Don Bluth’s Watership Down

This idea is based on the novel by Richard Adams. To be considered for Don Bluth Studios.

Story
In 1960s England, on a spring day, There lived a group of rabbits, living peacefully in Sandleford Warren. As Hazel, a male rabbit is looking forward to having a mate of his own. However, Fiver, Hazel's younger brother, sees a premonition of the Warren destroyed, unaware of a sign saying their home is to be turned into housing. Hazel and Fiver inform the Chief Rabbit, Rowan of the situation, but the Chief says, that moving elsewhere would take too long, So, Hazel and Fiver tell their childhood friends of the coming danger. At night, Bigwig, one of the Sandleford Owsla, spots two people near the warren and informs the chief rabbit, who refuses to listen, as He tells Bigwig and the rest of the Owsla to keep Hazel and Fiver from leaving. Later, Hazel and Fiver, along with Pipkin, Dandelion, Acorn, Speedwell, Silver, Hawkbit, Blackberry, Buckthorn, and Zinnia, who was going to be Hazel’s mate, proceed to escape the warren. Holly, one of the Owsla, proceeded to arrest Hazel's group for insubordination, but, Bigwig believing in Fiver's prediction, tackles Holly, who goes to tell Rowan. Hazel's group, with Bigwig, head east, away from the doomed warren.

A couple of miles later in the forest, as the sun was about to rise, Hazel’s group rest as Dandelion tells a story called “Frith’s Blessing”, featuring El-ahrairah. (Set in the art style of the original 1978 movie’s prologue) The story starts with Frith (The Sun) creating the world, clouds, stars, trees, and plants. Then the animals making them all the same. Among the animals, was El-ahrairah, the Prince of Rabbits, who befriended many of the animals, including the Fox. Some time later, when El-Ahrairah got a mate of his own, He was blessed with many children. But the more children He had, the more problems arose for the other animals, since they eat grass, despite El-ahrairah, trying to get his children to share, which fell on deaf ears. Frith caught wind of this and orders El-ahrairah to keep his children under control, but El-Ahrairah said to Frith that He’s been trying. Frith, then gave a gift to the other animals, making them all different from the others. The animals, like Foxes, Badgers, Cats, Rats, Dogs, Wolves, Hawks, Owls, Stoats, Otters, and Weasels we're given a ferocious desire to hunt down and devour El-ahrairah and His family. El-ahrairah, His mate, and His surviving children went into hiding. Frith visited El-ahrairah who tearfully chastised Frith for dooming His family. Seeing El-ahrairah’s tears, Frith shined his light on the Rabbit’s family, seconds later, Their tails wagged uncontrollably until they turned white as clouds, then their back legs and ears grew longer, and they became faster than any animal they encountered, with Frith saying “Your people cannot cover the world, El-Ahrairah, for I won’t allow it. All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies. And whenever they catch You, They will kill you, but, first they must catch you. Digger, Listener, Runner, prince with the swift warning, be cunning like the foxes, full of tricks like the weasel, and your people will never be destroyed.”

Once the story was over, Pipkin, who was almost asleep, spots a Lendri (Lapine for Badger) and the rabbits run for their lives. They come to a river, and things get worse when the rabbits hear a dog coming, the Badger hears the dog as well, and runs for his life. The Rabbits cross the lake to escape, except Pipkin and Fiver who aren’t good swimmers. Blackberry notices a piece of wood floating and asks the two to jump on it. And with Bigwig’s help, Blackberry gets Fiver and Pipkin out of harm’s way. Safe from the dog, The rabbits continue their journey and spot a bean field, and head there. On the way, however, a crow attacks Pipkin and Fiver. Bigwig, who was nearby, tackles the crow, who flies away. Bigwig berates the two for lagging behind, but Hazel tells Bigwig to lay off since Fiver’s tired and a thorn was in Pipkin’s foot. After reaching the Bean field, safe from the predators, the rabbits rest as memories of their old home are in their minds. After resting, the rabbits traverse carefully through a road where the hurududu (Lapine for Car) cross. After the rabbits cross, Acorn, Speedwell, and Hawkbit start to miss home and have thoughts of heading back to Sandleford, as Fiver sees a vision of a lone tree, on the high hills. and they’ll encounter some trouble. Dubious of his brother’s vision, Hazel tells the rabbits that they’ll be moving on.

