Chapter 9

'Lupus Bellator'


"I'm gonna give you a fighting chance…"

"Well then… Let's dance, Bitch…"

The two wolves stood there, paws raised and ready to fight, in a seemingly unending standoff before a paw-to-paw fight to the death…


They were both waiting for the other to make the first move, or so it seemed. Fang was expecting an attack from the She-wolf's paws. So he was completely unprepared then, for when the standoff ended when the first kick came.

Fang had barely any time to register it as he was sent staggering backwards as Marconi's foot slammed into his chest. He still stood… with a chuckle. A smart move: Fang knew his opponent had only indicated to her paws earlier to mislead him.

The Red-Wolf attacked again, unnerving and unrelenting.

But Fang was ready this time, swatting her foot away and throwing a punch. The Red Wolf blocked it, flying her own punch into his face, which he too, also blocked.

The two wolves parried for now, throwing punches and making jabs that the other would easily block for the next few seconds.

Rosa was quite impressed that she had actually found another mammal that could match her prowess… however short the fight may last. Fang was trying his best to counter, block or just endure the She-Wolf's relentless bombardment of balled up paws and jabbing feet. He'd never had to fight another mammal with such skill before.

Tired of the parrying, the Red Wolf decided to up the game. Rosa planted another kick that gave her enough room between her and her opponent. She crouched down, getting enough spring in her legs as she launched herself at Fang, trying to slam down the top of his head.

Fang moved backwards to counter, blocking the She-Wolf's downwards punch, but he wasn't quick enough for what came next.

Rosa landed, swiftly kicking to knock the White Wolf off balance. She found her mark.

Her right leg went straight into Fang's left, forcing him downwards with a flinch. He had barely any time to counter as the Red-Wolf's knee came straight into his snout, a low punch to the right side of his head, and then a knee to his chest.

Fang was sent backwards, rolling once down the hallway.

Now he was angry.

Fang made a quiet growl as he twisted himself around using his tail to balance him, and launched from his position on the ground. Marconi met him halfway expecting some sort of punch or kick, but as she brought a punch to him, it landed on empty air... and she realised her mistake…

Fang charged into her, colliding heavily with her stomach; his momentum started travelling them down the hallway. The partially winded Red Wolf proceeded to escape the White Wolf's grasp, using her elbows to jab hard into his upper back.

Fang couldn't endure the jabs for very long, even through his SWAT gear he could feel the tips of the she-wolf's elbows dig into his back… but Fang's grip would not yield, so Marconi decided the opposite, and slipped on purposely…

It pulled Fang head over heels, landing him face up on the tiled floor, and vulnerable.

Rosa brought a punch to his neck that would most likely finish him by crushing his windpipe, but instead she cringed as her balled up paw hit the solid floor, cracking the tile it landed on.

Fang had spun around on the ground, again using his tail as a counterbalance again so he moved faster, bringing a swift kick to the side of the Red-wolf's head.

It was hard kick too, and it left her slightly disoriented… enough so that Fang dived into her again.

Fang now had the She-Wolf pinned on the floor, his paws pressed hard on her neck… but she did not yield. Rosa raised her own paws to Fang's neck and his face, her claws drawn. The two of them making feral growls at the other as the struggle continued for the next few seconds.

Every second the White Wolf had her pinned only made her angrier… when she got the slightest chance, Rosa cruelly brought a claw to his left eye…

Fang cringed from the pain as her claw tore at his flesh, only just missing his eyeball. It caused him to unintentionally loosen his grasp, which gave Rosa what she needed. She kneed the Wolf in the chest as she coiled her legs, flipped Fang over afterwards. Rosa immediately rolled over onto all fours. She growled savagely, her hackles raised, as she returned to two feet and charged at the other canine.

Fang had recovered quick, returning to his two legs, and turned to face the She-Wolf.

Again they fought… both with ferocity and determination.

To kill the other.


It was a fairly even fight, the other at one point taking a minor advantage as they parried continuously. Both of their techniques were identical; give pain, take pain, unrelenting and unforgiving.

