Merrow's flailing earned her one small success: she managed to wriggle out of the coyote's mouth, plopping on to the floor at his feet. She threw her head back to screech, mouth opening wide-- though she couldn't quite achieve a big gaping jaw to intimidate with. Instead, her sharp, shrill screech went on: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

She continued to fall backward on to her back with the seemingly useless effort, wings flailing every which way at her sides, but somewhere in the mess she had an idea. Or... maybe it was just a happy accident. Her powerful tail tensed and then swung for the dog's legs, and hopefully with her exposed tummy and annoying screeching, the canine would be too preoccupied to stop her tail from knocking him over.

ROUND 3/5

ATTEMPT: tail swipe the legs!
DEFENSE: nah lol
INJURIES: bite wounds on face

@Firenze

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Boy could they scream! Firenze was getting a headache from all this! Though, maybe that was because of the bites along his face...he wasn't exactly sure. But there was one thing he was sure of, he wasn't getting a good grip on this fight or general screaming and thrashing situation. Especially when they swung their tail. He was...perhaps a bit too preoccupied to dodge and instead was sent to the crimson-stained sand below with a wind-knocking huff.

"Hey- whats the big idea!?"

Oh wait- Firenze remember you're in a DEATHMATCH as the people call it. Well this was one he wasn't sure he would or even could win. Truth be told, Firenze wasn't much of a fighter and it was becoming painfully obvious to the audience...maybe...Perhaps they'd chalk it up to bad luck.

He usually had his lovely wife to back him up. Not to mention his good ol'pal Vicktor who kept most danger away with just a glance but...this well, he was alone and hey he wasn't wanting to get maimed or too seriously injured- even though the idea of Lavonia tending to him as her mighty fighter was...very tempting...

If he won- he'd be even more pampered... her mighty victor! Actually, no scratch that- champion had a better ring to it! And less connection to his best bro, cause...that'd be just weird! He snarled, a growl rattling his lungs as he wheezed to catch his breath now. Maybe he could get them to leave? Just run, be scared?... Usually Vicktor went for the throat- that worked...maybe he could too.

So he did, lunging at them again, hoping his aim would give him something good to grab onto!

Round: 3/5
Attempt: Bite!? Go for throat!?
Defense: Just a squirley boy
Injuries: Cut/Partially bitten face + bruising + bleed/scratches along legs




"Speech"

@Merrow

Content Warning
This post contains potentially sensitive material:

gore

Merrow's constant screaming stopped very suddenly when Firenze snapped forward, jaws snapping around her throat. There was maybe a panicked squeak, as all three of her limbs froze. She couldn't breathe, as those teeth dug deep into her windpipe, and very suddenly she was aware of something that had never happened to her before.

She was... Prey, suddenly. She-- she might-- die.

That wasn't possible. She was a Child of Rot, she couldn't-- survival. Her body jerked in the next instant, twisting and wings flapping, trying to pull away. Her body lifted, and she managed to pull away, her throat tearing and leaving Firenze with a rather decent chunk of flesh between his teeth.

She sputtered, blood coming from her throat and from her mouth as she coughed, struggling to breathe. She flapped a bit further, but could hardly get any lift into the air, instead falling back to the ground as she struggled to truly get away from her assailant. Her eyes were wide with panic, searching for any way out of this.

No longer was she the powerful, killing machine or majestic dragon. It... Was probably a good thing that neither of her parents nor brother were here to see this. Though, only one of them were even capable of properly witnessing the bloodbath in the first place.

ROUND 4/5

ATTEMPT: get free from the death bite to the throat
DEFENSE: nah lol
INJURIES: bite wounds on face, severe damage to neck/throat

@Firenze

Firenze's jaws hit home, finding their way around the dragon's throat. Firenze wasn't going to bite down too hard, they didn't want to kill their opponent. But when Merrow began to jerk and thrash, pulling their body from his jaws- well he was more than a bit surprised to feel a chunk of flesh still between his teeth even as Merrow withdrew from him.

He stared for a moment, ichor dripping from his jaws as he spat their flesh onto the crimson sand below. He snarled, not entirely in malice but rather with the fact he could taste panic, see it even. If he could get them to withdraw, leave, anything, he wouldn't have to hurt them much more. Right?

