[ AW ] Savages

It was heard in whispers in dark alleyways, or within seedy taverns. Word was spreading in certain circles like smoldering flames, among those with sordid reputations. A new place, new opportunities for those with expendable cash and those who needed it, or those who simply wanted the thrill they had once found on the battlefield. Here in this underground arena, violence remained where tentative peace lurked above. And it was, quite literally, underground: an ancient labyrinth built beneath the town’s streets in days long since past. Inside the cavernous dwelling, wolves chatted and laughed. Drinks were poured and downed nearly instantly, adding to the raucous nature of the space. Guards kept watch over the crowds to ensure that no fighting erupted outside of the fighting ring.

Only two secret words were required to gain entry:
The Playground.

An enormous black wolf stood solitary in the midst of the activity, observing the wolves who arrived from the sidelines. It was likely too soon for her to fight again, with injuries still healing from her inaugural brawl in the fighting ring. But she was impatient to return to the arena, eager to once more be the wolf she had become in their eyes. The beast had made a name for herself already: Ruin.

The elite watched from a safe distance, their faces in the shadows. These were the wolves responsible for The Playground: their coin funded the entire operation, coupled with their fondness for violence. Anything they expended would be paid back in abundance; their wealth would only increase as the less fortunate entertained them with their blood. These lucky few were comfortable, their privileged lives so different from the ones that fight for their amusement…

An announcer's voice called out in loud tones that echoed through the hollowed chambers, causing a hush to momentarily fall over the excited crowd: "Welcome, one and all, welcome! Who will be our next fighters in The Playground? Step forward now, if ya dare!"

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

so we'll run to the sea—

-> set after rue and bast's match in the raid channel

Back-to-back defeats would infuriate another man. In Bastien's opinion, an ego that didn't need to be knocked down a few pegs was an ego not large enough in the first place. Besides, he tended to confine his business to the mainlands, so there was very little risk that these two identities - the killer and the Crow - would intersect.

He couldn't say he liked the stiffness he endured in the aftermath, rolling his shoulders in an attempt to loosen the heaviness settled on his chest. That beast of a woman had done a number on him when she'd turned his tactic back on him. All the breath with which he'd had to applaud her quick thinking had been promptly expelled under her weight, and he hadn't had a chance to recover before surrendering to unconsciousness.

Awake now, the man sought out the conqueror who'd used his beaten body to hoist herself closer to the throne that had been taken from her. There was no animosity in his voice when he found and approached her, only mirth and mischief. "I don't usually kiss before the first date," he remarked, watching her face for another one of those entertaining reactions.

—and find no captain waiting

code // art

Rue was surprised when, of all wolves, it was Crow who should approach her from the crowd. A smirk contorted her scarred facade as she regarded the behemoth of a brute came nearer to her, her features suspicion tinged with amusement. He wasn’t angry, despite his defeat, a response that rather confused Rue. He wasn’t bitter or haughty, instead offering a bit of unexpected humor: "I don't usually kiss before the first date.” A real smart ass. All around them, the manic energy fumed once more as new competitors entered the right.

The man before her was a bloody mess to behold, but still the beast would draw breaths. Rue hoped that each inhale hurt him, and every exhale was even more excruciating. In truth, the fighter had no issues with this male in particular, except that he was male. And that was enough. It was more than enough. Still, without his performance in the ring, she would still be deemed a loser following her own defeat the prior week. Now it was his turn. It bolstered Rue’s self-esteem like nothing else could. An ego so fragile.

”Bit surprised someone like you can find anyone willin' to date ya, Crow.” Her voice was deep and husky, its timbre so low that if one wasn’t looking, it would be easy to assume the beast it belonged to was indeed male. Then again, her hulking form did little to convince a stranger of her femininity, broad shouldered and barrel chest. "Quite the show ya put on." Garnet eyes appraised the wolf's battered form again. She and the male were the same size, give or take a few pounds. For a wolf with so much white fur, it was an odd name he picked for himself, though she didn’t care enough to inquire about its origins.



@Bastien

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

so we'll run to the sea—

His satisfaction, against all odds, soared to even greater heights when she retaliated with some quick wit of her own. "Aye, well, I can show ya how I snare 'em," Bastien rounded off the snarky solicitation with a wink. He quite enjoyed someone who could match him beat for beat, blow for blow, and Ruin had proved to be quite the adversary in battle already that it came as no surprise that she'd hold her own in this war of words too.

