[film projector runs]
[silent movie]
[thunder]
[heavy rain]
[grunts and pants]
[rabbits whimper]
[breathes heavily]
[nervous panting and whimpering]
[growls]
[panting and whimpering]
[gasps]
[growls softly]
-[thunder] -[yells]
[gasping and indistinct chattering]
-Sir? -What's going on?
[squawks]
[grunts]
[Kehaar yells]
Oh-ho! The scoundrel came back!
-What was that? -Kehaar!
[rabbits yelling]
-[grunts] -What is it? [yells]
Quick, run!
Run!
[rabbits yelling]
Quick, everyone! Follow me!
What is that?
Come on! Let's go!
Go, go, go!
-Run! Hurry! -[yells]
[confused yelling]
Come on! Come on! Come on!
Quick. Quickly!
[grunts]
[groans]
Get everyone to cover.
[Kehaar roars]
-[Kehaar squawks] -[rumble of thunder]
[panting]
We need to lose them before we head for home.
-Otherwise, they'll follow us to the Down. -So, what do we do?
We'll head towards the human warren. They might not follow us there.
The human warren?
-Hazel, that place is a death trap! -Kehaar won't hold them off forever.
Head for the bridge!
Why are we even chasing down a bunch of outsiders and does that never caused us
any harm in the first place?
It's a good question. The one rabbit Holly actually seemed like a decent sort.
Holly was responsible for the death of my brother, Campion.
Remember that before you run your furry mouth.
I'm your rank equal in this warren, Captain Orchis,
so, remember that before you run yours.
It's not even about the outsiders.
We... we all know why we're here.
-It's Woundwort. -What of him?
-[Woundwort] Who called this meeting? -[gasps]
Who... called... this meeting?
I did, sir. You've been in your burrow all day, and I didn't want to disturb you.
Go and get the officers and the guards and bring them in here.
Hm.
[rabbits chatter in background]
I’m off now, Hazel. Like I said, birds need to find mothers, too.
You’ll find your way back to the downs fine. Aye!
Maybe the next time I see you, I’ll see little Hazels, too?
Thank you, Kehaar. Without you, we would've stopped running a long time ago.
-I'll be back, when the cold winds return. -Abandoning us again, are you?
You're going to have find a way to exist without me for a while, plump rabbit.
-For the last time, my name is Bigwig! -I know it's Bigwig!
But what's life if you can't tease your pal a little, eh?
-[gasping] -[wings flutter]
[rabbits chatter indistinctly]
[soft grunting]
I've called you here to invite you to voice any concerns you may have.
[soft grunting]
I...
I feel like, by sending us to search for the outsiders, we’re risking lives.
These other rabbits have a bird under their control.
I mean, who knows what other kind of elil they might have power over... eh?
Are you really concerned about the lives of your bucks?
Or are you concerned about your own life?
Well...
Are you afraid, Sergeant?
Eh...
Maybe.
Maybe I am afraid.
-You disgust me! -[gasping]
If you expire serving this warren, you should consider yourself fortunate
to have the glory of such a death!
-[whimpers] -Those of you not loyal to me
invite outsiders to steal our does...
men to kill us,
-and elil to bring us the white blindness. -[grunts]
Those of you not loyal to me hate Efrafa.
Are you loyal, Sergeant?
Yes, sir.
And what about you, Campion?
-I am, General. -Good!
I don't care whether it takes one Frith or a thousand,
you will find the outsiders who stole our does.
And when you do, we will destroy their warren
and leave no trace of them on this earth!
And to those of you who tremble in the wake of birds, or foxes, or any of the thousand enemies of rabbits, I say this...
In Efrafa, we run from no elil.
We are the elil.
[soft growl]
[angry breathing]
The does have seen that the bird who saved us is gone.
-They're exhausted and scared-- -But they have to move on.
They'll die if they stay here.
[indistinct chatter]
Speak from your heart, Hazel-rah.
[clears throat]
My name is Hazel.
And I am Chief Rabbit of your new home.
I know that it will take time for me to earn your trust...
and hopefully your friendship.
But it is a privilege for me to do so...
and to serve each and every one of you, both old and new.
You have fought so hard to earn your freedom.
But now you must fight to keep it.
Because the battle for liberty is one which has no end...
and if we fall fighting, if we stop running...
then at least we knew what it was like to run.
I stand here not asking you to follow me...
but to follow each other.
Let's help raise each other to our strongest selves.
Let's go home.
Huh.
Behold!
-Imagine... -It's not, is it?
Oh, by Frith, he made it.
