yuck, muck, and bad luck

Korona panted, her chest heaving as Urtur slipped past her, his surprising agility making her stumble in the mud. She quickly scrambled back to her feet, her fur caked in the thick, sticky muck that clung to her legs. Narrowing her eyes, she saw Urtur pivot to face them once more, his old but wily strength not yet fully spent.

A low growl rumbled in her throat, not of frustration but determination. “Fast.” She muttered under her breath, her gaze shifting to her siblings. Gilda and Corsair were poised, ready to lunge again. Urtur’s glare only fueled her desire to get the upper paw, to push him to his limits as Gilgamesh suggested.

Without missing a beat, Korona shot a grin toward her father, her competitive spirit flaring at his taunt. “You got it, Dad!” She called out, pawing at the mud beneath her. She could feel the slickness but knew there had to be firmer ground somewhere. She wouldn’t let Urtur's experience get the better of her. Not today.

Deciding to embrace the mess, Korona scooped a pawful of mud and flung it toward Urtur with a mischievous snicker. "Let's see how fast you move covered in this!" she teased, the mud sailing toward him as she bounded forward to back up the distraction. If the muck didn’t slow him down, maybe their combined efforts would.
THE KRAKEN