FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Ten mustelids walk into the Burrow's front door, led by an exhausted Arron - the honey badger immediately falling on one knee as soon as he gets to his bedroom, looking up in a mute prayer. The group scatters around the top floor, Eddie letting out a heavy sigh as he picks up the T-shirt J.J. left on top of his bed before leaving the house.

"It ain't any easier, fellas..." Michael points out, looking up at the ceiling.

"So our little otter J.J. is gone. I was this close to creating a shift in this Burrow, but it seems that the long haul is not gonna be any easier. One can pull the strings all he wants, but the pool is gonna get smaller and smaller and there's only so much you can do to protect your own..."

~Eddie, 32, Giant Otter, Demolition Foreman

The giant otter taps Andrew's shoulder. "Least it worked for one of us. Between Chayne being smart and Z being... Z, we did what we could."

"Yeah, I owe ya," the polecat curtly replies, trying his best to sound earnest and brush off the thoughts of him spoiling Eddie's trust to keep Chayne in the game. Gradually all mustelids arrive in their rooms, unwinding from the day.

_"What in the world is happening? I arrived here with the highest scores, was the first to be called to get in the house, and now I find myself constantly on the bottom." *Arron is lying onto the bed, staring at the ceiling* "I'm doing all I can to stay alive, but soon this won't be cutting it anymore. I need to prove the fire I got burns stronger than all of these people's." _

~Arron, 28, Honey Badger, Firefighter

"You know what's it like when you arrive, knowing you got the highest graces and then all of a sudden it just... crumbles down?" Arron asks John, the white stoat sitting cross-legged on his bed. "I can't afford to have my first steps as a finalist being a mess, here I am..." the honey badger sighs.

"I know you got it in ya, and look at it this way - you've proved yourself when your back was against the wall. It's just some people thinking they can skate by," the jailer shrugs. "They can't best us in the normal way, so they try to be sneaky."

"Whatcha mean there?" Arron questions the older mustelid.

"I got a feeling Eddie is building his own little army against anyone who dares to oppose him, and it starts with Kenneth and you for whatever reason," John says, matter-of-factly. "Luckily, you two were able to save yourselves, but the more this goes on, the steeper the hill we'll have to run up on."

"I like to think Eddie and I are on good terms, but the more this goes on, the more I see he's planning the long run for himself and Crispin mainly. It's all about Kenneth and Arron now, but If I get deemed a threat to get rid of next, I need to retaliate." *Eddie is shown brushing his fangs, oblivious to the conversation taking place between Arron and John* "I got a wife and son I really need to win this prize for, and I'm ready to do whatever it takes and say whatever I need to say to go further in this game."

~John, 36, Stoat, Jailer

"Sure you got a point, brother, but I don't see how all of this ties up with what you said..." Arron cocks his head in confusion.

"That at least you attempted and even lifted more than guys who stayed here, you know?" John prods the badger. "Chayne did the easiest level and breezed by..."

"Yeah..." the badger ponders. "To be honest, I got no idea how Chayne avoided all of that. Me and Ken were adamant he and J.J. would be on the chopping block."

"Dumb luck, you know... You can't go hacking the system like a bitch if you can't tackle it head on." John chuckles, Arron shaking his head.

Unbeknownst to the pair, both Chayne and Crispin were within earshot of the conversation in the hallways.

"Salty, eh?" Crispin whispers to the marten.

"Let them be," Chayne scoffs. "They were the ones who made the wrong bet, not me..."

"I can see the gears turning and the excuses forming in these guys' heads. 'You are weak, you don't deserve to be here, you don't lift, and blah blah blah...'" *camera shows Michael and Kenneth bantering* "Truth of the matter is, I bested you in smarts, and if you feel you can just brute force your way out of this, you better pack up and go home..."

~Chayne, 28, Beech Marten, Bartender

***

February 26, 2020

11:00 AM

It's a quiet morning at the Burrow, most mustelids staying to themselves or chatting in small groups, going on their daily activities as they enjoy what they believe is a competition-free day. Greasy Z is giving the last touches to his new, bright red dye-job, while some others are putting in some light training or lounging on the porch.

"Whatcha think, fellas?" The hog badger enters the room, sporting the new, loud hairdo.

"Geez...don't you ever settle on one?" Michael scoffs, wiping his brow with a towel after coming in from a pretty heavy lifting set. "You gonna burn off your scalp at this rate..."

"Too late, ask me why my sides shaven..." Zakee quips, the entire room laughing.

"I thought it was cuz the scabies-"

A loud knocking on the front door interrupts the commotion. William goes to open, only to be met with Ludwig's bulky frame. "Hello there, William," he says, an impatient look on his ermine features as he makes his way in.

"What the-" William looks in confusion, before looking back and alerting the rest of the Burrow. "Guys! Guys to the entrance!"

All ten mustelids quickly dash into the living room, some still clad in their damp training clothes or casual wear. "So, guys..." the host chimes in, as soon as everyone is huddled around him, "We're about to leave for a little road trip. I'm asking you to drop whatever you're doing and go packing up for a couple days' leave." Mouths fall open as the contestants try to carve a meaning out of Ludwig's words. "The bus is waiting outside on the main court, right where it left you when you moved here."

The mustelids mostly give a blank stare, the information not yet processed in most's minds.

"Wait...where are we going, exactly? Did something bad happen?" Andrew asks, rubbing his temples. "Is this still part of the game or...?"

"Can't say yet," Ludwig shrugs, the polecat looking even more confused. A longer pause lingers. "Did I stutter? Go packing! Go go go!"

The order resounds in the room, everyone running to their rooms to fill their backpacks with everything they need. Soon enough they all start heading out of the Burrow with their bags in tow, and end loading up the white single-deck bus that had brought them to Apopka just one week earlier.

"We have no idea where we're going, we've been instructed to pack up and get out as fast as we can and now we're on the bus and waiting to get some additional intel." *the mustelids are shown sitting at the back, just as the bus gets rolling, heading out of the facility and onto a small country road* "I suppose this is another challenge for us to take. We're literally staring in the face of the unknown as we're brought out to a mysterious destination." *laughs*

~Crispin, 29, European Otter, Bouncer

Soon enough, all contestants start making up theories about their destination and the purpose of the trip. "We're going south, guys..." William immediately figures out, as the bus leaves Lake Apopka to its right. "Could we be going back to Miami?"

"If we were, we would have taken the Turnpike already," Eddie replies. "We're sorta heading west too. Could be the coast, or even the Everglades..."

"Point... think we could be heading back home to Orlando so I can check on the kids?" William jokingly replies.

"I figure that... I can't be here stuffed up with this bunch for hours without doing anything. It's time to bat the proverbial hornet's nest and see if I get things to work in my favor..."

~John, 36, Stoat, Jailer

"So, we clearly yet to discuss the feeling about yesterday, yeah?" the white stoat says to the group. "I know we expected strongmen to ace the challenge at once.. but what went on?"

"Heh, beats me. I guess it's a challenge that didn't really reward pure strength," Kenneth scoffs.

John continues the badger's thought. "Or even, ambition. I don't think the ones who wanted to excel were really rewarded."

"There he goes again with this bullshit," Chayne whispers through his gritted fangs to the otters next to him.

The long-haired badger speaks up. "Hey, Chayne, at least Arron and I did more than you, and you can't admit to your fucking shortcomings..." with John and even Michael nodding along to the statement.

"I didn't fail, or I wouldn't have passed this shit!" the marten raises his voice. "Just admit you've been outsmarted, point blank!"

"Not to rag on you, but I pretty much did lift more, or at least tried to..." Arron nonchalantly shrugs, as John and Kenneth keep ribbing on the marten.

"Regardless of what you wanted, that's how the challenge worked and I did what I had to!" Chayne raises his voice.

*the otter frowns at the cacophony* "The badgers are behaving like a bunch of fucking kids and I just... want some peace and quiet in this damn sardine can of a bus. I'm here like thinking how to advance my game, how to make sure I get voted team captain soon, you know, take this bull by the fuckin' horns..." *rolls his eyes* "And what do I got? Kenneth bitching like he always does, Arron being all passive-aggressive, John saying 'Oh you shoulda been in the duel!' when he was not even at fucking risk to go home all along and... Listen, just because Chayne did better than you doesn't mean you get to whine about it like a bitch, focus on the next challenge already."

~Crispin, 29, European Otter, Bouncer

Crispin rubs his temples, looking at Eddie, clearly bothered. "I just can't with them. This is driving me nuts..." the bouncer growls to his fellow lutrine, the discussion growing louder between most of the group.

"Heh, let 'em," the former SEAL shrugs, eyes narrowed to slits to shade himself from the sun peeking through the windows. "The longer this goes, the less attention on me and you..."

"They just ragging on Chayne, and he didn't even like..." Crispin protests, struggling to form his train of thought. "This is making me fucking mad, I tell ya..."

"Then ignore it. Focus on ya, alright? Chayne's strong as is..." Eddie assures his friend.

