Conker Crazy :Trade:

Hook busied himself, checking the rigging that had been set up by his brother, Loop. It all seemed secure, the long latticework of struts forming a high skeletal bridge between to platforms. He glanced down to where his brother sat, the other armadillo lizard running his eye over a pair of harnesses Hook had made earlier.
"The scaffold seems to be alright,"  Hook called out.
Loop looked up, smiling.
"Told ya," Loop replied. "These harnesses are good to go as well."
Hook descended from the structure. It had always been a habit with them to double-check each others work on big projects like this. He took one of the harnesses from Loop, slipping it over his chest and doing it up.
"So what now?" he asked. " Do we have the tether?"
Loop stood up, putting on his own harness, and peered about. He pointed to a pile of light blue.
"Over there."
Hook wandered over and picked it up, running it through his fingers.
"Great," he said. "This is gonna be so awesome."

The two armadillo brothers stood ready, each one on their own platform facing the other. Rope ran from the back of their harnesses to the center of the latticework. Hook took a deep breath, preparing himself for what came next.
"You ready, Loop?"
Loop nodded, giving his brother a thumbs up.
"All good to go, Hook," Loop replied.
Hook held up a hand, three fingers raised, and began the countdown.
"THREE... TWO... ONE... GO!"
The armadillo brothers jumped, lunging forward from their platforms. Almost immediately they curled up, their armoured bodies coiling into tight spheres. In tandem they fell, rushing to the ground. At what felt like the last second, the ropes snapped tight, arcing the Hook and Loop towards each other. The brothers collided with a thud, the impact bouncing them about. It didn't hurt. Their tough skin and thick scales protecting them from harm. For a few seconds, neither said a word, and then Loop called out.
"You still hanging, Hook?"
Hook replied.
"All good here. You?"
"I'm still secure."
The brothers uncurled and laughed.
"Guess that's a draw," Hook said.
He began to swing, gaining enough momentum to finally reach out and grab hold of the structure before climbing back to his platform. Loop copied him.
"Let's go for round two then," Loop answered eagerly.
Once more the brothers readied themselves, Hook giving the countdown. They jumped. Coiled bodies sped towards each other, the pair bracing for impact. This time they struck a glancing hit. Hook felt himself spin rapidly. He lost all sense of where he was. He arced back, the pendulum motion from the rope bringing him back into contact with his brother. As they hit again, Hook felt something give, and he dropped to the ground.
"Ugh..."
Loop uncoiled and looked down.
"You OK, Hook?" he called out.
Hook straightened himself out and smiled up, giving his brother a reassuring nod.
"I'm all good. Not sure what happened though. I didn't think we hit hard enough for the rope to break that second time."
Loop peered across to the frayed end of Hook's tether.
"I think one of my scales might have cut the rope, Hook." Loop said. "Might as well call this a draw."
Hook shook his head.
"Nah, you knocked me down. This round goes to you, Loop."
Loop grinned.
"Thanks, Bro."
Loop swung himself over to his platform, untying himself, and climbed down to his brother.
"You want to go again?" Loop asked.
Hook nodded, and together they started to prepare another rope tether.
"I could do this all day," he replied.
Loop's idea for a new version of conkers had been a winner, and Hook was excited to keep going until they ran out of rope. As they set up for another round, the armadillo lizard couldn't help but think about how their friends Snap and Opal would go in the game with their bouncier, rubber-like bodies. It certainly would add a new element. Perhaps, with a bit of tinkering to the scaffold, he and Loop could set up for a four-way version for them all to try at the same time. Hook smiled broadly. Whatever the end result, it was going to be a while before they grew bored of this game...