Me: Alright, after so long, here's chapter three! I hope you guys enjoy this story and leave behind lots of reviews! Without further ado, let's start the story!

Lean on Me Ch. 3: I Gotta Feeling

"Badgerclops allowed himself to drop to the floor, the wooden floorboards below producing a slight creak, and the corners of his lips tilted downwards at the sight of Mao Mao's vacant bed."

Badgerclops abruptly snapped into consciousness, his body moving faster than his drowsy mind, and he automatically popped into an upright position. It was an instinctual reaction that he swiftly developed shortly after he began to travel with Mao Mao. For some odd reason, the feline was a literal magnet for trouble; danger constantly licking at Mao Mao's heels. Badgerclops would be fibbing if he said that it wasn't often when he'd end up rolling out of his sleeping bag in the wee hours of the morning just because Mao Mao had somehow managed to get into a tussle with a bad guy.

However, instead of feeling the soft fabric of their large camping tent brush against his noggin, Badgerclops' head smacked directly into the wooden ceiling above him with a loud thump. Pain blossomed across his forehead and a cry nearly slipped through his loose lips. The only good thing to come from the accident was that the uncomfortable sensation erased the last dregs of sleep from his mind, and he became painfully aware of the two slumbering - at least as far as he was concerned - occupants below him. He bit down on his tongue, effectively swallowing the noise before it could make its way out into the open. Still worried, Badgerclops perked his small round ears and patiently waited, listening for any indications that he disturbed the others with his loud awakening as he rubbed his head. After a few precious seconds of silence, Badgerclops let out a quiet sigh of relief.

He was worried that the sound had woken Mao Mao up.

Then again, now that Badgerclops really thought about it, Mao Mao did seem a little run-down a few hours ago. He assumed that even adrenaline junkies like Mao Mao would become a heavy sleeper if exhausted enough.

Badgerclops yawned, the sudden urge forcing his mouth open. When he raised his hand to muffle the sound, he was disgusted to find a thin string of drool dripping from the corner of his mouth. Scrubbing vigorously at his mouth, Badgerclops followed the path of spit to his open notepad, sitting innocently on his pillow.

He must've fallen asleep drawing again.

Badgerclops gently lifted the notepad into his hands, and he checked the state of his drawing under the soft light of his small lamp. The rest of his saliva puddled upon the crisp, new sketch that he made of their much-needed movie night. Somehow, he proudly accomplished in re-creating his masterpiece after he messed up the original. But now, his carelessness in properly putting up his notepad caused him to drool on the paper. His spit dotted the paper, slightly distorting the quality of his artwork.

Badgerclops groaned at the sight and, despite his better judgment, he tried to rub the spit away with his forearm. Badgerclops frowned at the new image before him; Mao Mao and Adorabat's grinning faces were smeared, their features practically indistinguishable. Badgerclops exhaled through his nose, and he softly closed the cover of his notepad before shoving it into its respectful place underneath his pillow.

He could probably fix it later.

Badgerclops gently face-planted into the comfy white of his singular pillow - because apparently Mao Mao somehow interpreted his earlier words as please, take my pillow without asking me. Badgerclops closed his eyes, and he waited for the usual sweet embrace of sleep to whisk him away, taking the exhaustion that coated his body.

Usually, sleeping would've been easy peasy for someone like him.

The word, usually, being the keyword.

Badgerclops squeezed his eyes tight, trying to force himself to simply fall asleep. He was soon forced to stop once black-and-white spots began to burst brightly underneath his eyelids, and he opened his eyes. Badgerclops lifted his head from his pillow, and he glared out into the surrounding darkness of the shared bedroom as if it was to blame for his sudden bout of insomnia.

He had a really strange feeling.

There was this weird instinct - intuition - that tickled the back of his mind and, no matter how much he tried to ignore it, stubbornly refused to go away. He assumed the feeling was the true culprit as to why he couldn't sleep. It merely anchored him to the realm of consciousness. The irritating thing about it was that Badgerclops recognized this particular feeling. The only problem is that he couldn't quite place it.

Badgerclops sighed, and he sat up in his bed; this time he took care to be aware of the ceiling looming above him. Wearily, he wiped his eyes, silently thinking about his inability to get any sleep.

Maybe, he was hungry.

