The Cat, spotting the opening, lunged forward, claws poised to strike my brother's back—only to freeze as a second pebble whistled past, skimming so close it ruffled her whiskers. Her fur shot up, eyes wide in terror as she leapt back.
In the stands, the crowd gasped, uncertain of what they'd just witnessed.
"Did… did that furless monkey *throw* a pebble?" A young fox blinked, staring at me in shock. "How does a monkey even do that?"
The crowd murmured in confusion, heads turning toward an actual monkey in the audience, expecting answers.
"Don't look at me!" the monkey protested, scratching his head, utterly baffled. "I didn't even know you could use pebbles like that!" He stared at me, wide-eyed, as if I'd just unlocked some ancient secret art.
I sighed. So much for keeping a low profile. I hadn't wanted to reveal anything unusual, but I couldn't let my brother face that Ape alone—not without every advantage I could give him.
"Guess there's no hiding it now," I muttered, scooping up a glob of mud. If this was the only way to keep my brother safe, so be it.
"*YOU!*" The Hyena snarled, his hackles raised. I could see the insult flash in his eyes, his so-called clever plan foiled by a handful of mud and pebbles. No more waiting for an opening—he lunged straight at me, all snarls and snapping teeth.
Meanwhile, my brother clung to the Ape's back, jaws locked in a fierce bite as the Ape tried to shake him loose, grunting with each failed attempt. The Cat circled, eyes on me now, wary of the mudball in my hand but unable to jump in to help her partner.
The Hyena closed the distance, bristling with confidence. I waited until he was nearly on top of me and then slapped the Pig girl on the back.
She jolted upright with a loud squeal, nearly giving me a heart attack with her high-pitched shriek. The Hyena skidded to a stop, eyes wide, his confidence rattled as he tried to figure out what kind of wild beast he'd just provoked. In his hesitation, he slipped in the mud, scrambling to get away from her.
*Thwack!*
I launched the mudball, nailing him right between the eyes. He yelped, blinking furiously as mud dripped into his face.
I gave the Pig girl another nudge. "Charge!" I whispered, my voice soft but firm as iron.
To her horror, and maybe surprise, she found herself filled with an unstoppable urge. She squealed, a loud, piercing cry, and then burst forward with surprising speed.
The Hyena shook his head, trying to clear his vision, only to be met with the soft but relentless impact of the Pig girl slamming into him. She skated across the mud, her momentum carrying both of them forward in a chaotic slide, dragging the Hyena along like he weighed nothing.
"Get off—!" he yelped, thrashing as she bulldozed him through the mud.
With one final push, she screeched to a halt, but the Hyena's momentum kept him going. He skidded right out of the arena, crashing into the hard ground past the spectators with a cry that made even the birds in the trees scatter.
The Ape stumbled back, blood dripping from his shoulder where my brother's teeth had sunk deep. For a moment, victory gleamed in my brother's eyes—but then, something shifted.
The Ape, who had been swiping at his eyes with clumsy fat fingers, suddenly used his thick, furry forearm to wipe his face clean. Our bad luck—it worked, he could see clearly now. His eyes, bloodshot with rage and irritation, focused sharply on us, his confidence returning.
"Back off!" I yelled, and my brother, catching the urgency in my voice, let go just in time. The Ape's fist crashed into his own shoulder where my brother had bitten down.
My brother landed and instantly took up a stance between me and the furious Ape.
"I'm going to feast on a dog and a bone monkey tonight!" the Ape roared.
My brother licked his jaws, taunting him with a taste of his own blood. "I'm not waiting for nightfall," he growled back.
Both of them were past reasons, seeing only blood now. This was bad—neither one would back down.
I quickly scooped up another handful of mud, aiming to help, but the Ape's eyes were on me too. He wasn't underestimating anyone anymore. This was life or death for him now.
As he charged at my brother, I hurled a pebble, but he blocked it with his thick forearm without breaking stride. I threw again, and he dodged with ease. Another pebble just bounced off, useless.
Off to the side, the pig girl was spent, collapsed on the ground, too exhausted to defend herself, much less help.
My brother suddenly saw a golden opportunity and jumped at the exposed neck.
Then the Ape did something I hadn't expected—he copied my move. In a flash, he scooped up a chunk of wet mud and hurled it at my brother just as he lunged, jaws wide open, toward the Ape's throat.
The mud hit my brother square in the mouth, the impact knocking him sideways. Wet mud might look soft, but when thrown with force, it was almost as bad as a rock. My brother hit the ground with a soft thud, mouth full of mud, struggling to spit it out.
I wanted to rush over, to make sure he was okay, but I held my ground. I need to, I can't give handicap to my brother now, I would be useless in a close range. My brother shook his head, coughing and gagging, just starting to get back up.
"WATCH OUT!" I yelled, seeing what the Ape was about to do.
The Ape's massive hand shot out—too fast. My brother twisted, but not quickly enough. A grunt escaped him as the Ape's fingers clamped around the fur on his shoulder, close to his neck.
My heart stopped. I knew exactly what was coming. The Ape lifted my brother into the air like a pup.