Somewhere in the stands, Nemean was leering down her petite snout and wireframe glasses. A pout twisted her lips, puckered her chin—ugh, why couldn't these Gembound just keep a nice bracket together!? One moment, she's got all of the matches set up, and then one of them drops out or one of the two Vs reminds her that a combatant died in the last round. (Sue her! There was a lot of faces she just did not care about here!)

At least there were two big lugs on the judging panel to pick up the slack, and so she sent Vakornol down with a resounding, open-palmed smack! on the forehead. The valkhound just snorted, eyes pinching up in a Cheshire grin.

"READY UP, SPECTATORS!" came the sprite's wailing introduction as the spotlights whirled and the music grew louder, "HERE'S A REAL KICKER OF A MATCH, EVERYBODY! PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER FOOOOOR..."

With just a spark, fireworks exploded all over the arena floor; they rattled like gunfire, throwing smoke to obscure Vakornol's leap down. Eyes glinted chartreuse in the smog, and the crooked curve of her grin grew wider. (Has anyone ever said that she didn't have a flair for the dramatic?)

"THE UNSINKABLE, THE UNKILLABLE, THE UNTOUCHABLE... FORSAKEN REVENAAAAAANT!!!"

Like she were someone's prize pony, the leggy beast trotted out of the smoke with her head held high; and, as she completed her lazy circle of movement, she made sure to show off every little bit of herself like this were any other exhibition of the latest and greatest in designs. Best to show an example for the class, eh?

And as she pulled up to a stop, Vakornol studied her soon-to-arrive opponent with no less than an eager smile—this was one of Vargas's newest designs, and the stocky beast had already proven himself to be quite vicious and wont to destruction. He was sturdy, and damn was he big.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, you big sonofa," she barked mostly for pleasantries' sake, "let's have at it and have a damn good time. How about you take the initiative, eh?"

NOTE FOR JUDGING: Fledgling at the time of this match's beginning! Perhaps God will be kind enough to give me three successes to at long last rank up...
@Baokrish

Within the prep area of the arena, Baokrish waited. His eyes healed, his tongue's brief pain lowered to a dull ache, and he was tense- a good kill got him going. It wasn't such a challenge to fight now, was it? And he'd started to get the hang of it. Protect, bite, and crush.

With the music's swell and the last contestants limping in, it was time for the final match of the round. Vakornol's thump into the sand wasn't quite as loud as the squealing voice announcing her arrival- at least, to Baokrish's ears, who had completely begun to tune out the fairy's whining voice. It was thanks to her that he got to experience this, though. Peering from the shadows of the pit's entrance, the valkhound within loomed with dull, golden lights, each eye an eerie point in space.

Once Nemean's whining had stopped (at least, for Vakornol's introduction), Baokrish began the process of heaving himself out, slow for the sake of dramatics and judging the prancing fighter before him. "NOW, HUNGERING FOR MORE, BRUTE OF THE ARENA, GOD OF THE SEA, BAOKRISH!" Nemean's voice had called out as the smoke cleared from Vakornol's entrance while Baokrish's claws dug into the sand. How perfect. Hungering for more? Oh, he certainly was. Licking his teeth (as best he could, with a partially healed tongue), Baokrish lifted his front half from the ground as he levied his gaze on Vakornol, his permanent grin widening.

"Great to meet you, too," he sneered- something sounded disingenuous there, but that was far from the truth. This was one of the greatest fighters the caves had known. Baokrish was going to beat her ass, and be honored to do it. "Let's have some fun."

The valkagator's claws dug into the sand as he launched himself forward, galloping and cutting the distance as a hiss rose from his throat. His jaws parted, all eyes set on his opponent, and he surged ahead to dig his tusks into one of Vakornol's skinny legs and crunch.

ROUND 1/5

100%

ATTEMPT: bite down on one of vak's legs
DEFENSE: built like a mfuckin tank but otherwise doing his best
INJURIES: numb tongue

@Vakornol

Vakornol would've been tickled if she'd had a one-way window into that thick-looking skull of Baokrish's. Honored to kick her ass? Color her delighted!

Alas, given that she just had ears, she could only nod with an upward squint to her eyes — and, of course, her Cheshire grin widening. "Aye, aye, capt'n!" If "fun" were any more of an intimidating word, the Valkhound would've tried to fit that into her titles. Perhaps Nemean would have advice for such a thing...

Problem for later, though.

Now, there was a couple thousand pounds of brute with even more than that in bite force heading her way. Vakornol could applaud his surprising speed when his jaws weren't about to crush one of her legs to smithereens. If the big bastard could hoof it going straight, could he turn so easily... ?

She crouched slightly, elbows loose where she stood, stepping easily toward Baokrish's right side as he approached. A second or so before impact, she lurched in the opposite direction, attempting to round the big brute's left side and avoid snapping jaws. In the same movement, Vakornol jabbed toward his flank with hooked talons curled and spread wide.

ROUND 1/5

82%

ATTEMPT: Sidestep to slash at Bao's left side
DEFENSE: Steady stance, natural spikes
INJURIES: Pending attempt resolution

@Baokrish

Vakornol would certainly have been right- while he could shove forward, turning was more of a challenge while on land. A train on a track, he had planned on hanging on and holding, bringing her down slow and steady.

But, that was not the nature of this arena. Nemean wanted blood, and that's what she would get. The most he could perform was a flinch to follow Varkonol's flighty dodge, leaving her well out of range of those vicious teeth. Shit. The reverberating snap of jaws hitting air rattled his mind and left his eyes desperately trying to catch up, only to-

A deep roar rolled out of his core when Vakornol hit home. Blood coalesced at her talons, and his voice barreled out dripping with rage. No quips- his mind was set on revenge now, as pain flourished under her deliberation.

Arching back like a fish out of water, Baokrish flailed his body like an unwieldy mace, twisting his head around to try and bite whatever he could fruitlessly. It was aimless, desperate. His mouth snapped uselessly in the air- he couldn't bite her from this angle, but he could try and rip backwards, his own talons curled directly for her flesh.

ROUND 2/5

81%

ATTEMPT: rip something of vakornol's
DEFENSE: n/a
INJURIES: numb tongue, deep torso wound

@Vakornol

The big lug couldn't reach behind himself with that mouth of his—but, his claws? Woah Nelly!

If he could see far enough to his side, he'd get the pleasure of seeing Vakornol ever-so-slightly flinch as talons flailed through the meat of the forearm closest to him. She took it into stride, of course, but the resulting spatter of glowing chartreuse was undeniable. It was a nice sprinkling of revenge; but was the beast hungry enough to seek more of it?

Baokrish was already basically with his belly to the ground, and so there wasn't much further for him to go, but keeping those stumpy legs in commission was clearly out of order.

Vakornol bounced on the tips of her toes, moving briefly out of reach. A Cheshire grin split her face as she went for her first target: the inside of an elbow. Her claws curled in, digits locked in place and primed to slice at what she assumed to be tender flesh and joints.

ROUND 2/5

67%

ATTEMPT: Slash/swipe at an elbow joint
INJURIES: Numerous slashes on lower forearms

@Baokrish