Fiver

Fiver is a fictional rabbit and a main character in Richard Adams', Watership Down. He was born in a warren at Sandleford, and is the younger brother of Hazel. Fiver's Lapine name, literally "little thousand" comes from the fact that he was the smallest rabbit of at least five in his litter. We are told that rabbits cannot count beyond four, so all numbers greater than this are hrair, or "thousand", although in this case Adams renders it into English as "five". He Is Vilthuril's Mate.

Fiver is timid and physically weak, but has a form of sixth sense which gives him the ability to foresee certain events, although these visions are often rather vague and clouded. He usually gets more of a sense of danger or safety rather than a specific vision and has yet to be proven wrong in his warnings. Many of the other rabbits think he's crazy, but Hazel listens to him because he knows that his predictions are always right. Bigwig in particular is skeptical of Fiver's gifts at first, but after his near death in the snare at Cowslip's warren, he changes his views and starts to take Fiver more seriously.

He is voiced by Richard Briers in the film and Andrew Falvey in the TV series.

Book and Movie
Near the beginning of the book, Fiver becomes terrified by a vision of "the field ... covered with blood", and persuades Hazel that it is necessary to leave the warren at once. The two brothers visit Threarah the Chief Rabbit but cannot convince him of the danger, so Hazel organizes a secret escape party.

Fiver is that credited with saving Hazel's life by finding his near-unconscious brother after the latter is shot at Nuthanger Farm; this forms the Bright Eyes sequence in the feature film. In the story's climax, the assault on the Watership warren by the General Woundwort's force, Fiver again falls into a trance, and his vision inspires Hazel to set up the release of the Nuthanger Farm's dog which eventually defeats the Efrafans. Some time later Bigwig, who is badly wounded when fighting Woundwort during the struggle, remarks that Fiver has paid a higher price than even himself for the victory, because after the battle, Fiver drifts more and more into the "other world" his visions come from, without any apparent control on his part. However, he at least has also found a mate, the formerly-Efrafan doe named Vilthuril, whom he is deeply devoted and who understands his personal burdens. Fiver himself notes that he does not foresee every potential danger; some of the dangers they encounter on their journey do not inspire a vision in him. Perhaps because of his visions, Fiver is one of the most intelligent and insightful rabbits, and is often quicker than other rabbits to understand the ideas of Blackberry, the clever rabbit. Some of Fiver's most critical nightmares are self-interpreted by a character within the dream who appears to be a man with a gun.

TV series
Fiver's fur is similar in colour to Hazel's. Hazel's fur is more a bright red, while Fiver's is a little darker, making his fur colour look reddish-brown. He is also shorter than his brother and Hazel is slightily slimmer than his younger brother. Fiver also has grey eyes. His design is similar to that of Blackberry's from the original 1978 film.

Fiver's visions often appear at random with no warning, however, when he receives them, his whole body starts to shake and he will speak in rhyme, until the vision is over. At the same time, there is always a sort of ringing in his head that the audience can hear clearly. During particularly disturbing visions, he will speak in a very frightened tone.