Fang had studied martial arts from a young age… the particular choice of mammalian fighting styles he selected to practice being one that was (almost) exclusive to wolves; its official name had since been lost to time long before the dawn of Zootopia. Today it was just referred to as 'Wolf Warrior'.

Fang honestly thought the name was degradingly comical, but it didn't stop him from practicing it. It wasn't until he first used it in practice that he truly appreciated the art: fending off two muggers from attacking an elderly caribou in his neighbourhood when he was 16 years old. The muggers didn't even lay a claw on him as a few quick kicks and punches sent the two grown mammals running in fear from the adolescent wolf. The caribou had greatly expressed his gratitude, and after praise from the Police for his efforts (and as he was a predator, his good deed was plastered all over the news to improve relations) was when Fang decided he wanted to be a Police Officer, and immediately entered the academy when he became eligible at 18.

After showing prowess in his paw-to-paw combat and firearms training, his natural ability to work well within a team and his humility with his comrades quickly got him his position on the SWAT Team after his first three years on the Force.

Throughout Fang's career his expertise in his martial arts had been used on multiple occasions, and even got him and his colleagues out of some very tough spots during other SWAT missions.

But as of right now, as he moved his limbs in the forms and patterns he had learned and practiced all his life… something in the back of his mind told Fang he may have met his match here.

It was clear as they fought, that the She-Wolf was also trained in the same art. And trained well.

Both the Red and White Wolf were quite literally the style's namesake right now;

Wolf Warriors, fighting to the death…


The Red Wolf was currently on the attack, pushing the White Wolf backwards as she was swinging punches and jabs that Fang was blocking or pushing away.

He saw an opening in her attack;

When the She-Wolf lunged next, Fang caught her arm, and dragged her closer. It caught Rosa off-guard when he suddenly forced his paw into her stomach, winding her and then lifting her over his shoulder.

But Fang hadn't counted on the She-wolf landing on her feet.

Before he had chance to turn around, Marconi had broken free of his grasp and swiftly brought her knee to the back of his leg, breaking his stance, and then her other leg kicked him forward.

There was enough force in the kick to send him rolling. But Fang recovered again, twisting round just in time to parry one of the Red-Wolf's harsh kicks. She kicked again and again, every time Fang blocked it… till the last one he let it hit his head.

Marconi had the White Wolf's head pinned against the wall… but not any other part of his body; she didn't expect what came next.

Fang grabbed hold of her outstretched leg, and forced his paw between her legs again… that gave him the perfect leverage.

With a growl, he spun the Red Wolf around with his pinned head as the pivot, until her muzzle came crashing into the opposite wall.

Marconi fell with a small snarl. Immediately Fang skulked behind her, yanking her up to her feet with a tug of her own tactical gear, and grasping the She-Wolf in a tight headlock.

He staggered backwards as Marconi tried to free herself from his grasp, digging her claws into Fang's arm as he had her trapped. Each step his grip got tighter, choking her, until the She-Wolf decided to change her tactic. She brought her left arm up high, and slammed her elbow into the Wolf's side.

She did it again.

And again.

And again.

Until Fang lost his grip from flinching.

Marconi pulled her neck free, but saw the opportunity. She wrapped her arms round the back of Fang's neck, using the leverage from him and her own strength to bring her knee upwards into his muzzle.

With the Wolf dazed, she now had control; Rosa pulled Fang forward to the wall, and used her leverage from him to walk a few steps vertically before flipping over his back, landing solidly on her two feet.

Fang tried to turn around, but a sudden kick to the back of his knee knocked him down, and another swift blow to his muzzle came as the She-Wolf came to his front and again used his own body as leverage.

Fang fell backwards to the floor, trying to keep his bearings… immediately rolling to his left as the She-Wolf tried to bring her foot down to crush his neck. It landed on the bare floor, as Fang rolled to back to his feet.

The Red Wolf attacked again, throwing more punches which Fang managed to block, despite tiring, and being dazed from the several blows to his head.

