"Friends! Who will it be? I promise to be gentle!" Virginia asked the crowd before her.

"You heard her!" Lacerated one stomped on the stone with her foot, "Who will test their skills against the Branded? Who will try and defend the current way of life?"

Annie sat in her place, calm and collected, looking at the scene below with mild interest. She only hoped that Virginia would be healthy enough for their sparring later. She was sure about Virginia’s might, few wolf hags could have hoped to beat her down with ease now. Even if Sonya steps forward, she will be knocked down. Annie threw a glance at the wolf hag. Yes, Sonya’s fur began turning white. Her movements are no longer as precise as they were before. Everything will be fine. And then she noticed that Dragena was looking at her with both arms behind her back. The warlord simply looked. There was no hidden command or gesture. Just… expectation.

You will know when the time comes. The decision will be yours and yours alone. Annie remembered the words of her warlord. A soldier has no need for honor or pride.

She felt cold. There was sense in this. Needs of the many, in this case the needs of the Branded and Crippled, outweighed the needs of the few, in this case her need to have pride. But Annie fought for so long, she tried so hard… She longed for, nay, she needed her pride back. A fair and square fight to win and…

"Fuck my life," Annie mumbled, standing up, "I will face Virginia! We have a score to settle." She walked forward, not really caring if Lacerated One approve her or not. Dragena will think of something.

"Annie…" The wolf hag stopped, looking in the pitch-black surface of the warlord’s helmet and turned to look at her, "You shouldn’t... You are too strong now…" Zero stopped talking, as if in worry.

Now? What does she… Annie felt how her pupils dilated from understanding and from the shock that came along with it. She can’t. No one would be this… The reason why Zero picked her. The normies who trained her instead of other wolfkins. The reason why Zero herself never trained her. Annie understood it all at last.

She jumped down, nearly numb to the approval of Lacerated One. Landing on her forelegs like an idiot, the wolf hag stood up, feeling too empty to react to a few chuckles from the audience. Annie tugged at the lapels of her blue coat, fixing its position. She barely felt the leather material underneath her fingers. Numbness spread across her body. Rage, pride, worry, fear… all emotions seeped away somewhere from her mind, leaving just a mighty form of Virginia before her.

Always you, bitch. Annie thought, feeling tired. Was this really the price that the Spirits extracted from her for her wish? Would she take away her oath to them, given the chance? No, never. Annie decided, finding Sveta with her eyes for a brief moment before assuming the combat stance, hunching low and putting both paws before herself. She felt the warmth of the sand beneath her feet. Felt the smell of dried-up blood. Virginia smiled warmly, saying something, before taking the combat stance before Annie. Five steps separated the wolf hags.

"Let the challenge begin!" Lacerated One commanded. Her voice sounded dull to Annie’s ears.

Virginia charged forward, striking with her right arm. Annie charged right at her, not trying to dodge, aiming to grab the neck of her foe. Virginia changed her punch into a thrust, like a piston, it slammed into the space between the right shoulder and neck of Annie, causing the wolfkin to scream in pain against her will. Virginia was strong. Even without her claws, her fingers pierced the skin, reaching all the way to muscle. Against her will, Annie used her footwork to back down in order to make the bloody fingers leave her skin. She raised her paws, taking a wild swing from Virginia’s left arm across her forearms. The leather of her coat was torn on her arms from the friction of the blow, sheer might behind the swing sent Annie backward. This punch hurt like hell, she could feel the bruises underneath her skin.

Does it matter? Duty calls. Annie thought, not feeling any excitement or fear. She only wished this mockery would be over already. Arresting the impact that tried to force her body backward, Annie leaned forward, right into the advancing Virginia. Putting her left leg forward, Annie made an attempt to get within the zone of Virginia, to grab her foe by the waist and try to throw her aside. A blur moved up, like a rising tide. Instead of weaving around it, Annie moved on, closing her eyes. The pain that she felt when the kick of Virginia connected with her face was… extreme. Her nerves screamed with pain, the cartilage of her nose was shattered and pieces were driven deep into her face. Her legs left the sand floor, making her body go cartwheel in the air, splashing blood all over the arena. She saw the cloth that covered the ceiling of the arena, people on the tribunes, walls, sand, walls again, people and ceiling… Four times did her body spin in the air, before the wolf hag lost the count. Annie half expected the follow-up attack across her spine, but, mercifully, no further hit came. Even now, Annie felt that she could have arrested her fall, to land on her feet and keep on fighting. But at the same time, she was just done with this fight. The wolf hag allowed herself to land on her belly, blinking away the tears from her eyes. My poor, poor nose. The bones of the maxilla were cracked, and a few fangs felt loose. One even fell out. Her lower jaw was in far better condition, having evaded the crushing kick. She heard hushes on the tribunes, wolf hags from distant packs were perplexed as to how she had been given the title of wolf hag with such meager abilities. And reporters were filming her shame.