[rabbit] Hooray!
-You're back. -[happy sobbing]
[happy chatter]
-Hyzenthlay, thank you for saving me. -[chuckling]
I owe you my life.
Your warren has given me back my life, and if the roles were reversed,
you'd have done the same.
-A thousand times. -[sighs]
-[Strawberry] Plenty room for us all. -[chatter and laughter]
Welcome to you all. Welcome home.
-Oh, Bigwig, you are funny. -[both chuckle]
Blackberry here doesn't like jokes. He doesn't see the value in them.
Now, that's not true at all!
Yes, I am. Just let me....
Hello, Strawberry.
Erm, Dandelion and I have something to say.
Well, I'm going to say it, because he speaks about once a fortnight.
The thing is, we're both rather fond of you. [nervous chuckle]
And, well, we'd appreciate it if you made a decision which of us you like.
Oh, brambles! Right!
Erm, I'd forgotten about that. This is...
Can I take some time to think about it?
Of course. Of course.
But be quick... [chuckles] because there are more does around now,
and, well, two eligible bucks like us are bound to get snapped up fast.
Why did you say that last bit? You didn't say the last bit when we rehearsed it.
I don't know. Maybe I don't want to end up alone forever.
[sniffing]
In a hutch, it doesn't have much use,
but a keen sense of smell can keep you out of danger.
Go on. Tell me what you can smell right now.
[smells]
I can smell chestnuts.
[sniffs] Er...
I smell rabbits.
[sniffs] Er... Oh.
Lots of strange rabbits.
[both sniff]
Oh.
Why don't you all go inside?
Go on, quickly now.
[birds squawk]
[panting]
Hazel, we round up anyone at silflay
and take them into the Honeycomb at once.
All right, Holly, go.
Bigwig, tell Strawberry to collapse all the entrances,
except for the wood run and the big root.
Wait, where are you going?
I'm going to buy us some time.
-Hazel, no, you-- -Bigwig! Go!
Is there anything I can do, Hazel?
Have you been able to make sense of your visions? The hrududu? The ropes?
No, I don't know what any of it means.
Don't worry. Get back to the warren and try to keep everyone calm.
[breathes heavily]
[grunts]
Did Thlayli send you?
I am a friend of Thlayli, yes.
Ha! He's some Chief Rabbit,
sending you out here instead of coming himself.
We... are... going... to destroy you.
I imagine you planned to take our warren by surprise,
attack us at dawn, when we moved out to silflay.
But you approached downwind and up here on the Downs,
the wind is changeable. That’s what gave you away.
An inconvenience, nothing more.
By closing off some of your tunnels, you're merely delaying the inevitable.
You should know that you won’t find it easy.
You will leave with far fewer bucks. We should come to better terms.
If we start a new warren in the belt of woods halfway between our two homes,
we could share resources.
Rabbits have enough enemies without fighting between us.
You'd be seen as a leader of vision. You'd be seen as a leader of genius.
It, er, might be worth considering, sir.
It amuses me that you feel you're in a position to strike a deal.
Let's see if you feel the same way after three days without food.
[sighs] Very well.
Tell your chief rabbit that I look forward to seeing him again.
Each of you take your bucks and cover one of the entrances.
Nothing leaves this warren and lives.
Woundwort plans to lay siege to us.
We’ll take it in shifts, guarding the three entrances.
Those of you who do not wish to be engaged in the fighting, stay in here.
And those of you who do wish to fight, get in line behind Bigwig! [chuckles]
You can’t be serious about standing up to them, Hazel.
I know more than anyone what it’s like to be in a warren sacked by Woundwort.
Believe me, we need to leave.
What happens when the Efrafans chase you down?
What of those who can’t move at speed? Tell me, where exactly do you plan to go?
[anxious chatter]
Those of you who wish to leave are welcome.
But this is my home. It's our home.
And, by Frith, I will defend it.
Then so it is. Hawkbit, Dandelion, go and guard the entrance by the wood run.
Holly, Hyzenthlay and Blackavar, the big root. Bigwig, Blackberry, with me!
[panting]
I’m gonna get killed. That’s what’s going to happen.
But you and Strawberry, you’ll somehow escape and you'll start a family together.
But deep down, it’s me she loves, me, so she’ll call one of your kids Hawkbit.
That way she can remember me and dream about what could have been.
Black Rabbit, take me! I'll kill you myself if you don't shut up!
Oh, nice, yeah! That's a nice thing to hear from someone
-you're about to go into battle with. -[groans]
[distant shouting]
[owl hoots]
[whispering] They're right there. What's up there?
