Dog Fights

Prologue

"INTRODUCING OUR FIRST PLACE COMPETITOR, ORGON FILE AND HIS FIGHTER, EZRA!"

The crowd roars, watching as heavy cables lift a rusted cage into the dirty fighting ring. The floor shifts with loose sand and dry dirt, leftover blood from the previous fight clumping in various areas. Only the chain draped pit has spotlights, the rest of the room dark besides the upper seats and control center; they glow an eerie red.

"FILE, CAN YOU TAKE ON YOUR COMPETITOR? INTRODUCING VETERAN ARRON POST AND HIS FIGHTER, LIKO!"

A second figure is brought into the arena in a sturdier cage, more built and covered in fresh scars. He stumbles on his wobbly platform, dropping to all fours before looking up, baring his teeth at Ezra and letting a low growl echo through the room.

The circling crowd hoots, oohing and urging on the two hungry beasts from their protected seats.

"REMEMBER COMPETITORS, GIVE YOUR FIGHTERS TIME TO EAT AFTER THE FIGHT. I'M SURE THEY'RE STARVING AFTER TRAINING!"

A curtain draws up on the far wall of the ring, exposing a small beaten girl in the dirty bait cage. Bruises litter her body, clothes torn and bloody. Her wrist bends awkwardly to the side.

"Do you see that?" Orgon pushes, grinning down at Ezra from his barred off perch. His perfect white teeth shine, showing off the wealth he's gained from all the fights he's won. "That's your meal for the month. If you don't put on a show and kill that beast, you're going back in the dark."

"ONE LAST SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT." The speakers blare, rattling with the force of the announcer's voice. "THIS WOULDN'T BE A FAIR FIGHT IF BOTH FIGHTERS DIDN'T HAVE THEIR FULL ABILITIES, WOULD IT? WATCHERS- GIVE YOURSELVES, TO THE MOON!"

Both fighters glance up as the crowd begins to howl, a large square in the metal sheeted ceiling cracking and sliding open in the center. The sheer light of the full moon brightens the dirty ring, making the crowd cheer even louder.

Liko bangs against the cage gate, making it creak and rattle as he slams to the ground. His roar pierces the area, the light and noise of the arena making his muscles tremble.

Shocking pain stabs Ezra's head and he pressed his hands over his ears, sinking to his knees. He had done this countless times, but never got used to it.

"SUPERNATURAL FANS- WE PRESENT THE ULTIMATE FULL MOON FIGHT: VAMPIRE VERSUS WEREWOLF!"

Liko howls through razor sharp teeth, now thick and hairy arms denting either side of the cage by hitting against it in an attempt to be released. His nose rises in the air as he slams against the floor, legs stretching and kicking the back wall.

A second shriek dwarfs the first, drawing attention back to Ezra's side of the ring. In a blur he hangs upside down from the bars of the cage top, fangs bared in a flurry of screams and hisses. His metal spiked leather uniform glints with the moonlight, contrasting the grey tint of his skin. The power of the moon sends harsh ripples of desperation through his body. Desperation to fight, kill, and feed.

"GOOD LUCK COMPETITORS."

The gates rattle open.

"FIGHT!"