So he lunged again, hoping to keep them backing up, perhaps even chase them out of the very arena they were set to fight in.

Round: 4/5
Attempt: Bite again!
Defense: Just a squirley boy
Injuries: Cut/Partially bitten face + bruising + bleed/scratches along legs




"Speech"

@Merrow

Content Warning
This post contains potentially sensitive material:

gore

strong language

Merrow scrambled away, blood gushing from her throat, and maybe she would have kept flailing across the red-smeared sand, but a sharp sensation to her tail snapped her back into reality. Firenze's jaws had managed to chomp down on her tail: an encouraging nip from her opponent, meant to keep her scrambling away toward safety, to flee out of the arena.

... but Merrow's little brain had other ideas, and that bite hurt. As much as she wanted to survive, a fury rose up through her and boiled through her skin as she opened her jaws in another, ear-piercing screech. "AAAAAAAAAAAAA!" She whipped around, and swiped the hooked claws of her wings at Firenze. Was it an attempt to chase him off of her, or just blind rage...?

"FUHH-" A cough, spitting up blood as she practically hiccuped a swear in the face of the predator chasing her down, "--UUCK YOU!" Definitely rage, then. The resemblance to her blinded brother was uncanny, really.

ROUND 5/5

ATTEMPT: swipe with her wing claws
DEFENSE: nah lol
INJURIES: bite wounds on face, severe damage to neck/throat, puncture wounds on tail

@Firenze

if you wanna tag gms after your post feel free! (or you can kill/crystalize merrow outright if you like... firenze's choice <3)

So it turned out Merrow wasn't exactly wanting to leave the arena, something that had Firenze a bit saddened as he could feel their time would soon be up. Especially with that big monstrosity no doubt looming over the arena, waiting to unleash havoc upon the both of them. And as much as Firenze had enjoyed this fight, he was managing to go toe to toe with this unique little dragon after all! But he was fearful of what would soon rain down upon the arena. Hazards were fun and all to watch but hey he had a wife to return to! He couldn't be stuck in a chrysalis or even worse dead! How else would he shower her with love then!?

So he decided then to push onward, call their bluff when they thrashed out another attack. Only it wasn't really a bluff as their hooked claws dug into Firenze's flank, sliding up and over their shoulder leaving lines of swollen and oozing crimson. He snarled through the searing pain, pushing himself closer, he'd try to bite once more- or hey maybe they'd trip!? Maybe they would give up then! Though that didn't seem very likely, even Firenze knew that.

Round: 5/5
Attempt: ONE MORE TIME! BITE!
Defense: Just a squirley boy
Injuries: Cut/Partially bitten face + bruising + bleed/scratches along legs, slashes across shoulder+flank




"Speech"

@Merrow

Content Warning
This post contains potentially sensitive material:

gore

Merrow's wings flailed wildly, and her body thrashed along the sandy floor, but her body wasn't able to keep going like this. Maybe Nemean was only mere moments from calling in the Hounds, but just in time, the furry gatorbat's eyes rolled back and her fighting spirit was extinguished. Her body collapsed on the floor, the pool of blood continuing to spread from the gaping hole in her throat.

Her stone, previously hidden and buried deep in her pelvis, burst from underneath her skin, a swirl of dark browns and golds of a tiger's eye, and began to try to swallow her whole. Of course, it wouldn't take long for her unconscious body to be swept out of the ring, but for now...

Firenze had won.

@Firenze

exit to chrysalis!

DEATHMATCH

With all the promise of a show, Nemean had been expecting an epic of Shakespearean proportions.

But, this would suffice! She was a fan of screamers, and Merrow fulfilled that role quite perfectly. Every high-pitched yowl of over-exaggerated agony just brought another delighted squeal and laugh from Nemean. (Reminded her of another guy, didn't she?) She howled along with the crowd at every bite, at every terrific clash of gator-mouth and... uh... scraggly dog-mouth. (WAIT. THIS ONE HAS TO BE RELATED—)

When Merrow met the ground for the last time and blood leeched into a massive puddle around her, the sprite launched from her seat. Diaphonous wings had her arrowing for the body—"shit!" Already, stone was snapping up to encase the gator-bat. Nemean punched air. "I wanted the eyeballs!" They'd have looked GREAT next to her other pair!

