Author's Note: Here's a little message for you readers. Whenever we're looking from another beast's point of view in third person (you know, she, he) Backlash will be a he, got it?

Now that I've got that cleared up- ELOCIN STOP DOODLING IN MY SCHOOLBOOK!

A Few New Friends

By: biacebaolck

Ruff, the otter, was taking a nice swim. Suddenly, he heard something go into the water. For any normal beast, it would have been hard, but Ruff was an otter, born to swim and he knew every normal and non-normal sound.

He took a deep breath, but not loud enough for whoever it was to hear. He went underwater, as silent as possible and swam to where he knew was a fallen, rotten log, big enough to hide himself behind. He did so, and saw who had gotten into the water. Backlash?

The young grey hare was swimming underwater, looking like he didn't even need to breath air at all to survive. Ruff was amazed. Slowly, but stealthily, he followed Backlash. Now, Backlash might've been able to hear Ruff if it had been on land, but Ruff had been swimming longer than Backlash since he was a kit.

Backlash stopped at the riverbank and got out, and Ruff poked his head from behind a bunch of reeds, watching the hare sighing his regret. He shook all the water loose and looked like a fuzzy grey puffball.

To suppress a chuckle, Ruff pressed a paw over his mouth and watched. Backlash used the back of his paw and wiped his forehead. He smoothed his fur until he looked like he had never gone into the water, except for the fact that he was still wet.

Ruff's eyes followed as Backlash walked along the river, searching for a shallow spot. Finding none, he walked back to where he had been and knelt down, knees and right paw on the ground, his eyes shifting, his paw out.

Ruff saw a fish swim by. It was larger than the young hare and the otter was sure he wouldn't be able to catch it. It was impossible. But, in a flash, Backlash's paw went into the water and came out, clutching the large fish's tail.

The fish struggled to get loose, nearly jumping out of his grasp, but Backlash didn't let go. Gritting his teeth, Backlash stood up and walked backwards, careful not to slip and let the fish get away. Finally, when the fish was well away from water, with no way to breath, it flopped weakly.

Backlash fell on his butt, leaning against a boulder, breathing heavily. Ruff could see it had taken almost everything out of him. He got out of the water, and shouted, "Ahoy, mate! D'ye need somebeast te help ye? Cos yore lookin' mighty tired!"

Backlash jumped, but, seeing Ruff, relaxed again. "Thanks, Ruff," he smiled. "I appreciate your concern, but I'd like to do it myself."

Ruff shrugged. "Yore funeral," he grinned. Backlash chuckled, held the fish by the tail and heaved it onto his shoulder.

When they arrived back at camp, Brocktree and Bucko were arguing. "Is anything wrong?" Backlash asked.

They turned to him. "Er, not at all.."

The three beasts watched as Backlash dropped the fish, cupped his paws around his mouth and shouted in a loud voice, "DOTTI! I GOT YOU FISH LIKE YOU ASKED!"

Dotti got up from somewhere close to where he was, and said, "Bad manners, doncha know, ruining a fatal beauty's needed beauty sleep, wot!"

"We had a deal," Backlash said, crouching down beside her. "I catch you the biggest fish I can find and you help me find a dirk." Dotti smiled.

"I always keep my promises, sah!" She reached into her haversack and drew out an old dirk, nearly rusted. "Sorry, Backlash," she looked apologetic. "But the weapon store was all out of proper weapons."

"It's ok, Dotti, and thanks for the dirk," Backlash said and began to polish, or at least try to, the blade. A few hours later while the whole group was traveling, Ruff, Dotti and Bucko could see the gray hare work furiously on his blade.

Ruff could see some of the blade shining. So could Dotti and Bucko. Smiling at each other, they stopped, waited until Backlash walked pass and shoved him lightly from behind.

"Wah!" Backlash shouted, but he got up and glared at them. "What's up with you three?"

"If we hadn't pushed ye, ye'd have been bait fore vermin, anyway!" Ruff explained. Seeing the wisdom in words, Backlash nodded and put his dirk away.

"Come on!" he shouted, suddenly running. "Let's catch up with the badger!" They did, but they took their time, enjoying each other's company. But it was Backlash's company they enjoyed the most, he understood all of their feelings as though he was both boy and girl.