Watership down 2 - a new threat

Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Checking on Bigwig

As they reached the hill's summit, the group collapsed onto the soft grass, catching their breath after the frantic chase. Hazel looked around, a sense of relief washing over him as he counted each friend safe and accounted for. But Bigwig, who'd stayed at the rear to watch their backs, was hunched over, his breaths coming out in short, labored bursts.

"Bigwig, are you alright?" Hazel asked, concern in his voice.

Bigwig gave a quick wave, still too winded to respond properly. "I... I'm fine," he managed between breaths. "Just... haven't run that hard... in a long time."

Violet moved closer, her face filled with worry. "Are you sure? You looked like you were about to fall back there."

Bigwig gave a small, reassuring grin. "I'm tougher than I look, you know."

Fiver nodded but still studied Bigwig's face closely. "It was a close call," he said softly. "Thank you, Bigwig, for staying at the back."

Bigwig shrugged off the gratitude with a dismissive wave, though a faint smile betrayed his appreciation. "Nothing to thank me for. We all got away, didn't we?"

"Just don't push yourself too hard, Bigwig," Hazel said with a nod. "We're a team, and we're going to get through this together."

Bigwig let out a deep breath and looked out over the hill with a new sense of purpose. "Yeah," he said. "Together."

And as they gathered their strength, they each felt a renewed sense of determination. The journey wasn't over yet, but with each other, they felt prepared for whatever lay ahead.