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Whistle-Click is halfway into their rest cycle when they are interrupted by a tap on their mental web. The touch is familiar enough that Whistle-Click doesn’t even have to reach out to investigate, not that they would have time to do so, before the extremely familiar thoughts of Three-Stomp invade.
‘Wake up wake up wake up’ Three-Stomp demands, each thought accompanied by another tug on the web.
‘Better be important’ Whistle-Click reaches back.
The responding thoughts hit so hard that Whistle-Click almost reacts physically.
“New Salamandrian marital ritual recording.”
That’s all Whistle-Click needs to know before they are mentally reaching out to search other webs.
It’s not that they are obsessed with Salamandarian ritual combat, they are just fascinated . Extremely fascinated . The fights are just so physical in a way unlike anything Whistle-Click is used to. The movement, the audible words, the touch. It's all very alien and very interesting.
Luckily Whistle-Click is not the only one to feel this way, Salimandarian rituals have become very popular among others of similar hatch times. Some older clutch groups find them distasteful but personally Whistle-Click thinks it’s a very old fashioned opinion. A cursory search into other webs quickly finds another being who is actively watching the recording, saving Whistle-Click the hassle of using their eyes and letting them just tag along for the other’s watch. They feel Three-Stomp settle on the edge of their web to watch as well.
Very quickly Whistle-Click gets why Three-Stomp was so excited for this match.
It is clear (despite what the being whose eyes Whistle-Click is watching through thinks) that one of the opponents is not a Salamandarian. It is much smaller than the typical Salamandrian and its protective spine cover seems to be organic rather unlike most Salamandrian armor. The red markings that cover the upper part of its head and end in small red tendrils are just another thing that sets it apart. At first glance Whistle-Click can’t determine the species but small details like that are unimportant.
It’s a fight between a Salamandrian and an alien. A marital fight. Whistle-Click is sure that this recording will be seen by everyone in their hatch age within a cycle.
It takes a lot of Whistle-Click’s mental energy to stay a quiet observer on the edge of a web, even more so when the Non-salamandrian denies weapons.
No weapons, meaning that the fight however it will be is going to be physical. The alien and the Salamandrian fight so fluidly, they fit together and apart and move in a way that resembles beings on a shared web rather than actions occurring between physical forms. It’s almost hypnotizing.
They seem equally matched based on the many fights Whistle-Click has observed, and it takes quite a while before the Salamandrian finally knocks down her opponent.
‘That was a good fight’ Whistle-Click sends down Three-Stomps’ web.
‘It’s not over yet’ Three-Stomp responds and Whistle-Click watches the alien pull itself back on its feet only to be knocked down and start the fight again. It’s faster this time, they seem even closer, the fighting more intense. The recording doesn’t pick up on too many sounds but Whistle-Click sees the heaving of the fighters’ chests and knows they must be panting and hissing and making all types of little alien sounds that Whistle-Click wishes could be picked up by the recording drones.
The Salamandrian moves again, aiming to use a blade on their armor and the alien catches it with-
Oh. Oh.
The white mark on the alien’s face is not patterning. It’s a tooth . The alien has teeth, exposed bone , and it just used those teeth to break a blade and Whistle-Click isn’t even embarrassed by the movement of their physical form that occurs at that revelation because this is unlike a fight they've seen before.
‘Knew you would like that’ Three-Stomp says entirely too smug but Whistle-Click ignores them because there is a facial expression that is showing more of those teeth on the unknown alien’s face and the fight is getting even more physical.
It ends too soon for Whistle-Click’s liking, even though they can recognize that it's longer than many other fights they’ve seen before. The alien is down and the Salamandrian reaches out to touch the head tendrils except they aren't tendrils they are cloth. They are clothing. The Salamandrian just removed clothing during a marital fight in the middle of the ring and in front of the entire galaxy.
Whistle-Click couldn’t stop the movement of their physical body if they tried.
The recording ends and Whistle-Click quietly leaves the web whose eyes they had been borrowing.
For a moment they lie in their web simply processing. Then, with all of their energy, they force their physical eyes open. The effort it takes may be a lot but some things are worth using your own senses. It doesn't take a long search on the standard information network to find a recording of the fight.
‘Can I join?’ Three-Stomp asks, and Whistle-Click doesn’t bother with an answer. They have a marital fight to watch again.
They doubt this will be the last time.