Chapter 4
Triphe cast a jaundiced eye over the rabbit, and wondered how he could have possibly thought this was a female. The male Jackrabbit looked to be about 17, with sky blue fur and snow white chest fur. His emerald green eyes shone in the dim light. He wore a black singlet, a purple long sleeved flight jacket, long black pants, black boots, and a thin belt that held black leather pouches. Black leather knuckle-gloves adorned fingers that stuck out, and he wore a red headband. He had short fur, and his hair was pulled back into a ponytail. What appeared to be a polished leather sling hung at his belt, along with a powerful set of twin blasters, grey in colour. Twin swords with golden blades caught Triphe's eye, so brilliant that he would have given anything to wield one. Their handles had a leather strip encrusted with precious gems.
Rather stupidly, Triphe remarked,
"From a distance, you looked rather. . . feminine."
In an instant, he was on his back, with a golden swordpoint at his throat. The strange rabbit spoke softly, his tone deadly.
"Say that again."
Wisely, Triphe kept his mouth shut.
"Er. . .say what again?"
"That's better."
The swordpoint withdrew from his throat, and he ruefully rubbed a thin line of blood from where it had been.
"You've got alot to learn, for a young 'un."
Triphe bristled.
"Like what?"
"Like how to keep your mouth shut instead of making stupid remarks. It could save your life sometime."
Triphe scowled.
The rabbit hardly paid him a glance.
"So, who are you, anyway?"
"Triphe Jackrabbit. And you?"
"Defalcon Phoenix."
"Oh, I've heard about you."
Defalcon's face remained unreadable.
"Heard it from a traveller, who was passing through my city."
"Your city?"
Triphe looked rather embarrassed.
"Er. . . yeah."
"What do you mean by your city?"
"Well, see, it's my city, because I am the son of the king."
"Anyway, who was this traveller?"
Triphe thought hard.
"I. . .I think," he said hesitantly, "That they called her Nightshade, or something."
Defalcon shrugged.
"Never heard of her."
Now it was Triphe's turn to shrug.
"Oh well."

Kaz Algo was most surprised when a black rabbit popped up through the treetop foliage. The rabbit said, in a low whisper,
"Kaz Algo?!"
Kaz tried to force a sound of recognization through his gagged beak, but only a gurgle emmitted.
"Shh, don't struggle! And above all, don't. . .say. . .a. . .word!"
Almost instantly, Kaz fell silent. The rabbit did her work with ease, cooly dispatching two of them with a single thrust. The leader drew his stick from where it rested on the feathers of Kaz's neck, and pointed it at the rabbit.
"Back, rabbit, back!"
The black rescuer drew a sword from it's scabbard on her back, which had been strapped on with a simple leather strap. There was a red pommel stone on the black obsidian hilt. A curved, slender blade that shone like gold was mounted on that hilt, and she swung it with a comfortable easiness that made the leader nervous.
He blinked, seeing a flash of bright gold. In an instant, their positions were reversed, except he was on the ground, a swordpoint prodding his chest.
"No one has talked to Nightshade the Assassin like that and come out of it alive. I do not have pity for my enemies, remember that. However, if you withdraw, and take your mangy vermin with you, I may let you retreat with no harm done, on the condition that you give me the bird."
Stammering apologies, the leader withdrew, taking the Singetchly with him.
Nightshade strode over to Kaz, and cut the bindings from him in a single stroke.
"N-Nightshade?! What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question, Kaz Algo. Didn't expect to see you here."
"But-but how did you know I was here?"
Nightshade shrugged.
"Heard voices in the treetops."
She said offhandedly.
"Now c'mon, let's get going."