Maximus just looked amused. They finally reached for Bebby, fully intending on throwing her into the ocean. They wrapped one massive hand around the cat and took a stance like one would when about to throw a football. Then, they absolutely launched her towards the bay, knowing that at least if she didn't catch herself, she'd hit water.

Wait.

”Hey Bebby! Can you swim?!” they shouted, a little concerned that they just accidentally drowned their friend. Oops.

@Bebby

Bebby, who squeaked as she was grabbed like a football, cheered as she was thrown, a high pitched "WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" getting quieter the further she went.

she barely had time to answer max's question, 'UH, MAYB-" before she hit the water with a loud and epic SPLASH!

Bebby, now underwater, moved to swim upward, poking her head and paws above the water to paddle in place, giving max a thumbs up if they could see her.

she was having a good time... she was also incredibly oblivious, unfortunately for her.

@Pelt

speech
thoughts

It was a day just like any other. Sunning herself on the surface of the Bay. Doing lazy flips underwater. Considering starting an underwater basket weaving club out of sheer boredom (yes, she had flippers, but at least the challenge would take away the monotony).

That was, until the tall fluffy thing started play-fighting with the eye-searing cat thing.

Pelt wriggled forward with sudden interest, scooting into the shallower water until her belly touched sand. She groaned to herself when the play-fight started with a pair of failed attempts to attack each other, but grinned with approval when Bebby demanded more violence. "Hell yeah, hit her harder," she murmured to herself, fixated on the scene despite her disdain for their combat skills. "You go... oh- OHHHH!"

The rainbow cat suddenly came flying toward the water, and all Pelt could think was: HERE'S MY CHANCE TO SHOW THEM HOW IT'S DONE! She threw herself back in the water, racing to meet Bebby as she raced through the air and splashed into the bay with the most badass body-slam of the rainbow cat's life, probably. "I can swim!" she shrieked with laughter as she accelerated, building momentum for the moment when Bebby met the water and Pelt could whip her body around to: "I can HIT YOU HARDER!" Her voice intensified into a near-snarl.

Perhaps it had been too long since her last fight, but Pelt should have known not to waste her breath on talking when she should be swimming harder to gain momentum. She threw her body with less force than she would have liked, but IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, TRY TRY AGAIN! Right?

@Maximus
Round 1
Attempt: just go WHAM right into bebby
Defense: you're kidding
Injuries: none

Maximus stood at their full height, covering their eyes with a hand to spot Bebby in the water. Thankfully, it wasn't hard, seeing as she was practically made to draw attention. They flashed her a thumbs up back, only to see something fly out of the water. Something big.

”BEBBY!” they shouted, eyes widening in horror.

A pair of golden wings snapped out from their back, flapping once, twice, before they took off, taking to the sky and rushing towards the pair as fast as they possibly could. Bebby stood no chance should she get caught in that thing's jaws.

”YOU GET AWAY FROM HER!!” Maximus snarled, baring a maw full of jagged gemstone shards and sharp teeth in an attempt to intimidate the beast from afar. If it didn't notice their massive claws and sharp antlers, that was.

@Bebby

ROUND 1/?

100%

ATTEMPT: Reach Pelt and Bebby quickly.
DEFENSE: Sharp quills, arm plates, tusks, antlers.
INJURIES: N/A

The moment pelt broke the water Bebby SCREAMED in terror. "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! MAX!!! HELP!!" she cried, terrified.

the downside of being a cat of her size with as much fluff as she does is she's incredibly heavy in the water, making it difficult to do much else than swim as hard as she can in a situation of grave danger. like this one!! she couldn't even fly, her wings were soaked!

candy coating sparkles in the water in her wake as she tried to swim towards max, hoping if she could get to them, she could try off and then FUCK THIS SEAL UP. maybe. she'd like to. how dare she interrupt their playtime!

get to max first though.

she paddled with all her might away, splashing desperately with arms and wings in max's direction.

@Pelt

speech
thoughts

ROUND 1/?

100%

ATTEMPT: swim away towards max
DEFENSE: None :(
INJURIES: not injured, but soaking wet

A weak body slam, and it didn't even hit the cat. Pelt did a barrel roll in disappointment, simultaneously rolling her eyes at the overprotective tall guy. "Oh my gooooood, chill ouuuuuut," she drawled--but underwater, so it was distorted by bubbles in an appropriately (by her judgement) ridiculous way. "Seriously," she continued, above the surface this time and barely batting an eye at Maximus' display, "I didn't even hit her! So dramatic."

But I'll tell you a secret--IT WAS ALL AN ACT. Seriously, Pelt was practically frothing at the mouth with excitement internally. Look at those TEETH! Knife-like, jagged, horrid and crooked and OH was this a WORTHY OPPONENT! Pelt was practically a Maximus fangirl at this point. Just in a violent kind of way.

