Another twist of the knife, turn of the screws
It's all in your mind and it's fighting you
Arm yourself, a storm is coming
Well, kid, what you gonna do now?
It's your reflection looking back to pull you down
.
It hadn't been his intention to be here. He'd only been looking for shelter from the downpour, a dry patch, somewhere to rest his head until the storm passed. But then the screams had come. Sharp, panicked things that cut through the rain and pricked his curiosity. Ever the fool for chaos, Zii had followed the sound. He found nothing resembling safety, only a swirling mess of water, mud, and panicking cats. His lips curled in faint disdain. He didn't know who they were, and frankly, he didn't care, but who in their right mind made camp in a dip in the earth during a storm like this? It was idiocy, plain and simple. Still… he wasn't here to lecture stupidity. He was here for shelter and it was obvious that would not be found here.
And yet, as he turned to leave, something in him lingered. A hesitation.
Latte's stupid words. Latte's stupid look.
A frustrated growl rumbled from his chest before he spat a curse and lunged forward into the chaos. No one would notice him anyway, not when cats were drowning left and right. His sharp eyes caught movement, two figures struggling against the current. Without giving himself the chance to regret it, Zii dove in. The water was brutal, swallowing him whole, tugging and spinning with merciless strength. If it came to a choice between saving them or saving himself, he already knew which one he'd pick. But for now... He could manage.
His teeth found fur. He bit down, hauling upward, muscles burning with effort as he dragged a smaller body toward the surface. A petite she-cat, half-drowned and flailing uselessly. He barely had time to speak before a wave slapped him in the face. " Get to-- " splash. He snarled, shaking his head and shoving her hard toward the bank. " Get to shore! Leave this to capable cats before you drown the both of you! " He didn't wait to see if she obeyed. He was already diving down again, lungs aching, claws slicing through cold water until he found the second cat. The tom was heavier, of course he was... And he had to admit, pulling him up was a miserable, sputtering effort that made Zii curse the day he'd ever followed a sound out of curiosity. Still, he got him up. Got him breathing. Got him to something like solid ground. When they finally broke free of the current, Zii shoved the tom onto the muddy bank and stood, legs steady and definitely not shaking as he turned toward the she-cat… who was still drowning.
He exhaled through his nose, a sound halfway between a sigh and a growl.
" Oh for fuck's sake… "
With a lash of his soaked tail, he glared at the tom he'd just saved. " Don't move. Higher ground. Try not to die while I'm gone. " Then he dove back in. The water closed over him instantly, cold and choking. He kicked hard, eyes scanning through the murk until he caught a flicker of pale fur. There. His claws found her, then his teeth, biting into her scruff with a rough, triumphant snarl. Gotcha. He broke the surface again, dragging her limp form against the current, his muscles screaming as he forced them both toward shore. By the time they reached it, he was wheezing, soaked to the bone, and absolutely done with heroics. He dumped her onto the muddy ground unceremoniously and stood over her, chest heaving, eyes narrowing as he waited for her to move.
" Is she dead? " he muttered. " That'd be a pity. Waste of effort. " he grunted out, but then she moved. He sat back on his haunches, red eyes narrowing, voice edged with dry disdain. " What was that, then? Five creative ways to drown yourself and take others with you? "
Speech, thoughts/emphasis