"You nearly fucked up myself and Arron, and if I feel it wasn't fair, of course I'm gonna speak up," Kenneth prods further. "You think you gonna coast on this BS up to the finale, but that ain't happening on my watch..."

Chayne just rolls his eyes, half-bemused. Arron ends up giving his take as well. "I'm sorry to say, but you didn't even have the form you needed to properly lift, brother. And after all that I've done, I'm the one that had to duel."

John shrugs. "Chayne, you know it's true, you didn't fulfill your shit..."

"OKAY!" A booming shout brings the booming arguments to a cold halt, from a hundred to zero in a snap. Crispin stands up from his seat and turns towards the back of the bus, a menacing stare in his eyes.

"Can you like... finally SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTHS?" he yells before pointing at Chayne. "He saved his tail when you all were too stupid to when your time came. That's what happened. That's the fact. End of the fucking story!"

Andrew and Zakee look at each other, barely containing amusement at the situation, while William and Eddie look bewildered at the level the argument just took.

*Zakee blinks, pause* "OOOOOH, shit's about to go down!" *the hog badger claps up* "And I'm on first row, who the fuck got the popcorn?"

~Greasy Z, 29, Hog Badger, Automobile Mechanic

"I'm so fucking OVER your whining and bitching, like, we know you two are in the bottom of the totem pole, you two are the weak fucking links, but why do we need to suffer you nagging the guy who used his wits to dominate y'all?" Crispin continues his loud tirade, pointing at Arron and Kenneth on their seats. "Arron, Kenneth, John, y'all do me a favor and FUCK OFF OR FUCKING SHUT UP! ALRIGHT?"

Sighing inwardly, Eddie turns toward his friend, pulling on the sleeve of his oversized T-shirt. "Cut it, Crispin," he says, the bouncer not paying him attention as he keeps shooting daggers at the rest of the group.

"Wait wait, what's that all about, Crispin?" Arron speaks up, quickly getting flustered at the huge otter staring him down, his muscles tensing up in reflex.

"You acting like a fuckin' bitch's what it's all about! Admit you went to the duel because you don't know how to fucking TAKE it like a proper badger, let alone be an Alpha!" Crispin shoots back, stepping towards the honey badger. "Y'all keep throwing hissy fits at every curve because you simply got your asses handed to ya," he bares his fangs. "But sure, okay, whatever... keep believing you're the top dogs instead of the pathetic sore losers you are."

"Hey, don't get me fucking started, Cris!" Kenneth stands up in defense of Arron, growling at the lutrine as William tries to keep him at bay. "This is a matter between me and marten dude over there. Why you even meddling?"

"Cuz you guys are acting like damn kids and I'm on my wits' end..." Crispin sharply exhales, both William and Eddie trying to keep the two at bay. "If you want to make excuses about Chayne beating you, I can say the same thing about Arron's weak ass being here instead of J.J., despite him being too stupid to get Roman numerals!" the otter keeps pointing at the honey badger, trying his best to not snap back.

"So that's how you truly think of others, Crispin, huh? Who in the world do you think you are? That's it! It's clear those two otters think they're above everyone else here, but it'll only be a matter of time until it bites those two back, okay?"

~Arron, 28, Honey Badger, Firefighter

"Oh I see how it is," Kenneth snarks, his arm wrapped around the headrest. "You're raging at us because your friend got the boot."

"You guys just didn't leave Chayne alone. Admit he bested you and live on with your shitty track here and your sad lives," the heavily tattooed otter says, slumping back in his seat.

"But we're just saying how we feel, it's just a conversation..." John adds up.

"You have been on my ass ever since we got back to the Burrow! What you mean, a fucking conversation?" Chayne speaks up, gesturing towards the group. "I know you feel like shit watching me succeed, but leave me the fuck alone!"

"John, you don't even have a horse in this race, fucking can it!" Crispin doesn't fail to throw one last jab at the jailer. Soon the discussion dies down, but the tensions still remain high within the vehicle.

"Countin' your tour buses, is this the craziest bus experience ya ever were in?" Zakee asks Andrew.

"Pffff, not even in the top ten..." the polecat scoffs, Z laughing loudly.

"I wanted to test and see whether the lines were drawn, and Crispin, my man... you just spilled all the blueprints to me, crystal clear." *chuckles* "It's time for John Blake Jr. to work his magic all the way to the top."

~John, 36, Stoat, Jailer

"I don't regret lashing out at Ken and Arron one bit. It's true, I might have let my temper get the better of me, but this is mustelid warfare, and I'm gonna fight tooth and nail to come out on top of their corpses. Those two are the most pathetic fish in the lake, they're not even worth being classified as bait for the big ones."

~Crispin, 29, European Otter, Bouncer

Meanwhile, the bus slows down onto an interstate exit, a huge, green road sign marking its obvious destination. "Seems we're going to Tampa, guys..." William motions to the rest of the group, his suspicions soon confirmed as the vehicle makes its way downtown and then towards the Sun Bay South neighborhood .

"Oooooh! Do we get to go to Busch Gardens?" Andrew beams up, a slight flick of his tail, quickly looking out the windows.

"That's the opposite way," Eddie perks his ears. "We're actually heading towards the Air Force Base, which would make sense to a degree."

"I was gonna ask how ya know, but..." Zakee shrugs, prompting a chuckle from the lutrine.

"One can say we've done a lot of military-themed tasks this far, so I can imagine them bringing us to a real military base in order to test us on a real groundfield, so to say..." *smirks* "Granted, that'd be a bit advantageous for a certain giant otter, but does he look like he's complaining?"

~Eddie, 32, Giant Otter, Demolition Foreman

Eventually, the bus stops on one side of the road, Ludwig walking all the way back across the aisle in order to address the contestants. "Okay, so, as you all have noticed, we'll be spending the next cycle here in Tampa," he says. "We're about to stop to a place where you can unwind for the night, and get some rest in anticipation of the Team Challenge which will happen tomorrow morning."

"Ya got it sir," Michael nods.

"Don't we get any hint?" Kenneth cocks his head towards the host. "Like, there must be a reason why we are here..."

"No spoilers just yet, Kenneth..." Ludwig chuckles. "Just know that we're about to bring a lot of you out of your comfort zone, so rest up and be ready."

"I have no idea why everyone's being so hush-hush about stuff, I just know we didn't come here for amusement parks and beaches and shit, so I'm here thinking... If Eddie got an advantage while being out last time, maybe there's something buried for me as well! Other than that... what's there more to Florida?" *laughs*

~Chayne, 28, Beech Marten, Bartender

The bus eventually stops in front of a small motel, many contestants sighing as they realize the extent of their accommodation. "A place where you can unwind alright..." Michael scoffs, picking up his large gym bag from the luggage van.

"Least we got a bed and some food, eh?" Chayne replies to the towering wolverine. "Not the worst motel ever, it seems..."

"Let's at least see the rooms before we jump into conclusions..." Michael shakes his head, still unconvinced. Before leaving, Ludwig motions the group to come closer, a printed sheet of paper and a bunch of room keys in his paws. "Alright, in order to avoid any complaint, we've taken the liberty to assign you your roommates while we are here..." he says. "Room 1... Armstrong and Foley," he reads, Greasy Z and Chayne stepping forward to receive their key.

"I know my buddies at home will be snickering now that Chayne and I will go solo, but it coulda gone muuuuuuch worse. Me and Chayne are used to each other and he ain't a stick in the mud like some of these guys, so I guess we'll do just fine on our own." *fails to contain laughter*

~Greasy Z, 29, Hog Badger, Automobile Mechanic

"Blake and Geib, McKnight and Viera, Marshall and Aebersold..." As Ludwig reads the various couples, Arron looks up with a pleading expression. "Oh... brother...", he mutters, paws on his hips, as he realizes he's going to room with Eddie.

"I admit, after what John Blake said and Crispin's freakout towards myself, there is... doubt... in my mind that this fate of rooming with Eddie is the best one for me at the moment. I do think Eddie's out to get me."

~Arron, 28, Honey Badger, Firefighter

_*Arron and Eddie walk into their room, immediately setting down their bags and checking out the place* "I honestly, truly, got nothing against Arron, but I just know the Crispin scene didn't do me any favors. I need to try to make peace and if it doesn't work, guess I'll just have to sleep with one eye open..." *chuckles*

~Eddie, 32, Giant Otter, Demolition Foreman_

The mustelids quickly try to get as comfortable as possible in their new bedrooms. "This looks like an escort should come through the door at any minute," Kenneth speaks up before looking at John. "And you better not be it..."

"Well you ain't a Baywatch actress either," the stoat answers in a deadpan tone. "I don't get why they had to bring us here of all places, and above all, make us sleep in a glorified rat's nest," he mutters.

"Must have something to do with the challenge. Dunno if Eddie's right with his military base theory, but there's a reason we are here," Kenneth scoffs, stretching out on his bed. "Guess we just have to wait and see."

