Back in the cage, Alex lay there in the dark, his mind racing with thoughts of the fight and the possibility of losing control again. He knew he had to keep his head on straight, but the memories of his past were like a siren's call, luring him back into the chaos that was his former self. He took a deep breath, trying to focus on the sounds outside their cell, the muffled footsteps and whispers of Laohu's henchmen as they murmured about the evening's entertainment.

"M.A.D.4 first event begins in two hours!" a bellowing speaker echoed out around the empty amphitheatre. The sound jolted Alex from his thoughts, his gaze landing upon Gia.

"Two hours," he whispered to himself, his voice shaking, "What have I gotten us into?"

Gia looked at him, her whole expression filled with fear and anxiety. "I can't do this, Alex," she admitted, sighing with an inner wrenching turmoil. "I can't!"

He shook his head in disagreement, determined for her to defeat him. "You will."

She breathed heavily, trying not to cry. "No! You can't make me."

He hit the ground with his paw, frustrated at her lack of motivation. "That's too bad. You are going to do it," he muttered tensely from across the cage, taking a moment to calm down.

"I just want to go home," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Alex stepped closer, his voice hardening. "Oh my gosh, Gia, just scratch me up a bit," he told her, his eyes full of a fierce determination that had been lost in his addiction. "You don't have to be too violent, just make it look real. I just need to concentrate on my breathing, everything will be fine."

"No, Gia. Don't make it look real, it is real. Make sure you're hurting him," Gloria interrupted from the other cell, listening in on their troubling debate. "Make him cry."

The intensity in her voice made Alex pause, his gaze shifting from Gia to Gloria. He knew Gloria had been hurt by his actions, but he didn't expect this level of anger from her. "Can you leave us alone, please?" he asked, his voice tight. "I've told you already, go away you big, fat hippo."

Gloria stepped closer to the bars, her eyes flashing. "Alex, I saw that look you gave me earlier. You were savage," she spat. "If you're like that in there, Gia won't stand a chance if she doubts herself for one second. She needs to be ruthless."

Alex felt a pang of guilt, realizing his own actions had created this rift between them. "Ugh, I know," he whispered with annoyance at her but mostly himself, his eyes dropping to the ground. "Do you not think I'm trying to give her every chance she has got?"

"Prove it!" Gloria announced, staring him directly in the eye. "Right now, why don't you... hm, I don't know, let her tear your heel so you can't run? You know, just a little puncture with a claw. That'll help her get a feel for it, and you'll be at massive disadvantage."

Alex looked at her, his gaze unwavering. "What? No... I'm not going to let anyone hurt me that badly," he said, his voice firm. His eyes moved to Gia, her expression as though she was into the idea. "That's... No, we are not doing it."

Gloria's eyes narrowed, her voice sharp. "Come on! You're letting her win, right?" she accused, smiling smugly at Gia who nodded. "It won't hurt too much."

Alex hesitated, his mind racing. He knew he had to do something to regain their trust, something to prove that he was still the leader they knew and not the broken, selfish creature he had become. With a heavy sigh, he turned to Gia. "Okay, fine," he said through gritted teeth. "But... be careful, okay?"

"Hehe, nice," Gloria muttered, happy he had broken.

Gia's eyes widened in surprise, but she nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. She approached him slowly, her heart pounding in her chest. With trembling paws, she reached down and put her claw into his heel, her eyes never leaving his. "Where? Here?" she questioned the lion and the hippopotamus, awaiting approval for the optimal spot.

"There's fine," Alex answered her as the jaguar's fingers rested on a area on his heel. He was clenching onto the steel bars, holding on in preparation as Gloria looked at him and smirked with amusement and satisfaction. "Okay, let's get this over with."

Gia took a deep breath, her claws digging in slightly as Alex flinched. "Ready?" she asked, her voice steady.

Alex winced slightly at the action, already in discomfort at the minimal pressure. "Wait, wait... Gloria, can you step on my paws so I can't flinch? I don't think I can handle it," he told her, the hippopotamus nodding with a grin, much to her willing obligement. The lion got on his knees and slipped his arms through the cell bars into Gloria's, her weight now atop of his paws that he was now unable to move. "Okay, ready."

Gia took a deep breath and with one swift movement, her claw sunk into and out of the flesh of his left heel, the sound of Alex's pain echoing through the quiet room. He roared in agony, his eyes watering as he clenched his teeth with all his might. Gloria remained on his paws, watching with a mix of horror and excitement as the blood began to pool around her friend's heel.

"Good, good," the hippopotamus whispered to herself, her eyes never leaving Alex's pained expression as he wept in torment. "That's what you get for betraying us."

