Rabbit Warriors: The Lost Burrow

***Spoiler warning:** Plot and/or ending details follow.*

## Summary

When Pebbleheart, son of Spiderleap, makes an accidental yet fascinating discovery, all the rabbits must help a new burrow to rise.

## Chronology

### Followed by

Rabbit Warriors: Starfall

***Rabbit Warriors: The Lost Burrow*** is the second book in the *Rabbit Warriors* series. Leafstar is featured in the centre of the cover, with Pebbleheart in the background.

## Summary

When Pebbleheart, the son of Spiderleap and warrior of StreamBurrows, goes missing, the rabbits are frantic. He turns up fine a week later...but with a claim that he's made an interesting discovery. And it's one that requires most of StreamBurrows, including Berrystar himself, to hurry to the northern woods.

There are many things that Pebbleheart could've found, but no one expected a whole new colony of rabbits.

And he didn't stay long enough to find out who they were.

## Plot description

Pebbleheart is a warrior of StreamBurrows. One day, he sees what he thinks is a brown rabbit and tries to talk to it. However, before he can open his mouth, it stares at him with piercing green eyes and vanishes. Pebbleheart is left confused, but brushes it off and makes his way back to camp.

The next day, Hollystripe approaches him and asks if he's seen any clovers for her sick patients. He says no, but mentions the green-eyed rabbit offhandedly. Hollystripe instantly stiffens and she asks him if he's seen it before. He tells her he hasn't, but Hollystripe still seems shaken. She asks him to keep an eye out for it in the future, which he concurs to, but not without visible confusion.

A few more normal days pass before Pebbleheart sees the green-eyed rabbit again. This time, instead of vanishing, it hops a few paces and turns around, signalling Pebbleheart to follow. Overcome with curiosity he does so, and before he knows it he is in a place he doesn't recognise: a large forest. He is surveying the area when he hears foliage crunch behind him.

Back at StreamBurrows, Hollystripe goes to talk to Dewmist to ask him if he's seen Pebbleheart recently. When Dewmist confirms he hasn't, they begin to get worried. Hollystripe approaches Berrystar and tells him the news. Spiderleap, their father, overhears and immediately wants them to begin searching. Berrystar calls a meeting and informs the rabbits that a search must be conducted for Pebbleheart. Hours pass, but they are unable to find a trace of him. Hollystripe catches his scent, but it dissipates by the other side of the river. There is also an unidentifiable scent intertwined with Pebbleheart's. Distraught, Spiderleap and his mate Frostfoot assume that Pebbleheart is dead, as well as Dewmist and several other members of the colony.

One sunrise, Hollystripe can't believe it as her brother arrives back in camp looking flustered and unkempt. Everyone immediately asks questions, and Pebbleheart reveals that there are 'rabbits in the woods'. Berrystar thinks that it's a normal occurrence, until Pebbleheart mentions the green-eyed rabbit. Hollystripe speaks up and says that it must have been a vision, and that it has to mean something. Spiderleap is anxious that the forest rabbits could be a threat to them, and Mudstrike suggests that they go and investigate. Berrystar takes a while to be convinced, but ultimately does not want to put his burrowmates in danger. Berrystar, Spiderleap, Hazelfur, Mudstrike, Pebbleheart, and Hollystripe leave to look for the new group of rabbits, following Pebbleheart's vague directions.

The group finds a tunnel on the other side of the river that leads directly into the forest. Emerging on the other side, Pebbleheart is the first to spot the group. Mudstrike, thinking they are a threat, charges forward to attack but Berrystar stops him. They approach the group of rabbits, which is smaller than any of them expected. One introduces herself as Leaf, with the others being Freckle, Feather, and Storm. They explain that the don't mean any harm and Leaf describes her dream, in which she saw a brown rabbit with green eyes who called herself Skygazer. Both Pebbleheart and Berrystar recognise the description, and Berrystar reveals that Leaf dreamed of Windswept Branches, the legendary third leader who was part of Deep Ravine and Bracken Song's old group. Pebbleheart understands the visions he had that led him to the forest rabbits. Leaf goes on to say that Skygazer told her to 'rise with the forest', which she interpreted as establishing her own group. Hollystripe agrees with the interpretation. Berrystar offers to help them learn the ways of the warrior rabbits, and the StreamBurrows rabbits spend some time teaching Leaf and her group.

Eventually the group has earned their warrior names: Frecklewing, Featherfern, and Stormdust, whilst Berrystar appoints Leaf as the leader. Together Berrystar travels with Leaf to the Starstone where she becomes Leafstar, naming Stormdust as her deputy. Leafstar names her group ForestBurrows.

When the StreamBurrows rabbits return home, they tell of ForestBurrows, to which everyone else is shocked and impressed.

## Trivia

* The plot of the book closely resembles that of *Firestar's Quest*: characters must help a new group to form. By extension, the character of Leafstar was named after Leafstar of SkyClan in the *Warriors* series.

## Mistakes

* The cover mistakenly states that the title is *The Lost Warren* instead of *The Lost Burrow*.