Then he himself went into the run where Bigwig was lying. Hyzenthlay looked up as he came. “He was awake a little while ago, Hazel-rah,” she said. “He asked where you were; and then he said his ear hurt very much.”
Hazel nuzzled the matted fur cap. The blood had turned hard and set into pointed spikes that pricked his nose. “You’ve done it, Bigwig,” he said. “They’ve all run away.”
For several moments Bigwig did not move. Then he opened his eyes and raised his head, pouching out his cheeks and sniffing at the two rabbits beside him. He said nothing and Hazel wondered whether he had understood.
At last he whispered, “Ees finish Meester Voundvort, ya?”
“Ya,” replied Hazel. “I’ve come to help you to silflay. It’ll do you good and we can clean you up a lot better outside. Come on: it’s a lovely afternoon, all sun and leaves.”
Bigwig got up and tottered forward into the devastated Honeycomb. There he sank down, rested, got up again and reached the foot of Kehaar’s run.
