Alert flapped his tail against the muddy water surface, splashing mud up around himself as he dove back beneath it and popped up again."Learn to swim under water." He stated. "Then you don't need it. Your fur looks like this murk anyway."

Full of compliments he was.
---
Kitten looked utterly insulted. But he was quite ready to back up his claims. Making his sharp little CLAWS appear once he decided to take his gloves off that was, he lunged forward. "Stupid mud eating trespasser!" He proclaimed.

Desert was still far away, doing nothing at all to aid Pascal from the violent little kitten.

Once again, Surge was aware of what Alert said so he had no issues with it.

"I can't hold my breath for very long." Surge complained. " 'ts really my only problem."

____

Pascal of course, could not shoot, so he instead gripped the pistol and attempted to sideswipe the kitten with it.

"GET AWAY!" he yelled.

"Oh." That made sense to Alert. He had forgotten not everyone could do that. "I suppose so. Maybe I should ride in log boat too." He decided, because obviously he couldn't hold his breath long either. Without waiting for an okay he clung to the side of it again--apparently he had forgotten about how he had tipped the thing over earlier.

--

Kitten was not very coordinated--not entirely. He wasn't accustomed to actually fighting with anyone other than his friends so Pascal succeeded. He made a somewhat squeaky little cry and was knocked off balance quite easily. He ended up flailing around in the mud, the stickiness tugging at his thick coat of fur and not letting him easily get back up.

Desert thought the threat was subdued. So he was happily returning to his faction person savior guy.

A duo of additional heads had poked out from the rocky mound the first kitten had come from, obviously they had heard something, but neither had come charging out yet.

Surge was actually okay with this, for the most part.

"Whoa whoa, slow down...lemme steady the danged thing..." he spoke quickly, leaning to the opposite side to try and even it out.

____

Pascal did not see the other heads, instead pointed his pistol at the kitten he had just hit.

"Are you..." he gasped, before gaining a little more confidence and speaking again. "Don't ever strike me!" he commanded nervously, glancing at the pistol to see if there was any blood on it.

Alert stayed where he was for the moment so that mange-fox could get the 'danged thing' steadied. "Ready yet??" He asked.

---

Kitten was not getting up extra fast, or at all for that matter really. His tail was sort of slowly twitching though and he was holding his head up out of the mud. His actual face was hard to see though since he had his head tilted down and mud was tugging at his fur. His ears had pinned themselves down against his head again, but not really in an angry way, but likely just hurt.

Desert had made quick progress by now and had reached Pascal's side. "Did ya get it?" He asked, not even knowing what it was he had run from originally.

The two heads in the distance had disappeared back inside the protection of their rock fortress thing.

"Yeeeeah..." Surge muttered, not exactly sure why Alert would want to get in his boat. "Ya gotta help row then." he warned, adjusting his weight as needed to support Alert if Ten made him get in.

____

"Uh...yeah...I think so." Pascal said, still looking at the kitten with concern. "Go...go see if it's oka-....dead, see if it's alive, I command you as faction leader."

He glanced at Desert for only a moment before looking back at the kitten he had struck worriedly.

Alert did get himself into this strange..boat thing. He looked around curiously, not that there was a lot to look at, before settling contently into the spot he had plopped himself into to begin with. "Where ya gonna row to?"

--

Desert blinked. See if it was dead? Touch it? Get near it? Is that really what Pascal wanted him to do?

"It's um...tail is moving. So....it's probably alive." Desert decided, not wanting to get near the possibly dead thing. It could've been nerves yes, but he didn't want to think about that.

One of the two heads that had previously appeared from amongst the rocks apparently belonged to another cat--hard to tell its age from the distance obviously, but it was gradually making its way over now. Slow, as if not entirely certain it wanted to get too close to the others. It's white and spotted pelt made it stand out amongst all the mud as it was actually fairly clean prior to getting in the mud.

The other had poked its head back out and was trying to somewhat quietly call the other back in, but it was not listening.

