Already reloading with a swift set of gestures, Twitch cackled at the snarl of pain echoing from the glowing mass. Confidence reasserted its control over anger in some cramped part of the rat's brain. Squinting into the luminescence, trying to discern a target on the thing's body through the obscuring light and noise, the flare of the insects slammed Twitch's eyes shut, the shock of it almost physical to him. A moment's wince, and the hum was cut short by a deep boom, the crack of rock rebounding into the valley. Finely honed reflex fired Twitch's barbed bolt at the sound's origin before he dropped back into the gap.

Scraping some grime from under his fur and fingernails, rubbing it onto his goggles to darken their surface, Twitch's eyes fluttered open as his hands worked. The insects, yes. Whatever they were hiding was using their energy, their hum and fizz of electricity. In other circumstances he'd love to trap one, taste it, grind it and bottle its filtrates, but his preoccupation now was getting rid of the things. They'd rest on the creature's skin, of course, or under its fur; Who knew the behaviour of tagalong insects better than the magnificent fleabag himself? [i]Ohohoho, yes.[/i] Unfastening a round jar from a belt slung around his shoulder, shaking it vigorously, Twitch took the seconds needed to rest his eyes. Flypaper wasn't the intended goal, no, but if those insects landed as often as flies before they returned to the air... The idea was viable.

An ear over the outcrop first, then two, locating the buzz, feeling the wind, deciding where to point his gaze when he emerged, not leaving himself enough time to make the informed decision as he did. "Fetch!"

The toss left the green bottle travelling an imperfect arc, its capped end vanishing and reappearing as it spun, the cloud of light parting for it to show a trace of fur before the noxious adhesive shattered on the beast's body. Twitch fell back under his hideout, accomplished but cautious. He was drawing too much attention to his location. Scrabbling, eyes scanning the rock face, the rat hunched under his coat as he attempted to find the next point of shelter.