Meanwhile in the other room, Greasy Z rummages through his hastily packed gym bag. "Shit, does anyone... I'm fucked...." he mutters, burrowing in the depths of his luggage.

"Whatcha looking for?" Chayne asks, biting his lip to suppress a laugh as the hog badger looks literally ready to tear his bag apart.

"Did ya bring an extra pair of swim trunks?" Z turns his head at his assigned roommate.

The marten shakes his head. "No, just my regular ones, why's that?"

The hog badger grunts. "Wait a sec, gonna go door knockin'..." he steps up and sprints towards the corridor, immediately going to knock at John and Kenneth's door. "Blake, Ken, need a favor...."

"What up dude?" Kenneth asks, concerned at Z's preoccupied expression.

"Do any of y'all got extra swim trunks?" the hog badger oinks.

"Nah, just mine," John replies.

"Same..." Kenneth adds, to the hog badger letting out a frustrated snort.

_"Truth be told, I did bring three that can work for water stuff, but no way in hell I'm helping freaking Greasy Zakee in this game..." *shrugs* _

~John, 36, Stoat, Jailer

Meanwhile, in a room nearby, seconds turn to what feel like centuries of awkward silence between honey badger and giant otter. Arron looks at Eddie, Eddie looks at Arron, little to say between each other.

"Dude, are we gonna keep this up for the entire stay here?" the otter eventually breaks the icy quietude.

Arron removes his boots, setting them aside from his bed. "What's there to talk about other than you thinking I'm not worthy of being here, hm?" he pointedly asks, his expression cold and uncaring.

"I'm being honest, dude..." Eddie stands up from his bed, paws crossed over his chest. "Forget whatever Crispin said, he was just trying to defend blondie from Kenny and his temper flew..." he says. "We're all stressed as is, the game is forcing us to turn against each other at the drop of a hat... but again, that's within the game and the game alone. There's no reason why we servicemen can't be civil with each other," the lutrine nods.

Arron looks up at Eddie, eventually relenting. "I'm just tryin' to watch my back. I know this show is also rewarding people for being sneaky and stuff..." he sits on his bed, legs crossed under him. "And you know I was the #1 of all at a point, and here I am losing twice and coming from a duel. It just feels... it feels like shit, alright?"

Eddie blinks, shooting a puzzled look to the honey badger. "I could say this is the first time I've heard you swear..."

Arron buries his face into his cupped paws. "Sorry 'bout that. Family back home's gonna kill me..." he sighs. "But you won't get it for now..."

"You know, and don't take this personally... don't you think you trying to keep it good with Kenneth or others in that crowd is sinking your game?" the otter asks in curiosity. "I've been in the Navy for seven years, I can recognize a team player from a ball hog. Honestly, what has he really done for you this far? Is he worth it right now?"

Arron frowns at the otter's suggestion, but tries to mask his emotions.

"He does sound honest, but after what I've seen, this could be Eddie Caprio gunning for an Oscar. But let's... entertain his train of thought a bit, let's give him the benefit of the doubt. I might be able to discover a thing or two and this could work for us."

~Arron, 28, Honey Badger, Firefighter

"What do you mean?" the firefighter attempts to ask as quizzically as he can muster.

"I mean you should start thinking about whether your allies can help you in this game, or are just using you to hide their own shortcomings. Like... way before the top 12 you were acing it, then Kenneth tried to bud up with you and now you're stalling. Just saying..."

"I do see the point... and well... maybe it is time to make more 'me' choices this time around, if I get to take them," Arron ponders.

"I'm not gonna force ya or anything, dude," Eddie shrugs, sitting closer to the honey badger. "Just saying... species aside, us two got more things in common than anyone inside here. We both have a sense of duty, a desire to serve those around us, we're both courageous to a fault," the giant otter proudly states. "I know we're meant to be rivals in this game, and I'm not asking you to ditch anyone you don't want to... but like, we can look out for each other, us two, and see where it leads, whatcha think?"

"You know, otter... it can work... " Arron lets himself smile for the first time in a while. Suddenly a hard knock on their door interrupts the pair.

"Arron, help a badger out, by any chance got spare swim trunks?" the hog badger peeks in. "Eddie not gonna bother askin', your rudder's like five sizes fatter than I am..."

"My dick sure is," the lutrine retorts with a chuckle, just as Arron is rummaging through his bag in search of his swimming necessaire.

"Can't help ya there, pig..." Arron shrugs to an eye-rolling Zakee. "Have you asked your roommate? Chayne may have a couple of thongs hangin' around..."

"Very funny, honey..." the hog badger scoffs. "Wait... roommate? Andy, right!" he says, slamming his forehead with his outstretched palm in disbelief. The mechanic promptly makes his way to where William and Andrew were rooming, not letting William to even finish his sentence before poking in to ask.

"Andy, Andy, I know ya packed your whole room in that tiny bag, do ya got an extra swimsuit in there?" The hog badger asked his fellow Texan.

"Mhm, I think so..." the polecat nods, raking through his possessions to retrieve the garment. "You lookin' forward to elude the control and head to the beach? Careful, we don't want you getting expelled..." he chuckles.

"Alright!" Zakee pumped his fist in the air, before forcefully messing Andrew's hair and roughhousing the polecat. "I know I can always fuckin' trust ya, Drew!"

"Mmmmfff..." the younger mustelid manages to mutter, his retort muffled by the hog badger's upper arm. "Imma... take it back if you don't... let me go..."

"Swear I'll give it to ya back in the Burrow, promise, thanks a ton!" Z grins before going back.

"I wonder why was he all frantic about a swimsuit?" William looked over at the startled polecat, amused.

"Who knows? Probably he wants to dive in a mud pit or the motel pool... which honestly, same thing." Andrew laughs.

"My intuition is always right. And watch it be the ONE thing I forget be the one thing I need for the next challenge or some shit! Andy, thanks for hooking a bro up, I owe ya a free oil change on me when we go back home..."

~Greasy Z, 29, Hog Badger, Automobile Mechanic

"As funny as it would be to see Z in my skimpy briefs, the least I can do is lend a hand to a pal. And with him, the first lesson you get is 'always smile and nod'." *the polecat sighs as he closes the door, turning to William* "I just hope this doesn't come to bite me back in the butt, you know?"

~Andrew, 22, European Polecat, Roadie

***

February 27, 2020

10:30 AM

61° F

Timelapse. It's the following morning, clouds scattered in the sky like after a heavy rainfall. Gusts of wind are bending the palm trees, as the camera closes in on an empty, Olympic swimming pool - its clear, pristine waters faintly glistening with the few sunrays filtering through the clouds.

The ten contestants step outside the lockers and onto the deck, already clad in their water gear despite the chilling temperature. "Aw yiss... I just knew we were gonna swim!" Zakee says out loud, now more visibly excited for the challenge.

"Of course, as soon as I step outside and see the pool, my eyes are gleaming." *Crispin looks around confidently, taking in his surroundings* "This is my chance to shine and prove I got an edge over these people."

~Crispin, 29, European Otter, Bouncer

"Come on in, guys!" Ludwig beckons the mustelids in from under the huge grandstand. As the whole group stops in front of him, he lets out a small grin. "Guys, welcome to Tampa." The group lets out a round of applause. "You might have gotten a hint of why we're here or not, but in any case... this is Water Week. Every challenge taking place in this cycle will be played inside this pool." Some of the contestants let out a big cheer, while others look decidedly more worried.

_"Listen, I'm from Montana, man. There's very little ways for me to develop swimming skills, let alone have 'em good enough to compete with fucking otters." *the wolverine stands silent, looking at the pool* "I hope there is something to play to my strength here, nab the win and get into the fucking water as little as possible." _

~Michael, 35, Wolverine, Blacksmith

"I see you all got ready for the task..." Ludwig jokes, noticing some of the contestants on the verge of shivering. "Shame we couldn't book better weather, but you'll take what we got, right?"

"Summer in Whitefish..." Michael says in a deadpan manner, looking with mild contempt at his fellow competitors.

"Hey there," William perks in. "You got the thickest skin of anyone here, of course you don't feel it!"

"Pussies..." the wolverine snarks under his breath, before turning to the host.

"Alright, guys...we gonna get to the Team Challenge in a while," Ludwig says. "First of all, though, we gonna choose captains."

"We seriously gonna go on a vote again? Ludwig, don't go joking, you better have something better in store than just these people picking whoever is popular." *camera focuses on Eddie*

~Kenneth, 24, American Badger, Roofer/CrossFit Instructor

"However," the weasel continues, "we'll run it a bit differently from the last time. Given that the challenges we've got ready for you are heavily relying on aquatic skills, I believe the best way to decide captains is to figure out who takes better to water among y'all," he says. "Who fancies a little apnea competition?"

"An anemia competition? What?" Greasy Z cocks his head.