They've gone up to the tunnel. Let's get them.
They're... I can see them.
[indistinct whispering]
When you arrived here, I told myself I'd do whatever I could to make you smile.
Now I'm afraid I'm not going to get the chance to see it happen.
So, how were you planning on doing it?
Well, I'd thought about saying something to show you how much I respect you.
But, in the end, I just planned on telling you how...
beautiful I think you are.
[distant shouting]
[pants] Sir, two of my bucks have deserted.
The bird, sir, we found hraka, and we think it's here.
I told you the bird is gone!
[grunting]
I should've killed you in the chamber.
My bucks grow restless, too, sir.
They're not used to sitting out in the open like this.
[growls softly]
What is the brief in terms of taking prisoners, sir?
No prisoners.
But, sir, what about those not engaged in the fight?
Capturing the strongest bucks and sparing the does
-would surely be wise-- -[grunts]
If you continue to make a habit
of questioning me, Captain...
believe me, I will cure you of it.
Sir.
To Inle with starving them out!
Move in! Storm the tunnels!
[gasps and anxious breathing]
[distant shouting]
[panting and yelling]
[roaring and grunting]
[panting]
-Oh. -[yelling and grunting]
[grunting and groaning]
Hazel?
[grunting]
-Dandelion! -[grunting]
[grunting and groaning]
The Efrafans are opening up the closed tunnels!
They will tear us to pieces.
If I'm to meet the Black Rabbit today,
then there's one or two from Efrafa who will come with me.
-[pants] -[rumbling]
-Oh! -[gasping]
[grunting and roaring]
Thethuthinang!
[grunting and groaning]
Just subdue her. No one uses lethal force today.
-[rumbling] -There you are. Come here!
Bluebell, be careful!
[grunting and groaning]
[grunting]
[groaning]
[grunting and yelling]
-[panting] -[guard] We've got 'em!
[grunting and groaning]
Hazel, we're done for. The Efrafans have occupied the main tunnel.
We can't take much more of this.
[grunts] Look out!
[yelling]
Evacuate. Collapse the main tunnel. Get the wounded to the Honeycomb.
[panting]
[grunts]
[pants]
-I've got her! -Hyzenthlay!
[grunting and groaning]
-Holly? -[groaning]
[grunting]
[growls]
[grunting and groaning]
[roars]
Oh, no.
-[Hyzenthlay] Holly. -[panting]
Holly! Holly!
No! No! Holly! No!
No! No!
[sobs]
[Strawberry] It's okay. I don't think they'll be able to get through.
-[rumbling] -They're trying to dig us out!
They're opening entrances everywhere! We can't hold them off. Hazel. Hazel, it's Holly.
[sighs]
[grunting and groaning]
Back!
Tell everyone to fall back to the Honeycomb.
-[rumbling] -[panting]
[rumbling]
[grunting and groaning]
[crash]
-[muffled shouting] -[groaning]
-[soil rumbles] -[groaning]
I can't believe he's gone, Hazel.
[all] My heart has joined the thousand.
For my friend stopped running today.
[muffled shouting]
[rumbling]
The entrance is sealed, Hazel, but it won't keep them for long.
They've fallen back into a large burrow.
We can try to force our way down the tunnels,
but in tight quarters, our casualties will be high.
Pull your bucks back. Where is this burrow?
Directly beneath the tree.
Hm.
[panting]
[rumbling]
[distant shouting]
[soil crashes in distance]
Shh. Listen. [sniffs]
[heavy breathing]
Everyone, be quiet! They've left the tunnels.
[soil crashes, shouting]
[gasping and whimpering]
[distant shouting]
[rumbling and thumping]
-They're coming in from above! -[gasping]
If they drop straight down into the chamber,
we won't be able to put up any defence, Hazel.
[sighs]
[rumbling]
Everyone, go to the back burrow and seal it off.
Bigwig and I are going to hold them off until you do.
[indistinct chatter] -Hazel? -Listen to me!
When they come through, you give them everything you've got.
But, Hazel...
I never told you that...
I love you.
You didn't have to.
[rumbling]
Quite the spot we're in.
[sighs] I didn't think it would end like this, Thlayli.
I thought it would end with Bluebell boring our grandkids
with tales of our great adventures.
Ha! Maybe in some world it did.
Fiver? Fiver, what are you doing here? I just came to say sorry for not being able to help us.
-No, no, no, Fiver, stop. -For not being able to see clearly.
You were right. What use am I if I don't have my visions?
