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*team rp for prompt 1 : "nov 1 to 7 - the one about the mini having a crush on your otter, and your otter seeking advice. challenges were to include something catching on fire, and the line "that's maddeningly unhelpful." " *

breakfast wandered down to the creek to see what he could catch for a snack. he paced on the water's edge, eying the riverbed. it wasn't that he was normally impatient, he just....well, ok. he was normally impatient. after a few short moments with no sight of movement underneath the surface, he snorted, then hopped onto a rock that was jutting out slightly over the creek. he crouched with his front paws on the front edge and peered down, tensing up in anticipation of a fat, juicy fish.

meanwhile...

a smallish otter trotted along through the reserve, humming to herself. she tossed her head back and forth to the rhythm, enjoying the scenery. it was days like this that she enjoyed wandering aimlessly; how could you not be in a good mood with such perfect weather, the birds chirping, a bright orange otter fishing in the distance...

wait, what? the mini did a double-take, then quickly hopped behind the nearest tree. she peeked her head around to get another look. she had never seen another otter that looked quite like this one. those extra tufts of fur, those non-retractable claws, those handsome glowing eyes...

she retreated back behind the tree, blushing. he was rather cute, and seemed to be by himself. she didn't usually approach strangers, but maybe this time, it'd be ok. the mini took a deep breath, then padded around the tree and closer to the stranger.

breakfast leaned back and shielded his face with a front paw as the wave splashed towards him. he looked at his brother with a look of total annoyance. "whuttdya doin'?" he grumbled. "you d'sturb thuh fish." he gave one more sideways glance at snack, then turned his gaze back down to the water. he liked his brother and all, but he was hungry, darnit!

meanwhile...

as the mini neared, she took a few deep breaths. she ran through her introduction in her head - she certainly didn't want to look like a fool in front of this very cute stranger. she paused next to a small puddle about a hundred feet away from the creek, checking her reflection to make sure that her fur was tidy and that there were no stray berry stains or fish scales. first impressions mattered!

when she looked up, a second otter had joined the orange one. he looked exactly like the first, except this one was black, green, and white, with piercing yellow eyes. she gave a loud gasp of surprise, then slapped her paws over her mouth. she crouched down and squinted her eyes closed, but she was sure that they had heard her.

Small paws scrambled frantically through the bracken as Ritz darted past trees and sprinted over roots in a panicked haste, casting a quick glance over her shoulder every few seconds. The glowing fairy floating over her head zipped about like a hysterical glow bug. The mini had the misfortune of coming across an otter, who was tearing apart a misplaced camping back and demolishing most of its contents. When the small, glowing otter shrieked in alarm how the bag was someone else's property and clearly shouldn't be dealt with so violently, the other otter (who perhaps was a runt for its kind, but still bigger than her) whipped its head out of the bag, revealing a murderous pair of glowing eyes and razor-sharp fangs latched onto a small, clear, plastic, retangular container with ignitable fluid inside.

It was then Ritz knew she was a Very Sorry Otter.

She ran from the site as quickly as she could, having the feeling she was being chased despite not seeing the otter directly behind her, and searched wildly for the safest place to hide, or someone to protect her.
And then there he was.
In a bold shade of ginger with obsidian-like eyes, Ritz discovered the perfect form of a knight in shining, orange-fuzzy armor. And boy was he a looker~!
He had a friend with him as well, which the mini supposed could be helpful...

"My hero!!!" she trilled in excitement as she rushed in the direction of the orange male, completely oblivious to the fact that he and the black otter were of the same subspecies of the otter in pursuit of her-- but collided into the back of another mini before she could even reach them. "Ommffhh! Gah! Sorry!!" she squeaked apologetically, probably blowing the mini's cover. "I didn't see you!! You see, I was-- Oh wait, do you know those two males over there? Do you think they can help??" the bright blue mini asked rapidly, giving no time to explain her situation.

Snack nodded vigorously in reply, he knew the smell of a mini like he knew the scent of his brothers and sister. He was about to reply that looking around was exactly what he wanted them to do until he too heard the screaming. His ears perked up, he didn't think it was the mini he smelt but it was something. He was too interested in the commotion to be anything but surprised when he was elbowed in the chest.

