Sing: The Talented Furry

The first episode of Rising Star Season 4 had barely aired for 24 hours, and social media was already on fire. The show's official TweetTalk account was flooded with reactions, and hashtags like #RisingStarS4, #Printy, and #NalaStans were trending worldwide.

In the judges' lounge, Kitty Purry scrolled through the endless comments on her phone, half-smiling as she read the discussions. The reaction to the season's start was better than expected — the contestants were already getting love, and the buzz around certain performances was huge.

Of course, one particular hashtag made her pause.

#Printy

She squinted at it, hoping maybe it was a typo. But the more she scrolled, the clearer it became: it absolutely was not.

Across the room, Dexter Boots lounged with his feet up, smirking as he watched the chaos unfold online. "Man, the internet's losing its mind over this season," he said, clearly entertained. "Nala's getting a ton of attention, but Prince's fanbase is coming in strong. And let's not forget Kitty's… moment with Prince."

"Can we not?" Kitty groaned, her cheeks tinged with color.

Dexter's grin only widened. "What? I'm just saying — you were very interested in his relationship status." He wiggled his eyebrows.

Even Anos Fang, usually the most serious of the three judges, raised an eyebrow in amusement. "It was a bold move," he added, his voice calm but teasing just beneath the surface.

"I was just being... friendly okay" Kitty insisted, her cheeks already warming.

"Friendly?" Dexter said, scrolling through his phone. "The internet begs to differ." His eyes lit up. "Oh, this one's my favorite— 'Prince blushed when Kitty asked if he was single. Their chemistry is EVERYTHING. #PrintyForever'."

"Give me that!" Kitty reached for his phone, but Dexter was faster, holding it just out of reach.

"I mean, there's a whole fan edit now," Dexter continued gleefully. "It's got slow-motion clips and romantic music—"

"Please stop."

Even Anos chuckled at that.

Sherman, the executive producer, finally cut in, trying and failing to suppress his own smile. "Alright, enough. We've got work to do. The third round's coming up, and we need to finalize the challenges."

Kitty shot Dexter one last glare before refocusing. "So we're going with the 'Team Mission' round?"

"Exactly," Sherman confirmed. "Seventy-two contestants will be split into 18 groups. Each of you will coach six groups with a guest mentor. You'll assign them unique challenges — specific genres, performance styles, maybe even collaborations — and they'll have to impress you to move forward."

"Perfect," Anos said thoughtfully. "I already know who I want to push."

"Nala, right?" Dexter guessed.

Anos nodded. "She's got potential. I want to see how she handles pressure."

"She's a solid pick," Kitty agreed. "What about you, Dexter?"

"Brandon Bryce," Dexter said without hesitation. "The guy's got legacy and skill — his grandfather was a Zoollywood musician, after all. Plus, his voice is insane."

"And you, Kitty?"

Kitty tilted her head, considering. "I want to challenge Prince."

Dexter's smirk was instant and unstoppable. "Oh, do you now?"

She rolled her eyes. "Not like that okay. He's talented, but his originals outshine his technical skill. If he wants to go far, he'll need to step up his game."

"Or maybe you just want to spend more time with him," Dexter teased. "You know, for… coaching purposes."

"Do you want to die?"

Before Kitty could escalate things further, Sherman clapped his hands. "Alright, focus. We've got a lot of contestants to discuss, and the production team's waiting on us."

As the judges dove into their selections and challenge planning, Kitty couldn't help but wonder what kind of challenge she'd give Prince — and whether he'd rise to the occasion.

---

Knock! Knock! Knock!

The insistent pounding on the door dragged Prince from his deep, dreamless sleep. Across the room, his roommates CJ and Rocky grumbled in protest.

"Make it stop," Rocky muttered into his pillow.

"Don't wanna," CJ mumbled, rolling over.

The knocking only grew louder. With a dramatic sigh, Prince hauled himself out of bed and shuffled to the door, opening it to find a hotel attendant standing there with a polite but firm smile.

"Good morning! The judges have requested all contestants meet in the central living room."

The three of them snapped awake instantly. In record time, they brushed their teeth, threw on presentable clothes, and made their way downstairs, nerves and excitement buzzing through them.

When they reached the living room, a handful of contestants were already there, chatting in low voices. The judges stood nearby, looking far too relaxed given the tension in the air.

Prince's eyes found Kitty Purry almost immediately. She was laughing quietly with Anos, her face lighting up in a way that was… distracting. He shook his head, focusing on the task at hand.

Soon enough, the entire group was assembled, and the cameras started rolling. Kielben Tinea, their ever-charismatic host, stepped forward.

"Good morning, everyone!" he greeted with a knowing smile. "I trust most of you had a good night's sleep — after spending some quality time ego-searching, hmm?"

A few contestants coughed awkwardly, clearly guilty as charged.

"Well, you earned it. You made it to the second round, and last night's episode is a huge hit," Kielben continued. "But let's not forget — this is a singing competition. And any one of you could be sent home if your next performance doesn't meet the mark."

The room sobered instantly.

"But remember," Dexter added, his voice warm but firm, "Singing isn't a race. It's a marathon. Only those who persevere and evolve make it to the end. That's why this next round is so important."

Anos clapped his hands, drawing their attention. "Which brings us to the theme of the third round."

The lights dimmed slightly as a massive screen flickered to life behind them. Fireworks exploded across the display, and then bold, golden words appeared:

"A Team Mission"

Murmurs broke out instantly.

"A team mission? Are they putting us in groups?"

"I don't even know anyone here!"

"What if I get stuck with someone who can't sing?"

Prince listened silently, his mind already racing. Group dynamics could make or break performances. Who he ended up with might determine his entire fate in the competition.