"Apnea. We're gonna see who can hold their breath the longest, Zakee," the host chuckles, a few competitors snickering. "You'll be divided in two heats, dive in and try to stay down for as long as you can. Top two of each heat moves to the final round, which is a free-for-all," he says. "The two who get a better result in the final earn the right to pick their team. And given the challenge you're about to take, I'd be doing the choosin' rather than be chosen..."

Some of the contestants are already pumping themselves up in anticipation, while others are looking around in mild concern.

_"Heh, if these are the premises, we can already move on to the challenge." *frowns* "I know I can't compete on exclusive water challenges and come out on top when pitted against otters who do this as training, for leisure and even in their sleep! Let's hope the cards fall in my favor teammate wise..."

~William, 34, Least Weasel, Personal Trainer_

_"I don't wanna say I was born for this, but..." *flicks his rudder before letting out a laugh* "I got quite the advantage, and bet Eddie does as well. I guess it's just a matter of who we choose to pick up the slack." _

~Crispin, 29, European Otter, Bouncer

"Alright, we've drawn lots and divided you in two heats. Greasy Z, Eddie, Arron, Andrew and Kenneth will compete in the first one..." he points at the group, some of them already dangling their legs in the water, "while William, John, Crispin, Michael and Chayne will compete in the second."

"First heat, you can jump in..." The mustelids don't need to be told twice, some diving in head-first, others simply lowering themselves in the water. In a while they're all floating close to the edge, waiting for their cue to plunge down. "As soon as I sound the horn, you gonna dive in and hold onto a ledge six feet down," he says. "Again, top 2 move to the next round, so be sure to keep an eye on your competition."

The five remaining mustelids look down, commenting on what's about to happen. "Eddie's got this 200%," John shrugs. "We can move on already..."

"Eddie and who else?" Michael replies.

"See, here's my problem," *the otter is shown psyching himself up in the pool* "I know Crispin can win this and come out number one any day and so do I, but we could do a lot more damage on the same team than as opposing captains. Let's blend into the background for a while, then we can ace them as a fuckin' squad." *grins widely*

~Eddie, 32, Giant Otter, Demolition Foreman

"Alright, you guys ready?" Ludwig asks, the five mustelids nodding as a whole. "GO!" As soon as the airhorn blares, they sink under the pool's surface, stabilizing themselves against the ledge and focusing on their task.

"Everyone knows that the otters have a biological upper hand, but I do have an ace under my sleeve." *chuckles* "As a firefighter and rescue diver, I have to learn to deal with low oxygen levels as is, so when I'm focused I can take my time underwater. Hopefully enough to succeed."

~Arron, 28, Honey Badger, Firefighter

Thirty seconds pass, then a minute, but the entire group is going strong. Eventually, Andrew is the first to poke out, shortly followed by Kenneth. "Drat," the badger mutters under his breath, as he realizes he's been outlasted by the remaining three. "Arron better pull this off..."

Underwater, the three remaining competitors look at each other intently, scanning their rivals' faces in search of weakness. Eddie lets out a steady burst of bubbles, his lutrine nose reflexively clamped shut and his gaze calm and focused, while Z has his eyes closed shut to avoid the sting of chlorine.

"Two minutes," the weasel announces, the entire group watching with bated breath to see who will be the next one to give up. As everyone is expecting the hog badger to resurface, Eddie suddenly lets go off the ledge and slowly pads up to the surface, his shaven head poking through the water amidst the bystanders' surprise. "No way," Crispin mutters, his fellow lutrine looking less than impressed as he swims to the edge of the pool.

"And without warning, Eddie comes up!" Ludwig signals. "Which means Arron and Z are still in the running for captainship!" Having noticed the Navy veteran letting go, the honey badger immediately pokes Z's shoulder, motioning to go up as soon as the mechanic opens his eyes. They resurface together one second later, the entire group letting out a big cheer at the two.

Immediately, both winners turn towards the lutrine with a quizzical look on their faces. "What happened down there?" Arron asks.

"Fucking got water through my nose, got distracted and ran out of air midway..." Eddie tries to excuse himself, visibly disgusted with his showing. "Good on ya, dudes, you can say you hold breath better than a former SEAL..."

"Seems Eddie Awesome ain't so awesome, innit?" *the hog badger grins* "Time to get that captainship hat again!"

~Greasy Z, 29, Hog Badger, Automobile Mechanic

_*camera shows Michael and John side-eyeing Eddie* "I'm like...I barely can hold my laughter there. I legit can't believe they bought that BS..." *shakes his head* "I don't really want to come off as manipulative and shit, but we all got our battle plans and this is mine... now let's hope Crispin does his part."

~Eddie, 32, Giant Otter, Demolition Foreman_

Meanwhile, the second group is ready to dive down. "GO!" Ludwig says, the five mustelids immediately breaking the surface and swimming to the ledge. Unlike the previous heat, though, this immediately looks a lot less competitive - both William and Michael coming up for air before a minute has passed.

"Shit, it's cold here..." William exclaims as he shakes water off his hair.

"Only three are left, who will be the next one to drop?" Ludwig asks.

"For sure John..." Kenneth snarks, looking at the three shapes underwater. Sure enough, the stoat seems to be flailing, features scrunched as he tries to put in a few extra seconds. Eventually, he gives up shortly past ninety seconds, resurfacing with a disappointed scowl on his face, soon followed by Crispin and Chayne.

"We got our two finalists!" Ludwig says, the marten pumping his fist in elation as he realizes he's managed to outlast John. "Finally a challenge I'm trained for, Lud..." Chayne chuckles, still treading water, as contestants burst in a laugh, some shaking their heads.

"There's a legit good shot I can be the first cap to win two in a row, and if I get Eddie on my team alongside a good squad, I can start my redemption and win this game. Rock on!"

~Chayne, 28, Beech Marten, Bartender

"Alright, here's our four finalists," Ludwig comments, the four contestants filling their lungs with air as they ready themselves for one last go. "To make things more interesting, the winner of this heat will earn first dibs on the pick, so stay down as long as you can..."

"This is massive," Kenneth comments. "It means whoever gets this can snatch himself the best swimmer of the lot..."

"AKA, more power to the otters," Michael retorts, careful not to be heard by Eddie.

*camera shows Crispin getting into position* "I just know that the right to the first pick is totally mine. I'll win this, snatch Eddie's rudder and head on to an easy victory and a grand in my pocket. This is my week to showcase me at my best!" *smirks*

~Crispin, 29, European Otter, Bouncer

"Alright... Z, Crispin, Arron, Chayne, you guys ready? GO!" As soon as the airhorn blares, the four remaining mustelids submerge themselves, quickly swimming down and steading themselves against the ledge, their muscles relaxed in order to waste as little as they can of their air reserve.

"This gonna be a battle..." Andrew mumbles, peeking through the surface at the four figures underneath. The contestants are floating within inches of each other, their muzzles scrunched in concentration. Again, Z prefers to keep his eyes closed, while Crispin and Arron are shooting stealthy looks to each other every now and then.

"I'm so close to getting my one redemption shot in this game. I know if Crispin wins, the opposite team is done for, so that's what's keeping me down here. If they end up having to come rescue me, do so, but I'm not quitting."

~Arron, 28, Honey Badger, Firefighter

Eventually, just as the two-minute mark has passed, Chayne is the first to come up for air. "Those guys are fuckin' beasts..." the marten scoffs, spitting some water out of his mouth and shaking wet bangs off his face. "I was close though!" he laughs, treading towards the ladder.

Underwater, the fierce battle continues. Arron and Crispin still look relatively calm, while Z is starting to flinch. As he lets some bubbles out from the corners of his muzzle, he suddenly panics - legs starting to flail in the water, quickly depleting his strength. The hog badger turns his head left and right, seemingly confused, then darts up. His mohawked head breaks the surface a second later. "Two minutes, fifty-two seconds!" Ludwig announces. "Terrific effort, Zakee, but you've lost on captainship..." the hog badger coughs as he makes his way to the rest. "Those two down there might have gills for all I know..." he scoffs.

"Z, I know bathing is a foreign concept to you, but you'll get used to it..." John snarks, to the laughter of a couple of the guys. Zakee just shakes his body dry to the vicinity of the stoat's personal space, startling him.

"Like ya think chlorine can wipe out my musk?" the hog badger retorts. "Mighty assuming of ya..."

_"I got the pressure of the whole lutrinedom on my shoulders, I cannot relent and give out that precious first pick." _

~Crispin, 29, European Otter, Bouncer

"Arron and Crispin are your team captains, but who will win the precious first pick?" Ludwig comments. Otter and honey badger keep trading glances, their extreme focus unwavering as the clock passes three minutes, then three thirty. The firefighter lets out a string of bubbles, a burning feeling starting to build in his lungs, but he tries to keep calm nonetheless. He can see Crispin is in the same situation, both mustelids literally fighting for survival as well as the defeat of their opponent.

