At the same time the teams' songs were being announced to the contestants, the second episode of Rising Star was broadcasted.
"Webbs, hurry up!"
Wolf paced in front of the couch, tail swishing like an impatient metronome. The massive TV across the hideout wall was still dark, reflecting nothing but their own restless faces.
"I am hurrying!" Webbs snapped, eight legs flying over cables and remotes. "Do you know how annoying it is to configure live TV and queue a YouTube recap at the same time?"
Snake lounged across the back of the couch, unbothered. "In her defense, we did miss the first episode."
"Because," Piranha added from the kitchen, voice echoing, "someone decided robbing a senator was more important than watching television."
Wolf stopped pacing. "It was important."
Shark waddled in, dragging an armchair closer to the screen with a low scrape. He carefully adjusted the angle, then gave a proud nod like he'd just completed a sacred ritual.
Pop.
Pop-pop-pop.
Piranha burst back in with an oversized bowl of popcorn, kernels flying everywhere. "Emergency rations secured!"
Webbs finally clicked the remote. The screen lit up.
"Okay," she said, pointing. "Five-minute recap of Episode One. Then Episode Two is already airing."
Wolf dropped into the center seat instantly. "Everyone sit. Eyes forward."
The Rising Star logo flashed across the screen.
Snake squinted. "Huh. Fancy."
The recap rolled quickly auditions, judges, cheering crowds.
Then—
A familiar pink panther appeared onscreen, guitar slung over his shoulder.
Wolf leaned forward without realizing it. "That's him."
Prince's audition clip played in fragments: Kitty flirting shamelessly, the judges laughing, then his voice cutting through the montage warm, steady, honest.
The hideout grew quieter.
Shark clasped his hands together.
"…He's good," Piranha said softly.
Wolf hummed. "Looks like our pink has a fox to impress."
The recap ended just as Prince finished his song, the judges standing, the crowd roaring.
The screen cut to black.
Then—
Episode Two Begins
The camera panned across a massive hall packed with contestants.
Prince appeared again, seated among them, shoulders relaxed but jaw tight, fingers tapping against his knee.
"…That's him," Piranha said immediately, pointing. "That's our guy."
Webbs tilted her head. "He's nervous."
Wolf nodded. "Means he cares."
Kielben's voice filled the room, smooth and theatrical.
"Congratulations on making it this far…"
When the announcement hit that only 80 out of 200 would advance, Piranha choked on popcorn. "WAIT, WHAT?!"
"That's brutal." Snake's grin sharpened. "I like that"
Then Dexter dropped the twist.
"This season… we're introducing a brand-new theme. The Blind Auditions."
The gang collectively leaned closer.
As the explanation played, the turned chairs, the red buttons, instant eliminations, the room grew quiet.
Shark whimpered quietly.
"No bias," Webbs murmured. "Pure vocals."
Prince appeared again on screen, listening carefully, jaw set.
"He's calm," Shark said softly. "If that were me, I would be scared."
Piranha nodded. "Yeah… I'd be farting"
The performances began.
Some chairs turned.
Some didn't.
When a wolf contestant broke down crying after no chairs turned, even Snake looked away.
Piranha winced. "Ouch…"
Then—
A husky stepped onto the stage, violin in hand.
She began to play.
The room fell dead silent.
Her voice rose was clear, ethereal, almost unreal.
All three chairs slammed their buttons.
Shark gasped. "ALL OF THEM?!"
Piranha wiped at his eyes. "I don't even know her and I feel emotional."
The episode jumped forward.
The lights dimmed.
A pink panther silhouette stepped onto the stage.
Wolf straightened immediately. "That's our guy."
Prince adjusted the mic. Took a breath. The judges' chairs stayed turned.
And then he began to sing.
His voice filled the hideout soft, intimate, steady.
"Kitty, wrap me up in all your—"
The gang exploded.
Piranha choked on popcorn. "HE DID NOT JUST—"
Snake's eyes widened, then he burst out laughing. "Wow. First line with no hesitation."
Wolf let out a sharp whistle, grinning. "Heh. He's going all in."
Behind the chairs, Anos's posture shifted.
Before the pre-chorus even finished—
Anos slammed his button.
The chair spun around with a mechanical whir, the glowing sign flashing: I WANT YOU
Gasps erupted across the hall.
Wolf barked out a laugh. "Knew it."
Prince's confidence grew. His voice lifted as Kitty's chair spun around.
Her sign lit up.
"I WANT YOU."
Piranha exploded. "YES!"
Then the third.
All three judges faced him.
The hideout erupted.
Shark clapped so hard he nearly fell out of his chair.
Webbs grinned. "Triple turn. Nice."
After Prince was done performing and saw the three judges, he was smiling and a little bit stunned.
Kitty leaned forward, eyes bright, already smiling like she'd won.
"Pick her," Piranha whispered urgently.
"Pick her," Webbs echoed.
Prince glanced between the judges… then spoke.
"I choose Kitty."
For half a second, there was stunned silence.
Then Piranha launched off the couch.
"YES—!" He thrust his fist straight into the air like he'd just won an Olympic medal. "I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!"
Shark didn't even say anything, he just lunged sideways, wrapping both massive arms around Wolf in a bone-crushing hug.
Wolf wheezed. "Okay, okay—celebrate, not kill me—"
"Ohmygodohmygodohmygod—did you SEE Anos turn first? And then Kitty, this is HUGE—this is career-defining, much more Prince choose Kitty as his coach. KYAHHHH" Webbs was perched on the armrest, legs bouncing so fast they blurred, claws clicking rapidly against the wood.
Snake smirked from his chair, arms crossed, tail flicking lazily. "Kid didn't hesitate. Clean choice."
Wolf finally pried Shark off and straightened his jacket, a grin spreading across his face. "That's our guy," he said, pride clear in his voice. "Went in smooth. Played it smart."
On-screen, Kitty was already standing, clapping enthusiastically, eyes bright as she welcomed Prince to her team.
Piranha dropped back onto the couch, pointing at the TV like it personally owed him money. "That's it. That's it. When he wins this whole thing, I'm telling everyone I helped raise him."
Webbs shot him a look. "You met him, like… a year ago."
"Emotionally," Piranha corrected. "I was there."
The hideout filled with laughter as the show rolled on but none of them missed the way Prince smiled on that stage.
_______
Paw Gossips, a well-known entertainment site that had covered the first episode, released an in-depth article analyzing why the second episode had drawn significantly more attention than the first.
[ Rising Star's Second Episode Surges in Ratings—Here's Why ]
Furry Network TV's reality show Rising Star is on track for another high-rated season, with its premiere drawing strong viewership numbers similar to past seasons.
Talented contestants, compelling backstories, and top-tier entertainment—Rising Star has everything that modern reality shows lack. Its grounded, character-driven approach has already made it a fan favorite.
However, the second episode's ratings skyrocketed, surpassing the first by a wide margin.
The primary reason? The introduction of the new theme for the second round: a blind audition. This unexpected twist added an intriguing element that instantly grabbed viewers' attention.
With popular contestants like Bryce, Nala, Prince, and more needing to impress the judges under these new conditions, anticipation skyrocketed. The fresh format made the show even more engaging, leaving fans eager for the third episode.
The buzz didn't stop there. Fans flocked to TweetTalk to discuss their favorite contestants and speculate on the upcoming episode. This surge of online discussion led to Rising Star trending on the platform, even surpassing the most critical news of the day, a controversial debate about the missing mammals in Zootopia…