He did distinctly recall only munching on that bowl of popcorn during the movie; he'd been too preoccupied with patching up Mao Mao to consider actually getting anything. At the thought of food, Badgerclops' inert stomach suddenly roared to life and, when Badgerclops placed his hand upon it, the organ grumbled angrily underneath his palm. He softly patted his stomach, attempting to hush it before it got too loud.

He was definitely hungry.

It couldn't hurt to eat a midnight snack or two, right?

With his mind made up, Badgerclops slowly climbed over the edge of his bed, and he began his descent to the floor. He'd whined several times to Mao Mao that they should get him a ladder or something so it'd make it easier for him to venture down from his spot on top. But, Mao Mao merely told him to make do with what he had.

Now, Badgerclops wished he'd been more adamant about getting the ladder as he delicately placed his foot onto Adorabat's bed, the soft mattress sinking under his weight. Thankfully, Adorabat rarely slept on the bed itself and, instead, hung from the bottom of Badgerclops' bed. He could never quite understand how she managed to get any sleep in such an uncomfortable position. Didn't blood rush to her head?

Ignoring his unanswered question, Badgerclops stealthily slipped past the young bat, his eye lingering on her slumbering form. From what he saw, Adorabat slept soundly, her wings drawn tight around her small body. Her youthful expression was peaceful; unmarred by any fright or anguish. It didn't look anything like it had earlier. Badgerclops could still recollect the terrified look on her face when Adorabat saw Mao Mao roll away from the beast, blood splattering the cobblestone streets. The absolute raw fear that bloomed in her innocent eyes when she saw Mao Mao struggle to keep standing - to keep fighting.

Badgerclops was almost used to it.

Adorabat was not.

Badgerclops knew the bat particularly looked up to Mao Mao - a fact that never truly bothered Badgerclops. He saw the bright, sparkly look in her eyes whenever Mao Mao performed some over-the-top acrobatic move on a monster or the way she eagerly perked her ears when Mao Mao rambled on about the proper way to be a hero. So, he could only think about how much it scared her when she was met with the gruesome sight of her supposedly invincible hero bleeding out before her.

After all, Adorabat was only five years old.

But, despite her (very) young age, Adorabat did seem to overcome her fear. Badgerclops had to admit he was proud of how she handled everything so far. Even though she was scared, Adorabat obediently did everything Badgerclops told her to do, and she stubbornly refused to leave Mao Mao's side. She may have been only five years old, but the violent, psychotic bat could be somewhat mature when she wanted to be. If Badgerclops wasn't worried that he'd enlargen Mao Mao's already huge ego, he would tell the cat just how much Adorabat has grown since learning under him.

Badgerclops eased himself onto the edge of Mao Mao's bunk, stiffening as he tried to shift his weight to his other foot. He focused his gaze upon where he assumed the feline's resting body was -

Huh.

Badgerclops blinked, internally pondering whether the darkness was playing tricks on his mind. Then, he leaned closer and squinted his eye at Mao Mao's bed.

The usually neat tucked in sheets were in utter disarray and the pillow that Mao Mao used to prop up his foot - Badgerclops' pillow - was lying dejectedly on the floorboards. Mao Mao's extra weapons stuck out from underneath the mattress, their sharp edges glinting in the lamp's weak light.

The only thing missing from the bed was Mao Mao.

Badgerclops allowed himself to drop to the floor, the wooden floorboards below producing a slight creak, and the corners of his lips tilted downwards at the sight of Mao Mao's vacant bed. Badgerclops briefly scoured the room with his eye, as if he expected Mao Mao to be hiding in the shadows. When that proved fruitless, he sighed and looked towards the doorway.

Maybe, Mao Mao went to the bathroom or something.

At least, he hoped he did.

Badgerclops highly doubted that Mao Mao would be able to go too far with his leg in its current condition. So, there wasn't any other place the cat could've gone. At the same time, however, Mao Mao's sudden disappearance made him feel explicitly uneasy, almost nervous.

Though, it could be possible that he was merely overreacting.

Badgerclops nodded to himself.

The events of the battle earlier may just have him on edge. Mao Mao probably snuck out of bed to either use the bathroom or … the kitchen. Maybe, he was in the kitchen. Badgerclops did note that, during the movie, Mao Mao scarcely touched any of the popcorn. Though, Mao Mao wasn't someone who preferred junk food, except for the occasional bite of cobbler or bag of Cheddar Paws. Even so, Badgerclops did expect him to eat more seeing as none of them had eaten since lunch.

