chapter two-continued



"Ninja? Cool. By the way, I don't really like being against a tree with a sword at my

throat," said Ducky. "Actually," the rabbit said, "I go by Shinyso. Your friend is coming

soon, so you might want to meet him. Seeya later." Then Ninja- Shinyso, she reminded

herself-slipped into the forest. "Ducky?" Ducky turned around to see KRSplat walking

towards her. "KRSplat! I'm over here. Let's get back to Coppertop; this place is creepy."

KRSplat nodded. "I saw an opening," he said. Ducky looked at him questioningly. "And a

troop of lizards. I got away b'fore they saw me, though." She sighed. So Devan was in

the area! "Grath and Kazooie should be done, as well," she commented. KRSplat began

walking faster. "KRSplat, what's the matter?" "I saw someone. A dark figure in the trees.

C'mon, Ducky." He was almost running now, and Ducky hurried to keep up. As she drew

even with KRSplat, she saw a black rabbit shadowing them. A black rabbit who called

himself Shinyso.



"You think you can walk?" Blacksheep nodded. "Where were you going? Our stop isn't

far." Grath looked at Kazooie wearily. The big bird had been throwing mangoes at him

and Blacksheep, yelling at them to hurry up. Bonk! Kazooie threw a mango in the air and

started running, but he wasn't fast enough; the mango hit him on the head and

flattened him. Blacksheep laughed at the dazed expression on Kazooie's face. "Quit

playin' around, Kazooie, for heaven's sake! We're SCOUTS, remember? Any turtle in fifty

miles is gonna know we're here!" Grath added, "And if Devan's as close as we think he is,

we're in trouble." Blacksheep whirled, horror on her face. "Devan? Here? You were

SCOUTS?!" "Weeellll. . .yeah. We'll take you to our friends, if you want," he offered.

Blacksheep jerked her chin nervously. "Lead on."



Coppertop waited until Grath, Kazooie and Blacksheep joined KRSplat, Ducky and her.

Then she asked for their 'reports'. After KRSplat had told about the dark figure in the

trees, she worriedly asked Ducky if she'd seen anything. "Ummm. . . well, yeah, I did. I

know who the figure was, but I don't know what side he's on, or what he's doing here . .

." She trailed off. "His name is Ni-Shinyso, and-" "Shinyso?" Grath looked up with surprise

on his face. "I know him! He's hanging around here?" "I guess so," Ducky said. "He left

just before KRSplat came along." Coppertop stopped her with a raised hand. "Over

there," she whispered. Sure enough, something moved in the shadows. "Shinyso," Ducky

murmered. "Correct. Your friend is extremely observant, Greyrabbit." Grath laughed

aloud. "Shinyso, you old hopper! What're YOU doin' here? I thought you moved to

Medivo!" "I did, Grath. But I decided to come back here. It's a long story. . . "