It reminds me our first meeting. Annie raised her eyes up, looking at Virginia, who had stopped two steps away from her. Only it is far more shameful. And more painful. Spirits, please let her knock me out already.

"You dirty cheat!" Virginia shouted, stomping on the ground angrily, while Annie tried to stand up, feeling how her body was going to wobble.

"Shut up… and fight, useless hag." Annie whisper-shouted back, feeling a small sea of pain on her face.

"You are sandbagging! Why aren’t you using all that weird stuff from before!? Why had you allowed me to even hit you with a first strike!?" Virginia fumed with anger, clenching her paws.

"Shut up. Dumbass. I am giving my all. You are simply better," Annie said, wiping out the tears from her eyes and spitting out another fang. She caught it and looked at it, "Great. My favorite fang is gone," Annie was afraid to even touch her nose. Or what remained of it. She looked at her ruined coat, tainted with blood, "And I tried so hard to look clean. Ok. Time to finish it."

"Y…" Virginia growled in a strange voice, sounding like she was swallowing the word. She shook her head, looking with fury at her opponent, "Yes. I surrender!"

"Pardon you?" Annie stopped in shock, thinking that she must have misheard Virginia. Even Lacerated One raised her brows. Wolf hags of other packs jumped on their feet, looking confused. Annie could feel their anger, challenge was a sacred thing, and surrender without a fight was unthinkable. Lacerated One looked around with a worry, the shaman had done everything possible to mitigate the anger among the tribe, and now it was spreading anew. The wolf hags were angry because they thought that the rightful winner had been cheated out of victory. Janine’s fur on her neck stood up, her good paw gripped the shaft in an anger at the mockery beneath. Ygrite frowned with disgust. Annie coughed, banishing the pain and pushing through the fear. Don’t allow this idiot to speak. Don’t allow her to open her abyss-damned mouth! "Good joke," Annie said with a smile, her fangs bloodied, "Guess you're right." You won."

"Screw you, I am the one who is throwing up this fight!" Virginia snapped back.

"Dumbass, the fate of our people is on the line! Shut up and take the win!" Annie shouted back with anger.

"Don’t care! Fair is fair and you are cheating! Cheat! It’s not a win, unless it is earned fair and square!"

"Remember the duty!"

"Shove this duty up your ass!"

Alpha slammed her claws against each other, producing a thundering sound that caused everyone to look at her. The mighty being stood on the stone, raising her arms high, pointing with her claws at the ceiling.

"The Spirits had spoken!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice loud enough to hit the eardrums of Annie like a grenade that exploded nearby, "The wolf hags made a peace. Rather than mutilating each other anymore, the two stop fighting, acting as an example for us during this Gathering."

Lacerated One nodded, eagerly catching on this idea: "Indeed, my sister. Rather than leaving this up to fate, both of them acted in accordance with their conscience. Can I refuse to follow up their example? Of course not," She pressed her paws together in a prayer, "The Spirits called for peace, thus the peace it will be. I am changing my vote. From this day on, the Branded are free to receive the same amount of food as everyone else and free to receive the same rights as everyone else."

"What does it mean for the Crippled?" The one-armed male asked.

"Don’t push it, you fool!" Sonya howled at him, turning to him in anger.

"Peace, sister!" Lacerated One put a paw forward, calling for Sonya to be calm. The shaman turned toward the male, "The Crippled are no longer confined to the edges of the villages. You are free to settle in the middle of the villages. We have decided about food and other things before, so the only restrictions that are still in place for the Crippled are the rights to attend any domination matches and to join the military, unless you are willing to receive augmetics, of course," The shaman gifted a sad smile to the male, "I am sorry. But unless your bodies are whole again, these restrictions will stay in place."

