<strong>Tigrus<br/><br/>Yay we're winni-hoshit.</strong><br/><br/><br/><br/>Rus had a poker face for tough battles.<br/><br/>Back in his heyday, it was certain doom to look scared in the face of potential defeat. A prize fighter had to look confident at all times. As such, when faced by the muscled face of officialdom and power, arguably one of the few more famous and far more accomplished fighters in all of Cat's Lair than he, Rus didn't make a single move to display his emotions.<br/><br/>His right eye, however, did twitch a little.<br/><br/>Rus tried to resort to calm inner thinking and planning. He sought his inner monologue.<br/><br/><em>Hoshithoshithoshithoshithoshithoshithoshithoshithoshithoshithoshithoshithosh-</em><br/><br/>Scratch that, then. Basic instinct and crowd power would have to see him through this.<br/><br/>Rus nodded slowly at Oceloto as the crowd hushed to see if the pair of unlikely fighters would accept the General's challenge. Reaching out, he linked his own paws together in front of him, and strained as if to pop his knuckles, his face mirroring the General's scowl in concentration.<br/><br/>A small gust of wind erupted from his backside in a loud, crowing trumpet.<br/><br/>"Pahahahaahaha! Oh whiskers, sorry, I just-mahahahahaaa!"<br/><br/>Rus dissolved into giggles again as people in the crowd brave enough to snigger along with the Howler did so.<br/><br/>"Wooo! Oceloto!" Rus wafted his paw, blaming the ridiculous sound on the General. "I don't know what you get fed in the barracks, but it's clearly too much! You must eat a hell of an Oce-<strong>LOT</strong>-o!"<br/><br/>Again the giggles, Rus slapping at his own thighs in hilarity. It was most certainly nervous laughter, but the crowd didn't need to know that. The crowd, who were now, daring to laugh at the General. Rus was already fighting the first battle and winning. Oceloto would most certainly wipe the floor with the Orange Howler, but he'd make damn sure he'd give his audience - for they were most certainly<strong>his</strong>audience now- a damn good show first.<br/><br/>But wait. There was Beigey. Rus turned to whisper to her.<br/><br/>"So, what, you get behind him or make him focus on you and I drop-kick him? Iunno, I'm not used to working in pairs. You got a better idea, I'm all orange pointy ears. What's your name, by the way? Remind me to give you like, some hard cash for this. You're one heck of a good sport. "<br/><br/>He slapped a heavy paw across Caraina's pert backside in a pseudo locker-room manner, making her feel like "one of the boys" but also like she'd just been propositioned by a rich, arrogant prize fighter. Confusing, no doubt.<br/><br/>Turning back to the intimidating General, Rus's voice barked across the entire ring, making the audience pay attention to him again.<br/><br/>"First move? What, all your extracurricular army training with these kits-" Rus motioned to the wounded guards behind him. "-in the showers ruined your stamina, old man?"<br/><br/>Well, it was all or nothing, now. That'd probably torn it. Rus realised he probably shouldn't have said it, but...he couldn't help himself. There were<em>people</em>watching. They wanted a show, and this was already shaping upto be one no one would forget in a long time.