Spots: Girls

A Web Serial by M.C.A. Hogarth

28. Half the Story.	30. Ambush.

29. Girls

The Warren. Spots and Claws are advancing to replace Whiskers and Hairball on the patrol, when—

"AAAaaaahhHHHH!"

Spots. "Is that..."

Claws. "Fang2!"

Spots and Claws sprint down the corridor and turn to find Fang calmly firing into a mob of crabs. One of them has Fang2 in its largest pincers. Cursing, Claws skids to a stop on the new grid. His is the shot that inspires Fang2's opponent to drop him. Claws darts forth and drags him back.

Claws. "****!"

Fang2. "Don't... feel so good."

Claws pulls him up. "I gotta get him back, there's a ****ing hole in his side."

Spots. "Go, we've got it handled."

The crabs are mostly scattered or dead. After a glance around, Claws nods and starts back. Once he's down the corridor...

Fang, cold. "So, you going to say it?"

Spots. "Say what?"

Fang. "Something about the cold-hearted ***** that wasn't trying hard enough to save a buddy?"

Spots. "Actually, I want to know what you were shooting at."

Fang turns to stare at her.

Spots, checking her ammunition levels. "You were shooting at something, weren't you?"

Fang, slowly. "Yessss."

"So what was it?"

Fang. "I saw a new shell behind them."

Spots, looking up. "Did you get it?"

Fang shakes her head. "I think it ran."

Spots nods. "So, we going hunting?"

Fang hesitates. "Think you can take it, old woman?"

Spots rolls her eyes. "Right, you've got to get the breast-beating out of the way. 'Yes, yes, I can take it, let's go.' Is that good? Are we done?"

Fang pauses, then laughs a little unwillingly.

Spots. "Which way did it go?"

Fang. "That way."

Spots. "You lead. I'll cover you."

Fang, pausing. "You really believe me?"

Spots, smiling a little. "I believe you're a pain in the rear, Fang. But that you'd lie about something like this, no. So let's go, they're opening the lead."

Fang. "All right."

28. Half the Story.	30. Ambush.