"Although I do want to eat him because he is a fish" When I heard that line in the new episode, I knew that something would have to be written. I just can't pass up the opportunity to write about something like that, especially with Tigerclaw.
Fishface glanced warily at the tiger who stood in back of him as the Foot mutants were gathered in a rare moment of casual conversation. He swore that he could sense the big cat staring at him from behind, and the feeling he got from the gaze would have made his hair stand on end, if he had had any. But as soon as Xever turned his head, Tigerclaw's head moved back towards Bradford as the two of them were seemingly deep in a conversation about various martial arts and other facets of being a warrior. Xever scoffed and rolled his eyes, the two mutants could be so full of themselves, calling themselves "warriors". Tigerclaw could make that title work, but Xever didn't think Bradford nearly competent enough for it. He himself was no warrior, in all honesty he just liked beating stuff up.
Before he could butt into their conversation with a sarcastic comment, he shivered as he once again felt the almost predatory gaze of Tigerclaw on the back of his head. Turning to catch him in the act proved futile as Tigerclaw was still facing Bradford as soon as Fishface turned around. He shrugged his shoulders dismissively, to ward off his freaked out senses, and turned to leave the room. Honorable warrior and 2nd in command for Shredder or not, Tigerclaw gave him the creeps. There just seemed to be something wrong with that cat.
As he talked with Bradford, who he found was knowledgeable in conversing about fighting strategies and the nuances of being a mutant warrior in the world, Tigerclaw couldn't help it as his gaze wandered to the other Foot mutant in the room, who was standing rather quietly to himself. His one-eyed glare bore into the back of the fish-mutants head, and he had to try hard not to drool, and to not lose his dignity. Quickly turning his head as Fishface turned back, no doubt feeling his intense gaze, Tigerclaw admonished himself for acting so primitive. Much as he knew that Xever was an ally, and a capable fighter, his senses all thought otherwise. To his nose, Xever smelt of fish and prey and food, even when he looked at him, Tigerclaw had to struggle to see past the fishy exterior and remind himself that he was looking at an ally. Thinking of this, his head turned once more towards the pink-scaled mutant, and this time as he stared he made the mistake of breathing through his nose. The smell that reached him, had an instant instinctual effect, giving his remaining eye a predatory glint, and his muscles all tensed as if in preparation to pounce. He saw Xever shiver under his stare before he shook his head to clear it of these predatory thoughts, and turned quickly back towards Bradford, who met his eye with a cocked head and look of curiosity. Neither of them broke eye contact as Xever left the room, seemingly heading back to the throne room for the night, although they could both tell that Xever was leaving in fear.
As soon as the two mutants could no longer hear the mechanical foot-steps Bradford turned to Tigerclaw, a gleam of curiosity still in his eyes. "What was that all about?"
Tigerclaw, his face the emotionless mask of any hardened warrior, simply replied, "Nothing."
Bradford grinned, replying, "It looked like you were ready to attack Xever, not like I'm complaining, though."
Tigerclaw shrugged, replying straightforwardly, "It can be hard to resist attacking him. To me he smells like prey."
Bradford's grin shifted to smirk when Tigerclaw said that, "Xever's low on the food chain in all sorts of ways. I don't even know why the Shredder keeps him around." He paused, considering, before turning back to Tigerclaw, saying, "Well, if you ever actually do end up eating him, I won't think worse of you. Then at least Xever wouldn't be able to annoy me anymore."
This brought a small smile to Tigerclaw's face, but he was sure that he wouldn't be eating Xever any time soon. Probably.
R&R, until next chapter.