[GrayGriffin]

From what she could see, they were both scratching each other up real badly, brightly colored blood leaking into the ocean around them. As they continued tumbling around, she noticed with vague interest that their blood was the same color-a blue that would have blended with the water if it wasn't for the faint glow that it gave off. Neither of them seemed to notice, too wrapped up in mauling each other as brutally as they could.

[GrayGriffin]

The two flipped over in the water again, and Nutina finally lost her grip on Rewhister's mane. She was flung away from the grappling pair, spinning around in the water as the kinetic energy she'd gathered caught up with her. Before she could get her bearings, she found herself slammed into a nearby rock formation, before plopping down on a ledge beneath it, her head still spinning. She stayed there for a while, just trying to get her wits about her.

[GrayGriffin]

Slowly, as the world came back into focus, she watched as Rewhister and the Kuhna continued their battle. From this vantage point, she could better see just how much they were churning up the water around them. It was a shock she hadn't been sucked into one of those surrounding currents and spat out.

She'd expected to see some reaction from Rewhister when he noticed she was gone, but as she watched he simply continued on with the fight.

[GrayGriffin]

As she rubbed her paws slowly together, trying to get some circulation back in, the currents around the two started getting stronger and stronger. Some of the surrounding rock formations started crumbling at the currents tore through them, sending pieces flying every which way. Neither of them seemed to notice or care, even as the rocky pieces whirled dangerously close to their heads. They were far too much caught up in trying to tear each other apart.

[GrayGriffin]

Finally, one of the currents slammed Rewhister into one of the stone columns, which began to crumble almost instantly. Nutina, who apparently still hadn't been noticed missing, had had enough at this point. Despite the remaining stiffness in her joints, she pulled herself up with a growl, shifting into her mermaid form to have a larger presence. Flicking her tail, she took off towards the two battling ocean guardians.

"STOP!" she screamed, holding out both her arms.

[GrayGriffin]

At the sound of her shout, they both actually stopped, turning to stare at her. Their claws were still embedded in each other, but the Kuhna pulled its teeth free from Rewhister's chest to speak up.

"Who are you?" asked the Kuhna rudely.

"Nutina? Where did you come from?" asked Rewhister. He actually pulled a claw free of the Kuhna's side to rake it along his head, starting in shock when he couldn't feel her there.

[GrayGriffin]

"I got knocked off your head and you didn't even notice!" she snapped at him. "I could have died and you just kept on fighting! Plus, look at what your fighting is doing to this place!" She gestured at all the damaged stone columns around her. "Aren't you supposed to protect the ocean? Both of you? But look at all the damage you've done!"

"Nutina, I'm so sorry-" exclaimed Rewhister. She shook her head, sticking her arms together in an "X" position.

"Don't apologize to me! You two just keep fighting instead of talking to each other! I bet this could be resolved if you weren't so automatically hostile at each other!"

[GrayGriffin]

"Excuse me?" asked the Kuhna, baring its teeth. "You are a companion of this faker, and you dare to lecture me?" It tried to start towards her, but Rewhister sank his claws into its tail and pulled it back. As they struggled, she continued on.

"Yes, I dare!" she snapped. "If you're so concerned about protecting the ocean, maybe you shouldn't go on to damage it like this! I bet you've also messed up the natural currents a bunch!"

[GrayGriffin]

"How would you know? You're not a guardian!" exclaimed the Kuhna, sounding closer to desperation than actual disbelief. Rewhister frowned, tugging them closer as gently as he could with those talons of his.

"But you are, supposedly. Now focus and feel." The Kuhna frowned, but stopped struggling, closing its eyes for a long time before opening them again.

"...you're right," they said at last. "This struggle...has been too damaging to this place." Then they frowned up at Rewhister.

"But it's probably your fault!"

Nutina facepalmed.

[GrayGriffin]

"No!" she yelled. "This is both your faults! Either of you could have tried to stop this fight before it got so bad! In fact, Rewhister kept trying to restrain you! He didn't start getting so aggressive until your attack nearly hit me!"

"Rewhister is my name!" hissed the Kuhna. However, their ears soon drooped after that. "And...and if I'm not the guardian of this ocean, do I have any purpose? Don't-don't take even my name from me!"

[Wild Pet Found]