Black Rabbit

Biodata

Background

Black Rabbit was born in the first litter of two mid-low-level mutated rabbits. His parents remained highly fertile after mutation, but producing a mid-high-level offspring like him was unusual. He was the only member of his litter to survive, being its strongest and cleverest cub 112.

While still young, he helped his parents feed and raise their later litters. Despite his efforts, many of the little rabbits died from illness, predators, and the dangers facing weak mutant monsters. His parents were eventually eaten by a high-level monster; Black Rabbit survived by hiding but could not protect his remaining siblings 112.

He does not hold a lasting grudge over his family’s deaths. He accepts predation as part of life and acknowledges that, after growing stronger, he treated weaker monsters in the same way 112.

Appearance

Black Rabbit is a three-meter-tall black hare with a markedly predatory appearance 21.

• Blood-red eyes and an enormous mouth filled with sharp, meat-grinder-like teeth 21.
• Powerful hind legs capable of smashing pits into the ground 21 108.
• Thick, heavy black fur, with thinner coverage on his face 110.
• Large, soft paws that the cubs climb onto and use as resting places 114.
• After befriending the cubs, he regularly bathes and rubs against flowers before visiting, leaving his fur clean and fragrant 211.

Personality

Black Rabbit is irritable, blunt, and prone to expressing embarrassment or frustration through loud roars and ground-shaking stomps. His hostility toward Tao Qiu is often more verbal than physical: even early on, the two get along well enough for Tao Qiu to approach him first when seeking access to another monster’s territory 21 26 108.

He is sensitive to exclusion. Watching Green Python, the Fox Clan, and humans visit Tao Qiu while he remained uninformed about the crops made him feel unfairly left out. Rather than immediately confront Tao Qiu, he brooded and watched from the territorial boundary, then became embarrassed after finally admitting his grievances 108.

Around the cubs, he is patient, affectionate, and remarkably persistent. He accepts Third Cub’s attacks without retaliation, praises her for avoiding his vulnerable spots, and continues bringing flowers despite repeated rejection. His initial wish to exchange childcare for crops develops into genuine attachment 110 111 112.

His affection does not erase his outlook as a predator. He has eaten humans, considers them food, and initially dismisses the idea of befriending one. Nevertheless, he recognizes that individual humans behave differently, describing both those who protect companions and those who sacrifice others to escape 114 120.

Abilities & Skills

Hind-Leg Strength

His hind legs are his most conspicuous weapons, powerful enough to damage both the landscape and large opponents 21 149 150.

• Kills a heavily armored, tusked wild boar without suffering a visible wound 21.
• Kicks the giant spider through several trees to free Tao Qiu from its reach 149.
• Cracks the spider’s shell by striking its back while other monsters restrain it 150.
• Cannot safely use every attack in close quarters: during Tao Qiu’s rescue, he avoids stomping the spider’s head for fear of injuring Tao Qiu 149.

Durability and Close Combat

His thick skin and fur make him difficult for the young cubs to injure 110.

• Endures more than ten minutes of Third Cub’s scratching, biting, and pecking without bleeding 110.
• Can reach airborne cubs by standing on his hind legs 115.
• Counters the cubs’ coordinated attacks and improvised use of rocks, mud, branches, and water during training 116.
• Remains vulnerable to obstruction: spider silk covering his head blinds him and forces him to halt an attack 148.
• Recognizes when he is outmatched rather than fighting recklessly; he knows he cannot defeat the enlarged, maddened spider alone 149.

Scent and Perception

Black Rabbit uses scent and observation to identify visitors and infer concealed information 26 109.

• Detects Tao Qiu approaching his burrow before he arrives 26.
• Distinguishes a cub’s scent from an adult monster’s and recognizes when another bird’s scent is closely mixed with Tao Qiu’s 109.
• Deduces the existence of Tao Qiu’s cubs from feathers and earlier clues 109.
• Recognizes Tao Qiu and the cubs as snow birds even in human form; their scent does not acquire the fragrance he associates with human prey 114.
• Can deliberately release or suppress his aura when visiting the valley 110 111.

Childcare and Hunting Instruction

His experience raising younger siblings gives him a practical basis for caring for the cubs 112.

• Acts as a large, land-based sparring partner so the flying cubs can practice against opponents resembling their future prey 115.
• Follows Tao Qiu’s instruction to defeat them consistently without deliberately injuring them, teaching them to cope with failure 115.
• Brings live prey into the valley, beginning with a young boar and progressing to larger, fiercer animals as the cubs grow 116 145.
• Tells the cubs stories about Snow Bird’s youth and other local monsters 112 115.
• Gradually learns some of the cubs’ speech in human form, especially “Uncle Black Rabbit”; bird form remains easier for conversation 115 211.

Limits and Vulnerabilities

• No special benefit from Tao Qiu’s crops: he enjoys their improved flavor, but their unusual effects do not work on him 108.
• Heat exposure: his heavy black fur makes prolonged summer exposure dangerous; Tao Qiu and the cubs bathe him to help him cool down 111 114.
• Winter inactivity: he hibernates and resumes visiting after waking in spring 153 211.

Territory and Habits

• His territory is the nearest neighboring domain to Tao Qiu’s and includes wooded mountains and open wilderness 26.
• He maintains several burrows, including one he uses most often 26.
• Radishes known as Stinky Ground Fruit and black pears grow in his territory; Tao Qiu obtains both there 28 60.
• Before becoming attached to the cubs, he typically ate his fill and rested in his cave for ten days to half a month between outings 21.
• Mutation made him favor meat. He occasionally eats grass but usually avoids unpalatable mutated plants 26.
• He does not regard unrelated, low-level rabbits as his own kin and does not object when other monsters eat them 103.