_"Damn... will he ever give up?" *Crispin suddenly turns towards Arron, a pleading look on his face* "Where did this come from? How can a honey badger keep up with a lutrine, and a trained one at that?" *the otter lets out the last of his air, his focus breaking as he looks up* _

~Crispin, 29, European Otter, Bouncer

"Four minutes, guys..." Ludwig says, impressed despite himself by the breath-holding skills of the two. The entire group is looking down in anticipation, trying to perceive any signal of discomfort from either mustelid. "They gonna drown themselves before giving up..." Michael utters, slightly concerned at the scene unfolding before his eyes.

Suddenly Chayne speaks up. "Wait, guys, I think something is happening..." he says, a finger pointing down.

A second later Crispin surfaces up, his confident face falling as he ends up seeing the expression in the others' faces. "Crispin comes up, which means Arron is our winner!" Ludwig says, the honey badger still holding on underwater, but resurfacing one second later as he feels the sudden movement of the water and his rival darting up in defeat.

"You gotta be..." the firefighter exclaims, taking gasps of air as he realizes the situation.

"Where did that come from, dude?" Crispin asks, treading water next to the firefighter as the two paddle towards the pool's edge.

*the camera points at Eddie, looking away* "Right now, I want to beat Crispin's ass; I'm so mad that the gamble failed and he got bested. Arron is not stupid, he knows he has to split us, and now it's all waiting and see how this will turn out."

~Eddie, 32, Giant Otter, Demolition Foreman

Ludwig addresses the group, Arron and Crispin at his side. "Alright, since we got our captains for the day..." he says, "...it's time to delve into the next Team Challenge. Today you gonna square off in an underground sport which was generated as a water confidence training activity in the military, and evolved into a competitive game that's becoming more and more popular among furs on both coasts. I'm talking Underwater Football."

The entire group gasps, some looking rather concerned at the notion, others faintly smiling. Arron is shown as he rubs his paws together, thumping his chest in anticipation of the task to come.

"I played varsity football, I keep up with aquatic species underwater... this is the one challenge I want to lead and succeed in. Crispin is about to get a good old reality check. Now who'll be at the bottom of the totem pole this time?"

~Arron, 28, Honey Badger, Firefighter

"To introduce the challenge, I took the liberty of inviting here a few furs who've worked hard to popularize this sport around Florida. Meet Seaborn Pittman, captain and head coach for the Tampa Predators of the Florida Underwater Football League..." A middle-aged walrus steps out from behind the grandstand, followed by a youngish sea otter sporting a ponytail and a porpoise with a slight limp. "His teammates Juan Carlos Germán..." Ludwig says, shaking the otter's paw. "And Alan Koski," pointing to the cetacean.

"Thanks Ludwig, glad to be here," Seaborn nods. "Me and my teammates are here to introduce you to the game and act as mentors and supporting referees for the challenge to come. Our sport is usually played by two teams of five players each, but today we'll play a simplified version with only three players on the field at any given time. The goal of this game is to carry underwater a negatively buoyant ball, like this one..." he says, bringing out one and palming it between his paws, "...and deposit it within the opposite team's goal area."

"Doing anythin' underwater where you have barely any control is scary, there is no way around it. But I was always a quick learner and more cunning than anyone around, so once I pick it up, it should be easy enough..."

~Chayne, 28, Beech Marten, Bartender

"Now, the football can be carried and passed around only below the surface," Seaborn goes on. "You may move the ball by swimming with it and handing it off, or by passing it to another team member while submerged, but once you got it in you grasp you can't come up for air. Tackles are allowed only on the player who's in control of the football." At the mention of physical contact, some of the contestants immediately perk up - the walrus silencing them with a flick of his paw. "Now I'm warning ya, guys... we're doing our best to keep it a safe environment for everyone to play, so listen up here - any form of elbowing, kicking, using your knees, choking or tackling above your opponent's shoulders will be sanctioned. A big part of this game is knowing your limits and mastering them to your best. We know what's at stake, we know how much this challenge is worth to all of you, but let's all be mindful of each other's safety down there, aight?" the walrus rhetorically asks the group. "Got any questions?"

"What kinda gear we got down there?" Kenneth immediately asks.

"Good question," Alan addresses the badger. "Originally, as Ludwig said, underwater football was played on Marine Corps bases as a way to build water confidence: hence, it was not uncommon for them to use snorkels and swim fins as proper gear," he says. "When this sport got regulated and made public, it was sorta stripped back of its bases to make it more inclusive for all - so the only equipment you need is a swimming cap and a pair of goggles or a face mask, whichever you prefer." Contestants nod along as the porpoise displays how to wear the mask. "Say, I got into it specifically because it helped me overcome my limitation - I got injured in a motorcycle accident and can't walk on my right foot for a prolonged time. But under there, it doesn't matter one bit that I can't walk properly."

"And you guys wouldn't be able to tell if you saw him move down there," Juan Carlos perks up, playfully elbowing the older cetacean. "He joined us at forty and still can keep up with the best of us, so I'd advise against underestimating him," he laughs.

"Alright, here's what we're gonna do now. You'll be divided into two teams - Juan Carlos will mentor the white team, while Alan will mentor the black team," Ludwig says, handing over a bunch of white and black swimming caps to the two guests. "Arron, you're gonna choose which team you'd rather join, then proceed with the first pick of the lot."

The badger nods, seemingly pondering over the choice as he flicks a cornrow around his finger. "Gonna go with black," he says, stepping forward to share a fistbump with Alan. "No offence to otter dude, but Alan seems like he knows his water."

"Turning down the mustelids to go with fishy there..." Juan Carlos jokingly snickers, patting Alan on his shoulder. "At your risk and peril, dude..."

Ludwig claps his hands together. "So, Arron, who are you going to p-"

"Eddie," the honey badger interrupts the host, a few mustelids taken aback by his snap decision. "Come on, it's water, he's an otter, he's two for two to date. It ain't rocket science..." he says, the lutrine coming forward and accepting the black cap from his paws, his features betraying some degree of annoyance.

"There you go." *huffs in disappointment* "I don't like this one bit, but I'm here to win first and foremost. Plus like...if this helps driving Kenneth away from Arron, I won't be complaining..."

~Eddie, 32, Giant Otter, Demolition Foreman

"And as such, the playing field evened up, and those who want to ride the otters' rudders can't anymore. The best thing? Eddie is pissed as hell. It's written all over his face." *the stoat signals to his own face before camera cuts to Eddie moving over to Arron's team*

~John, 36, Stoat, Jailer

"Alright, Crispin...who are you taking on board first on the white team?"

"Two can play at this game..." the heavily tattooed otter mutters under his breath. "Ken, come over."

"Son of a..." The badger bites his lip, stepping forward to join Crispin. The lutrine doesn't fail to shoot a knowing glance to the other captain.

"I am zero for two in these challenges, so I hope you can put together a winning team to beat them, Cris. I'm expecting you to not fuck it up after you had your little shitshow on the way here."

~Kenneth, 24, American Badger, Roofer/CrossFit Instructor

"I'm gonna pick Andrew," Arron says, taking most of the group by surprise. "Above anything else, I need chemistry in this team, and it helps that he looks like he knows his way around football."

"I swear I'm going back to the swimming challenge we had on the first day..." Crispin tells Ludwig. "Gonna go with John, he's the best swimmer from who's left and he won't back up from a tussle or two. Plus he's two for two, so either he's good or a lucky bastard, both help."

"I might have included John in my "fuck you all" speech, but I'm in rebuild mode here. I gotta beat Arron first and foremost, no matter who I gotta drag forward to get there."

~Crispin, 29, European Otter, Bouncer

"Your next pick, Arron..." Ludwig motions to the four remaining mustelids.

"I feel like, since I have Texas on my side already, I might as well complete the package and go for both..." Arron says, nodding knowingly until the one he intended to pick gets the hint. The hog badger steps forward, pumping his fist and immediately going to bro-hug Arron.

"I'm sittin' here smiling 'cause I'm sure they all be expectin' great things from me, after my showing in the apnea challenge." *chuckles* "I confess I'm way better at ground and mud wrestling than at underwater brawling. But these people don't need to know yet..."

~Greasy Z, 29, Hog Badger, Automobile Mechanic

"I'm torn because well...Chayne is a good swimmer, but he's been through a lot," Crispin ponders. The camera focuses on the marten, then on the otter again as he abruptly makes his decision. "I reckon I'll pick William," he says, the weasel mildly surprised as he comes forward to pick up the white cap.

"Ok, here's where we're at," Ludwig recaps. "Arron, you can choose one last mustelid to close up your team. Will it be Chayne or Michael?"

"I cannot believe Crispin just dead up gave me the apnea finalist on a silver platter! Come on. It adds up he is friendly with my half of the team, so..."

~Arron, 28, Honey Badger, Firefighter

"Chayne, come up here..." Arron smiles, offering the black cap. "You're gonna be a sleeper hit, I feel it."

"That means Michael will end up joining Crispin's team..."

"No surprises there," the hulking wolverine shrugs, bumping fists with the lutrine nonetheless. "We gonna catch these people by surprise, I tell ya," he then taunts Arron's team. "This squad got a few tough bastards, and down there, that'll count more than your optimal swimming skills..."