The man nodded, sitting on the bench next to an enraged Sonya, who began whispering something into his ear. Annie could see that both of them slightly resembled each other, but while Sonya always had a sour expression on her face, the one-armed man smiled a lot. Still feeling pain in her face, Annie glanced around the tribunes. The wolfkins sit on their places, Angoro looked at Annie with worry, and the wolf hag showed him a thumb up, indication that she was fine. Ieshua was nowhere to be seen. Annie could still see smirks on the faces of scouts and wolf hags, even warriors looked down on her arrogantly. Carty sat with an unreadable expression, while Lucendra smiled that the fight was over. And Svetka. Svetka looked horrified. Because of me. She thinks I am weak.

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"The decision is final, right?" Annie asked Lacerated One, while breathing through her mouth and feeling how the blood was causing the fur on her snout to become wet. The shaman nodded, and Annie howled to the ceiling, letting out her frustration in a scream. She tore her coat by the lapels, tearing away the buttons and throwing the ruined cloth aside, "Perfect," Annie said, falling on all four limbs, looking at Virginia, "My duty is done," Her tongue moved, licking up the blood, while her fingers buried deep into the sound, "You and me. Until one falls. No holding back this time. No claws. I will rip out your very soul, Virginia."

"Wait, but the challenge is over!" Lacerated One said.

"Never had one," Virginia smiled back, "No cheating this time, I want to feel your blows!" Virginia responded happily, grabbing her own coat by the collar, tearing it away from her body.

"There is no longer any need to fight! The Gathering is a time of peace!" The shaman stepped back when Alpha landed before her, leaping over the arena and the fighters with ease.

"The Gathering is the time when we let go of our negativity. Let them go all out and relax later. The medics will patch them up later." Alpha asked, and Lacerated One nodded, unhappy about this development.

Virginia and Annie charged at each other at the same time. Annie outsped Virginia this time, propelling herself forward with all four limbs. Since their last sparring match, Annie has had some thoughts as to why Virginia always turns her initial punch into a thrust. Hitting with fingers was painful, no matter the strength difference. She understood that this was because her opponent was all too used to wielding her claws in battle, punches, kicking and similar attacks came to her as secondary ideas. The instincts of Virginia called for one and only attack that she deemed reasonable. And Annie took advantage of Virginia’s instincts in this fight. She landed on two feet before her opponent, grabbing the opponent by her wrist and jerking aside Virginia’s right arm. Annie followed up her movement by landing a chopping hit across Virginia’s neck with the left arm. This did not stop the rust-colored wolfkin. In fact, this attack barely even slowed the opponent. The right knee of the wolf hag moved forward, aiming at Annie’s abdomen, forcing Annie to take incoming kick on both paws. Virginia slammed her right shoulder into Annie’s body with the force of the moving car behind her.

Easy, easy. She is stronger. Annie allowed the impact to throw her back, allowing the impact to spin her body around to diffuse the impact before it could seriously hurt her. Virginia charged after her opponent, and Annie dodged to the left, kicking across the back of the knee of Virginia. She clenched her teeth just for the moment when her kick connected to Virginia’s body, channeling her strength into the kick. So what if she is stronger? Virginia fell on one knee, and Annie slammed her elbow into the back of her head, throwing the wolf hag face down on the ground. You know how to counter her every move. Annie jumped up, evading the low kick. Virginia leaped right back onto her feet, punching with her left paw. Annie took the punch on the palms of both paws, putting one paw behind the other. The force behind the blow sent her back from her opponent. Your nose is broken, and you can’t breathe through it. Annie dodged the kick aimed at her face, landing on both feet. The right leg of Virginia passed an inch away from Annie’s face, tip of Virginia’s heel slid across Annie’s chest, tearing through both fur and flesh, leaving a small wound behind. Annie used this moment to quickly hit Virginia into her side with right fist. Flesh of her opponent felt like a solid block of stone, yet Virginia let out a grumble. But this is fine, this is a one-on-one fight, not an all-out brawl. You can last long enough. Annie felt sweat break out under her fur. She could barely control her breathing. To pull most of her strength behind her blows, to pull her very utmost into the blows, she had to clench her teeth. But this came at the cost of missing a breath. Her lungs were on fire, the cost of flowing around the blows of Virginia demanded some oxygen. The cost of counterattacks demanded oxygen as well. The oxygen that Annie just couldn't get through her broken nose. Annie was getting tired far faster than she should have.

