Tiger panted as he skid to a halt in the cave. On the way he did scratch the itch of beating on a few of the slavers, but right now he was still feeling a little antsy. He twitched in anticipation, the electric feeling within his neck telling him to go on ahead and give in.

He glanced around, from the man with the mane, to the man with two blades beside the little lady, and then the several other burlier slavers.

“Eh? What’s going on here?” He asked as he cracked his knuckled.

The mane man turned to face Tiger, with a face of wonder as if to ask who was this brat stupid enough to come and annoy him during his play time.

“Who are you?” The mane man asked, pointing his slightly curved blade to Tiger.

Tiger just smiled. “Huh? Me? I’m Tiger. Who the hell are you?”

The mane man smirked. “I am Lyrd.”

“What’s the name Lyrd, huh? You made your way from the East?”

“Something like that.”

“How about you head on back? We don’t really like your kind around here.” He cracked his neck. In his mind Tiger had meant slavers, not realising his words could have been misconstrued.

Lyrd stretched his neck. “What a rude little boy. You come into my cave and then tell me to fuck off back home? Just who the hell are you, kid?”

“Like I said. I’m Tiger.” Tiger grinned.

The little lady whimpered, staring at Dragon. Tiger looked over towards his injured brother. He could feel it. It was flowing through him, his blood beginning to boil. He clutched his fist together.

“Don’t worry little’n.” Tiger chuckled. “Dragon won’t go dying from something as small as that.”

Lyrd had leapt forward, his blade swimming through the air swiftly. Tiger met it with his fist, which had darkened to near black.

He was running out of stamina, but his ki sustained him. He had spent so much to get here that he felt heavy within his mind, even his thoughts came slow. He pulled back and as another man took a swing, Tiger was gone. He wasn’t gone entirely, he had leapt up so quickly that the man that attacked didn’t realise what was happening until he was struck.

Tiger struck the man across his neck with a heavy kick and flung him to the cave wall. He fell limp beside it. Tiger was grinning, wild like a beast. His heart pounded within his chest as the slavers surrounded him.

Sabres swung through the air, but they didn’t find Tiger. Tiger was quicker than any of them. He struck several of the men with arms that blurred, and they fell back with bruised sides, and at worst broken bones.

It didn’t take too long until they found that they were completely unmatched. In their eyes, this stranger who was injured, didn’t seem to be fazed at all by his ruins. Instead, he seemed excited.

Tiger’s grin became malicious now, and his fists uncurled more into claws. He hadn’t had such fun in so long, though this was nothing compared to the last bout he had with Dragon.

He could feel it, deep within his bones. He had missed this ever so much.

Even the little girl was shivering in a coldness of fear.

Lyrd found himself alone against the near-bestial monk. He was unnerved though, and quickly stepped forward. The blade swung quickly, and Tiger side stepped, though found himself cut and bleeding. Lyrd pressed his attack, swiping at Tiger. Tiger’s body was tougher than most, so when Lyrd struck, his blade slowed. With their blade stuck against Tiger’s forearm, cutting slightly into it. Lyrd was now a sitting duck to Tiger.

Tiger struck the man with a heavy fist.

Lyrd stumbled back, only to find himself struck again. With each strike, Lyrd stumbled back, before Tiger kicked him to the ground, falling unconscious before he landed. Tiger clenched his fists some more, the heat within his body still clouding his mind. He finally let out a single sigh and then turned to walk over to Dragons slumped form.

The little lady shook with fear still, kneeling beside Dragon. Tiger then knelt and placed a hand on her head.

“Are you alright, little’n?”

The girl looked up to the goofy smile on Tiger’s face. She blinked, obviously confused at his quick turn.

“Let’s get Dragon out of here, yeah?”

The girl nodded, swallowing her fears.