"Oh, what's that?" she breathed, unable to keep the enthusiasm to herself any longer as the furry monster drew closer so quickly on their golden wings. Her tail beat the water, creating waves that rocked her up and down. "Of course I'll leave her alone--YOU FIGHT ME, BRO!"

She didn't know why she'd used the word 'bro'. She'd never done it before. It just seemed oddly appropriate for the situation.

And without further ado, she lunged at Max, nerves FIRED UP AND READY TO GO--that is, to open her mouth, latch onto whatever was closest, and use her forward momentum to do MAXIMUM DAMAGE as she tugged on whatever she bit. If she actually managed to bite something this time, that was.

@Maximus
Round 2
Attempt: bite Maximus
Defense: um. speed? idk
Injuries: none

Maximus intercepted Pelt with a fierce growl, eyes narrowed and jaw set with determination. As long as they managed to get Bebby to shore, that's all that mattered.

”You talk too much,” they said gruffly, hoping to antagonize the other and distract them further from the cat trying to swim to shore.

They lifted their arm to intercept the bite, snarling in pain when teeth dug into the soft flesh of their underarm. They'd underestimated Pelt's bite, but no matter. It wasn't the throat, at least.

Maximus crashed into the water, holding their breath as they sank beneath. This of course wasn't exactly optimal, seeing as Max wasn't all that good at swimming in the first place. Good enough that they wouldn't drown, but certainly not enough to stand up to a leopard seal.

Wait a minute. Seal. Was this the seal Forgraves told them about? The one that crippled his leg? Oh, they were mad before, but now they were pissed. They just needed a name to make sure.

@Bebby

ROUND 2/?

85%

ATTEMPT: Block the bite with their arm plates.
DEFENSE: Sharp quills, arm plates, tusks, antlers.
INJURIES: Bitten arm.

Bebby was, only for a second, grateful pelt didnt go after her again. she was less grateful, more terrified, at the fact she went for MAX. oh no she didn't!

Bebby yelped as they felt into the water, fighting back against the splash to reach them. she'll show her!!

Bebby used her wings, to the best of her ability, to propel herself forward, in an attempt to reach pelt, claw's unsheathing to full size in preparation, tearing through the water as she swam full force towards pelt.

Bebby would reach pelt, ramming into her, and the moment she would reach then, she'd lock her claws into pelt's flesh, wildly moving her paws, yanking, in an attempt to either pull her away or make it fucking HURT.

'LET HIM GO, YOU MEANIE!!" she demanded, her voice an angry, horrible roar.

@Pelt
speech
thoughts

ROUND 2/?

100%

ATTEMPT: grapple pelt with her long ass claws
DEFENSE: none :(
INJURIES: None, but soaking wet

Having her teeth sink into her opponent's arm gave Pelt a heady rush of pride and grim satisfaction. It had been too long since she'd bitten anything other than some fish. She shook a little when Maximus told her she talked too much--not even from anger and wanting to hurt them more, but just from trying not to laugh. She LIKED talking! It was fun, and clearly it didn't affect her combat if--

"OW!!!" Pelt shrieked as Bebby's claws ripped gashes into the blubber of her back, sending clouds of blood drifting into the waves. Which meant-- shit, the thing's arm was no longer in her mouth. She gasped and nearly choked on a wave kicked up by the disturbance as Bebby continued her assault. SHIT. She'd have to start taking this a little more seriously.

Seriously? A cat?

Pelt bet she could break this thing as easily as a penguin any old fish floating around. She'd beat a REDFANG. She was better than this. Hissing through the pain (you're mistaken, there are no tears IT'S JUST WATER), she whipped around and lunged for Bebby this time. Never let it be said that Pelt was an uncooperative leopard seal; she'd only been doing exactly what she was being told to do. Let go of Maximus? Fine. It was the cat's turn now. Mouth opening in a feral snarl, Pelt made a violent motion, aiming to grab and tear at those delicate-looking wings. And tried not to gasp and inhale water again as the movement pulled at her fresh new gashes. Hey, the burning was like gasoline fueling a car, right? She just had to push through it. No way this cat could beat her!

@Maximus
Round 3
Attempt: rip bebby's wings
Defense: um
Injuries: scratched-up back

Pelt let go, allowing them a moment to swim up to breathe. Unfortunately, they couldn't focus entirely on the fight when they were drowning, so they had to take a moment.

”Oh no you don't!” Maximus said once they'd surfaced, lunging forward to try and grab Pelt and keep them from getting at Bebby. ”Bebby! Go for the eyes, don't hold back!!”

If they could blind Pelt, they had a chance of getting away. Surely Bebby's claws were sharp enough to gouge one or two out, and they were certainly strong enough to hold Pelt still for long enough, too. They just needed a second or two, which Max could give them.

@Bebby

ROUND 3/?

85%

ATTEMPT: Restrain Pelt.
DEFENSE: Sharp quills, arm plates, tusks, antlers.
INJURIES: Bitten arm.