"Till I find somethin' I 'ken cook." he stated, realizing he only had but one large branch to use to row.

"Maybe you don't need to row." he announced as he started to paddle, not making much progress with the extra weight and the mud.

____

Pascal looked over, another attacker?! He pointed the gun at this creature now.

"G-get away! Don't make me hurt you too!" he warned nervously. He glanced at Desert, not feeling entirely powerful. "Minion, shout with me!" he hissed quietly.

Alert ignored him mostly, leaning over the side somewhat and using his webbed hand...things to help with the progress. They may not have been as powerful as his tail but they should help move them along quite adequately. Besides, it meant h got to showcase his usefulness. "I see." He commented.

--

The one remaining at the rocks shouted louder this time. A name perhaps that had the word "snow" in it, the rest was indistinguishable.

The one who was approaching slowed his pace, coming to a complete stop and huddling himself down lower, shivering in fear of the one who wished to kill him.

Desert was not shouting. He was too confused by all of this to do anything. Instead he decided he was now brave enough to approach the fallen kitten. "Hey. You okay?" He asked, pushing said kitten some.

He was rather surprised when the kitten tried to hit him. He missed, mostly. Thankfully, and only slung mud across Desert's face. The kitten however threw himself off balance and he ended up sitting in the muddy stuff to about half his height (since he was sitting)

Surge, pleased with this help, didn't want to think about it too much in case Alert stopped shortly after.

"Lemme know if ya see any frogs 'r fish or somethings." he stated, looking around himself.

____

Pascal glanced over at Desert. "Careful now!" he said, before looking back over at this 'snow' character, no way was he letting him get the jump on him while he was distracted!

Alert gave him a rather bored stare. "I'm not much of an amphibian or whatever the heck they call fish carnivore type a guy. You gonna be able to catch um?"

---

Desert did not need to be to told twice. He had already backed away from the violent creature.

The other had not really moved anywhere, although he was fairly close to them, enough to probably see what he was. A lightly gray colored feline with white at various places and leopard like spots all over. Just another kitten. But that didn't mean it wasn't violent like the one that had already approached them.

"I just wanna help my friend...." He insisted, not quite understanding why the others had hurt him in the first place.

Surge nodded confidently. "Frogs are easy tuh catch, fish 'r a little harder but...not impossible. I caught um before."

He continued rowing, pausing when he saw movement in the mud, probably a fish. He glanced at Alert, hmmm, getting in and out might be a little trouble. "Must'a been nothin'." he reported, not wanting to get out based off something he wasn't sure he could catch.

____

Pascal glanced at downed kitten, then back at calm and collected kitten.

"Are you the leader??" Pascal demanded, shaking the pistol at him.

Alert was paying no attention to what he may have been paddling right along by. He didn't really have a keen eye for hunting like that. He tended to eat things from the bottom of the murky gunk soo...He paddled along a bit longer before quite suddenly and without notice, scrambling out of the boat an landing with a kurplunk into the mud--once again disappearing.

--

"Leader..?" Calm kitten asked. "Leader of what?"

And then 'downed' kitten decided he was feeling good enough to return to attack mode. He pulled himself from the slushy mud--just enough to try lunging at Pascal's legs--those seemed to be in less of the line to get smacked with that gun again.

Surge yelped in surprise, doing his best to get the boat steady. A few items fell out, like an old shirt and a random chunk of wood, but he kept it from taking too much water....and dumping himself in. He grumbled something about Alert not warning him as he paddled slowly to retrieve his items.

_____

Pascal didn't have time to answer, he was too busy shrieking that this...cat was trying to get his legs! He was ready to try and hit him with the pistol again, but still feared hurting him. Instead, he tried to use his good leg to kick at the cat first. He figured he could use pistol later.

Alert resurfaced soon enough, looking quite a bit happier to be in his murky mud water again. But yet again he decided to move himself right up alongside the boat, not attempting to get in this time, but smiling just as wide as his creepy face would allow.