Annie was thrown back to the wall after taking a series of blows from her opponent. It was inevitable, instead of risking being left without a breath, Annie had chosen to take on these blows on her forearms and sides of her body, quickly inhaling air and sorting out the turmoil in her head. Her body is damaged, true. Her beathing sucks, this is true as well. Yet there was something that she could still do. Virginia charged after Annie, her right leg moved for the kick. Annie kicked across the knee of Virginia, sending the leg back down. Her foe threw a punch, straight into Annie’s risen palm. The wolf hag allowed her palm to slide underneath the fist of her opponent, throwing it up at the very last moment, redirecting the blow right back into Virginia’s face, frowning from concentration. The wolf hag’s body trembled, surprised at the sudden hit, and Annie closed the distance between the two, grabbing Virginia by the shoulder and the hip. Using the brief moment of hesitation in her foe, Annie jerked Virginia off the ground, taking advantage of her attempt to back down and sending the wolf hag cartwheeling into the air. Now it was Virginia's turn to fall on the ground, and Annie took this respite to breathe in more air into her lungs. Air, sweet air! She never knew how great something so simple could taste.

Virginia spun around, slowing down at the last moment. She was standing up a bit more slowly, seemingly feeling the pain of the previous blows. Annie smiled at this, taking this as a sign that her opponent was wearing down. And she stuck with a straight right kick, right into the left side of Virginia’s body, aiming at the ribs. Her kick connected with the body of her opponent, and Annie felt surprised. It was as if the bones within Virginia’s body shifted, moving aside to allow the kick to go forward. Like water, Virginia flowed from Annie’s kick. In a panic, Annie made a chop against Virginia’s shoulder as a follow-up attack. Once more, all she felt was a soft mass, even bones themselves shifted their position in Virginia’s body, slowing down the chop just enough to evade the brunt of the damage. A hissing sound came from Annie’s lips, when Virginia hit with her left arm, striking down right beneath the left breast of Annie, throwing the wolf hag behind. Annie felt numbness in her left arm, she struggled to move it, but her arm fell like a rope, slamming against her body helplessly.

I know it! Annie thought, using the middle finger and index finger of her right arm to press a nerve on her side, regaining control over her left arm. Muscle control style. By going limp, Virginia allowed most of the attacks to dissipate harmlessly against her body. By knowing which nerve to press on the opponent’s body, Virginia could render the entire limb of her opponent helpless for a brief while. The teacher taught Annie a bit about this style. But Annie never expected that someone as impatient as this idiot could have ever mastered it to such level.

She paid for her foolishness now, when Virginia came to attack. A punch against the head threw Annie to the ground, she barely had enough time to follow up and throw her opponent off balance with a low kick during the follow-up attack. Struggling to catch a moment to breathe, Annie tried to stand up and received a blow to her belly that caused the entire world to black out for a moment. Virginia wasn't perfect, she could deflect incoming blows by going limp, but she lost striking power as a result and had to rely on nerve pressure hits. Yet now that Annie was aware of it, she would never fall for the same trick more. Virginia possessed a great defense, true. But there was one thing that Annie could use to turn the situation around.

Annie loudly inhaled air, stopping herself in one place and biting the kick across her knee. Her arms became swollen. The skin on her legs was cracked and blood was seeping from beneath the cracks. Thankfully, all the bones were still intact, and Annie dislocated the bones in her right arm, allowing it to become loose.

You are not the only one who knows this style. Annie smiled, feeling her hand turn into a rope of flesh once more, but this time according to her will. She put her right leg forward, facing the advance of her foe head on. And then she took a swing.

Only two things in her arsenal could punch through the defense of her foe. Sound paw, the potentially lethal technique was out of the question. No matter how great her hatred toward Virginia was, Annie was not going to use a move that could liquidate Virginia’s organs, not until she had mastered it to some degree. This left only the whip. Even a simple slap against the skin caused pain. The living whip could literally tear away the skin.

