Trekkers

*You are right here in your story. Don't skip ahead.*
Massie Burnson, *The Wreck and Rise of Whitson Mariner*, p. 32
**WARNING: SPOILERS FOR *PRINCE LANDER & THE DRAGON WAR* ARE AHEAD; CAUTION IS ADVISED.**

**King Whitson**: Well, I wouldn't go that far. But we have made our own crossing. Not over a chasm, as with the old ones, but over the wide, wild sea.

**Prince Lander**: Like Flint and Fay. But on your ships.

—*The Black Star of Kingston*, pg. 17-18

The**T****rekkers** is a name applied to two groups of Rabbits, and comes from their journeying away from one homeland to another. Originally, it applied to those rabbits who departed the Blue Moss Hills after the appearance of Firstfoe. It was later applied more specifically to a particular branch of their descendants, whom King Whitson Mariner led from Golden Coast to the land of Natalia.

## History

### Ancient days

Following the initial clash between Flint Firstking and Firstfoe, many if not all rabbits of the Blue Moss Hills departed from their home. In so doing, they left behind the miraculous Firstflower with its varied properties, losing the extended life that came with consuming it. These first Trekkers eventually came to Golden Coast, where the rabbit monarchy begun by Flint and Fay continued to the time of Gerrard. However, after Golden Coast was invaded by a fearsome enemy, Gerrard named Whitson as his successor, and remained behind with many old bucks as a rearguard while Whitson led the surviving rabbits to safety.

### *The Black Star of Kingston*

The Trekkers travel across the sea from Golden Coast to Natalia, during which time they experience at least one battle. Upon reaching Natalia, they walk far inland before reaching Ayman Lake, where they establish their first settlement; in memory of Seddle, they named the location Seddleton. Sadly, due to limited resources, strife breaks out as Lord Grimble speaks out in opposition of King Whitson. In hopes of alleviating this, Whitson approves a proposal by Fleck Blackstar to investigate the potential of establishing a coal mine on the far side of the lake from Seddleton.

Unfortunately, the Trekkers' excursions come to the attention of the birds of prey in the nearby High Bleaks, and they launch an attack against Whitson's newly built fleet and Seddleton itself. They take many captives from both the ships and the town, but ultimately withdraw after Captain Blackstar sets off a blastpowder explosion aboard *Lillie*. In the wake of this battle, Whitson divides the remaining free Trekkers into two groups. One remains behind to establish the community of Kingston, while the rest depart by water in search of a permanent new home.

### *The Wreck and Rise of Whitson Mariner*

After wintering at Halfway Harbor, Whitson's group of Trekkers is divided again, this time by the treachery of Lord Grimble and his son Captain Grimble. Having entered into an alliance with the native dragons, they bargain with them to allow Whitson and those loyal to him to be enslaved. As part of this, the flagship *Vanguard* is led to wreck itself, and confederates of the Grimbles abduct Queen Lillie from the ship before it begins sinking. However, Lillie is subsequently rescue by Massie Burnson, her son Lander, and Galt, a repentant deserter from the Battle of Ayman Lake.

After brief clashes with the dragons, the divided Trekkers clash in the Battle of *Steadfast*, in which the titular ship briefly evades the Grimbles' *Desolation* before ramming it. A ruse involving empty blastpowder barrels drives many of Grimbles' bucks off the ships, and they are subdued by a number of does armed with bows on the shores of a nearby island. The crew of *Steadfast* defeat the remaining forces, while an embassy led by Lord Grimble is slaughtered by the island's remaining dragons for failing to deliver on their promises. A single survivor is sent back to Whitson's rabbits, informing them that the dragon king will be apprised of these events.

### *Prince Lander and the Dragon War*

The Trekkers continue to be divided, with Whitson's rabbits being called 'loyalists' and Grimble's faction being called 'oathbreakers'. They fight each other numerous times, despite Whitson's efforts to create peace.

Whitson's Trekkers are divided as well, with many of the young soldiers wanting a new king, as they think that Whitson has gone senile in his old age. However, due to the combined efforts of Prince Lander, Prince Grant, Prince Lemual, and Mother Saramack, this is eventually resolved.

The Dead Trekkers, or Drekkers, play a part and their history of breaking away and then rejoining the Trekkers is mentioned. King Whitson and Prince Lander make an effort to include them as equals more than had been done before, and this presumably succeeds.

Grimble eventually kills Whitson Mariner, causing much grief to Whitson's Trekkers. The loyalists and oathbreakers (and dragons) clash in the Battle of Barren Point immediatly after Whitson's passing. Due to the timely intervention of Fleck Blackstar and his crew in *Steadfast*, the loyalists win the battle.

At the apparent conclusion of the Dragon War, in which the Trekkers achieve victory, King Lander orders that the eggs of the dragons be sealed in a tomb. He also makes plans to conceal the truth of the dragons' existence so that they will be dismissed as myth by the Trekkers' successors. Lander also determines that the land around the tomb will become the rabbits' capital city: First Warren.

### *The Green Ember*

The Trekkers are remembered long after their time has passed by their descendants, with Whittle Longtreader telling their tales to his children Heather and Picket. Wilfred Longtreader was also familiar with the accounts, and questioned Picket about Rangel, a Golden Coast rabbit who had previously ridiculed Whitson.

### *Ember Rising*

Heather learns that descendants of those Trekkers carried away to the High Bleaks formed a resistance movement, now known as the Seventh District, in the slave city of Akolan. These rabbits, led by the Tunneler, seek to emulate Whitson Mariner's Trekkers by escaping in great ships using underground channels connected to the River Flint. Picket also discusses the Trekkers with Hame Smith and Lord Hewson, including the uncertain fate of the Stone Sword of Flint carried by the Trekkers. By this time, certain historic details have become confused if not deliberately concealed, with some rabbits believing that the Grimbles actually established a renegade warren.

### *Ember's End*

Missy Dreft mentions the Trekkers, saying that they lost much of the knowledge that rabbitkind used to have, and not what the Trekkers left behind.

## Members

### Whitson's Trekkers

* King Whitson Mariner (leader)
* Queen Lillie
* Lander Whitson
* Lemual Whitson
* Davis Whitson
* Grant Whitson
* Massie Burnson (Lord Captain)
* Lord Galvet
* Lord Grant
* Lord Jaymin
* Blackstar Company
	+ Fleck Blackstar (Lord of Kingston Citadel)
	+ Dane Blackstar
	+ Jon Blackstar II
	+ Brephen
	+ Burnley
	+ Gavin
	+ Hollis
	+ Kay Jack
* Drekkers
* Natalia royal guard
	+ Rin (captain)
	+ Derk
* Scalebreakers
* Third Scouts
	+ Forsythe
* Baghurst
* Baily Nocks
* Brindle Cove
* Dawson
* Derk
* Filmun Derkson
* Fren Hiddle
* Frill Able
* Ginny
* Hamp
* Hayes
* Hollie Grimble
* Jake Able
* Jerin Carpenter
* Jimmi Docker
* Jones Brine
* Joyner
* Obbs
* Owen
* Riley Nocks
* Rose
* Saramack
* Seddle
* Shel
* Suttfin
* Tagg
* The original Tunneler
* Vance
* Walters

### Traitors

* Galt (later pardoned)
* Grimble faction