"Happy now?" Alex choked out, his eyes tearing up from the pain. The jaguar looked at him, her gaze conflicted. She didn't want to hurt him, but she knew this was for their survival. She backed away with disgust at the scene, watching as Alex's leg spasmed before going still.

"It's done," Gia murmured, her voice hoarse.

Alex nodded, gritting his teeth as the pain began to subside. He glanced down at his mutilated heel, a grim determination setting in. "Thank you," he managed to say, his voice thick with emotion.

Gloria stepped off his paws, looking at him with a newfound respect, though a feeling of disappointment still pulling inside her. "I didn't know you had it in you," she said, her tone softer. "I am impressed..."

"I just want you guys to trust me again," Alex whispered, his breathing ragged. He sat on the cold floor, breathing heavily as he tried to withstand the throbbing feeling of his leg pulsating up through his body.

Gia stared at him, her own fear momentarily forgotten. She saw the pain in his eyes, not just from his injury, but from the weight of his guilt and the desperation to fix things. Without another word, she carefully stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. Alex tensed at first, surprised by the sudden affection, but then he relaxed into it, his eyes closing as he took in her scent and the warmth of her touch. Gloria looked the embraced couple with a shaking head of disapproval, frustrated by Gia's tolerance toward the backstabbing lion.

For a moment, the two of them just sat there, the pain and the tension in the air dissipating slightly. It was a silent apology, a promise of redemption, and a declaration of solidarity. They were in this together, and no matter what, they would find a way out.

"Are you okay?" Gia asked him sorrowfully, briefly inspecting his injury she inflicted. "It will heal, right?"

Alex nodded, trying to keep his composure as he leaned into her embrace. "Yeah, it'll be fine," he managed to say, his voice tight. "It's just right, actually. I'll need you to do more of this when we fight."

Gia's grip tightened around him, her own fear and anger momentarily forgotten. "I don't want- I don't..." she whispered, her voice muffled against his fur.

Alex took a shaky breath, his eyes squeezed shut. "Come on, you've just done this. It'll be easy," he murmured, his voice hoarse with pain and regret. "You have to. For the-"

But before Alex could encourage her more, the door to the cells slammed open, the sound echoing through the metal halls. A group of Laohu's henchmen stormed in, their eyes scanning over the animals with disdain. "Lion!" one of them sneered at Alex from the other side of the cell bars.

Alex and Gia quickly broke apart, their hearts racing as the henchmen approached. One of them began opening their cage, his eyes lingering on Alex's injured heel. "The show hasn't started yet, you two," he said with a nasty smile as the door swung open. "We're here to get you ready for it thought, lion."

The jaguar stepped back, her eyes on Alex's pain-wracked face. "There's still two hours left! You can't take him," she protested.

The henchmen paid no heed to her words, one of them grabbing Alex by the scruff of his neck and yanking him up to his feet. Alex winced, his injured heel feeling the pressure from standing against the ground. "Look, I can still fight," he insisted, trying to stand firmly despite the pain shooting up his leg.

"Oh, we know you can. You would be forced to, anyway," the henchman said, grinning at his petrified state. "Laohu's got something for you, lion. He wants to show it you."

The henchmen dragged Alex out of the cell, his eyes frantically searching for Gia's on the way out. She looked at him with worry, hoping wherever he was going would bring him less pain than she just did. The sharpness of their claws dug into his fur, reminding him of his own lack of power in this grim situation. His heart hammered in his chest as they forced him up the spiralling stairs, and he couldn't help but wonder what kind of twisted game Laohu was playing now.

The stench grew stronger with every step they took, a mix of fear and something else - something chemical. As they reached the top, the door to a chamber was thrown open, revealing the Laohu stood beside a cage. Several of his loyal followers, all of different species, were sat around it with anticipation, watching the lion tensely as he got threw into the cage. The room was illuminated by flickering candles, casting eerie shadows on the walls covered with past pictures depicting battles and brutal scenes of victory within his sick arena.

"Ah, everyone, my most promising contestant!" Laohu announced as he proudly presented Alex, his eyes gleaming with a sadistic delight. Alex felt his heart sink as he took in the sight before him - a small, trembling creature huddled in the corner of the cage. It was a baby panda, no more than a few months old. "Oh, don't mind him," Laohu cooed with a malicious smile, "not yet..."

"What's this all about?" the lion asked with volume, looking around the room of excited individuals. Alex's mind raced as he tried to comprehend the depths of Laohu's depravity. "This isn't the amphitheatre, why am I here?"

"Ah, the suspense," Laohu chuckled, stroking the fur of the baby panda through the cage. "It's all part of the entertainment, my dear Alex. You see, I like to introduce a...wildcard to each of my M.A.D.4 events. Something that keeps the audience on their toes... and, this time, you too," he said, his voice dripping with amusement.

