MAD HATTER

The last time Rhazien was here, he’d been battling the cackling woman whose fighting style was rather… idiotic. He remembered the skeleton armor she wore so clearly, and those azure, beady eyes that poked out from it. She’d head-butted him, bitten his neck, and even kicked him with her hind legs. Her little trick at the end left a sour taste in his mouth as well- how she’d let him push her down, only to use the momentum to kick him forward and over her completely. Again, he found her battle style to be witless and corny- but, it was also just foreign to him. He was used to a clashing of bodies, teeth raking into each other, blood splattering, bones cracking, and flesh being decorated in scars. He didn’t necessarily have a grudge against her. But he wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to battle her again either. If she had such an odd way of fighting, he might as well anticipate that he might face something similar in another unfamiliar opponent.

These thoughts lingered in his mind as he entered the battlefield, initially traversing along the borders, before making his way towards the heart. The first time he’d been here, he hadn’t paid much attention to the scenery- but now, he find it quite ironic. Rolling hills, scattered lakes, the occasional splatter of old dried blood. It was eerily serene, for a place where death occurred.

Coming around a bend, Rhazien noticed there was a familiar scent in the air. One that was strong, fresh, pungent. Indicating there were many sources of the smell lingering off in the distance. Hyenas. He’d only encountered them once or twice before- nasty scavengers, bigger than coyotes, and far more troublesome. Picking up his pace, he attempted to move back to the outskirts of the battlefield, knowing it would be quite a challenge to barge into the hyena clan alone and unarmed.

But suddenly, something else caught his attention- a call somewhere in the territory, mournful, angry, begging for someone to come and initiate a battle. And, behind the blood-thirsty brute Rhazien was, he simply couldn’t help himself. If someone wanted a fight, he wouldn’t hesitate to oblige. Spinning on his heels and loping through the territory. He noticed that the scent go hyenas was becoming stronger as he closed in on the wolf who beckoned for a challenger.

He saw the pristine, ivory silhouette on the horizon- ethereal in appearance, yet there was an uncanny aura radiating from the male. It didn’t detour Rhazien one bit- muscles flexing beneath his pelt, shoulders rolled forward, as he approached the male directly. He couldn’t place a paw on it, but something about him was… familiar. “Looking for a batt-“ Before he could finish his sentence, a hyena raced into the clearing. Bolting directly at him, teeth bared, laughing at them, through a series of short, giggle-like taunts. And behind it, were two more.

"Rhazien Saxe"