The villagers began to eat, whilst a handful were setting up the arena for the prospective chiefs to fight.

The four of them waited, each remaining away from one another. The pair of wolves Ares was familiar with, but the tiger man he didn’t really know too much about.

Ares called over Rori. “Hey, who are each of these guys?”

“Wolfen is the name of the older wolf, he and I have always butt heads. The same with Bosk, who is Voshk’s nephew. The three of us have been vying for the position of chief, if it weren’t for Voshk’s recommendation, any one of us could have been the next chief. I expected to face the pair of them in this fight.”

“Alright… what about the younger wolf man?”

“He is Wolfen’s younger sibling, Wulfen. We have a decent relationship.”

Ares nodded his head. “I hope you don’t think too poorly of me for embarrassing them.”

Rori didn’t reply, but Ares just chuckled. Then he grew silent, going into thought. There were so many ways he could proceed, sighing out as he tried to think about it. He wondered just how tyrannical he’d have to be, as well as if he’d be willing to go that far. He already had executed a few soldiers, but those are very different to civilians.

He rubbed his forehead and then crossed his arms, trying to not show any weakness to the others.

Then Rori stepped forward once the arena was set. It was a large area outside the town that they could fight in.

Ares walked over to one side and then began to stretch.

“We shall begin the chieftain rites. If anyone else wishes to stake their claim, mention it now, or you shall not complain.” When the crows remained quiet, he nodded. “Very well.” He then turned to face the four. “What are the means of the combat?”

“Unarmed.” Called out Wolfen.

“Unarmed.” Bosk nodded his head.

“Unarmed.” Wulfen agreed.

Rori turned to Ares, who shrugged. “Unarmed, I guess.” He said as he then started to pull off of his cloak, then took off his shirt, revealing his bare, lean body. He made a note to self to actually workout more often. A new worlds resolution.

He then shifted the cloak and his shirt into the other realm and then nodded his head to Rori. Then he brought his hands up, as if he was about to box.

“Very well. As there are no complaints, I shall oversee the rite. By the sight of Rivee, I shall watch the bout and judge fairly. Now… begin.”

Ares stepped back as the three came at him, and then ducked down to the ground. He watched as their claws came out and he narrowed his eyes. ‘Right…’ He let out a low sigh and then as they approached, he tensed his legs and then shot forward. He head butt the tiger, who was directly ahead of him, and knocked him back as the wolves then tried to swarm him. He followed the tiger as they landed on their back, he flipped over the tiger to land behind them.

The two wolves turned and then tried to circle around him, but Ares then charged the older Wolfen, taking a slash across his chest, as he then kicked the wolf with his knee, slamming them away. He skid to a halt and then grabbed Wulfen’s wrist, pulling them aside.

“I expected a little more from you.” Ares whispered as Wulfen tried to claw out his eyes, but he ducked back and then twisted their arm, causing them to howl in pain.

Bosk had gotten up and charged towards him, but Ares threw Wulfen to the tiger man, letting them fall down.

He turned to face Wolfen, letting them punch him. He took the blow across his face, and then slowly turned to look at them. He took another blow, and then another, but he didn’t step back. Wolfen paused after the fifth hit, and as Bosk came to tackle Ares, he hopped to his side and then kicked them away, then stood to face Wolfen again.

“Come on.” He said. “I’ll take all of you on, one by one. I’ll make it fair.” Ares snarled and then this time he struck Wolfen, making sure to hold back in case he could have killed the guy.

Wulfen had managed to gather himself too, then charged Ares. Ares turned, then jumped up and then drop kicked the boy onto their head, snapping their head back as they dropped down unconscious.

‘Shit, I really hope I didn’t kill him…’

However, his attention went back down to Bosk and Wolfen. “Come on then.” He said, beckoning them closer with a hand.

He grunted as the pair of them came to attack him, slashing his body. He shuddered as blood started to pour out of his body, but he didn’t pull back. Instead he threw another punch towards Bosk, and then to Wolfen again.

“Is that all you’ve guys got?” Ares asked, raising his fists once more.

Bosk growled out and then turned to face Wolfen, growling at them in their speech. Then Bosk began to growl out lowly, their body beginning to transform and shift. Their body once looked human, but now they shifted into something more tiger like, though still humanoid. Their face looked far more like a tiger now, and their body grew in every way. Their shoulders widened, their back enlarged, even their hands thickened, their claws elongated.