Alex's eyes narrowed, his thoughts racing as he assessed the situation. He knew he had to keep his wits about him, especially with his injury. "What do you want from me?" he snarled, trying to ignore the trembling creature in the corner. "What wildcard?"

Laohu leaned in closer, his smile growing more twisted. "Patience, my friend," he whispered to him, before turning to his audience of psychotic animal pals. "Please, everyone, Alex is the star of the night, ask him anything you want. I'll be back in ten minutes with the twist."

The tiger left the congested room, leaving Alex in the cage with the baby panda. The room buzzed with whispers and questions, but the lion ignored them, focusing solely on the trembling creature in the corner. He knew he had to keep his cool, to not let Laohu's twisted games get to him. The baby panda looked up at him with wide, scared eyes, and Alex felt a surge of protectiveness. He couldn't let this innocent creature suffer because of his mistakes.

"Classified, where are you? We're starting in less than two hours!" Laohu scowled into a calling device, trotting through the corridors of the cave base, out onto the overlooking seating area of the empty amphitheatre. "Everyone is waiting for you and the chemicals!"

"I'm behind you," a crackly voice replied, the tiger raising in brow in bewilderment. Laohu promptly shot around, coming to find the nonchalant wolf stood in front of him with the case in his paw. Classified smirked, finding humour in the prank he played on his long-time friend. "You're getting old..." he quipped, walking closer to the tiger who couldn't help but smile back at him. "I couldn't have done that, back in the day."

"Very funny," Laohu grunted with a slight chuckle, taking the case from Classified. "I was losing hope..."

The wolf shrugged his shoulders, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I thought it'd lighten the mood," he said, gesturing to the tension in the air. "You're so tense these days, what gives?"

Laohu's faint smile faded, his gaze drifting to the fighting ground. "Ah, the movement of life," he said with a sigh. "Born in to such one, what else is there but the everlasting tension of it all?"

Classified nodded solemnly, understanding the tiger's burden. "It's a tough gig, but we all appreciate what you do," he said, his voice low. "Don't forget how far you've come."

Laohu's eyes snapped back to the wolf, a glint of anger in them. "Yes, I've come too far to lose it all now," he growled. "And that's why I need this," he said, patting the case. "Everyone's expecting something special tonight."

"You won't lose anything, ever," the wolf pointed out as he shook his head in disagreement. "Not on my watch. It's all in your head..."

The tension in Laohu's eyes relaxed somewhat at his the wolf's caring words. His shoulders dropped in relief, demonstrating a hint of uncharacteristic vulnerability. "Thanks," he murmured, his focus returning to the task at hand. He opened the case, revealing an array of syringes filled with a glowing blue liquid. "Okay, let's see if these really work," he told Classified, his voice a mix of excitement and nerves as he began walking back to the room where Alex was being showcased.

"Woah there, tiger," Classified said hastily, gently grabbing the busy tiger's arm. Laohu looked at him trying to seem confused, in truth knowing what he had missed. "No kiss?"

Laohu pulled his arm away with a snarl, his eyes flashing. "Not now," he warned, his eyes darting around the empty amphitheatre. "Not here."

Classified's smirk grew wider, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "But you know how I love to live dangerously," he whispered, taking a step closer. "And I know you do too..."

"Oh well," the tiger whispered, giving in. Without warning, Laohu's expression softened, and he leaned in, his lips brushing against Classified's in a brief, passionate kiss. It was a rare moment of vulnerability from the tiger, a silent acknowledgment of their deep bond amidst the chaos surrounding them. The wolf's eyes widened slightly in delighted surprise before he kissed back, his tail wagging slightly. "Now, come on, we can do more of that after the show is over."

"Oh, I can't wait," the wolf admitted with glee, following Laohu closely.

Back in the dungeon, the group remaining in shambles, the consensual taking of Alex weighing over most. Vitaly, who had been silent and still on the floor, began to stir, his eyes fluttering open. Gia noticed his movement from across the miserable place, hope swelling in her heart. "Vitaly!" she exclaimed, rushing over the edge of her cell. "Are you okay?"

The old tiger took a moment to gather his bearings, his eyes focusing on the jaguar with a look of pain. "Ah, I fear not," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "I can't be in here much longer. The air, it is bad for my lungs."

Gia looked at him with pity and sadness, and then with anger to a wandering guard passing by her jailed self. "You, put him somewhere else!" she hissed at the henchman, his gaze sharply rotating to the jaguar at her aggressive demand. "He's dying in here!"

The guard looked at Vitaly with disinterest, then back at her. "Isn't that the whole point of this place?" he grunted, and continued his patrol.