Badgerclops' gut loudly wailed again, reminding its owner of his primary mission. Badgerclops cast one last glance at Mao Mao's bed before he tiptoed towards the doorway, cringing whenever his foot landed on a creaky floorboard. He doubted the sound would wake Adorabat up, but it never hurt to be careful.

Badgerclops stepped through the threshold of the doorway, and he was dimly aware of the fact that the temperature in the hallway was a few degrees lower. He waited for his eye to adjust and, then, he craned his neck to look in the direction of the bathroom. From where he stood, Badgerclops couldn't quite see any light shining from underneath the door, or hear any kind of noise coming from there. He briefly considered going and knocking on the bathroom door before Badgerclops shook the thought from his head.

He didn't want to crowd Mao Mao.

Whenever he "bothered" Mao Mao, the cat would immediately become testy. The last time Badgerclops supposedly hassled Mao Mao, the cat retaliated by slicing his arm off. It was his cybernetic arm, mind you, but it was still an unpleasant sensation.

Besides, Mao Mao was a grown(ish) cat.

With that thought in mind, Badgerclops allowed his eye to remain on the bathroom door for a split second longer before he headed towards the kitchen.

Badgerclops ambled into the room, briefly pausing in the doorway to cast a sweeping glance around the room. The kitchen was gently illuminated by the small beams of moonlight pouring into the living room, alighting certain surfaces in a pale white glow. However, some corners of the kitchen were still shrouded in darkness, the thin strips of light too weak to banish them. The kitchen table sat amid the kitchen, its empty chairs pushed in and around it haphazardly.

Badgerclops sighed; out of relief or worry, he wasn't sure.

Mao Mao wasn't here.

Badgerclops sauntered across the room, moving towards the cupboards at the far edge of the kitchen. He easily stretched his arm up to one of the cupboards, and he pulled it open. Badgerclops reached into the very back of the cabinet, plucking a large bag of Cheddar Paws from where it hid behind a stack of dusty canned vegetables.

They were most definitely Mao Mao's - because, honestly, who else would think to hide them there? The cat must've assumed that no one would deem it reasonable to look behind the intimidating wall of canned lima beans - which Badgerclops and Adorabat, collectively, disliked - in order to find his secret stash. But, Badgerclops liked to think that he wasn't an absolute amateur when it came to food; he'd discovered the hiding place when he bumped his hand against the cans and knocked them over.

Badgerclops glimpsed at the cover of the bag, taking in the brightly colored words and huge iconic paw-print on the front before he tugged the lip of the bag open. The sharp scent of artificial cheese instantly tickled his nose, and Badgerclops wasted no time digging his hand into the contents of the bag. He popped a couple of Cheddar Paws into his awaiting mouth and bit down, the sweet familiar tang of cheddar exploding across his tastebuds. Badgerclops stood there for a moment, savoring the flavor, and then directed himself towards the refrigerator, licking the leftover cheese residue off of his fingers. Badgerclops yanked the handle of the fridge and the door burst open, yellowish-white light spilling out from within. He bowed his head into the fridge, leaning in to search for something to drink-

Thwack!

Badgerclops' body involuntarily startled at the sudden noise, his head - for what was, hopefully, the last time tonight - inadvertently smacking against the top of the interior of the refrigerator. This time, he permitted himself to yelp at the painful sensation, and he quickly dragged his head out of the fridge. In his hurry, the opened bag of Cheddar Paws slipped from his grasp, a small orange paw-like sea of perfectly good snacks tumbling across the floorboards everywhere. Badgerclops pouted at the unfortunate sight, his newly unoccupied hand gingerly rubbing the knot that was most likely forming on his battered head.

"Seriously, man," Badgerclops quietly whined, eyeing his discarded snack. Would the five-second rule still apply here-?

Thwack!

Badgerclops stiffened at the repeated sound, the fur on his body unconsciously rising in response. He tore his gaze away from the wasted Cheddar Paws and, instead, focused it on the surrounding area.

What was that?

Badgerclops slowly closed the fridge, and he immediately regretted it when the extra light in the area was whisked away. Despite that, Badgerclops took a step forward and strained his ears, paying extra attention to his surroundings. Then, barely even a minute later -

Thwack!

Badgerclops furrowed his brow, confused. Then, a sudden thought entered his mind, and a frown tugged at his lips.

Was... was someone trying to break in?

Badgerclops carefully navigated his way through the sea of spilled snacks, his mind and body now on high alert.

