The Pits.

Chapter Seven: Tooth & Claw.

When the feline stirred again the sun was just giving way to the moon. The blood still hummed in her veins but not as overwhelming as the night before. She could think clearly, and if she had been human bile would have risen up in her throat. She had killed someone. Something. Upon sight the animal within her thought the bear had just seemed like a bear but something in her mind and instinct was telling her it wasn't just a bear. Something was itching at her conciousness, and for the first time in a while a small piece of her humanity was rubbing against the surface of her mind. The latino looking male had said something last night...

'Werebear.'

The words whispered across her conciousness. She hadn't understood it then but the first four letters of the word rung some chord within her buried mind. It was familiar. She knew she was supposed to know what it meant. Before she could think over it more people began filing in. At first it was those two legged with a heartbeat. Then those who did not have one came in - the most noticeable was her two kidnappers. She had been returned to her spot infront of Felipe's throne when put unconcious, and thus was chained in the same spot as before.

That night she was forced into the Pit as before. This time however she was not given any more vampire blood. In a way that was worse then yesterday - she now had to fight to the death without being in the wrong state of mind. She would have to hurt another, for no reason other then sport ( as well as to survive ), conciously and of her own decision. She would have to kill in cold blood and know she did it - not the drug known as V.

She would be responsible.

This time a Werewolf stood in the Pit. It was a jet black one with brown eyes that looked red in this light. It was an intimidating sight, and the words 'Hellhound' whispered across her mind.

The wolf snarled at her, its fur rising on its back as it waited for her move. She stood there frozen. She didn't want to kill anything that was not necessary. She may have been hungry but something told her to kill this wolf infront of her was wrong. It wasn't like the deer she had killed in the forest. It was different. The wolf seeing her hesitation ran at her without remorse. His body was littered with old scars proving he had been in the Pits for so long that he knew a green fighter when he saw one. He also knew if she didn't fight, were-leopard or not, she wouldn't survive long.

She didn't even realise she had run away from the wolf until she realised she was running around the circular Pit. Suddenly she skidded to a halt and spun around to face the wolf. The leopardess hissed at him, hoping it would force the wolf to back off but it did none of the sort. Instead the wolf charged into her, slamming his head against her chest which caused her to fly backwards until she hit the wall of the Pit with a hard thud. Her body dropped to the ground, and for a long moment she didn't move except breathing. Once the wolf had prowled close enough to lunge for her throat, she forced herself to her four paws. She stood there, gaze locked on the wolf, as her body ached. Bruises would soon litter her body although would not be able to be seen under her black spotted sandy fur.

It was then that she knew seriously that there was no way to escape this - she either killed her opponent or she would die. Even if she could get out of the Pit, she still had all the onlookers to get through which was impossible. Especially with her two kidnappers up there. She looked at the wolf, a look of hopelessness in them which the Werewolf recognised. The wolf nodded in acknowledgement, accepting his fate whatever it may be, and with that the pair fought.

They lunged at each other, the wolf however won in the feat of strength sending the feline flipping over backwards causing her to land with a thud on the floor laying on her back. In the second the wolf took to lunge towards her exposed throat the leopardess knew one thing - if she had to kill someone it would be with one quick strike so he or she would die without much if any pain. It would be done as humanely as possible, and she wouldn't draw it out hurting someone with sharp teeth and claws. She would wait until the opportune moment to use teeth or claws to go for the single blow that would kill her unfortunate opponent. In her mind it was the best she could do since it was clear no one was going to be escaping from the Pit. So, as the wolf's head lunged towards her throat a single claw of hers reached up. A look of remorse was in her eyes as his teeth brushed her fur. It was too little to late as her claws on her left paw had slit his throat - severing his windpipe. He was dead in a second.

She watched as his eyes closed, his body landing on hers with a thud, and exhaled before pushing the wolf off herself. The leopardess barely heard the crowd roaring in excitement as she slowly stood up. She looked upon the wolf, a heart-wrenching meow leaving her mouth as she looked at the wolf who had lost his life for no fault but those outside of the Pit.

The second she saw the vampire lackies heading for the body of the wolf infront of her, she snapped. She moved so she was stood over the wolf's body and began hissing as well as growling at the vampires who were trying to get close enough to get the were-leopard away from the dead werewolf. She knew she had no reason to be protective of the wolf, he was dead, but by this point she had actually had quite enough of being bullied around. She didn't want this, any of it. Chains were thrown at her, three wrapping around her neck and one on each of her front paws when she tried to strike at the vampire lackies. Despite trying to dig her claws into the ground, leaping, scratching, twisting, and biting, she was dragged away from the wolf's carcass and towards the now unlocked exit of the Pit.

When she got to the exit she felt something hum in her blood. Her attention was immediately distracted. She felt as if something was tugging at her blood - something within her - and so spun her body around in an attempt to find who or what was doing whatever she was feeling. It felt as if she was drawn to one particular direction. She knew who it was the second her gaze fell on him; a blue eyed brown haired vampire. She had never seen anything so beautiful, but there was something in his eyes she could not identify. As quick as she found him he was gone and she was dragged out of the Pit causing her to start fighting once more.