"Alright then, teams are formed," Ludwig recaps. "Arron, Eddie, Andrew, Greasy Z and Chayne with Mr Koski on the black team, against Crispin, Kenneth, John, William and Michael lead by Mr Germán on the white team," he says. "Imma give you a good hour to R&R with our guests, put on your gear and practice a bit. Be sure to be ready, because it's gonna get intense... Oh, and one more thing..." the mustelids perked their ears up at the host. "You will be also playing for a reward."

"You lettin' a few Alphas out loose in Tampa, Lud?" Z playfully rebukes, Arron immediately elbowing him.

"Actually, you're right," Ludwig answered, the lack of sarcasm in his voice taking the hog badger by surprise.

"Huh, what?" Z cocks his head, snorting.

"The winner team will be taken out for a night of partying at one of Tampa's most renowned nightclubs," the stoat says, a few contestants looking at him in shock. "Full tab, full food, full fun and dance with the hottest high energy music in Southern Florida. You won't get many chances to unwind while you're here, so I suggest to make it worthwhile... if you got it. Will you?" The crowd answers to a raucous, excited cheer. "Oh and of course, the $1000 tip to the winning captain still stands. Arron, Crispin, you better figure out how to lead your troops down there..." the stoat smirks, as the two teams unwind and get to their own benches with their respective mentors..

"Rewards so far have been mostly whatever, but this? Man I do really need that outing, no one likes a good club more than I. They might see me as a bottom feeder, but I'm going to hit them where it hurts, one hundred percent. This is the rise of Chayne Foley, guys."

~Chayne, 28, Beech Marten, Bartender

***

"So," Alan says casually, lounging in the water with a few members of the black team. "How's the impression back in that house? Who's good and who's the chore?" the guest trainer asks around, to no one in particular. Coach Pittman is keeping a lookout for the teams, offering his services for any question the competitors would have.

"Heh, I'd say John and Michael... the little white stoat and the huge wolverine there?" Andrew perks up, pointing over at where the white team was discussing strategy, all five mustelids huddled around the tan-furred otter. "They're the two I got along with the least, but like, there's almost fifteen years between them and me so it's to be expected, I guess. Not outright assholes, but kinda sticks in the mud..." the polecat says, lowering his voice without even noticing.

"The rest are fine I'd say," Z goes up to the pair, his mohawk soaking wet and sticking to one side of his head. "Crispy and Will are a fun time, and Kenneth when he shakes his shit off he's cool. It won't kill him to clean up for himself once or twice, but still..."

"Mhm, good to know," the porpoise nods along, floating on his back. "But you get what I mean. Who do we gotta fear now? Who's the strongest in the water? Who's likeliest to throw a dirty jab or two?"

"I mean, who else from the other side you see with a fat tail and webbed feet just like Ed here?" Z points at Eddie, making allusion to the other big otter in the team, Crispin nodding along to the trainer assisting the white team. "We got two born for water sports, one on each team, ba-boom, ba-boom..."

"So Crispin, huh?" Alan says, glancing over at the Californian lutrine. "Tell me more about him. He seems like a bit of a wild guy, am I right?"

"So far he's two for two, just like me," Eddie shrugs, trying to not reveal too much about his closeness to the bouncer. "Not by chance he is cap now. I'll say, he's totally solid... got some background in martial arts, combat and the like, so he's definitely going to be a threat down there."

"I see," Alan nods, biting his lip. "I reckon they gonna rely on him a lot, so we should retaliate accordingly. Eddie, you're the other big guy, I want you to keep on him as much as you can... tackle him hard as soon as he gets the ball and make sure he's forced to give up possession. Can do?"

"You betcha," the giant otter nods, a hint of worry crossing his features.

"I know it's only natural that I am pitted against Cris. Big, tough otters who know their way around water and can dominate in a tussle." *Eddie is shown peeking at his opponent as he swims back and forth, a focused look on his face* "It don't matter shit that we're pals out here. We can be close, we can help each other, but we can't share this title. If that means I'm gonna deal him a blow or two, I'm 100% ready for it."

~Eddie, 32, Giant Otter, Demolition Foreman

Meanwhile, the white team had similar plans to their rivals, also conditioning themselves as well as talking about the other mustelids on the side.

"So Arron's been on the bottom a lot and now he's cap? Geez..." Juan Carlos says, leaning against the wall of the pool.

"Third time's the charm, or so they say," Crispin grins. "Maybe a loss as a captain can really shake things up for him."

"Hey now..." William interrupts the lutrine, noticing a slight scowl on Kenneth's muzzle. "We should not underestimate the guy. He was top of the class during the selection process, and you've just seen for yourself that he's no slouch underwater..."

"Heh, but what can you do if results line up as they have, Will?" Crispin shrugs. "Now, I want y'all to take deeper breaths than that, we need to stay down longer than them, right?"

"I thought I was supposed to order the team around," Juan Carlos says with a smirk. "But yes, competition aside, how is it living with ten other strangers? Mike?"

"It has its moments," the wolverine scoffs, a muscular arm tightly clutching the pool's edge. "Would be a lot better if I didn't have to clean after their messes or put the weights back where they go every time we use the weight room..."

"I don't think Z would like you talking about him like that..." John comments sarcastically, making the wolverine shoot a laugh.

"Z? Who's Z?" the trainer asks, discreetly looking at the other team.

Michael sneers. "The piggy with red hair and that shit-eating grin stuck on his muzzle," he looked at the hog badger, who was currently roughhousing with Andrew.

"I think that anyone's gonna look at him and ask can he really be a model mustelid," John tells his trainer. "Cuz he really can't handle just bein'... normal, at an outing."

"Uh-huh," Juan Carlos nods. "Well, there's your chance to get back at him, right?" he says. "Make sure he doesn't even see the ball out there."

"Bet he won't get a chance, we all kinda hate him anyway..." John says, a grin forming in his muzzle, unaware of whoever was in his earshot.

"I don't like this one bit, Ken..." William shakes his head as he whispers to Kenneth, stoat and wolverine going at length about others. "They're setting themselves up for failure because they dislike whoever. We need to focus on Eddie and Arron there... they gonna be leading the charge, not Z. Not to mention the storm this'll cause at the house."

"Why do you care, dude?" the badger retorts, waving dismissively. "He's not on our team, and if he means to go ballistic at us, all the better for everyone not named Z..."

"But don't you think we should take a step back and see how it really is?" the weasel replies. "And well, do you think the winner of this show would be a backtalker like those two? Their mouths will hand their own asses to them."

"They'll get their own comeuppance in time, don't worry about that," Kenneth says. "But if I can draw attention away from myself, you can bet your ass I'm gonna do it. And don't worry about their own threats, I'm gonna prove myself where it's worth..."

William flicks his tail. "You got the goods, Ken, but you probably need to unwind a bit," the weasel chortles. "You're too young to be that uptight, says the one ten years your senior."

"Aw shush... I'm not uptight, I'm focused," the badger chuckles. "I'll have a lot more fun once we start winning on the regular."

"Whatever you say," William says, going back to his designated trainer. "By the way, your swimsuit's riding up, cheeks..." he points out, Kenneth immediately bending over backwards to fix his own undersized swimming trunks.

"I know what Will's trying to do, and... eh, he's just a damn softie. I'm just focused because I really want to win this, and I can't budge until" *the badger swims out in earnest, diving deep to recover the ball, then tossing it to the weasel* "I know this strong front I've been putting has had some people targeting me, but there's like a whole fucking ton of frustration at play. Overall, this can really... change my life in more ways than you think, and no amount of 'loosening' can change my luck, I think."

~Kenneth, 24, American Badger, Roofer/CrossFit Instructor

***

The underwater camera pans over the field, stopping inches from the saltwater-filled football sitting on the bottom of the pool, midway between the two goals. Juan Carlos and Alan have donned full scuba gear and are floating along the walls, surveying the entire field.

"Alright, we playing to three," Seaborn says, nodding to the mustelids already in the water. "Just as a reminder, you're all asked to take part in at least one set - so if you sit out the first, you're playing the second. Who you pitting for round 1, Arron?" the seal asks the honey badger, who's barely managed to stuff his tight cornrows under his team's black swimming cap.

"Mr. Seaborn, I'm going with Andrew..." Arron looks to his right, then to his left. "And Eddie." the giant otter and the honey badger say in unison. "Can't really keep him outta this..." the firefighter says casually, avoiding to acknowledge his teammate's intermission.

"So Arron, Andrew and Eddie for the black team," Seaborn nods. "Crispin, who you sending?"

"I'd rather kick this off with Kenny and John alongside me. No offense, guys," he says, turning towards William and Michael. "They're sending their first picks, guess it's fair we go with ours."

"I'm not exactly dying to go down there against Eddie and Arron, so Crispin's plan sits well with me." *Crispin is shown fastening on his goggles, floating near the wall as he gives the last pointers to his teammates* "As long as everyone pulls their weight, we're gonna do just fine."