As night fell, The Rabbits start to get tired, but, they see a field, and in it, is Cowslip, an elderly rabbit. The rabbits request to stay for the night, and Cowslip accepts and says they can stay as long as they like. The Rabbits, except for Fiver are ecstatic as they enter. On the rabbits’ first day, Hazel meets a sorrowful rabbit named Strawberry, saying the warren needn’t worry about the Elil, because the humans nearby shoot them if spotted. However, Strawberry and the other rabbits in the warren won’t ask questions that start with “Where”. Fiver, who is outside the warren, continues to worry about Hazel and the others as it started to rain. Hazel and the others decide to go outside to find some food, but Cowslip says to stay, as there will be plenty of food tomorrow. The next morning, The rabbits see plenty of food, including carrots and cabbage.

Dandelion then tells a story about El-ahrairah and the King’s Lettuce (In Sepia color). The tale starts with El-ahrairah and his descendants suffering from lack of food and living in the marshlands. Once the story was over, the Rabbits of Cowslip’s warren were not impressed, since they only need dignity, not cunning to survive. Silverweed, a young poet told a tale of accepting death. Hazel and Bigwig go search for Fiver, who still refused to enter. Bigwig, furious at Fiver’s stubborn refusal to enter, goes to get food but a snare grabs him by the throat. Fiver goes to get help, the rest of Hazel’s group comes while Cowslip and the others stay where they are. Blackberry gets the snare’s peg out, but Bigwig doesn’t move. Fiver explains that Cowslip and the other rabbits refused to help. Bigwig barely gets up, and swears that He’ll kill Cowslip. As Hazel’s group go to kill Cowslip and take over his warren. Fiver opposes since the warren is a death trap, so, Hazel’s group move on to their journey, as Strawberry asks to come along, since His mate was killed, when She told a wandering rabbit about the snares. Zinnia approaches Strawberry and says “You can come along, if you want to”. That night, The Rabbits rested in a dilapidated barn, as Bigwig, Silver, and Buckthorn kept watch for any Elil. And kept watch, they did, fighting off the rats, and an owl.

Morning came, and the rabbits arrive at what Fiver foresaw, a lone tree on the high hills. The rabbits after reaching the top were awestruck of the environment below, including a farm. Under the tree, they see a rabbit hole, but the warren is empty. Seeing that the warren is too small, Hazel, Blackberry, Zinnia, and Strawberry dig to expand the warren, but stop when they hear a ghastly voice calling for Bigwig. The voice, turned out to be Holly, who is deeply injured carried by Bluebell. Fearing that the smell of blood would attract predators, Bigwig demanded Holly to leave, but the other rabbits allow the injured rabbits to enter. As Hazel brings the injured to one of the holes, He spots a mouse catching her breath after being chased by a Hawk and Hazel lets the mouse rest. After two days of resting, Holly explains to the rabbits about what happened back at Sandleford. Minutes after Hazel’s group left, He saw people near the warren and told the chief. Knowing Rowan won’t listen, Holly told the Owsla and the other rabbits as the humans arrived in construction vehicles. As the construction people began to fill the burrows and shoot any animals, another group of humans opposed to the destruction of nature, slashed the tires of the construction vehicles, and blocking the hunters from shooting the rabbits. The rabbits had some time to escape, but not everyone escaped with their lives. After hearing about the fate of Sandleford Warren, Hazel then told that the journey wasn’t easy, but are determined to make the warren their new home.