‘What the fuck, he looks so scary! Shit!’

There was a gasp in the crowd and many of them began to murmur, growling in their language to each other quietly.

Bosk’s eyes began to strain, narrowing their eyes as they stared at him. Then they moved, but no longer like the bulky tiger man they were, but more like a sleek panther. No doubt if he was still a typical human, Ares would have seen Bosk blur. However, with his newfound senses and his body, he followed Bosk.

He caught Bosk’s arm as they slashed forward, and Bosk’s eyes were filled with a sense of confusion, before Ares then punched them in the face with enough force that they slammed onto the ground. Ares smiled, as what he punched felt far more resistance against his fist.

Ares inhaled deeply as Bosk stood back up, ready to meet him in battle. Then Bosk charged forward, and Ares leapt forward to meet them. In a flurry of fur and flesh, the pair lost themselves into their fight. Bosk struck Ares with each passing second, but Ares would not pull back from their assault. Instead he stepped forward, and with each blow he welcomed, he threw a punch towards Bosk to meet them with equal fervour.

Then finally Bosk stumbled back. Ares stopped his assault, staring down at the tiger man.

“You should throw in the towel.” Ares panted out, his body flush and hot.

Bosk narrowed his eyes confused.

“I mean, you should give in. You’re done.”

Bosk slowly shifted back to his human-like form and then fell onto his front.

Ares threw a look over to Rori and then reached down to pick up Bosk. “One second.” He said as he then placed Bosk onto his back, letting them rest properly out of the way.

“Alright, let’s go.” He said as he motioned to Wolfen. “Do you have the same trick?”

As Ares asked, it seemed as though Wolfen did indeed have the same trick. He shifted into a creature that was a head taller, powerful shoulders, his chest expanding as though all he ever did was bench.

“Nice.” Ares said as he flung forward, meeting Wolfen. As they exchanged blows, Wolfen stumbled back from the mighty swings from Ares, taking them head on.

Wolfen coughed up and then looked up to Ares, staring into their eyes as they finally clutched at each other’s hands.

“Why do you fight, stranger?” Wolfen then head butt forward.

Ares flung his head forward, and as they clashed, he grinned. “To become the chief, obviously.”

“For what purpose?” Wolfen growled as the pair remained locked together.

Ares grinned. He then pulled back to head butt once more, and repeated this action until Wolfen’s claws began to loosen and with a final head butt, he fell back, no longer in his bipedal wolf form.

Ares panted out and then looked over to Rori, sharing a nod with them.

Rori went to check on the three others as Ares waited, before he walked over to Ares.

“I have had the privilege of watching the fight, and I shall say that by my eyes, I have seen you.” Rori placed a hand on each of Ares’ shoulders and then nodded his head. “I see you, chieftain.”

There was an awkward moment of silence as a couple from the villagers began to call out with the same phrase.

“I see you, chieftain.” Said a few bear folk, but the others remained silent, and there was an uneasy and tense moment in the air.

“Alright. I’m guessing that the rest of you have an issue with me as your chieftain, eh?” Ares laughed. “Well, I can’t really blame you.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I may as well address it. I’m not aiming to be your chief, I’m aiming to be so much more. I’m not human, and though I can’t show that to you right now, I hope that one day I can.” Ares wasn’t entirely sure if he wanted to let them know what he was, it was useful to keep it a secret still.

“The only thing you need to know is that I’m strong, and that I’m on your side. My goal is to instill fear within the humans, and through that fear, they will come to attack. Once we’ve got a few wins, they should learn that they won’t be able to just walk all over us. Voshk asked me to help you, to take you to Dragon’s Spine, so those of you that wish to follow me, we’ll be leaving soon. If you do not wish to follow me, then you can follow Wolfen or Bosk, since they probably won’t follow me either. I won’t take it personally.” Ares laughed.

Rori turned to face Ares. “Are you sure you wish to offer them such a thing? You are our chief now, by rite, we will follow you.”

“I want it to be your choice, whether you follow me or not. I promise you though, that I shall carve a land for all folk, where you can live in peace regardless of your race. So I’ll ask you, will you join me?”