Relationships

• Tao Qiu / Snow Bird — Former rival, neighboring territorial monster, and eventual trusted friend. Their frequent insults coexist with practical cooperation, warnings, and protection of Tao Qiu’s family and secrets 21 26 35 114 211.
• Third Cub / Yuanyuan — The first cub he meets and his favorite. Her resemblance to Snow Bird, kindness, and eventual acceptance deepen his determination to care for her 110 112 114.
• Eldest Cub and Second Cub — He becomes their “Uncle Black Rabbit,” playmate, and instructor. Eldest Cub explicitly warns him that eating their father would make him a bad rabbit, prompting an immediate reassurance 114 115 116.
• Lou Yu — Initially regarded as human prey and a possible threat to Snow Bird. Black Rabbit restrains himself for Tao Qiu’s sake but remains wary enough to avoid meeting Lou Yu even after the family returns safely from the base 142 145 211.
• Green Python and the Fox Clan — Fellow local monsters with whom he helps defend Tao Qiu and watch over the valley 149 150 182 211.
• Parents and younger siblings — His deceased family. Caring for his siblings shaped his childcare experience; the cubs playing on his paws later remind him of them 112 114.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Rivalry and Early Cooperation

Black Rabbit previously fought Snow Bird over a glowing fruit, biting through his leg while losing a chunk of flesh to Snow Bird’s claws. Snow Bird ultimately obtained the fruit. Black Rabbit still resents the loss when introduced, but does not renew the fight 21.

Tao Qiu later offers him a wild boar for permission to search his territory for plants. Black Rabbit agrees on the condition that Tao Qiu show him anything he finds. This search yields the radishes and black pears that become part of Tao Qiu’s cultivation 26 28.

When activity in Green Python’s territory becomes suspicious, Black Rabbit warns Tao Qiu to be careful. After Tao Qiu defeats her, he questions the unexpected victory but leaves without forcing him to disclose his secrets 35 40.

Learning About the Crops

Black Rabbit’s resentment grows as other monsters and humans openly visit Tao Qiu’s territory. When confronted, he finally explains that he feels excluded. Tao Qiu responds by sharing a transformed radish and explaining the crops’ unusual properties 108.

Although Black Rabbit loves the radish, he discovers that he receives none of its special benefits. He storms away in frustration, then returns later seeking more purely for the taste 108 109.

Becoming Uncle Black Rabbit

Black Rabbit offers childcare in exchange for crops, reasoning that Tao Qiu already receives enough prey from other trading partners. His first encounter with Third Cub goes badly: she attacks him, then becomes distressed by his filthy fur 110 112.

He returns scrubbed clean, scented with flowers, and carrying an apology bouquet. For a week he keeps bringing fresh flowers to the valley entrance, eventually waiting through a downpour while shielding the bouquet beneath his body. His persistence persuades Tao Qiu and the cubs to reconsider him 110 111.

After hearing about his family and motives, Third Cub approves of him. Tao Qiu then reveals all three cubs and the family’s human forms. Black Rabbit is initially terrified, but accepts their secret and promises not to expose them 112 113 114.

He becomes so attached that he privately imagines raising the cubs himself while Snow Bird and his mate have more. Tao Qiu firmly rejects the idea. They settle into a schedule of full-day visits every other day so Black Rabbit can still manage his own territory 114 115.

Training and Protecting the Cubs

Black Rabbit helps turn the cubs’ play into practical combat training, supplies live prey, and praises their teamwork. When they later kill three invading monsters without injury, he is impressed by how effectively they fight together 115 116 123.

His concern also extends to their father’s relationships. He warns Tao Qiu about Lou Yu’s monster-killing ability and the risks of trusting humans. Separately, his explanation that same-sex monsters can be mates helps the cubs reconsider whether Tao Qiu and Lou Yu are friends or partners 131 142 145.

Battle Against the Giant Spider

During the spider battle, Black Rabbit’s first approach is stopped by silk covering his head. He later intervenes when the spider badly wounds Tao Qiu, kicking it away and allowing him to escape 148 149.

As the spider grows and becomes violently unstable, Black Rabbit recognizes the danger and warns Tao Qiu to fly higher. He subsequently rejoins the coordinated attack, cracking the restrained spider’s shell before it eventually explodes 149 150.

Guarding the Valley

Black Rabbit fears Tao Qiu and the cubs could become trapped or harmed at the human base. Despite his doubts, he does not prevent their move and agrees to help protect their territory 182.

When they return after winter, he asks whether they were treated well and urges them to keep their snow-bird identities hidden. He offers the local monsters’ protection if humans ever turn against them 211.

Later, he and Green Python explain that the powerful lake monster has gone mad and displaced monsters across the region. Black Rabbit urges Tao Qiu not to approach the lake; Tao Qiu subsequently asks both neighbors to watch his valley 228.

Notable Quotes

“I, Black Rabbit, own up to what I do. If I didn't do it, I didn't do it. Don't falsely accuse a rabbit!” 109

“You're good, and so am I. To each other, we're not a bad bird or a bad rabbit.” 112

“You need strength to stay safe. It's better to be stronger.” 116