Was it the Sky Pirates again?

Several months ago, the wannabe villains tried - and, somehow, succeeded - to sneak into the Sheriff's Department. The pirates managed to sneak into the brand new couch that Mao Mao bought - something that he was still upset about - and nearly ate all of Badgerclops' various sauces. After that incident, Badgerclops finally decided to repair their security system - you know, after Mao Mao broke it - and he installed several new security cameras in and around the house just to make sure that something like that didn't happen again.

Badgerclops messed with his arm for a second, and a small holographic screen popped into existence before his eye, giving off a soft green glow. He used the light to slowly creep into the living room, splitting his focus between looking for any possible intruders within and outside the house. To his surprise, Badgerclops found that no one was lurking around the outside of the house; each security camera feed came up empty. The same went for the ones planted in various spots throughout the house; each camera revealing vacant hallways and one slumbering Adorabat.

So, no one was trying to break in.

Badgerclops banished the holographic screen, and he scratched his head in confusion. Then, where was the sound coming from-?

Thwack!

Badgerclops froze and something akin to dread settled into the pit of his stomach, temporarily erasing his hunger. He craned his neck towards the entrance towards the Dojo, staring at the door that was slightly ajar. The Dojo was also the only spot around the entirety of the house that Badgerclops neglected to set up any security cameras.

Oh no.

He bit back a groan.

He wouldn't.

Badgerclops took a step in the direction of the Dojo and, instead of continuing, he paused and drew back, warily eyeing the door. If he was right - and he most likely was - then he probably shouldn't pop his head out the door. It would be best to go around through the front; that would at least give him the chance to confirm his suspicions.

He twisted his body around and headed towards the front door, bumping into the couch and several other objects in the dark along his way. Once he reached the first part of his destination, Badgerclops pulled the door open, eliciting a small creak from the wooden door. He stepped out onto their small front porch, and he closed the door behind him. Almost instantly, Badgerclops found himself shivering in the frigid temperature, the cold seemingly settling upon him like an icy blanket. The seasons in the valley had been slowly entering into that of wintertime, and Badgerclops wouldn't be surprised if he saw some snow around the valley in the next upcoming weeks.

After a few seconds of standing in the cold, Badgerclops' body grew accustomed to the cold; his fur finally succeeding in blocking out the worst of it. Briefly, he allowed his eye to wander out towards the valley in the short distance, and he was unsurprised when he saw that - except for the streetlights - the houses were completely dark. It was pretty late, after all.

Badgerclops yawned, his breath visible in a cloud of mist before his eye.

Really late.

He turned his head to the right, and his gaze immediately fixated upon the Dojo. The towering, wooden hut-like structure sat against the small cliffside that their headquarters was located upon, dimly lit. Badgerclops recalled installing small lights within the Dojo as per Mao Mao's request; the cat wanted to be able to train whenever he particularly felt like it. Apparently, that meant at night, too. At the moment, the miniature spotlights blanketed the training arena in a warm golden hue. And, if Badgerclops looked closely, he swore he could spot a black-and-red shape dancing around, and a bright golden light tinkling like a star under the lights. He quietly groaned at the unfortunately common sight, a scowl appearing upon his face. For a split second, Badgerclops pondered whether or not he should simply slip back inside - you know, where it was warm - and salvage what little he could of his snack. But, then that familiar feeling prickled unpleasantly in the back of his mind, and he discovered that he was unable to force himself to return inside.

Maybe, this is what woke him up.

Badgerclops exhaled, fine mist once again curling from his lips, and he began his small trek toward the Dojo. As he approached the side of the training arena, Badgerclops crouched down towards the ground, the browning grass lightly tickling him as he peered through the thick bars of the banister. His line of sight instantly settled upon the small feline form of Mao Mao training vigorously with his usual golden weapon.

Mao Mao spun and danced around in the large space, his body seemingly moving rhythmically to music only he could hear. With each practiced swing of his sword, Mao Mao alternated between his right and left hand, slashing any and all imaginary enemies in his way. When that grew too tiring, Mao Mao would temporarily sheath his sword and use his fists on the wooden dummy. He would then strike the post-like object in different spots and react appropriately whenever the training item retaliated in response, ducking underneath the short, stubby sticks that came his way. As Mao Mao moved, Badgerclops could faintly hear the cat mumbling to himself underneath his breath. What Mao Mao was saying, the cybernetic badger wasn't sure. He did know, however, that unlike all the other times that he'd witnessed Mao Mao working on his moves, this time something seemed... off.