Days later, after the warren is done, Hawkbit asks why a mouse is in the warren, Hazel explains the situation as Bluebell tells the story of The Trial of El-ahrairah (In a 1930s art style). Once Bluebell’s story is done, Bigwig and Silver inform the others of an injured bird, a seagull named Keehar, who doesn’t trust them. Hazel asks Acorn to gets as many bugs to feed Keehar. After being fed, Keehar thanks the rabbits for what they did, as the Gull asks why there are more bucks than does. To repay their kindness, Keehar flies off to find some does for the warren. Days later, Keehar returned and that there are two places. One is Nuthanger Farm, which the journey will take less than an hour. The other is a warren, which would take a few days by foot. Holly, Silver, Buckthorn, and Strawberry travel to the other warren at dawn, as Hazel brings Pipkin to the farm. Arriving at the farm, Hazel goes in one of the barns as Pipkin keeps watch. One of the hutch rabbits, Boxwood tells Hazel that there’s one buck and three does, as Pipkin says that a cat is approaching. Hazel and Pipkin escape with their lives.

After returning to the down, Fiver berates Hazel for risking his life just to outshine Holly, as Hazel asks the others to come to the farm to free the hutch rabbits. At night, Hazel, Bigwig, Speedwell, and Hawkbit head to the barn as Fiver predicts that Danger awaits Hazel. Arriving at the barn, the Rabbits go to the back of the barn to dig a hole under to get inside without alerting the cat. Once inside, Speedwell and Hawkbit bite the leather part of the cage, freeing the hutch rabbits. Another cat notices Bigwig and Dandelion keeping watch, and goes to pounce them, but, Bigwig kicks the cat, and leaves. Knowing their time is short, Dandelion tells the others they have to run because the cat will return and won’t be alone. Boxwood and Clover leave the cage as Haystack and Laurel are unsure. The cat returns with her mate as the dog barks loudly. Haystack, still unsure, decides to come with Hazel’s group as Laurel stays in the cage, scared of the dog. As Hazel’s group escape, the farm owner notice the wild rabbits and shoots Hazel in the leg, as the rest of the rabbits escape.

Back at the down, While the Rabbits waited for Hazel to return, Holly’s group return without does with only Silver uninjured. Hours later, Fiver, refusing to believe Hazel died, goes down the hill to search for him. Fiver spots a blood trail and follows it leading to a drain where Hazel is resting. Meanwhile, as Keehar gets rid of the bullet in Hazel’s leg, Holly explains about the warren called Efrafa, a totalitarian society led by General Woundwort. Hazel, after learning the details of how Efrafa works, formulates a plan. The next morning, Zinnia after being in Cowslip’s Warren, tells Hazel that She has fallen in love with Strawberry. the hutch rabbits and the injured rabbits are told to stay, as Bigwig suggests Dandelion to tell the story of “El-ahrairah and the Black Rabbit of Inle” (In the style of the first story) as a fox was sneaking around, as Keehar tries to warn the rabbits of the danger. Bigwig warns the Fox away from the others, while falling in a mud pit. While he was running, Bigwig spots three Efrafan rabbits blocking his path, so Bigwig smashes through, and shakes the fox, who devours one of the Efrafan rabbits. Hazel’s group hide under a stone bridge as Dandelion finishes his story of El-ahrairah and the Black Ranbit of Inle, as Blackberry notices a wood boat and gets an idea. At Efrafa, General Woundwort is furious that two of his high-ranking officers were killed. As Campion tells the General that Bigwig wants to join Efrafa’s ranks.

While inside Efrafa, Bigwig explores the warren and encounters Primrose, a leader of a group of Efrafan Rabbits opposed to General Woundwort’s tyranny. Primrose is wary because She thinks Bigwig was sent by the Efrafan Council, but Alstroemeria, a younger doe believes Bigwig, and his escape plan. Primrose accepted Bigwig’s help, provided that he helps Blackavar who is to be executed for attempted escape. Bigwig agrees as they escape in two days. The next morning, Bugloss, one of Woundwort’s officers, wakes Bigwig as he and the shoulder-marked rabbits are to eat grass. He noticed Keehar coming and pretends to fight off the bird, as Keehar quietly tells Hazel’s plan, which will start at night. After Keehar flies off, Bugloss who saw the fight, congratulated Bigwig for fighting off an intruder, but tells Bigwig to kill any and all intruders in the future. Later on, General Woundwort calls Bigwig since one of the Efrafans who got tackled by Bigwig yesterday, recognizes Bigwig as the same rabbit who was tailed by a fox. Bigwig explained that He didn’t intend to lead the fox there, as Vervain, Woundwort’s most evil of his officers, demanded to know if there were other rabbits near the warren, Bigwig said there were some footprints, leading to an abandoned farm, but not much.

