Work Text:
It was an awful day for enot, they just barely managed to kill two centipedes after a fight that lasted a whole cycle,
“It’s unfair! they ganged up on me, good thing I’m a super strong scugy :3”
and the rain was starting just a single drop fell on enot,
upon realizing this enot quickly started to “shmove” as they put it,
from one pole to the next putting their practiced movement to the test.
a “backflip” there a “throw boost” there,
it was easy to tell what they were trying to do as they yelled the name of each move as they did it.
They were almost there, seeing safety in sight filled them with joy
but their excitement quickly ended when the pole they jumped onto gave.
enot barely had time to think before they plummeted,
hitting the ground enot realized why the pole gave it was not a pole at all, enot panicked.
“no-no-no-No! I can’t die to a pole plant now- I gotta get back to surv!” Enot scrambled to find something anything to use as a weapon
they could toss the centipede they were carrying but survivor wouldn’t get anything to eat.
so when they scanned the small area around and found nothing one last idea popped into their head they were already dreading it but their wasn’t another choice.
“I could bite it” Enot turned around and with the speed of a cyan Lizor lunged into the closest part of the pole plant and chomped down as hard as they could.
the fluid that spewed from the plant tasted like burnt blue fruit, but that did it the plant quickly let go and shook violently thrashing around like a beached jetfish.
not letting the opportunity go to waste enot jumped to their paws and ran faster then they ever have before even jumping over a green lizard, it was easier than normal as the lizard was panicked as well but that did not matter to enot.
They climbed up the remaining poles with little stoping them as everything else was smart enough to not stick around until the end of the cycle but in the end they made it back to the shelter back to their ma-great friend survivor.
“Enot! I was so worried about you what took you so long?” Survivor spoke as the fear engraved on his face slowly faded instead replaced with concern.
“I’m ok surv I’m a strong independent scugy >:]” enot enforced their point by puffing out their chest and putting their hands on their hip.
“I know you are but I was worried you bit off more then you could chew-“
“oh that reminds me I got this centipede for you~ :]” enot lifted up the centipede and held it out with a wide smile no slugcat could even begin to match.
“oh thank you so much inv I was worried I’d have to sleep on a nearly empty stomach” survivor quickly downed the centipede and was about to lie down when he noticed he didn’t hear the shelter gate close.
when he looked back his fears were confirmed at the sight of enot standing at the shelter gate looking worried “e-enot why is the shelter gate not closing did you get enough food?” Survivor questioned with concern clearly lacing his voice.
enot did not respond at all “enot?” “Pls..” “enot please what? What do you need me to do?” Enot took a few seconds longer to respond than normal “pls look away” and before survivor could ask why enot turned around and took a bite out of their own tail.
“Enot what are you doing?!” Survivor screamed at enot who was busy ripping their tail apart, survivor almost threw up every time enot’s tail ripped, he couldn’t escape the horrible sounds the ripping, the crack of bones, and by far worst of all enot’s muffled yelps and cries of pain.
the sound stoped after a few more seconds survivor gathered all of his courage and looked up only to heave the second he saw half of enot’s tail hanging out of their mouth, the small piles of enot’s tail scattered around them, and blood leaking from the still attached parts of enot’s tail
“Why did you do that?!” Survivor screamed to enot as he still could barely register what just happened in front of him “… I’m sorry, I couldn’t wait I didn’t want you to see me do that but I was just too hungry” enot mumbled just barely above a whisper as they began to cry “why am I so hungry all the time”
Survivor felt bad for screaming at enot but he still had a hard time understanding why enot ate part of their own tail “I-I’m sorry enot.. for yelling at you, but why did you eat half of your tail?”
Enot looked over to survivor and stayed silent for what felt like an eternity to survivor “If I don’t eat enough my egg takes to much from me and I starve that’s also why I can eat so much and look like a skeleton the next cycle”
survivor wanted to say something but he couldn’t find the words so he just walked over to enot and sat next to them “… thank you surv” survivor licked their fur “you’re welcome enot but we’re gonna have to clean you tomorrow so your tail doesn’t get infected”
With the rain pounding against the shelter the two slug cats could not resist the instinct of hibernation and they fell asleep leaning into each other, enot blushed quite a lot but it went unnoticed among all the blood staining their fur.