The compliment was more unexpected, though by the way she regarded him like he was prey that had escaped, he couldn't be sure it was as well-meaning as he was choosing to take it. "Not so bad yourself. Seems like you had more on the line than I did." No doubt this was a dangerous game he was playing with her. Even a blind man could see the chip Ruin had on her shoulder, and here he was, willfully taking a chisel to carve out answers to the questions he wasn't directly asking. Clearly, the fire burning through his chest with every painful breath wasn't enough to deter him from toying with an open flame.

—and find no captain waiting

code // art

"Aye, well, I can show ya how I snare 'em.” For someone who had just had their ass handed to them, Crow was in a surprisingly cheerful mood. He even punctuated his words with a wink. Undaunted, Ruin’s baritone vocals would respond: ”And I can show ya how to fight,” she taunted. Though it was profoundly awkward, one could presume that the beast was on the precipice of playfulness, a trait she had not possessed since puphood. She was unperturbed by his ribbing, even amused. She had already crushed him, literally and otherwise. He was no threat.

"Not so bad yourself. Seems like you had more on the line than I did." It was true, though she would never admit it aloud. The Playground was her redemption. A shimmer of glory in an otherwise bleak existence. Hell, it was even becoming a part of who she was. She didn’t have to be useless, ugly Rue here. Dark shoulders lifted in a shrug, ruby sights locked upon the man’s similar stare. ”Didn’t say you were any good, bird boy,” she corrected his error, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

At least their entertainment was mutual.

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

so we'll run to the sea—

Was that a grin shrouded by the shadows of her featureless face? It was hard to detect any changes in her facial expressions if he wasn't focusing on one of the many scars. Whether that was the case or not was irrelevant; Bastien opted to believe her composure had unintentionally slipped. "Don't threaten me with a good time," he returned without pause, but another test of the tension in his shoulders curbed his enthusiasm. "But we'll have to postpone 'till our second date. I don't want to leave you wanting."

More and more, Rue was proving to be quite the interesting beast. He couldn't help but to be impressed by how she unwittingly employed his own tactic against him to evade the unsung question. Clever girl. No matter—her body language told him what her mouth did not. "Wouldn't be so sweet a victory without a half-decent opponent," Bastien mused, making an indirect reference to her change in disposition post-spar compared to how she'd entered the ring, while of course offering some lightly self-deprecating humor.

That line of conversation did bring his attention away from her and back to the ongoing match, which was reaching its vicious conclusion. Roars from those that wagered on the right wolf reverberated throughout the room, and snarls came from those that hadn't. Already two fresh fighters were gearing up to take their places. Looking back at his opponent, Bastien waggled his eyebrows and asked, "Want to make a bet?"

—and find no captain waiting

code // art

"Don't threaten me with a good time.” One ear – her only ear – flicked with mild irritation. But for once, the dark beast contained her temper, merely rolling her eyes. "But we'll have to postpone 'till our second date. I don't want to leave you wanting." She cast an incredulous look before offering in her masculine tones: ”There’s nothin’ in this world that you could give that I’d want.”

”Wouldn't be so sweet a victory without a half-decent opponent.” A smirk appeared on her scarred visage, and the shrug of brutish shoulders. ”I’ve fought less worthy opponents,” she offered as an attempt at consolation, which surprised even Rue herself. Crow was not as bad as some of the Imperials she had fought in the war. She thought of the man she had killed, the severed ear she had taken as a souvenir before her arrest… and she smiled. But she was pulled from her fond memories of the war as the crowd within the underground arena became restless and noisy. Another fight was about to begin.

"Want to make a bet?" Ominous sights turned between the two fighters that were ready to let loose their fury, finally settling upon a brawny female, whose almost-black coat was riddled with scars. The woman looked rough – though not nearly as grotesque as Rue herself, she was scarcely a delicate flower nor the picture of femininity. The ebony warrior nodded. ”My bet's on her.” Her eyes turned away from the ferocious pair in the ring to glance to the male. ”What’re we betting then, Crow?” His pseudonym was spoken with amusement, and she couldn't resist adding: ”They named ya wrong. Shoulda called ya Pigeon, I think. Fits ya better.”


@Bastien

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck