A Bounty to Fight

by NightSugar pone

chapter 16

The next day, Star had prepared for her next fight, and the plan to get out was set in place for her. A windbreaker would bring her cloak and saddlebags to her dressing room and be ready to run off after she had one the fight, it was going to be much easier for the final part of the plan once she had all her weapons back. so after she was done training and went to her room for a quick shower, she was more than ready to suit up and run out. but while she was drying off Windbreaker came in with her stuff in different bags and set them down on a chair before giving her a hug from behind and making her smile.

“Hey there, you seem ready to go, would I be wrong for assuming that?”
He said as he nuzzled her, and she reached up to caress the side of his face with a hoof, leaning into the soft wariness of his feathers.

“No you're spot on, and I feel like this will be good for us, maybe I won’t leave the Griffin Kingdom just yet, hm? what do you think of that idea?”
He smiled and nuzzled her gently again, this time working his way up to her ear.

“I love that idea you know, I have a little place on the border of the gryphon Kingdom, we could stay there until you're ready to go,”
He whispered into her ear, and she turned her head to look at him and smiled, even more, when she kissed the end of his beak, and stood up.

“Just give me a chance to win the fight first, we don't want to get too far into things before they have a chance to happen,”
She slid her way out from under him and walked over to her skin-tight suit, putting it on before snapping on her heavy cloak.

“You look good, that cloak really suits you, I’ll be ready for you at the end of the fight alright?”
She nodded to him after she was done looking at herself in the mirror, and he leads her out to the underground stadium.

Last fight, the claws are out Night, you've got this.
She thought to herself as she stepped pass the threshold of the doorway, lifting her head and wings high as the announcer introduced her, and then introduced two other names, one was a pony while the other was the griffin. She knew this fight was going to be special for some reason so she had mentally prepared for herself for the most interesting fight she had ever had. When the bell had rung she stepped into a more defensive stance and eyed her challengers closely, and the mare had broken into a gallop as she approached her at top speed. Star stepped back and pulled out one of her daggers before tripping the mare with it, and slicing at her back with blunt force. Shortly after that, the gryphon took the chance to get at her only to get kicked away just as she was about to dig her claws in.

“Oh and it looks the night hunter has gotten some ammunition since her last fight, and folks, it looks like she's not afraid to use it,”
The announcer said as Star backed away from the two fighters, the mare now bleeding and struggling to even stand and the gryphon already up but having a hard time collecting her bearings, but once she had she ran right for her. At first, Star wanted to gallop around to tire her out further, but then she decided against it and pulled out another dagger as she reared up. The next few seconds happened so fast that most of the crowd higher up was confused whether or not the gryphon was dead, but as Star pushed the gryphons body off of her they all returned to cheering.

one down, one to go, let's make this entertaining shall we?
Star thought as she took a moment to shake the blood off her daggers and walk over to the mare and sitting on her wounded back, before looking up at the crowd and holding up the dagger, and as their cheers slowly moulded into a repetitive plea she lowered it. And as she lifted the mare’s head, she whispered a soft sorry before slitting her throat and getting up to leave the room. soon after she had left the stadium and had gotten into her changeroom she sat and leant on the closed door, feeling regret wash over her like a tidal wave.

“How did it go? Did you win right? tell me you won,”
Windbreaker’s eager voice snapped her out of her trance and as he approached she got up, nodding as she stared down before closing her eyes.

“Let's just get my last payment and get out of here, I can’t stand this place anymore,”
Windbreaker held her close as she stood there and she held onto him, her once strong feeling of being untouchable breaking down as they stood there together. it made both of them jump when the door opened, though, her sponsor and her original gryphon escort both came in, dropping bags of bits on the vanity counter.

“Here you go my dear, be sure to be as enjoyable as you were before in your next fight, this one was one hell of a show, just don't kill our own next time,”
The stallion had said as he followed the other gryphon out, Star didn't watch him leave, though, she kept her head down to avoid any eye contact with him as his words made her wince. Windbreaker had noticed and after the door had closed he stepped in front of her, lifting her head so that he could meet her gaze.

“What happened in there? You look more upset with yourself than you were before,”
she stared into his eyes and took a deep breath before meeting his gaze again,

“I had to kill two fighters today, a gryphon and a mare, it was just so wrong this time,”
She looked up at him and saw the worry in his eyes as she spoke,

“They were both so young, too young to be felons, especially in here,”

“I know that must have been hard but we really should get going if you really want to do this,”
She nodded, and walked over to the bits, grabbing them and dropping them into her saddlebags before putting them on and preparing to run out.

“Alright, open the door but wait a few seconds before following me, okay?”
He nodded quickly before opening the door and letting her run out, and without hesitation, she went straight for the exit. not shortly after Windbreaker followed suit, bounding past prisoners and guards alike as he caught up to her, and together they busted out.