Fiver, listen to me.
Your friendship is worth more to me than any vision and it always will.
Now, by the time Inle rises, our bodies may lie broken
but what connects us is unbreakable.
[echoing] Unbreakable.
[whimpers softly] [breathes heavily]
[groans]
[growls]
[Fiver gasps and groans]
[breathes heavily and mutters]
No!
[clanging]
What was that?
[cackles] What have you stopped for?
Keep digging!
You! Inform the General we've almost broken through.
Yes, sir.
[rumbling]
[breathes heavily and pants]
[sighs]
I know what we have to do. [pants]
-We have to get to the farm. -Brother, we're surrounded.
We won't be able to dig out fast enough.
-[Strawberry] I can get you out. -[rumbling]
Go! Go! Seal yourselves in to the back burrow,
but leave the tunnel open on this side. All right?
I have one final trick for you. When you are spent,
when you've given all that you can give, you tell them that you guard this burrow
for your Chief Rabbit.
Trust me, my friend.
[rumbling]
[Sainfoin] The men say they heard a noise, sir.
A great wailing. You don't think that bird's back?
If you mention that bird one more time, I will destroy you!
Campion, prepare to follow me in, but not too close, in case we're ambushed.
I will not!
[grunts and growls softly]
You dare disobey me?
What kind of a soldier are you?
I'd rather be a good rabbit than a good soldier, sir.
Orchis, finish him.
Sainfoin, come with me.
Bucks under the command of Captain Campion to join my battalion. All bucks under my command are dismissed.
[cackles] Leave here and you'll be hunted down!
You'll be dead!
My rank equal you may be, Orchis,
but my equal in combat, you are not! I strongly advise you to step away from me.
[nervous panting]
[Woundwort growls softly]
[grunts]
Blackavar, we need a third runner.
Dandelion is our fleetest, but he's injured so we need you.
Your plan is dangerous, Hazel, and the chances are it won't succeed.
But if it does... I want to be able to look back one day
and say I played my part in it.
[grunts] We're at the surface! [pants]
As soon as we're out, close the hole and cave the tunnel in all the way along.
[panting]
Fiver, run and don't look back.
[growls and grunts]
[sniffs]
[grunts and sniffs]
[growls softly]
[sniffs]
[grunts and sniffs]
Eh? Where are they? Where've they gone?
-Shh! -[whimpers]
[sniffs and grunts]
[complete silence]
[grunts and sniffs]
Ah...
-[whispers] Bluebell? -Yes.
What do you call a happy rabbit?
-A hoptimist! -[stifled laugh]
[sniffs]
They're behind here, all right. [sniffs]
I can smell them.
[panting]
I think we lost them, Hazel.
Are you sure you're okay to go through with this?
This is where we leave you, Blackavar. Good luck.
[both pant]
Frith speed you both.
[soil crashes]
[Sainfoin] Sir! The ground!
-[roars] -[yelps]
[grunts and groans]
You look injured, General.
How does it feel to have a mark of your own?
[grunting and groaning]
[yelling and grunting]
[snores]
[breathes heavily]
[gasps]
[pants]
[snores]
[sniffs]
[panting]
I once told you that I would kill you, Thlayli. And this time...
-[grunts] -...there's no white bird to save you!
[pants]
[roaring and grunting]
[growls]
[groans]
[grunting and groaning]
[munches]
-[distant thud] -[gasps]
Oh, no.
[grunts]
[meows]
[pants]
-[growls and barks] -Ah!
[grunts]
[barks]
[growls and barks]
[barks angrily]
Fiver! Fiver, no!
[barks] Fiver, no!
-[barks] -[grunts]
-[cat hisses] -[dog barks]
No!
-Leave me, Hazel! -No!
You have to... go!
[barks]
Go!
-[barks] -[gasps]
-[grunts] -[hisses]
[grunts and pants]
[grunts]
[panting]
I could send my bucks down here one after the other if need be, Thlayli.
But it seems a waste to kill you.
Come back to Efrafa, and you can lead any mark you want.
Silflay hraka. You embleer rah.
My Chief Rabbit ordered me to defend this run...
and until he says otherwise, I will stay right here. [pants]
His Chief Rabbit?
He's not Chief Rabbit?
[breathes heavily]
[pants]
[dog growls]
[pants]
[growls and barks]
Run!
[pants]
[grunts softly]
[dog growls and snarls]
[pants]
[dog growls and barks]
-[dog barks] -[grunts]
[grunts]
[pants]
Thlayli, the one who did this to him, isn’t even the Chief Rabbit!