A break in her attack allowed Fang to knee her in the chest… but Marconi did it on purpose; blocking Fang's knee and pushing him away, leaving his position open.

She brought a hard punch to the side of his right knee, breaking his stance again as Fang slipped sideways… and then using her other paw to punch his head…

But Fang blocked the punch, and fell backwards on purpose, bringing up his left leg to kick the She-Wolf in the muzzle. But as it contacted, Marconi also fell backwards, and kicked Fang in the side of the head.

Both of them simultaneously fell backwards to the floor, taking a brief respite to pant and catch their breath and suppress their pain.


Fang brought his paw up to wipe away the blood around his eye from where the She-Wolf had scratched it, then another to his partially bleeding nose. He was aching all over, and although hidden beneath his gear and now very dirty white fur, Fang knew he was going to be covered in bruises.

But he couldn't back down, he had to end this now if he wanted to live.


Marconi brought her paw to her muzzle, wiping away some blood from her nose. As she licked her gums, she could taste blood, and one of her canine teeth was broken… she snarled viciously at that realisation as she twisted round on the floor and returned to her feet spitting the blood from her mouth…

She was done fighting… it was time to end this.


Fang stood up, and raised his paws ready to fight…but even he himself knew his stance was feeble and his strength waning…

But this was a fight to survive…

The Red Wolf charged at him again, her moves still as sprightly as the start of the fight.

Fang couldn't believe it possible she was still going so strong when they had landed just as many blows on the other. He wasn't sure how much longer he could last. The Red Wolf's swift kicks and punches seemed to hurt even more when he came to block them again, bringing up his arms to defend himself. If Fang wanted to win this he had to go on the offensive;

But that single punch started his downfall…

As Fang went for the hit, Marconi swatted his punch away, leaving him undefended. Switching between both her right and left, she elbowed his chest, then punched his chest, then his side, then his leg… each blow more painful than the last.

Fang almost fell completely limp from that onslaught, allowing Marconi to finish her move and flip him over her back.

Fang fell on his own back, spinning over instantly and grabbing one of the Red Wolf's kicking feet, using it to twist her over and lever her down to ground also, landing on her front.

Fang climbed on top of her, attempting to pin the She-Wolf, but as he did, Rosa pushed him off by swinging her elbows backwards to collide with his head, first with her left, then her right and then her left again.

Fang recoiled from the blows, rolling off her, and quickly pushing himself up from the floor as he dodged a swinging kick to his head.

Marconi kicked again; Fang blocked it, but it only allowed her to grab his paws to pull herself up, kneeing him in the muzzle again as she did.

Fang recovered as quick as he could, blocking another of the Red Wolf's kicks before swinging his own leg around for a roundhouse kick…

But the She-wolf caught his leg, and used it to force the Wolf's own weight against him. She twisted him around with the leverage from his leg until Fang had fallen to his knees. Rosa jabbed at the back of his knees to be sure he stayed there, before punching at the back of his neck and coming round his front to knee the him in the muzzle again.

Fang flipped over from the force, shuffling backwards on the floor until he was back on his knees. He attempted to stand, until Rosa punched his side and then grabbed his head, slamming him sideways into the wall…

Once.

Twice.

He was out of options… Fang resisted her grip long enough to place all his strength into one uppercut, hitting the Red-wolf directly under her jaw, but as she took it, she lifted her knee into Fang's own jaw.

The momentary break only allowed Marconi to grab the back of Fang's head and plant her other knee into his jaw.

Fang staggered backwards, still barely managing to climb from his knees…

He knew by now… he'd already lost.

But the Red Wolf still didn't relent, punching him again in both sides of the head with both her balled up paws before ending her savage barrage with a swift and brutal roundhouse kick to the White Wolf's head.

It left him with a deafly ringing in his ears as the momentum also sent Fang's head hard against the wall… it was as if he had been kicked twice…

That last blow was enough…

Fang slumped to the floor on his back… and didn't move again.

He was beaten. Literally.

