A Bounty to Fight

by NightSugar pone

chapter 2

Star had expected less of a welcome when she got it, but instead she was met with a tailor and was even given her own change room.

They want to keep me alive, I don't blame them for taking every precaution.
She thought to herself, sitting impatiently and waiting for her first suit. And eventually, it came, along with news for her first fight.

“Alright, we've got you set up with another young and new fighter, what do you want your name to be?”
Her gryphon escort said, as she hastily got dressed in the black suit.

It had what looked to be embroidered blood splatters on her front hooves, and even one around the opening for her muzzle.

“How about…night hunter, that's guaranteed to catch someone's attention,”
Star had begun to brush out her mane so looked more presentable when she heard an uproar of cheers nearby, and she took a deep breath as she was lead out of her room.

“Just last longer than one round, and don't kill anyone unless you are sure there is no other way to win.”
Star could barely hear his words as they got closer and closer to the large double doors that seemed to separate her from the immediate chaos of the fight, and the uneasy calmness of the main hallway.

“Oh, and don't die good luck,”
Without another word the doors opened and she stepped in hesitantly and chose to lift her large wings for intimidation.

“and from this corner, a mare responsible for most of the criminals we have here, the night hunter!”
The announcer’s voice boomed all around her, before the mixed sounds of cheering and even more loud booing filled her ears.

You've got this night, size up your opponent, take them down fairly, then leave, it's easy.

She blocked out the noise and leant down in a powerfully defensive stance, and as she did so, the doors on the other side of the stadium opened. They reviled a young earth pony mare orange with part of her ear missing, and a heavy thick brown mane covering part of her face. But despite the obscured side of her face, she could recognise that the mare knew her, and her face contorted to one of true rage.

She happens to have a blind spot but she knows me, this is bound to be a hectic battle.

Star waited for the bell to ring and immediately held her ground when it did, the orange mare, however, she ran to her at full speed.

First mistake, a wise thing to do is stay on the defensive route.

Just as the mare got close enough Star manoeuvred under her and bucked her rear end up. With all the momentum she had built up she was forced to take a fall and slide to the other side of the stadium, giving Star a chance to attack her while she was down. She grabbed her tail in her teeth and flung the mare back to where she had come in, making her wince in pain and hold her side as she writhed in pain.

Star stood in place to see if she would get up and she did but stumbled as she tried to regain her footing. Star took this as a perfect time to run at her and firmly bucked her in the head with both her hind hooves, which had knocked out the mare the moment it hit her. The crowd was silent for a while as they expected the orange mare to wake up, but when she didn't budge the announcer gryphon came down and lifted one of her hooves.

I won, but this doesn't feel like a true victory, I hope that mare can recover.

When her doors opened again Star began to walk out, but when she was out of sight she looked back at the mare being dragged away.

“I'm so sorry,”
She said under her breath and sighed as she made her way back to her room.