A normal person will die after receiving a certain amount of whip blows. Imagine, Annie. The pain is so great that your own body simply shuts down, choosing to die because the pain that you feel is that great. This much pain can be delivered by a living whip in a single blow! When used by an abnormal, you have to take care when using this technique. Annie remembered the words of her teacher while her arm was closing on Virginia’s body. Pain so intense that it can kill... No, I don’t want to win at such cost. She thought and jerked her arm back, ensuring that the swing will miss Virginia’s body.

Pain exploded in her body, and Annie was pushed back. Four claws pierced her flesh right below her belly button, coming into her body at full length. Annie looked with shock into Virginia’s eyes, feeling how blood started to flow from the corners of her mouth. She could feel the pristine white claws inside of her, trembling, almost in anticipation.

"Annie, I…" Virginia said, blinking in surprise, "I… Sorry… I saw the hit and… Instincts and…"

"Virginia! What is the meaning of this?!" Alpha shouted, silencing the voices from the tribunes, and Virginia shuddered, as if she had been hit.

"Scum," Annie said, pushing back Virginia, feeling how the claws left her body, scratching her intestines. Something ruptured inside of her, but Annie ignored the pain. All the comradery that she felt toward Virginia, all the cordial feelings were gone, "I was wrong," Annie spat blood on the ground, trying to maintain her balance through the cloud of rage and spite, "You are exactly the person I thought you were. You are not my friend. You are a better soldier than me." She saw Virginia for who she was right now. Unlike Annie, her opponent saw the weak point and struck without hesitation. A mark of true dedication. Feelings were secondary, desire to win was all. Annie admired such dedication.

"Annie, you are injured…" Virginia said, raising her trembling paws up.

"All out!" Annie saw Svetka on the tribune and raised her paws, grabbing her right shoulder with the left paw and the left shoulder with the right paw. She released her claws, slashing across her own body all the way to her sides, feeling the pain. So much pain. And yet, this damage kicked the surge of adrenaline in her, allowing Annie to remain on her feet. She felt anger like never before. Anger, mixed with betrayal, mixed with fear of defeat, confusion, pain… All these feelings created a wonderful tapestry of emotions within her body. Her wound was serious enough to threaten her life. Yet she was standing. Finally, at long last, Annie understood what Dragena meant. Emotions could push a living being beyond its natural limits. She spread her arms wide, bathing in the light coming from above. Friends would never harm each other so. Annie felt like a complete moron. Zero, Virginia… But that is okay. Feeling betrayed will sustain her just as well.

And she used this surge of energy to charge at Virginia, turning her right arm into the whip once more. This time she landed her hit against Virginia’s brand, tearing up both scar and flesh away and causing the wolf hag to scream in pain. Returning her arm back to the normal position, Annie wrapped her arms around Virginia’s waist.

"Annie you are injured! Stop! Stop before…" Virginia shouted in her face.

I am not strong enough to throw her. Annie understood, trying and failing to throw Virginia to the side. Who cares? Annie smiled, releasing her opponent. She made a sweep with her right leg, making Virginia lose her footing. Pushing her right arm against Virginia’s head, she threw the wolf hag on the ground and kicked with her leg. Virginia caught the blow on her forearms, sliding back.

"Fight back, damn you!" Annie snapped, charging after her. Virginia dodged the punch of Annie, hitting the opponent with an uppercut into the jaw. Annie smiled at the sound of her lower jaw cracking and at the pain, "Yes, much better! Claws, use your everything!" She grabbed Virginia by her shoulders, slamming headbutting her and throwing the opponent back, "I win!" She screamed from pain and joy, when Virginia kicked blindly, hitting Annie across the wound on her belly. Her body was getting cold, but the pain allowed her to move on, "This time I will definitely win! I am not weak!"

"Stop them! Someone, stop them before they kill each other, please I beg of you!" Svetka screamed somewhere, and Annie smiled.

Kill? I won’t kill Virginia. Neither will I die, I have promises to keep. I just want to win. Win, please, at least once, let me wi…

Zero landed between Virginia and Annie, and the last thing that Annie saw before everything went dark was a blur of something enormous that was closing in on her and Virginia’s necks.