Blood started seeping heavily in crimson streams from his nose, from the scratch on his eye and now from his ear too, staining his white fur. He lay there completely exhausted, panting heavily, his head aching excruciatingly, as he brought both his paws to clutch his pained and bleeding muzzle.


The Red-Wolf took the moment to regain her breath. Marconi panted lightly as she still stood firm on the cracked tile floor, gobbing another spat of blood from her mouth. She observed the White Wolf with hatred, but also respect. He had been a worthy opponent…

But she had to finish the job.

Pausing a little longer as the White Wolf shuffled slowly on the floor, Marconi reached for a small zip pocket on her gear. Dragging the zip down, she reached inside, pulling out a small transparent inhaler…

Inside it, a cool blue liquid that almost glowed in the dull corridor.

Rosa brought the inhaler to her muzzle, breathing out fully before placing the mouthpiece to her lips and pressing the canister. Inhaling fully, she took all of the cerulean gas into her lungs… closing her eyes from the pleasurable sensation as the drug affected her…

Giving her the rush she wanted and needed.


Fang tried to stand, he felt faint as he became upright, leaning on the wall for support…

But knew he had to continue fighting.

He had to.

But as he became more solid in his stance, the Red-Wolf attacked him again… charging at him full force, grabbing and twisting him around with all her weight and momentum, until he was sent back to the floor.

Fang barely registered it, only that he was now back on the floor. His senses were fading, the exception being the pain he was feeling throughout his body. He tried to move again, crawling on the floor to anywhere but here… but another swift kick pushed him back down.

He looked up in desperation to see his shotgun at the end of the hallway… it was his only option… He knew it was loaded, all he needed to do was get to it… but it was so far away.

He attempted to crawl again, barely managing to pull himself along until he was stopped prematurely again.

Fang struggled feebly as the She-Wolf pulled him up from the floor by dragging the back collar of his SWAT gear. She held the Wolf up in a seated position, his back leaning on her front.

In the small commotion, Fang felt an arm come round the underside of his jaw, and a paw gently caress his right cheek. It was almost comforting, until that caress turned to a harsh grasp as the She-Wolf dug her claws in…

He knew what she was trying to do…

She was trying to snap his neck.

She did say she didn't need her claws to kill…

Fang struggled more vigorously this time… knowing if he didn't, this was going to be it… this is how he would die. With his remaining strength, he brought his arms up to pry the Red-Wolf's arms away from his head and neck…

A swift and brutal punch to his right temple quickly expended any strength he had left… and left him barely conscious for when it would happen.

He still tried…

He still tried to bring his paws up to save himself.

But it was no use.

Rosa Marconi would get her kill… a well-earned kill.

She now placed her other arm across his brow, clasping hard to the left side of his head.

She could feel the White Wolf's strength fading as she held tighter…

He'd given up fighting… now she would put him out of his misery…


Marconi savoured this moment. She always did, especially for such a worthy opponent. It was her way of showing respect for a vanquished foe… by killing them quickly. If she had no respect for him she'd make much more of a mess, and probably leave her pack to do the deed.

She took a deep breath.

The long breath before a glorious kill…

Interrupted, as she heard the door of the hallway open and close behind her. She tried not to let it ruin the moment for her, so she took no notice of it, expecting that it would just be her pack returning to her after finishing off the Fox and the Snow Leopard.

After all, what was the point of a magnificent kill without an audience?

As she gradually tightened her grip further around the White-Wolf's head, readying herself to end his life, she was quite confused…

When a female voice shouted from behind her;

"Hey bitch! …"

Rosa's ears perked high as she heard that…

She hated… that, word.

She partially loosened her grasp on the Wolf and turned around to face down the empty hallway with a snarl at the intruder who had ruined her perfect moment…

A Snow Leopard stood at the end, a splatter of blood on her scowling face… and a pistol drawn…

Catherine spoke again;

"… That's my Wolf…"

A loud bang echoed down the corridor… and the last thing Rosa Marconi felt, was a supersonic 9mm bullet splitting her skull…

And a crushing unending blackness.