---

Kitten did not care he was being kicked at. Actually he had resorted to trying to bite at Pascal's leg with his sharp little teeth.

Desert was not offering much help as he had backed away a bit. The other cat in the distance looked rather alarmed by all this and wasn't sure what to do.

Surge glanced at him, looked back to his paddling and glanced at him again.

"What're ya doin'?" he asked curiously, leaning out a little to grab the shirt that was hardly afloat.

____

Pascal cried out as these sharp little teeth went into his leg.

"Ahhh! Help me or something!!" he hadn't specified who he was talking to, but it was a good assumption it was Desert.

Pascal decided biting was reason enough to try to hit again with pistol, so he leaned forward and swung at kitten again.

"Swimming. So I don't sink." Alert announced quite simply.

---

Oh, well if Pascal saw reason to try and hit him with the pistol then he had all the more reason to crunch down harder! Unable to dodge with his...teeth kind of lodged into Pascal's leg, all he could do was tighten his grip and try and bite down with his sharp little teeth further. He decided to bring his claws into the battle as well, scratching wildly at the leg he had captured.

Other kitten in the distance had come charging forward all of a sudden as had the one back by the rocks. White kitten leaped at the Pascal, obviously not seeing Desert as a threat. And with good reason, he was standing there, not doing a thing to help and simply looking horrified.

Surge thought about this for a moment....well, yeah that made sense he guessed.

"Well ya coulda just stayed in the boat." he announced while reaching for his wood chunk.

____

Pascal can get leaped on. =D

He was freaking out now, squirming and trying to kick and trying to hit, even moving his bad leg somewhat. He hadn't imagined he'd get attacked!! Would it end this way??

"GET OOOOOFF!!!!" he yelled, hoping sound scared these clearly timid creatures away.

Alert shook his head. "Your boat is dry." It may not have been as dry as MOST people were accustomed to, but for a guy who stayed submerged in slimy mud water all day, it was very dry indeed.


--Oh yay c:

This did nothing to detour the violent little creatures that had ganged up on him. White kitten had indeed succeeded in his pounce. It clung tight with--guess what?--yep, sharp little claws. A kitten specialty. The third was close enough in range to attack now as well. Without warning it joined as well, leaping as well with claws ready for tearing action.

Certainly a kitten was getting kicked here or there, but they certainly weren't giving up.

Desert, still no help at all was watching the violent kittens savagely attack his new friend, figuring that the faction guy should've been able to do something.

He wasn't much more relieved when he noticed an additional feline on the slope that lead down into mud. It didn't look as small as the other ones either. They were DOOMED.

"We're doomed! We're doomed! We're gonna die!" Desert announced, like the greatly brave creature he was.

"So?" Surge asked. "What's wrong with being dry?"

As he spoke he ran his fingers along the edge of the boat, getting mud, it was definitely wet...that and there was a small amount of water in the base too....what was this thing talking about anyway?

____

Pascal could hardly hear Desert over all his own screaming and splashing, that and if he opened his eyes he might get them torn out.

"UNCLE!!! OW OW.....UNCLE!!" he shouted, still not stopping his barrage of flails.

"Dry........is....." Alert tapered off, dipping his head below the surface than reappearing. "You're a land dweller, you wouldn't understand."

--

(True story bro =U )

Relentless kittens did not stop! They had no morals clearly. Other feline had been gradually making his way towards them, now approaching more quickly. Once he had reached the flailing mound he sort of stared. .....Death by....kitten? Seriously? He grabbed ahold of the nearest swinging fur-covered thing. It happened to be a tail which caused a rather displeased kitten cry as he tugged on it. Oh well, it had dislodged the dumb white one anyway who proceeded to sit on the mud and sulk--partially about being mud covered and partially about having a pulled tail.

Two kittens remained however, attacking relentlessly with them sharp claws as the first announced that they were defeating their 'prey' and that this would teach him to cross their territory.

