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Description
The morning came just as it had for the last several weeks, a clang from the door to the dungeons opening and closing. The brief glimpse of sunlight beyond it, and the human jailor would walk the mass of cages dragging the haft of his spear amongst the bars of the cages as he went, just to stir those of us still sleeping. He would always stop at what appeared to be random cages, check off his list and move along until he found someone he deemed necessary to enter the arena. On this particular morning, it appeared it would be my turn as he stopped and rattled the keys just beyond my cage he would always say something snide, but at this point I'd learned to just tune him out, the chains would be loosened as I was brought at spear point to the cage that would hail my entrance to the arena, just as had been since my first time, only now I knew what to expect. With a sigh "Ah well lets get this over with, I'd hate to have to return to this cage without a glimpse of the sun." As usual the doors shot open almost instantaneously and out into the arena I walked, the crowd was large this time, larger than I'd seen before. What could have drawn them to such numbers here this time... My answer came swiftly as a large black bear entered the arena opposite of me. Ah, so they wish to see how I captured the pelt I wear then, very well, at least I'm free of that infernal cage for a time.

I stared at the bear before me, analyzing his every detail, the way he moved, the way he acted, his scent in the air, everything about this one screamed fear. I saw as he moved his ever so slight limp in his right hind leg, I knew he would be slow to shift that direction, let alone stand on it for very long. I began my approach, slowly, yet deliberately towards my adversary. Half way to him, I roared, loud and long. It felt good to breathe the fresh air and let it fill my spirit, the roar was more for my own pleasure, but I saw the fear in my opponent rise at it's sound, he knew it would not be long before his end. I began my circle to his strong side, I wouldn't prey on his weakness just yet. He followed suit, but he was much more slow and cautious in his movements, he must have never been inside the arena yet, pity he would die here, but it must be done, for his death means my survival. I stood to my full height on my hind legs as the bears do, again loosing a deafening roar, only this time when I stopped there was only silence in the coliseum. Even the humans held silent to me. I lowered myself to all fours and we commenced the battle.

My opponent charged me first, swiping at my front paws and snapping at my face, a slight shift back evaded this without harm. I circled to my right and swung my tail, smacking the bear solidly across his left forepaw, not enough to seriously injure him, but enough to slow him down a touch, and make him less likely to attack me so boldly again. But as always, bears are fickle beasts and he charged me again, only this time he rose to his hind legs to swipe at me, in this moment I knew how I would kill him. As my foe descended I lunged forward, allowing his strike to find my shoulder plate under the pelt, but I swung my right paw at his open maw, the moment I made contact with his lower jaw I knew he was done, the bones gave way at my touch and he collapsed before me, unable to breathe and lifeless. I knew he would still breathe for hours unless I finished him off. A great hunter of the wilds did not deserve to die like that. I took my axe bladed cuff and dug the blade deep into his sternum, pulling towards his chin I split his chest wide open for the world to see. I pulled his still beating heart from his body, held it up for all to see before consuming it in a single bite, his body no longer had the heart to feed it, and stopped almost instantly. I hadn't even noticed the noise the crowd was making, this old one should have died in the wilds, not here. But I knew this was the world I was forced to be a part of now. I will kill, I will destroy, and I will survive, failure is not an option although, truthfully, it never was.

Description
The morning came just as it had for the last several weeks, a clang from the door to the dungeons opening and closing. The brief glimpse of sunlight beyond it, and the human jailor would walk the mass of cages dragging the haft of his spear amongst the bars of the cages as he went, just to stir those of us still sleeping. He would always stop at what appeared to be random cages, check off his list and move along until he found someone he deemed necessary to enter the arena. On this particular morning, it appeared it would be my turn as he stopped and rattled the keys just beyond my cage he would always say something snide, but at this point I'd learned to just tune him out, the chains would be loosened as I was brought at spear point to the cage that would hail my entrance to the arena, just as had been since my first time, only now I knew what to expect. With a sigh "Ah well lets get this over with, I'd hate to have to return to this cage without a glimpse of the sun." As usual the doors shot open almost instantaneously and out into the arena I walked, the crowd was large this time, larger than I'd seen before. What could have drawn them to such numbers here this time... My answer came swiftly as a large black bear entered the arena opposite of me. Ah, so they wish to see how I captured the pelt I wear then, very well, at least I'm free of that infernal cage for a time.

I stared at the bear before me, analyzing his every detail, the way he moved, the way he acted, his scent in the air, everything about this one screamed fear. I saw as he moved his ever so slight limp in his right hind leg, I knew he would be slow to shift that direction, let alone stand on it for very long. I began my approach, slowly, yet deliberately towards my adversary. Half way to him, I roared, loud and long. It felt good to breathe the fresh air and let it fill my spirit, the roar was more for my own pleasure, but I saw the fear in my opponent rise at it's sound, he knew it would not be long before his end. I began my circle to his strong side, I wouldn't prey on his weakness just yet. He followed suit, but he was much more slow and cautious in his movements, he must have never been inside the arena yet, pity he would die here, but it must be done, for his death means my survival. I stood to my full height on my hind legs as the bears do, again loosing a deafening roar, only this time when I stopped there was only silence in the coliseum. Even the humans held silent to me. I lowered myself to all fours and we commenced the battle.

My opponent charged me first, swiping at my front paws and snapping at my face, a slight shift back evaded this without harm. I circled to my right and swung my tail, smacking the bear solidly across his left forepaw, not enough to seriously injure him, but enough to slow him down a touch, and make him less likely to attack me so boldly again. But as always, bears are fickle beasts and he charged me again, only this time he rose to his hind legs to swipe at me, in this moment I knew how I would kill him. As my foe descended I lunged forward, allowing his strike to find my shoulder plate under the pelt, but I swung my right paw at his open maw, the moment I made contact with his lower jaw I knew he was done, the bones gave way at my touch and he collapsed before me, unable to breathe and lifeless. I knew he would still breathe for hours unless I finished him off. A great hunter of the wilds did not deserve to die like that. I took my axe bladed cuff and dug the blade deep into his sternum, pulling towards his chin I split his chest wide open for the world to see. I pulled his still beating heart from his body, held it up for all to see before consuming it in a single bite, his body no longer had the heart to feed it, and stopped almost instantly. I hadn't even noticed the noise the crowd was making, this old one should have died in the wilds, not here. But I knew this was the world I was forced to be a part of now. I will kill, I will destroy, and I will survive, failure is not an option although, truthfully, it never was.