He let out a half growl-half whine, as he rubbed the pad of a paw over his chest pretending to be wounded by the action. Not that it lasted long because Breakfast was already leaving and he was much too hungry to care about a mild pain that was already fading. He slunk after his brother, slipping into the water and swimming swiftly through the waves. He pulled himself up on the shore, shaking off the water and making his fur temporarily poof before it settled back down.

"Moor mini," he cooed as the scent of two small otters filled his nose. He grinned, eyes glow intensely. What luck, now they could each have their own mini meal!

Ritz blinked in confusion at the other mini's muddled words. "You really shouldn't talk with your paws over your--" she cut herself off as a smell hit her senses. The deranged otter was coming closer. The glowing mini gasped loudly and grasped the other by her shoulders. "We've got to get help! It's coming!!!" she wailed fearfully before sporadically looking around for the saviors. Where did they go?!? Wait! They'd come across the stream in their direction!

"Oh look! They've come to us!! Oh glorious day!" she squeaked joyously, giving the other mini a nudge in the males' direction before dashing towards the burly orange specimen "My Savior!!" she squealed, latching to his leg before he could even react. "Oh bravest and noblest and most handsomest warrior. Won't you fend off the horrid beast that is on my trail?" she pleaded with doleful eyes peering up.

breakfast stumbled back slightly as the overexcited mini grasped his leg. he restrained himself from growling at it - he couldn't have his upcoming meal running off quite yet. bravest and handsomest, it said? well, he couldn't disappoint now, could he? if he did something to protect them from the threat, they'd believe anything he said until he had the right opportunity to turn the tables. plus, he needed to protect his new "friends" from being eaten by someone else before he had the chance to. "yeah, wut snicky said. who coming? we'l take him, right snicky? two 'ganst one." he bared his teeth and flexed his claws, waiting for whatever the bright blue mini had said was following her to show itself.

That wasn't a beast--at least Snack didn't think so. She actually looked kind of small and he couldn't help laughing a bit. The blue mini was scared of her? He snickered quietly before trying to show off a calm, neutral expression. It didn't really work. He was clearly amused. And the fact that she, like the minis, seemed more inclined to speak to Breakfast was just fine with him. It made it all the more amusing really, he was like a spectator.

A hungry spectator. One that really rather hoped she wasn't going to stick around. Unless she didn't mind getting short-changed. He wrinkled his nose, perhaps it wasn't so amusing.

Ritz clung to Breakfast's flank, whimpering slightly and looking up at him with big doe-eyes. "Oh my lovely and handsome warrior, you will chase this creature of foul repute away, right??" she pleaded, grasping onto his fur for dear life, as though the small beast might snatch her up if she were to let go.


"Just met?" she scoffed. "Well if you don't mind, I'm going to have that luminous blue rat become better acquainted with the inside of my mouth." Now that winter was but a fox's-leap away, much of the smaller animals were taking refuge in their hibernation abodes. So letting a decent wad of food like this get away was out of the question.
Finch snorted at the orange feral's threat. "Is that so..." she sneered, glancing over to the black male for confirmation, as it seemed he appeared hardly interested in acting anytime soon. "...Snicky?" The converted feral had thwarted bobcats for morsels smaller than these minis. Naturally, the idea of another otter of her kind being able to intimidate her away from her meal was a laughable notion, at best.
"As riveting as your twisted fetishes concerning polygamy with these little pieces of meat are..." the riled otter muttered blandly. "It seems you lot already got your own purple twerp to do with as you please. Now quit acting like a half-baked, unconscionable ninny and kick over my lunch." the female growled, clawing at the lighter on the ground, which began spitting out small sparks, unbeknowest to her.

"Did you hear that?" the mini gasped horrifically. "She wishes to devour me!!! Can you believe such a horrid thought? Oh dearest hero, you'll protect me from this wretchedness, won't you??"


Finch nearly gagged at the overly-exaggerated swooning from the male's girlfriend. God, how she wanted to shut that thing up.