"There ain't much land anymore." Surge argued. "You might be surprised."

He them proceeded to try and straighten his log in the direction he had been going simply by shifting the weight of his body, but soon paddled to straighten it.

"That never works." he said disappointingly.

____

Pascal, getting desperate now, did his best to allow himself to sink in the mud, if anything that would at least slow their blows, right? Course then there was the whole drowning thing....

He decided to take that chance, took a breathe and attempted to push off the kittens into the mud.

"Oh I'm not surprised." Alert reported. "I've seen. You should stick to the water more. Maybe you'd grow some fins." He was only half joking. With all the radiation there was bound to be some odd mutations happening eventually.

---

The kittens did not approve of this. At least one of them didn't. It let go and backed away, tail lashing in disapproval. Their enemy had sunk! And even deeper into icky mud! Yuck!

Final kitten who had first attacked was not giving up though, although his limbs were having a hard time maintaining traction to his enemy. The larger of the kitties who had most recently arrived was keeping the other two from joining in again--fairly amused by the epic battle going on here.

He glanced at Desert who...well still wasn't doing anything and shook his head. Some help THAT guy was. He should let the kittens attack him. Buuut he wouldn't.

Surge thought about this for a moment, yeeeeah he supposed that was logical too.

"You're kinda wise." he announced to Alert. "How's one like you end up swimmin' in the muck instead of leadin' a faction?"

____

It didn't take Pascal long to realize he wouldn't be able to hold his breath forever, so he started to use his arms to clear some away from his face, pushing up from the ground then to try and get his face above the mud. He felt someone still attacking, why didn't he have any ammo? He knew he was bleeding from many areas at this time (piranha. >=D) and his leg was throbbing moreso than it had when it was first shot.

Alert shrugged. "No interest. Or no loyalty." He chuckled, dipping himself beneath the surface again and then reappearing. "Perhaps both."

---
Kitten continued his violent attack. He thought he was quite victorious in the matter and refused to give up so easily! Other kitty seemed to be getting both bored and annoyed with this fact. Besides, he didn't want it to mess the other thing up too much. Whatever that thing was amongst the mud. So he grabbed ahold of violent kitten's tail--knowing it would round on him fast enough he flat out flung it the opposite direction--claws no doubt tearing from Pascal in the process--and let it go. The kitten went a decent distance before splooshing in the mud and rolling several times. No doubt it'd likely be up again soon, but it gave Pascal a chance anyway.

Surge nodded as he listened to this.

"Sure could benefit you though ya know." he commented. "Like me here, you could drown me 'r somethin' and take my stuff and nobody'd know and you'd have...more stuff...and somethin'"

He continued to paddle, looking around halfheartedly for small creatures.

____

A few bubbles appeared from the mud as Pascal yelled about the pain, his face appearing through the mud. Despite the mud running off his face and carrying fluids with it, blood soon formed a thin layer of color over his face. He coughed a few times, slowly bringing his limbs, and the pistol, out of the mud. All were bleeding (Even pistol. =() quite large amounts of blood. (It was making pretty patterns in the mud. =D)

Alert shrugged. He supposed. "I'd only lose it again in here." He announced. "But what's that matter to you? I thought you were finding some food to poison your enemy faction with."
--

(even pistol XDDDDDDDD)

"Well you look like death warmed over." Older than kitten-age kitty stated. Maybe he shouldn't just let other kitten attack again.

Regardless to what he may have thought should be taking place, the kitten was up and stumbling a bit to get his footing. It was harder when your fur was tugged everywhere by mud. He spotted his target soon enough though and prepared to launch a second attack.

He was out of breath quite clearly, panting and lashing his tail fairly slowly. Maybe...maybe he had already taught the intruder a lesson. Maybe he didn't have to attack again. Tiredness was winning the battle and he ended up standing where he was, waiting to see what the intruders would say.