"... ah! Anyways—" Glittering gold eyes snapped to Firenze with a toothy grin. She fluttered over to hold his paw up in the air with all her might, "HERE'S YOUR LOVER-BOY EVERYBODY! SPARE HIM A ROSE—or a corndog!—WILL YA? FIRENZE, THE WINNER OF THIIIIIIIIIS DEATHROUND!"

Nemean dropped the foot (if the coyote had even let her hold it in the first place, she didn't care too much) like it was a hot potato and clapped her hands. "A bup-bup-bup! Someone get this outta here before it sticks." Vakornol was already on the job, but... it needed to look like she'd commanded it, okay?! "NEEEEXT."

_____________

DEATHMATCH WINNER: Firenze

Character: Merrow Age: +5 (67 Cycles - Capped) Magic Level: +1 (Fledgling) ROUND 1 Attempt: +9 Penalties: - ROUND 2 Attempt: +12 Penalties: - ROUND 3 Attempt: +20 Penalties: - ROUND 4 Attempt: +12 Penalties: - ROUND 5 Attempt: +14 Penalties: - Total: 73

Character: Firenze Age: +5 (73 Cycles - Capped) Magic Level: +1 (Fledgling) ROUND 1 Attempt: +16 Penalties: - ROUND 2 Attempt: - Penalties: - ROUND 3 Attempt: +20 Penalties: - ROUND 4 Attempt: +17 Penalties: - ROUND 5 Attempt: - Penalties: - Total: 59

NUMERICAL WINNER: Merrow

@Merrow (visibility) @Firenze

Unlike her previous cheering in the shows before, this one she was absolutely stricken with genuine fear for her beloved. It had started the moment that odd little dragon had charged haphazardly towards him. It was no secret that Firenze wasn't the best fighter around, she often came to his aid to both protect and ensure his safety. It's what any loved one would do- but this...she couldn't help him here... So when the first blood was drawn she gasped, inhaling sharply with a pang in her chest.

She could not help him- but she too knew he would not give up. This she knew well. He was such a small canine in comparison to those she had known. But inside he was filled with such vigor and tenacity perhaps it'd give him the much-needed edge.

It was then that she cheered her love on, hoping by some miracle that yes he could in fact win this very interesting fight. She believed in him after all, and she would make sure both he and every attendant of Deathmatch would know from her screams and cheers alone.

Merrow seemed to want to win no matter the cost- But Firenze was here for a good and entertainingly fun time for both himself and the family he had in tow. And miraculously through both the bloodshed of battle and the collective cheering and screams of family, friends, and strangers alike, Firenze was crowned the winner the moment the little dragon fell to their own chrysalis.

What a turn of events, and by golly, she was so proud of him. Though- he was no doubt hurt...and in pain but at least his ego would keep him in high spirits. She wasted no time and swiftly ran from her seat towards him, gently ushering him out of the immediate arena so the next match could start and so he could receive proper medical attention.

[exit]

"Speech"

Firenze had won! Something Vicktor was not actually sure would happen if he was to be honest. But- Firenze was fighting with pride and the desire to both entertain and make his family proud. Especially in front of his beloved. So of course there would be no other outcome. Lavonia was quick to vacate her seat and rush to his side. Which was a smart decision as the coyote would have limped and wandered over here with the rest of the family rather than seek out any medical attention they may have needed.

Still, he would need to congratulate him, after Lavonia was done hovering around him of course.

Firenze ended the fight in a fairly swift manner and without too much harm bloody harm done to either side. It was still a fun event, one that Firenze no doubt learned and grew from- but so did the opponent Merrow he was sure. He was glad to see them enter their chrysalis- even if death was apparently all in the name of the game and what many in the crowd craved. But he knew Firenze would not kill, that was not why they were here not who they were.

He would give Lavonia and Firenze some time alone before seeking them out himself, no doubt with little Juniper in tow to both show and reassure her that her uncle Firenze was alright as was Merrow in the end.

[exit]

"Clover Speech"
"Vicktor Speech"