~William, 34, Least Weasel, Personal Trainer

"Alright...Team White, Team Black, y'all ready?" Ludwig says, all six swimmers grunting affirmatively as they fill their lungs with air. "GO!"

As soon as the airhorn blasts, the six swimmers break away and dive in, easily reaching fourteen feet down with a few hard kicks. Crispin is quick to scoop the ball from the bottom, but Eddie is immediately on top of him - grabbing around the bouncer's middle and pulling him down to the bottom in an effort to sap his energy. The younger lutrine manages to lunge the ball towards John, who starts dolphin-kicking towards the goal with Arron on his tail. It doesn't take long for the firefighter to reach the jailer and roughly grasp him from the back, trying to yank the ball away from his paws as he quickly overpowers his opponent. About to run out of air, John is forced to drop the ball and kick to the surface in order to fill his lungs, just as the honey badger gets possession and starts padding in the opposite direction with a determined grin on his face.

Arron swims forward in a slow, deliberate pace, hoping to attract the opposing team on himself. As soon as he spots Crispin and John ready to pounce on him, he tosses an underhand pass to Eddie - the former SEAL grabbing the ball and immediately diving towards the deepest end, floating on his back to keep an eye on his competition. As soon as he's about to toss the ball towards the goal, Kenneth collides with him at full force - the two mustelids brawling into the deep end for a few long seconds before they both have to come up for air.

As the struggle between the two teams goes on, the head trainer eventually ends up talking with the ones left out, permitting himself to drop any allegiance and get a feel of how everyone felt. Spotting the red-mohawked hog badger sitting next to the blond marten, he resolves to address him first.

"How's it looking, fellas?"

"Sorta scary," the mechanic utters, nervously biting a nail as he watches the six players coiled in a seemingly dangerous tangle near mid-field, Crispin and Arron poking out a second later to get one of their rare breaths. "We're matched up pretty evenly, I'd say..."

"Right on..." the trainer shrugs. "Say, I didn't tell ya anything, but some of these guys do have mighty strong things to say about ya, huh?"

"I mean, dude..." Greasy Z says. "We aren't exactly a group of churchboys. And I know some people here have had it against me since day one... no surprise there, really."

"Yeah, but if you're the most disliked one in the house, it is best to wise up and listen, no?" the elder nods.

"What you're talking about, sir?" Chayne turns his head. "Zakee here's the chillest badger ever. We're rooming together back at the Burrow and he's 100% fine," he says, earning an appreciative oink from the Texan.

"That's not what they're saying? At least not what I heard from the older stoat," Seaborn replied.

"Lord, John's being fucking ridiculous again," Zakee huffs. "And this time to the guest stars... what the hell, Chayne?"

"It's pretty obvious they have it against him because he don't fuck with him," the marten scoffs, twirling a hair strand around his finger. "If you don't fit their mold, they rather just talk behind our backs and shit. They're old, bitter, whiny... assholes, lack of a better word."

"Listen, I don't give a fuck whatever anyone has to say 'bout Greasy here, but going out of your way to badmouth me to the guest stars? Like a high-school chick? That's pretty low. Johnny boy, best believe you're able to back your shit up and say it to my face."

~Greasy Z, 29, Hog Badger, Automobile Mechanic

A few feet down, the action is getting more and more frantic. Kenneth kicks forward, ball in hand, tossing it to Crispin as soon as Andrew's shadow appears over him. The otter dives deep to escape his chasers, all three players on the black team ready to tackle him. In the ruckus that follows Eddie glides over his friend, grabbing around his legs to stop him from kicking forward. They tussle hard in the deepest end of the pool, rudders entwining as they trade blows in a bid to overpower each other. Arron is all too eager to join the battle, adding to the veteran in his effort to wrestle the ball away from the bouncer's grasp.

Eventually Eddie has to dart to the surface, leaving Arron to wrestle off Crispin. Knowing his air reserve is about to be depleted, the otter redoubles his effort to shake the badger off - him managing to drop his opponent with a kick, then gliding towards the goal and dropping the ball in with the last of his strength before shooting up to the surface.

"Crispin scores for the white team!" Ludwig announces, Seaborn's whistle signaling the advantage. One by one, all players resurface - Kenneth and John immediately swimming towards their captain in celebration, just as the lutrine raises a paw towards the bench.

"Medical!" the host calls immediately, Dr. Paul rushing towards the edge of the pool as Crispin swims closer, tossing away cap and goggles. Sure enough, the lutrine is losing blood from a gash on his right temple, clearly dealt by a claw of an opponent during the underwater brawl.

"I'm fine, it's all good," Crispin says between pants, waving to the crowd. "But it won't kill ya to trim your claws every other week..."

"First round, the very first round and we need to roll out the paramedics. This game is nothing short of savage."

~John, 36, Stoat, Jailer

"Aight, we gonna get this cleaned and bandaged," Dr. Paul deliberates, as one of his assistants wipes off the gash with some liquid disinfectant - Crispin barely flinching at the burn. "It won't do you any harm to sit this one out, so that your heart rate slows down a bit and you stop bleeding..." the canine doctor urges the otter. "And everyone else, be careful down there. I know there's a lot at stake, but you don't need to fuck it up for yourself and your team."

Crispin looks around, meeting John's gaze. "You feel like going a second time while I recover?"

"Yeah, I can do that," the jailer nods.

"It'll do well to save myself for future rounds," the lutrine says, bumping fists with the stoat. "Hold the fort while I'm out, alright?"

The game resumes immediately - William and Michael coming in for the white team, while Greasy Z and Chayne join up forces with Eddie on the black team. As soon as the horn blasts the demolition foreman dives to the bottom like a torpedo, immediately fending off John's assault as he grabs the ball with his left paw.

"This game is wicked because you can't communicate with your teammates - you can only poke your head out to take a breath, and you need to sync it up with the rest of the team to ensure you don't get overpowered down there." *William is shown popping to the surface and drawing a big breath before diving back in* "Of course, the longer you stay down there, the more chances you have to draw out the action."

~William, 34, Least Weasel, Personal Trainer

It's clear Eddie's superior swimming skills are unmatched by any of his opponents. The lutrine easily powers through the white's defense, inch by inch lunging towards the goal with strong kicks of his powerful thighs. Michael grasps the lutrine's midsection in a bear hug, hoping to deplete his air reserve - but Eddie pushes forward as if it was nothing, essentially dragging the wolverine's body towards his own goal until he's forced to let go.

"If this was the ground, I would throw Eddie's ass to the curb in three seconds flat, but I'm feeling like a complete fucking alien here. Goddamnit." *the wolverine is forced to watch helplessly as Eddie dolphin-kicks, his paws put forward in a hydrodynamic position, tossing the ball towards the net a second later*

~Michael, 35, Wolverine, Blacksmith

"And just like that we're tied! 1-1!" Ludwig yells, the rest of the black team yelling in celebration as the otter resurfaces inches from their bench, pumping his fist in the air with a bellowing roar.

"You try to mess with me in my element, come on, Mikey, I dare ya." *Eddie cocks his head, grinning* "You're welcome, buddy."

~Eddie, 32, Giant Otter, Demolition Foreman

Meanwhile, John dog-paddles towards the other team's bench, holding his left paw in clear pain as he points towards Z. "You fucker," he says, clearly pissed off at the hog badger. "What do you think you're doing, coming at me like that?"

"Uh, what? What's up, John?" Zakee asks.

"You jammin' my fucking finger, that's what's up," the stoat groans, as Dr. Paul steps in again to check his hand.

"Hey, I didn't do nothin', you just don't know where the pool walls are." Zakee scoffs. "Did I do something wrong down there? Seaborn? Ludwig?"

"This is the last warning, guys," the seal steps in, making sure both teams are listening. "You're welcome to go rowdy, you're welcome to give all you got, but be mindful of your opponents when underwater. Don't want doc to step in again, right?"

"I knew this game was going to be savage, not that it was gonna be dirty." *the stoat curses under his breath as he pulls his body out of the pool, sitting on the edge with an angry scowl on his face* "I don't know why Z is even here in the first place, he does not deserve it."

~John, 36, Stoat, Jailer

Teams are reshuffled as Ludwig calls in for round three: Andrew comes back for Chayne, while Crispin and Kenneth dive in alongside Michael - the bouncer having had his wound treated and bandaged with some waterproof tape. It's otter versus otter again as Eddie and Crispin dive for possession, the two lutrines grasping the ball at the same time and immediately getting to tug and yank it in their direction. The SEAL veteran is the first to drop, wrapping his arms around Crispin's body as he clings to his back like a feral koala - dragging the bouncer with him down to the bottom with his superior strength.

