Rex responds to the light kick with a slightly harder shove with his free hand. Nothing likely to do anything but cause a wobble, but that's the game of escalation. Like chicken, who will go too far? Trading moderate barbs between them seems to be what Maverick likes, so he can keep it up easily enough. He doesn't get to stretch his wit enough, anyway.

"I've been afflicted with a similar chunk of stupidity both meetings, so we're actually equal in that regard."

Rex keeps hold of Indrik's tail until he steps forward to grab his mane- a better leash than the tail. It lets him direct Indrik's attention as much as stop him running off.

"...There was one cat that didn't reject my presence, so I suppose there is a chance."

That cat was Kano.

Life is a fuck.