Scripted by John Ruths and Newell Fisher and is narrated, recorded and edited by Newell Fisher.

The pre-chapter quote is from a fairly well-known book about crusader castles.  So, not 'normal' European castles but those built or occupied mostly in the Middle East.  The quote clearly lines up with what's going on at Watership Down.  As our heroes have essentially dug themselves in, they are kind of stuck listening to the activities above.

The chapter opens after the passage of some time from the end of the previous chapter, with the Efrafan attack on WD having started.

Speedwell is reporting to Hazel-rah that he no longer hears the sounds of digging.  We then switch and get the point of view of the Efrafans who are surprised to see how many holes there are at this warren.  Woundwort counters his unsettled rabbits with his own brand of logic.  The WD rabbits have left themselves open to attack with so many holes, rather than the other way around and are not in a position of dominance.

Vervain is starting to stand out as a rabbit who is used to being the bully at home rather than the bully far away.  Only Campion and Groundsel seem to be holding up well.  Two of Vervain's rabbits meet with the stalwart Silver and the oft-wounded Buckthorn underground  and are lucky to get away with their lives. Trying to set the example, Groundsel digs his way in only to meet Blackavar who, much like Silver and Buckthorn, comes out on top.

The descriptions of the altered conditions and advantages of  close-quarters combat in a narrow run are fascinating. Blackavar is the smaller rabbit, but a good holding bite, and knowing when to let go, are all he needs to drive the larger rabbit back injured.

Woundwort discusses things with Campion, who has advocated starving the WD rabbits out. This is rejected because of the risk of staying on open downland for the time needed, which not many rabbits could handle as well as Campion. Determined to have a fighting victory, Woundwort wishes to draw upon the past success at Nutley Copse, the last warren the Efrafans succesfully attacked.

They find another rabbit, Ragwort, who was also on that mission.  Woundwort learns what he has to. To make this work, the Efrafans will have to dig their way in straight down.

Hazel listens for a bit and realizes that the Efrafans have stopped digging at one point.  It means they're slowly figuring out the best way to get into the warren.

Fiver is also listening but not to the omnipresent sound of the digging but to those things that only a rabbit such as Fiver can 'hear.'  He's dropping off into some sort of stupor but he first makes a fearful unnatural sound and speaks sentences that strike fear into our heroes.

For, while Fiver now lies unable to be roused, Hazel's mind is processing things and it seems like he too has a vision. Suddenly Hazel knows what to do.  We readers don't yet and this makes this part very intriguing.  In the form of Blackberry and Dandelion, he'll take both brains and speed with him.

Hazel's instructions to those that he'll take with him are to get out of the warren.  To get away no matter what and to link up with him at the iron tree at the foot of the scarp slope of the Down.

He instructs Bigwig to block a run and not to give up.  He intimates that El-ahrairah has given him a plan.

And with that, Hazel and his two companions are gone.

Hazel's vision

Just a couple more thoughts on this chapter from John Ruths that pertain to Hazel's 'vision.' Was it a vision akin to one of Fiver's or does the trance that Fiver is in at the end of the chapter bring this onto Hazel?

The relevant passage is from page 385 in my Kindle edition and begins:

"In Hazel’s mind, green branches were straining in the wind."