"So, I know I ain't going anywhere with 220 pounds of Eddie hanging on to my back. Soon as I see an opening for Kenneth, I know what I gotta do." *Crispin is shown tossing the ball in the badger's direction, Eddie immediately dropping him as the two lutrines dart towards the surface*

~Crispin, 29, European Otter, Bouncer

Kenneth swims towards the left of the field, trying to mimic the otters' strong dolphin kick. He's nearing on the goal when Andrew and Z close on him, the Texan couple giving each other a knowing wink as they get ready to pounce on the roofer. The badger lets out a bubbly cry as he sees the two mustelids jumping on him, blindly tossing the ball to his right. Michael, who has been left alone by his opponents, can't believe his eyes as he gets possession at mere inches from the unguarded goal - the hulking wolverine diving down in a frenzy and dropping the ball in the goal before his opponents even notice what's happened.

"And the white team pulls ahead!" Ludwig says, John and William looking at each other in disbelief as Michael emerges victorious, struggling to believe he's managed to score. "One more and team Crispin gets it!"

_"Kill 'em with awareness, it seems. I just saw I was open while they was busy in the attack and hauled ass there. The wolverine's gonna show them otters up!"

~Michael, 35, Wolverine, Blacksmith_

"So the rounds I'm in are the rounds my team loses." *huffs* "I can't let them think I'm the weak link, not after the last team challenge. This is not good for my game, I need this team to win."

~Andrew, 22, European Polecat, Roadie

The horn blasts again as a new battle begins, the black team employing a new strategy as Arron dives in for the ball while Eddie immediately darts to wave off Crispin. Ironically enough, the honey badger is soon pushed back by Kenneth - both couples of friends suddenly forced to deal blows to each other for their own team's sake.

"Kenneth is tough as any badger I've ever met, and even though water ain't his field, there's no way to shake him off as he comes at you with full force." *camera shows the younger badger colliding with Arron, lunging for the ball in his paws as the firefighter tries to swim away* "I love the brother, but I want that grand more. Come at me, try stealing this ball, and we'll see who can stay down the longest."

~Arron, 28, Honey Badger, Firefighter

The two badgers keep wrestling and barrel-rolling against each other at mere inches from the pool's bottom, neither daring to give up their grasp on the football. Eventually, just as Arron predicted, Kenneth is the first to run out of his air reserve: he abruptly darts up to the surface to catch a breath, the firefighter following him a second later after tossing the ball back to Z.

The mechanic treads water awkwardly a couple feet down the surface, fearing he'll get overpowered by someone before he can reach the goal. With the corner of his eye he spots Eddie, who has managed to elude Crispin's tight marking, and blindly tosses the ball in his direction just as William is about to pounce on him. The giant otter abruptly changes direction underwater, reaching the ball with his left paw and then diving to the bottom like a brown-furred blur. Moments after, he drops it into the white team's goal, pushing up with a single strong kick of his rudder a second later. He screams out his elation as soon as his short-furred head breaks the surface, rippling chest muscles strongly heaving as they fill with fresh air after a three minute dive.

"Black team ties up the score!" Ludwig yells, much to Andrew and Chayne's enthusiasm. "Holy shit, Eddie's a damn monster..." the marten whispers to the polecat, looking in sheer admiration as the lutrine jumps out of the water with little effort.

"My chances to turn my fate in this game are pending on this one play." *the badger is shown as he treads water near the black team's bench, setting up the play for the final round* "If I lose this one, my way's over."

~Arron, 28, Honey Badger, Firefighter

"I mean, it's Eddie Awesome, of course he's going to dominate in water, I'm pretty sure he got gills and all. But if that's what finally nets me a win, I'm perfectly good with that. The ill wishes come when he's the opposite of me." *laughs*

~Chayne, 28, Beech Marten, Bartender

"This is the one, who should we send?" Michael whispers to Crispin, the captain pondering between the five of them. "You already went three times, man."

"They're sending the same lineup as the last round, though. I don't think that matters, Mike," Crispin scoffs. "We need to go all in, 'cause they gonna pull all the stops to take this one. Besides," he adds, pointing towards Eddie, "their own rudder hasn't skipped a single one."

"We can use that to our advantage, sure as hell he's done for," Kenneth speaks up.

"I think I got it. Mike, I need you to pull that clutch again, they won't see you coming. John, you've been solid, and bet they will target you as much as me. Will, Ken, I fear Arron and Z got your numbers... How's your finger going, John?"

"Like it never happened in the first place..." the white stoat grins.

"Alright, guys..." Crispin nods. "It's me, John and Mike. I'm gonna go for the ball and try to get an opening, you just try keeping the badgers off me. Eddie I'll deal with myself..."

"Feels like I got the weight of my entire team on his shoulders, but that's how the cards fell and I'm not gonna back down from this challenge." *the otter is shown fastening up his goggles* "Both Eddie and me are in our element, but if I got to play dirty to get the upper hand on him, you can bet your ass I'm gonna go for it."

~Crispin, 29, European Otter, Bouncer

"Alright, y'all ready?" Seaborn calls, both teams nodding along. "The one who takes this point wins the challenge. Go!"

All six players dive down, Eddie recovering the ball then immediately tossing it to his left into Arron's paws. The badger starts kicking towards the far side of the field, but he's soon caught up by Crispin - the bouncer easily snatching the ball from the firefighter's claws, then darting off in the opposite direction as Arron is forced to resurface for a breath. Around midfield he passes the ball to John, who easily twists his body around Z's before being stopped by Eddie.

"All the guys in here have been playing at least three rounds, so fatigue is playing its toll on both our muscles and lungs." *John is shown as he resurfaces, taking a huge gasp before diving back in* "Guess it comes down to who got the most left in his tank. This challenge is separating the Alphas from the wannabes, and I'm 100% here for it."

~John, 36, Stoat, Jailer

The stoat's words ring true as both teams seem to be on the ropes, pauses between an action and the next becoming more and more frequent as the players keep coming up for air. This shows a lot when Greasy Z is left open with possession, the hog badger kicking his way through nearly the entire length of the pool before giving up the last of its air a few feet away from the goal. As he pushes up with what little strength he got left, John is quick to recover the ball from the bottom and start his own push towards the black team's goal, only to be confronted by Arron a few moments later.

Meanwhile Crispin has his fangs bared at Eddie, the bouncer struggling to pin the older otter with his rudder in order to keep him out of the action. The NAVY veteran looks around, trying to spot his teammates across the pool, then lunges back - curling his own rudder around Crispin's midsection in order to squeeze out what little air was left in his lungs. Careful to not be spotted by the refs, the European otter hooks his claws under the hem of Eddie's speedo, trying to drag him away from the goal as he pulls him in the opposite direction.

Eventually, Seaborn calls out a foul on both lutrines, as only the player in possession of the ball can be tackled underwater. As soon as the next play starts, Eddie immediately lunges at Crispin to retaliate, the bouncer ducking under him and going for the ball instead. His paws put forward, he starts dolphin-kicking his way along the bottom as Eddie, Arron and Z try to pull closer.

"I'm desperate to pull close to Crispin. My legs are on fire, my throat is stinging, but I got just one thought in my mind." *Eddie is shown as he swims past Crispin, putting a webbed paw on the ball and snatching it from his opponent's paws* "Catch him before he scores."

~Eddie, 32, Giant Otter, Demolition Foreman

Eddie tosses the ball to Arron before shooting up to take a breath, confident in the honey badger's ability to set up a play. As soon as he resurfaces, he looks around trying to spot Crispin, soon realizing he hasn't come up with him. Watching down, he sees the tattooed lutrine nipping at Arron's heels as the badger glides towards his door. "Fuck," he curses under his breath as he dives back in.

Arron looks back in surprise as he feels Crispin's shadow pulling closer. He kicks with all his might towards the goal, smiling inwardly as he realizes the lutrine is falling further behind. Michael tries to stop the honey badger from pulling closer to the goal, but to no avail as the firefighter easily zips past him and tosses the ball into the net.

"And the black team wins the challenge!" Ludwig yells, Andrew and Chayne dive bombing into the pool as soon as they realize their captain has scored the winning point. Arron is quick to swim back to the shore, bumping fists with both Eddie and Z as the winning trio paddles back to the rest of their team.

"AHAHAAAA!" *the badger fist-pumps* "I got the redemption I needed, and there's no more Arron at the bottom again. This is the start of my path to victory. Lord, praise ya!"

~Arron, 28, Honey Badger, Firefighter

Team Challenge #3, "Underwater Football"

Cameras are focusing on the black team celebrating, waiting for both teams to recover and shoot the closing sequence, when a piercing scream gets everyone to turn their heads. "MEDICAL!" Juan Carlos yells, resurfacing with Crispin's limp body under his arm. "Get here now, he's passed out!"

All mustelids watch in shock as Dr. Paul and his assistants jump in, Seaborn helping the young paramedics to lay the lutrine onto his back and tilting his head backwards in order to clear his airway.

"What the hell's happening?" William whispers to Kenneth.

"I don't fucking know, dude..." the roofer shakes his head, paws shaking uncontrollably as the canine doctor proceeds to administer a rescue breath.