Chapter 6: Awoken Once More

The week had come and gone in a flash, meaning winter break was in full effect. Ferral walked over to Loni, Savannah, and Zuri while the three ate breakfast. “Alright, you shmucks. You want me to fight you at my full power? Let’s go.” They stared at him, wide-eyed and speechless. “For realsies!?” Loni blurted out, slamming her hand on the table. “For realsies.” He replied. The trio shot up from their seats, faces filled with determination. “Wait,” Zuri started,“ “Why all of a sudden?” “I’m in a really good mood today, so I’ll throw you guys a bone.” He was going to meet with Everett in the afternoon but decided not to tell them. “You’ll have to hold off on that bone because we want our piece first.” Leona said as she and Venus walked out of the hallway. The three lionesses started simultaneously shouting at the two while Venus argued back, trying to shut them up. Ferral and Leona stared off, their faces serious. “I had a feeling you were gonna jump in.” Ferral said. Leona smirked, “It’s been a while since you’ve fought seriously, Ferral. And I’ve never fought your awakened state, so I couldn’t pass that up.” Ferral scoffed, “Well, I wasn’t gonna take it seriously, but if it’s against you two, then I’ll have to put in some effort.” After the other four were finished arguing, it was decided that Leona and Venus would fight Ferral. Despite the other three’s reluctance.

They had their match in the center of the gym floor, a large ring surrounding them. Everyone there crowded around the outside of the ring, eager to watch the fight. The three wore their fighting clothes; Leona a sports bra with torn black jeans and her hair wrapped in a ponytail, Veuns had bandages wrapped around from her chest stopping at her abs with brown army pants. Ferral wore a navy blue standard fighting with a black belt around his waist. “So, the rules are simple!” Venus announced, “It’s a two-on-one where you’re out of the fight if you get knocked out of bounds, forfeit, or knocked unconscious.” Ferral took off the glove that was over his prosthetic arm, showing he had bandages around it. Leona and Venus got into a fighting stance, while Ferral stood idle. “What’re you waiting for?” Leona said, “Transform, idiot.” Ferral rolled his eyes before clenching his fists, growling as his body shook. Pitch-black fur began to grow out from his right elbow down his hand and from his knees to his feet, a wolf-like tail sprouted from his tailbone, and wolf-like ears emerging from the top of his head. His hair went from its normal bluish-black to the same pitch-black as his fur, growing slightly longer. He let out a quick roar, his eyes losing their pupils for a second before coming back, changed from their original amber color to crimson red.

It wasn’t just his hair and his eyes that changed, his facial features became more mature and he was more stoic. This was his awakened state. Leona and Venus grinned, bursting forward on the attack. It happened in an instant, Ferral ducked and blocked each of their strikes. He counter-attacked, by gabbing Venus’s fist and pulling her forward to bash his head into hers. He kneed her in the gut then Leona came in with a kick from behind, Ferral ducked it, grabbing both ankles and spinning her in the air. Venus regained herself, going in for another attack, Ferral blocking the punch, and sliding to the side from the force. As Leona fell to the floor, Venus continued her barrage, Ferral countering each one. He grabbed her fists and swept her legs, the two falling together, but as they did Venus grinned as she ducked her head, revealing Leona’s kick that hit Ferral straight in the face. He flew back, sliding on the ground. He got back up, the two lionesses charging at him again. He was put on the defensive, but it was something he excelled in as he studied their moves.

He dodged one of Leona’s punches, then elbowed her in the face, followed by an uppercutting Venuns. He got between the two, going back and forth with his attacks. He spun and kicked Leona away, turning his attention toward Venus, unwrapping some of the bandages from his left arm, and lunged at her. She tried to land a blow, but he blocked each one, got behind her, and grabbed the loose bandages, wrapping them around her neck as he dug one of his knees into her back. She gasped for air, her face slowly turning red as Ferral choked her. She almost lost consciousness, but Leona came in and separated the two as Ferral dodged her attack. Venus fell on her knees, coughing and gasping for air, all the while Ferral and Leona squared off. The two bolted at one another, both cocking back their fists and clashing them together. The two were caught in a stalemate as Ferral mirrored every move she did until he wrapped the loose bandages around one of her arms and twisted it and left her side open so he kneed her in the ribs. She groaned in pain but smirked as used the bandages to pull closer and hold down his arm, spinning him around while Venus jumped in with a right hook to Ferral’s jaw. As Leona held Ferral in place, Venus continued her assault, continuously punching him across the face.

Then she went for a right uppercut to his gut, making him cough out blood. Gritting his teeth, Ferral used his free leg and threw a kick that Venus dodged, and used that moment to snap his head back to bash into Leona’s face. She let go, holding her bleeding nose. Going the counterattack, Ferral rewrapped the bandages and sprinted on all fours at Venus, but as she tried to block, Ferral shot his right hand forward and grabbed her by the face. Slamming her head into the ground, flipping back to his feet, he grabbed her legs and there still the air picked her up, and slammed her entire body into the ground. Her body arched in the air as it bounced a few inches off the ground. Ferral stepped to the side of her and kicked her square in the back, launching her into the air. He crouched and spang up after her, passing her in the air, he lifted his right leg and slammed the heel into her stomach, sending her soaring back down and crashing into the ground. The ground beneath her was full of cracks, she groaned in pain before passing out. As Ferral landed back on the ground, Leona tried to go for another attack, but when their gaze met, her body shot still. It was as if for that split second, she was staring death itself in the face.

She hopped back, an icy chill filled her body. Every other time they ever sparred, she had never felt this way. But this time, that one glance at his emotionless cold stare shook her to the core, even if it was for a second. “You. Can’t. Beat. Me.” Ferral said assuredly, “In this form, there’s no telling how strong I can get, and…..you’re too weak.” Leona sneered, furious. “When did you get on such a high horse?” She growled. “This fight is over.” Her eyes widened with shock, “W-What?! Why?!” “You lost the moment you hesitated. Shows me you don’t have the strength, and I don’t see a reason why I should continue a fight I know I’ll win.” She gritted her teeth, “The fuck it DOES.” She clenched her left and smashed it against Ferral’s cheek. She gasped, seeing Ferral unfazed by the attack. “Is that all you got?” He asked. Leona started to stumble backward, stunned and flabbergasted her punch had no effect. Then her expression changed from dumbfounded to fear as she gasped, feeling the back of Ferral’s right fist pressing against the left side of her face. “This fight is over.” He said again, taking his fist off her face and walking off, slowly detransforming. Leona fell to her knees, unable to process how this could’ve happened. While the other three lionesses tended to Venus and everyone watching walked away, Leona just stared off into space still in shock.

All her training. All the blood, sweat, and tears she poured into becoming stronger. Her mastery of the awakened state. She had put so much more effort and strain while he wasted time on school and his stupid cure. And yet….she still lost. “....you’re too weak….” Those words pierced through Leona’s mind like hot needles. She lost.