The silence of the Pitt was broken by the rattled, clank, and scrape of the doors opening.  Everyone in there knew there was only one reason for anyone to be coming.  They all reacted in their own way as the fight manager's form moved into the light flanked by his two big, mindless, and violence-loving bodyguards, a pair of pampered Dog splices.  They were brutes and got lots of perks for doing the manager's dirty work.<br/><br/>Some tensed, some whimpered, and the rookies got apprehensive.  Brian remained calm, there was nothing you could do at this point.  No amount of praying, begging, or crying would change it if your name was next on his list.  The manager thrived on the mental torture, and Brian would not give him the satisfaction.  Still he winced when the names were called: "Stone..."  A big muscly Panther splice stood up.  He had some wicked scars and a cruel grin, "...and Leap.  Combat Match"  It wasn't because he didn't like the fights, he didn't, but because he knew what this was from the get go.  Stone was a favorite and at around 25 wins consecutively.<br/><br/>Brian clambered to his feet and ignored the predator's posturing as he waited for one of the brutes to unlock his chain from the wall.  The lot of them could have jumped the pair and brutalized them at any point really, but that would accomplish nothing good other than catharsis.  So, no one did anything but stare in sullen hate-filled silence.  The brutes were oblivious, but the manager saw and loved it.  Brian looked dispassionately at the manager, he always did.  The chains were removed from their setting in the walls.  This way they could be wound through leg irons as well when they were led from the Pitt, though not everyone needed leg irons.<br/><br/>They were led different ways in the hall.  Brian was led to one of the western stahls.  Small rooms that were stocked with their gear before the fights and had a big door in the wall facing the arena that dropped into the floor so that it could be a sudden start to the game; like horses or bulls released from their chutes.  They were led here by their 'leashes' and left here with only their collars on.  They were given exactly ten minutes to get ready, put their armor on and check weapons.  Brian did so, noting that the shaft of his spear had not been repaired since the last fight.  He sighed as the wooden door behind him slammed home and locked.<br/><br/>He was waiting behind the door when it dropped, and he dropped with it as Stone's axe sliced through the air.  He had been waiting, he had been set loose early.  Brian was being handicapped.  He almost bothered trying to decide if they were setting him up or just wanted a better show.  Either way, he threw a low kick at the cat's shins, causing him to leap back a bit, and giving Brian the space to dash out into the arena proper.  He dashed for the opposite wall to open up room.  But, cats were fast, too, in short bursts.  So, he didn't stop there but spun on a dime ducked below another wild axe swing and sprinted again, using the benefits of his splice.  He felt the blade brush his hair as he did so.<br/><br/>Now, there was room, and, now, Stone was in trouble and Brian saw it in his face.  Fighting Gazelles was a lot like fighting Hares, if they had room to maneuver, you were in trouble.  And, Brian was a specialist in these tactics.  Stone would try to close and the bite of Brian's spear, his speed, or his ability to jump over ten meters in a single bound kept that distance.  Once, he even leaped through the air over the big cat's head in a feat of daring do.  After about ten minutes Brian had one gash over his left eye and a bruise on his right side, but Stone was covered in a dozen small cuts that were each trickling little bits of blood.  The big cat was winded, his swings were slowing, and his eyes were unfocused.  Brian, his big chest holding large lung and heart for his size was fine.  The problem was, Brian's weakened spear haft had taken a solid blow and cracked below the head.  He had a poor dagger for all intents and purposes.<br/><br/>It was time, his next disengagement from Stone left the cat bleeding for a new spot on his thigh, dangerously close to his femoral artery, and Brian leaped back a good distance.  Then, in a blur, he took a step and jumped again heading for the cat feet first.  The cat, to his credit as a great competitor, got his axe up to block just in time...  just in time for Brian's plan.  His feet collided with the axe's haft and a resounding crack erupted across the arena.  People gasped, thinking that Brian had caved in the cat's chest.  But, instead, two bits of broken axe fell to the floor, and Brian delivered a solid kick to the man;s chest, knocking the air from him.  Brian lightly pushed off the cat's form, somersaulted, and landed five feet away.<br/><br/>The big cat had collapsed from the blow.  Brian walked up pointed his spear head dagger at the cat and saw the fight go out of his eyes.  The man surrendered.  The announcer blared: "Leap wins in a stunning upset!  What a turn of events Ladies and Gentlemen!"  Brian sneered.  He had heard the gasps, seen the looks of disappointment as he flipped, and had seen the note of pride fade in the predator's eyes.  Why they were all still surprised that he kept winning.  Why was it that all the big dumb predators thought he was weak because he was quiet, vegetarian, and small.  Not all the predators were that stupid and they made good opponents, but this bout had been over after the first ten seconds.<br/><br/>He went back to his stahl and took his armor off.  He had left the broken spear in the arena.  Moments latter he was taken back to the Pitt and put back in his shadow.  He returned to watching.