place round his ears. There was nothing to do but obey. He followed Woundwort through the undergrowth and into the shade of the bridle path. Despite the sunset, the evening seemed heavy with cloud and among the trees it was sultry and gray. The thunder was building up. He looked at Woundwort and waited.

"You were out of the Near Hind burrows this afternoon?" began Woundwort.

"Yes, sir," replied Bigwig. He still disliked addressing Woundwort as "sir," but since he was supposed to be an Efrafan officer, he could not very well do otherwise. However, he did not add that Chervil had given him permission. He had not been accused of anything as yet.

"Where did you go?"

Bigwig swallowed his annoyance. No doubt Woundwort knew perfectly well where he had been.

"I went to the Left Flank Mark, sir. I was in their burrows."

"Why did you go?"

"To pass the time and learn something from listening to the officers."

"Did you go anywhere else?"

"No, sir."

"You met one of the Left Flank Owsla-a rabbit named Groundsel."

"Very likely. I didn't learn all their names."

"Have you ever seen that rabbit before?"

"No, sir. How could I?"

There was a pause.

"May I ask what this is all about, sir?" said Bigwig.

"I'll ask the questions," said Woundwort. "Groundsel has seen you before. He knew you by the fur on your head. Where do you think he saw you?"

"I've no idea."

"Have you ever run from a fox?"

"Yes, sir, a few days ago, while I was coming here."

"You led it onto some other rabbits and it killed one of them. Is that correct?"

"I didn't intend to lead it onto them. I didn't know they were there."

"You didn't tell us anything about this?"

"It never occurred to me. There's nothing wrong in running from a fox."

"You've caused the death of an Efrafan officer."

"Quite by accident. And the fox might have got him anyway, even if I'd not been there."

"It wouldn't," said Woundwort. "Mallow wasn't the rabbit to run onto a fox. Foxes aren't dangerous to rabbits who know their business."

"I'm sorry the fox got him, sir. It was a stroke of very bad luck."

Woundwort stared at him out of his great, pale eyes.

"Then one more question, Thlayli. That patrol was on the track of a band of rabbits-strangers. What do you know about them?"

"I saw their tracks too, about that time. I can't tell you any more than that."

"You weren't with them?"

"If I'd been with them, sir, would I have come to Efrafa?"

"I told you I'd ask the questions. You can't tell me where they might have gone?"

"I'm afraid I can't, sir."

Woundwort stopped staring and sat silent for some time. Bigwig felt that the General was waiting for him to ask if that was all and whether he could now go. He determined to remain silent himself.

"Now there's another thing," said Woundwort at last. "About this white bird in the field this morning. You're not afraid of these birds?"