It was the day after Gentian had returned home. He had already dealt with Ragweed and the others, now each sporting a rough ear for their actions, and he had appointed several new Owsla members in their place.Already, things were looking up.

"Lindrithray, I want to see to it that this run is fixed," Gentian called from the other side of the main above-ground area, looking down into a hole in the bank. Indeed, it was in rough shape. "What's happened to it?"
"Well, sir, Owsla members had been taking all the burrows closest to the does. The bucks they liked the least were forced into here and had no way to really fix the run."

"We used this as a test on the soil," Gentian recalled. "No rabbits were originally meant to stay in here. Bring a few does over to change that, will you?" Lindri nodded and took off.

Gentian looked around at the rabbits about him. They seemed more cheerful and active now, some even venturing to talk to a few Owsla members nervously. The runs were already being fixed and does were showing interest in the bucks.

Does. That should have caught Gentian's attention first thing, and in fact one of the finest does in the warren was above ground now, but Gentian hardly paid her attention. She didn't look as fine against the image of Thethuthinang to him. 

"Gentian, sir," Rush was suddenly at the smaller buck's shoulder, surprising Gentian. "I would like to take a couple of the recruits out on a patrol."

"Of course," Gentian told him. "Very good idea. Watch for foxes, too - in fact, go look for signs of predators. No doubt a few are around by now."
"Yes, sir. In fact, we have had some problems with a cat." Rush told him, turning, and bounded away to find his recruits.

----------

Watership Down

All seemed okay by then at Watership Down - Thethuthinang's newest litter was finally above for the first time. Bluebell in particular was having a blast with the little kits, who couldn't keep up with him very well, and Bigwig didn't take long to give him a good cuffing before he got too rough. 

This litter, comprising of seven kittens - three bucks and four does - was Thethuthinang's second at the Down. Her first was only a bit smaller, and one of the does from it was now sitting with her mother and father.

But watching the kittens bound about wasn't the most interesting thing to Poppy. Her interest wandered beyond the kits, beyond the Down, and before long she grew bored. Suddenly, she heard a voice in her ear. "Poppy, the grass on the southeast slope are really good this time of year. Why don't we go try it?"

Poppy turned to look at the little buck beside her - Threar. She nodded. "Sure."

The two took off then, and before long Poppy agreed on the grass. It was lovely, but of course Poppy wasn't quite satisfied. "Threar, do you ever get bored with the Down?"

"Sometimes," Threar replied. "Not really."

"Well, I do," Poppy told him. "I didn't even get to meet those rabbits from the heather. Lienahlay, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Lienahlay," Threar said with a nod. "You didn't miss much. They were sort of off. Something not quite right with them."

"See, I've heard your dad say that," the dark brown doe told her friend. "But my father always says that the only one that seemed off at all was the greyish one. I would have liked to have met them all the same."

"Well, like I said," Threar repeated, "you didn't miss much."

"I think I did," she told him. "I bet we can get to the edge of the heather before sunset if we go now."

"Why would we?" Threar frowned, looking bewildered. 

"Because I'm a bit sick of Watership Down, that's why," she told him. "Come on!"

Threar followed, a bit reluctantly, knowing something felt very wrong, but he knew his say wouldn't change Poppy's mind, unlike if his father said anything to her's. Before long they had reached the edge of the down with no problem, and though Threar was awed by how different it was below, he still felt very uneasy.

"I wonder what the heather's like," Poppy said absently. "I can smell it sometimes on the Down - it's this way!" She bounded off to the southwest, and Threar followed. 

They soon found their way into an open tree cluster, and there, they rested inside a low-branched tree, hollow inside the leafy shell. "I've never seen so many things before," Threar told Poppy, settling himself.

"I know!" Poppy turned to him, her eyes bright. "It's amazing, isn't it? See why I wanted to do this?"

"I suppose I do," Threar admitted. "But I think we've gone far enough. We should probably go home."

"Nonsense," Poppy told him. "There's still all sorts of daylight to spare."
"Yeah, but elil could be out," Threar said, looking around nervously.

"Oh, we can smell them long before they find us," she assured him. 

"Unless it's a-" 

A cat suddenly pounced upon Poppy, pinning her to the ground. The word 'run' had barely left the doe's mouth by the time Threar had already bolted into cover, and when he turned around toward her, he saw that four other rabbits were already there, two of which were attacking the cat. The other two were examining Poppy.

Poppy stared around as the two bucks were nudging her to her feet. She was particularly disoriented, and shaking herself, she turned toward the two who were attacking the cat. One was a dark brownish grey buck, and particularly large. He and his companion had soon chased off the cat without too much effort. 

"Well, that was quite an ordeal!" A voice spoke near her ear. He didn't seem to agree in tone, and didn't at all sound fazed. "Are you alright, then? No injuries? You look fine - better than I must, I've had myself quite a go of it until I got on the Owsla. That was today, actually, and what a first day out it's been, finding a doe being attacked by a cat! I don't even remember the last time I spoke to a doe, actually," he added, talking very quickly. Poppy turned to him sharply, a bit surprised to see a strange tricolor buck beside her. He wasn't especially big, but lean, and his coat was white and two shades of blue along with his eyes. "Anyway, what's your name?"

"P-Poppy," she told him, grooming her coat back down.

"Well, Poppy," The larger buck who had chased off the cat turned to her. "I'm Captain Rush. You'll be coming in with us, to our warren."
"But-" Poppy began, but she was cut off.

"Sorry, Poppy, but that's just what we were told to do. I'm sure you'll go home soon - you don't look like a hlessi, unless you left very recently, and even if that's the case, our warren is a good place to stay," the tricolor buck told her apologetically. He nosed her in between the others, and they led her off.

Threar stared in fear as they led his friend off, completely tharn. She was alive, though, and with Lienahlayans, and probably fine - he was sure they wouldn't hurt her. He suddenly broke from his state and took off toward home, and as he approached, yelled breathlessly about what had happened.

"... Oh, we should ask the does about a run under the warren for drainage, that'd do fine! Well, the rain's not generally a problem, but it can get so heavy - what do you think, Poppy? A  good way to keep the warren dry?" Poppy looked over at Tinder, suddenly realizing he had addressed her.

"Well, I've never dug before..." She told him quietly.

"Who dug your warren, anyway? Deadnettle said something about the warren starting as a crowd of bucks. Never known bucks to dig, and I heard it was a fine big warren, too. Hardly seems possible - maybe our bucks could give it a shot. I know a few who could do for some dulled claws, what do you think, Captain?" Tinder shot off, looking over at the larger buck.

"I think digging is to be left to does," he told the tricolor. "And the warren's never had water troubles at all - no worries  for the drain run."
"Any warren can flood, sir." Poppy jumped. Tinder's voice had changed significantly, and suddenly sounded far harsher, colder. "I don't think that Lienahlay's any different."

"It doesn't matter, anyway," Rush told him. "We're home. Welcome to Lienahlay, miss."

Poppy slowly walked through the open heather, aware suddenly that there were rabbits and holes all around, many being improved upon. 
"Who've you brought?" The voice was a rough one, and a big black and white buck approached them.

"A doe from the foot of the downs," Rush told him. "You can take her."

The buck nodded as the Captain took his patrol away to talk with their chief. He turned to Poppy. "Right, then. I suppose I'll be looking after you. I am captain Lindrithray."