Typically, Mao Mao was extraordinarily agile and swift. These particular traits were what made their original duo team-up work for the beginning of their partnership. Badgerclops was the designated tech guy and, occasionally, the muscle. And, what Mao Mao lacked in strength and size, the cat made up with his quick reflexes, flexibility, and his large endurance. Every move that Mao Mao made was always precise, and the cat rarely broke a sweat. But now, as the seconds ticked by, Mao Mao's breaths grew heavier - louder. The cat began to actively huff and puff, each exhale appearing before his face in a fine cloud of smoke-like mist. Even his movements were becoming more strained with each step and, every now and then, Mao Mao stumbled, struggling to properly maintain his stance on his own two feet. Badgerclops' eye focused upon the blatant problem for feline's suddenly skewed balance; Mao Mao's left leg.

A thick dressing was - painstakingly, Badgerclops thought - wrapped tightly around the cat's battle wound, shielding the long, ugly cut from view. Unlike when Bagderclops first bound Mao Mao's leg, the bandage was now turning a deep dark red. If he didn't know any better, Bagderclops would've thought that the bandage was a part of Mao Mao's attire. With each and every step, the pristine white gauze slowly became overrun with red, blood copiously seeping from Mao Mao's injury. Soon, the red liquid began to drip upon the scratched floorboards of the Dojo, dotting the surface of the wood underneath Mao Mao's feet. Despite this fact, Mao Mao continued to exert himself, gritting his teeth and ignoring his body's obvious weakness.

Badgerclops contemplated simply stepping in at this point; popping out from his hiding spot to try and persuade Mao Mao to stop. And, if the cat refused to listen, he'd go with plan B; throw Mao Mao over his shoulder and carry him inside. But, a sudden thought stopped him.

Why was Mao Mao out here - in the middle of the night - training himself to the bone when he was injured only a few short hours ago?

Badgerclops knew Mao Mao fancied pushing himself and testing his limitations. At the same time, Badgerclops also knew that the feline acknowledged how much was too much, and Mao Mao usually placed restrictions on his training. Yet, here he was working out as if his life depended upon it, neglecting his current injured state. For that reason, the cybernetic badger hesitated; if Mao Mao was working through something, then should Badgerclops really stop him?

Mao Mao didn't outwardly talk about his feelings; that was just a basic fact. If something was bothering Mao Mao, then there were two things he did about it. Either, the black feline would simply bottle up his emotions until they exploded, or he'd use training as an outlet for his feelings. Badgerclops could still recall the times during the beginning of their partnership when Mao Mao would angrily slice through several trees like they were mere sheets of paper on a particularly bad day. Heck, he did when his dad unexpectedly popped in. (Mao Mao stated that doing that helped him sharpen his sword, but Badgerclops knew otherwise). Badgerclops surmised that it something to do with the way he was raised. Even though Mao Mao constantly - and Badgerclops meant constantly - chatted about his legendary family of heroes, Badgerclops could tell that Mao Mao was forced to put aside his emotions in order to become what he desired the most. But, even so, Badgerclops was happy to announce that ever since they agreed to stay in Pure Heart Valley, the cat seemed to be more willing to express his inner feelings.

Badgerclops watched Mao Mao pummel the wooden dummy, his ears perking at the small battle cry the cat gave as he fought against the inanimate object. Then, before he could even talk himself out of it, Badgerclops sat upon the cold ground, and he leaned his back against the brown bars. From where he sat, it would be difficult for Mao Mao to spot him unless the cat knew where to look.

He'll wait.

Whenever Mao Mao felt like he'd properly worked out whatever was on his mind, then - and only then - Badgerclops would lead the cat back inside. It was sort of an intimate thing that developed between the two of them; to pick the other up when they needed it. It started when Mao Mao held his hand out for Badgerclops when the cybernetic badger was left to burn, and it has continued ever since. So, he'll wait a little longer, even if it meant sitting out in the cold. Also, he was afraid of what might happen if he were to abruptly interrupt Mao Mao in the midst of whatever it was he was doing. The absolute last thing he wanted was Mao Mao taking a swing at his head. Besides, it probably wouldn't take that long for Mao Mao to completely tire himself out anyway.

