Author's note: I am really bad at harespeech, so take that in mind when you read this next chapter.

Hares of the Seas
Chapter 2
Sorrow

The battle was total chaos! The crew of the Skulltooth were experienced fighters, but so were the hares of the Dingywave. Many a rat was slain on that deck; Captain Trobely claimed three of the vermin himself. Kirock and Victoria never battled too far from each other. But Kirock was drawn into a battle with a rat on the bow of the ship, leaving Victoria for a moment. But it only takes a moment for horrible things to take place.

Yellowback did not fight; he had slithered up the mast of the ship and was coiled around it, safe from the fighting. Victoria picked up a fallen rat's sword and threw it at the snake. It bounced off his tail, leaving him with only a bruise. But it had been enough to agitate the creature. He slithered down the pole, and toward Victoria. It's fangs unsheathed, he hissed at the haremaid;

" Your fate is sssealed, misss, look into my eyesss!"

The reason Yellowback's crew obeyed him was because every one of them was under his hypnotic power. It worked effectively in battle to. Glaring into each others eyes, Victoria and Yellowback and circled each other. Victoria raised her sword to attack, but Yellowback distracted her with his power. Yellowback sprang forward, sinking his teeth into Victoria's neck, his venom pumping into her bloodstream. At that exact moment, Kirock turned to see Victoria die.

" NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed, rushing over toward the snake, venom still dripping from his fangs as he stood over his victim. Anybeast that got in Kirock's path was slain. Yellowback turned his head to see Kirock slay another rat to get to him. Cold fear gripped his reptilian heart. He quickly retreated to the Skulltooth, calling the remainder if his crew over. The pirate ship took off away from the hares, out of the Sceolcion cliff islands to the open sea. Kirock knelt and picked up Victoria's body. All creatures aboard lowered their heads in sorrow. Overhead a storm brewed, thunder rolling and sent waves splashing.

But nothing could drown out Kirock's voice.

" REPTILE! From now on I will live for only one propose; to slay you! I will hunt you down till the day I die!"