Watership Down

Hazel’s group travels three miles, sleeps in a barn, gets attacked by rats, and crosses open pastureland. None have died; they’ve grown tighter as a group; quarreling has ceased. At sunset the next day, they arrive at the base of the 300-foot bluff that defines the face of Watership Down.

At the top is a slope where Fiver insists they should build their new warren. Though tired, Hazel, Dandelion, and Hawkbit climb the steep passage to look around. At the top, they can see in all directions: No predator can approach unnoticed.

On the way back down, they find Hawkbit at the entrance to three abandoned rabbit holes. He says they’re empty and disease-free. Hazel tells Dandelion to continue to the bottom and inform the others that they have shelter for the night.

The rabbit burrows are small and hard, but the 12 travelers don’t care, and human noises are far away, so they sleep safely into the next morning. The burrows are too shallow for winter. Blackberry believes there are easier diggings up above, but Hazel thinks bucks won’t scratch out new holes.