And you all heard that terrible noise!
Who knows what kind of elil they have command of now?
Who knows what’s waiting for us in that burrow?
[spits]
-[rabbit] What's happened to him? -This war is nearly over!
[breathes heavily]
Cowards!
Leave, then!
Without me to protect you, most of you will be dead within a week.
Gather your bucks.
It’s time to finish this warren once and for all.
[dog snarls]
[grunts and groans]
[barks]
[sniffs]
[dog barks]
[pants]
-[dog snarls] -[whimpers]
[dog barks and sniffs]
[growls]
[snarls and barks]
[dog barks]
[groans softly and pants]
Surround him!
Oh, Frith.
[snarls]
[birds squawk]
-[confused muttering] -General!
Oh, please! Oh, please! Please!
Hazel-rah.
Hazel-rah?
He's their leader?
[rabbit] What's that?
[roars with laughter]
That lame rabbit is your leader?
[General roars with laughter]
[muttering]
-General, retreat! -[rabbit] Run!
What are you running from, you cowards?
-[yelling] -[rabbit] Run!
[pants]
[dog barks]
-[snarls] -[groans]
[gasps]
[snarls and barks]
We fear no elil.
I fear no dog.
I fear nothing!
[roars]
[growls]
[hand brake]
[car door]
[anxious breaths]
[Bluebell speaking in distance]
[becoming clearer] Upon the homba, he gave great cunning,
upon the hawk, sharp talons, upon the cat, silent feet,
upon the weasel, great speed, upon the wolf, great teeth,
all to hunt and slay the children of El-Ahrairah.
[gasps]
[sighs] No.
[joyous laughter]
Fiver? Fiver! [chuckles]
[laughs joyously]
-[Hawkbit] Is that...? It can't be! Fiver! -[rabbits] Fiver!
-[chuckles] -[Hawkbit] How did he... How did he...?
-[doe] He's back! -[Hawkbit] I don't understand.
-[Bluebell] By Frith, he made it! -You're back!
What happened to you?
It was the humans, Hazel. The little girl. She saved me from the cat.
[Hazel] Maybe some humans do understand that all living things suffer,
that all living things deserve respect.
[birdsong]
[giggling]
[laughter and squealing]
You know who really likes play fighting, don't you?
-[kits] Who? Who? -Don't you?
-Your Uncle Blackberry! -What?
-[kits] Yay! Uncle Blackberry! -No, absolutely not!
I do not like play fighting!
-I said I do not like play... -[giggling]
Ah! I still can't believe she chose Bigwig over two eligible bachelors like us.
[pants]
Whoa, whoa, whoa, I saw her first!
Oi! Dandelion! I saw her first! Dandelion! I saw her first!
Look at the state of you all!
-What are you doing with all those... -[giggling]
Mm. Yes, worms.
Listen, it was a long flight here.
I have a worm problem, okay? It's not my fault!
-Hazel, you all right? -Just a little bit tired is all.
Well, come in soon. Don't you fall asleep out here again.
-I won't. -[she chuckles softly]
-What news, Hrairoo? -Oh, nothing much.
I just wanted to come and sit with you a moment, if I may.
What a path we've walked together, eh?
Oh, it's been such a pleasure, an honour and a real privilege.
Hm.
Are you all right, Fiver?
Yeah, I'm fine. I just came to say good night to you.
My leader... my brother...
my friend.
So...
good night.
Good night, Hrairoo.
[breathes softly]
[sniffs]
[soft gasp]
Do I know you?
We've spoken before.
You've been tired recently, haven't you, old friend?
Well, I can do something about that.
I've come to ask you if you'd like to join my Owsla.
We'd love to you have you...
and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
[kits giggle in distance] You needn't worry about them. [chuckles]
They'll be all right, and thousands like them.
If you'll come along, I'll show you what I mean.
I'd be honoured.
[Bluebell] So, which story would you like to hear?
[kits] Hazel-rah! Hrairoo!
-Tell us about Hazel-rah! -Tell us about Thlayli!
-[kit] Hazel-rah! -[Bluebell] "The Adventures of Hazel-rah
and his Brave Band of Ragtag Rabbits," it is.
[soft chuckle]
The primroses were over.
Towards the edge of the wood, where the ground became open
and sloped down to an old fence and a brambly ditch beyond...
only a few fading patches of pale yellow still showed
among the dog's mercury and oak-tree roots.
On the other side of the fence,
the upper part of the field was full of rabbit holes.
In places, the grass was gone altogether