Then on a rainy night, Primrose tells Bigwig that an Efrafan Officer caught wind of the escape plan, meaning they don’t have much time. until Woundwort is told of the escape plan. Bigwig, along with Primrose, Alstroemeria, 8 does and Blackavar, exit the warren, while Woundwort and his officers go after them, but, they are stalled by thunderclaps, brambly thorns, and other Elil, as Bigwig and the escapees jump on the boat as Campion watched them drift away, as Woundwort, exhausted from chasing Bigwig’s group, who are already out of sight, orders his soldiers to kill Bigwig and his supporters. Back home, Hazel shows the Efrafan does and Blackavar of their new home. Some of the does are unimpressed, but Primrose and Alstroemeria see it as a wonderful place to call home. As Pipkin keeps watch, He begins to shed tears seeing his parents, Skimmia and Crocus, safe.

In the end credits, set in an art style of the 1978 film’s prologue, Hazel and the rabbits spot some more of the Sandleford Rabbits approaching the down.

In the post credits, Campion locates Watership Down.

Don Bluth’s Watership Down (Transcript)

Sandleford Rabbits

 * Hazel - The Chief of Watership Down.
 * Fiver - The Seer and Hazel’s younger brother.
 * Bigwig - A tough-as-nails rabbit.
 * Blackberry - the one of the two surviving does of Sandleford Warren.
 * Zinnia - an exclusive character and the second of the two surviving does of Sandleford. Becomes Strawberry’s mate.
 * Buckthorn - A young rabbit who was looking forward to being a member of Sandleford’s Owsla.
 * Silver - A tough but bullied rabbit just for having gray fur. He’s also the nephew of Rowan, Sandleford Warren’s Chief.
 * Pipkin - A young and underconfident rabbit, who turned to his parents for advice.
 * Holly - A member of Sandleford’s Owsla who tried to stop Hazel’s group from leaving, but after the loss of the warren, Holly’s personality turns from defiant to remourseful.
 * Dandelion - Sandleford’s Storyteller and the fastest rabbit in the warren.
 * Hawkbit - A worrisome but sarcastic rabbit.
 * Bluebell - A talkative rabbit and the jokester of the warren.
 * Acorn - The young bug-collecting member of the Warren.
 * Speedwell - an energetic and easy-going young rabbit.

Cowslip’s Warren

 * Cowslip - An elderly chief of his warren, who refuses to acknowledge the ways of El-ahrairah.
 * Strawberry - A lazy rabbit who left his home when His late mate got killed for telling a rabbit about the snares. Becomes Haystack’s mate.
 * Silverweed - A poetic rabbit who tells tales of death and accepting it.

Nuthanger Farm

 * Boxwood - A long-eared yellow rabbit whose curiosity gets him in trouble.
 * Clover - A big-boned rabbit not familiar with what rabbits eat. Becomes Hawkbit’s mate.
 * Laurel - A cautious rabbit who does not want to get sick or injured.
 * Haystack - A posh blueish-gray and white rabbit, comfortable with living with humans.
 * Tab - A male Cat who attacked Keehar.
 * Till - A female cat who threatened the rescue plan.
 * Fang - A guard Dog.

Efrafa Warren

 * General Woundwort
 * Bugloss
 * Vervain
 * Orchis
 * Chervil
 * Campion
 * Primrose - Becomes Hazel’s mate. Real name Hyzenthlay.
 * Alstroemeria - Becomes Fiver’s mate. Real name, Vilthuril.
 * Blackavar