Sparrow, Night Terror

“Presenting, for your viewing pleasure, a fight you’re sure to remember!...”
 
The booming, magically amplified, voice of the announcer rang in Sol’s ears from outside his prep area. His heart was already racing as a handler gave him a final once over. His opponent was a small, dust colored, tabaxi, Sol knew him as Sparrow but his stage name was Cloak and Dagger. He was a skittish thing, but something had been off about him today.
 
“Now raise your voices for today's champions! Hailing from the dark jungles of a far off country! An elusive predator designed to pounce from the shadows! Presenting, Cloak and Dagger!!”
 
Sol moved toward the door, rolling his shoulders back and preparing to enter the arena once they opened. The organizers wanted this to be a fast paced bout that showed off each combatants speed, dexterity, and flexibility. To help facilitate this his upper body was bare, his hair was tied back into a tight braid, and he’d been given a pair of sickles which he gripped tightly at his sides. The weapons looked deadly, but they were a bit dull.
 
These fights weren’t meant to be deadly. Buying and training new combatants was costly. But the audience always enjoyed a bit of bloodshed.
 
“And his opponent! A creature spawned from the hells themself! A being so foul that the only joy he feels comes from spilling the blood of his enemies! Presenting, Burning Soul!!”
Solis briefly wrinkled his face at the introduction but turned it into a snarl as the doors sprang open. Striding out onto the field and beginning the initial front on his opponent. The pair would circle each other, give the audience a good look and build the tension.
 
But something was wrong. Sparrow was twitchy. And instead of circling he was standing in the center of the arena and just watching Solis as he moved. Sol’s snarl, and accompanying growl, dropped as a mix of confusion and concern painted his face. He tightened his circle, wanting to get a closer look at his friend while keeping up the show.
 
His eyes were… wrong. The pupils of his golden eyes constricted to tiny slivers. Solis hesitated. Sparrow surged forward.
 
Solis reacted by whacking the tabaxi to the side with the butt of one sickle. And the fight began. Typically his fights with the smaller man were games of cat and mouse. Brief clashes followed by shows of acrobatic prowess. Repeated until one dropped from exhaustion or was too injured to continue. But not today. Solis could barely keep up with Sparrow, and he was doing more deflecting and dodging than anything. But the scary part?
 
Sparrow didn’t have a weapon. He’d left it in the middle of the arena when he’d lunged at Solis initially. This wasn’t a structured fight anymore. He’d snapped. Gone feral. If given the chance, his friend would kill him. And he couldn’t keep him at bay for long.
 
Sol tried to call out to his friend as they fought. Rouse him. Bring him back to reality. And for a second it looked like it might have worked. The tabaxi cocked his head to the side and looked at him. Solis dropped his guard. And that was all it took.
 
Sparrow took the opening and lunged again. Sol barely moved out of the way, spinning his body as he did so. A mistake. His back was now to the tabaxi. And before he knew it, the full weight of his friend crashed into his back, as the red-hot feeling of the tabaxi’s too-sharp claws dug deep furroughs into his back. Solis threw himself onto the ground but the man stayed put, his claws anchoring him in place.
 
Solis couldn’t move. He was exhausted. The pain was blinding. He felt teeth sink into the back of his neck.
 
---------------
 
For the second time, Sol was jerked awake by Zel. But this time he didn’t come too fast enough to stop himself from lashing out.
 
He wasn’t fine. He was lying. But what was he supposed to say? That he might be getting worse? That he was scared of going feral like Sparrow did? Sol reached up and touched the scars on the back of his neck. No it. It had to be stress. Seeing that damned Ilithid’s zoo. It was all a coincidence. It had to be.
 
It had to.