Badgerclops' head steadily sagged towards his chest, soft snores drifting uninhibited from his open mouth. All of the sudden there was a loud thwack, and the sound abruptly startled him from his accidental nap. Badgerclops' head snapped up, his neck protesting the unexpected movement. He blinked his eye, rapidly, disoriented. For a split second, he was confused as to where he currently was before a quick glance around his environment jogged his memory. He still outside their HQ, his body leaning up against the exterior of the Dojo. From behind him, the cybernetic badger could still hear Mao Mao clashing against his invisible enemies.

Oh, right.

He was waiting for Mao Mao.

Badgerclops yawned mutely, his maw stretching wide to accommodate the involuntary action and a hand scrubbing at his tired eye. He leaned back against the Dojo, and he found himself gazing upwards. When he first came outside, the sky was almost navy blue, a few brave stars twinkling amongst the heavens. Now, however, dozens of stars littered the sky, shining brightly against a black backdrop.

How long has he been out here?

Badgerclops trembled, the cold - which he'd been ignoring up until now - digging through the several thick layers of his fur and clinging to his skin. His body felt somewhat numb, his fingers and toes stiff from icy temperature.

Too long, his mind supplied.

Seriously, how could Mao Mao stand being out here so long?

Badgerclops craned his neck, and he looked between the bars at Mao Mao, interested to see what the cat was doing now. At the moment, the feline was firmly swinging his sword at some other inanimate objects he set up, effectively slicing through them like they were nothing. However, each one of Mao Mao's moves were significantly more sluggish than they were before. It was like the cat's body finally realized that it was getting tired, yet Mao Mao himself kept pushing it, his face locked in a permanent grimace. Badgerclops had to give him some credit; the guy really was a glutton for punishment.

But now, maybe enough was enough.

Badgerclops stretched, his back popping from the movement, and he crossed his arms against his chest for warmth.

On a regular day, Badgerclops might've been more tolerant of Mao Mao and his inability to properly communicate what's wrong with him. But, right this second, he was tired, achy, cold, and - honestly - a little annoyed. Mao Mao just got injured - in a very bad way, he should mention. The absolute last thing the cat needed to be doing was questionably stupid things in his current condition, anyway. Badgerclops had only allowed it to continue for so long because he thought that Mao Mao would've worked out whatever was going with him. But, that obviously wasn't going to happen any time soon. It was nothing short of a miracle that Mao Mao hadn't already found some way to hurt himself even worse

Suddenly, as if the universe itself was listening closely, Badgerclops jolted at the loud thud that resonated from behind, the commotion replacing the usual thwack that he'd gotten used to. Stillness immediately followed afterward and trepidation pooled into Badgerclops' stomach. He tarried for a bit, waiting for Mao Mao to make another sound - any kind of sound - before his curiosity got the better of him, and the cybernetic badger sat up and twisted his body around.

Where Mao Mao was originally brandishing his sword mere moments ago, the black feline now laid hunched over the scratched wood of the floorboards. His bright red padded knees were pressed into the wood, and his trembling arms weakly supported the upper half of his body. Between his arms, his forehead was lowered towards the floor, and the cat's eyes - at least from what Badgerclops could tell - were squeezed shut, bright green acid-like eyes hidden from view. Mao Mao's iconic red cape was draped over his heaving back, the red fabric bouncing up and down as a result of his heavy breathing.

Badgerclops swallowed hard, a thick lump of unease developing in the back of his throat. Very slowly, he climbed to his feet, casting a concerned eye on the strangely still cat. The cybernetic badger silently pondered his next step but, before he could even think about implementing it, Mao Mao shakily peeled himself off of the floor. Badgerclops prayed underneath his breath for the feline to simply give up and go back inside. Instead, the cat unsteadily staggered to his feet, wincing once his left foot brushed against the floor. He scooped up his sword from where the weapon slipped from his grasp when he fell. Then, Mao Mao brought his sword up in the air, his hand quivering, and he continued where he left off in his exercises.

Enough.

Badgerclops snuck around the edge of the Dojo, keeping his eye firmly trained on Mao Mao. The cat had yet to notice him, too focused on forcing his tired body to move. Badgerclops stepped up onto the entrance to the training arena, and he stared at the cat's red-caped back before taking a deep breath, preparing himself to call out to the cat.

"Mao Mao-"

Before he could get the rest of his sentence out, the damp black fur on Mao Mao's body rose. The cat abruptly twisted around, and his hand shot out -