Chernobyl Curs- Round 2 Page 5 END

Marcus stood rooted to the spot, his mind refusing to process what had just happened.

What…? Did he just-?

A black shape streaking out the door snapped him back to reality. He reached the hallway in time to see it was some small animal, disappearing into the shadows. Numbly he watched it go, and then he cast a glance over his shoulder at the open window.

The sound of Iza's barking drifted up from outside.

Get down there.

Moments later he was flying down the hallway, down the stairs. Faintly he heard startled yells from Jack and Drake, and Iza calling for him again. Then he was outside, what little rain there was left washing away the remains of the grit and dust.

And then he was colliding with a wall of fur

"Damn, kid," a voice drawled, "Ya really wanna see the results of yer handiwork that bad?"

Beyra reached down and hauled Marcus to his feet.

"Cuhp*-ten!" Marcus croaked out, "Uh- I d*-"

"Heh, you sound like a cat hocking up a colossal hairball. Or me hocking up a cat," Beyra snorted, "Only thing in there I think I understood was yer opponent's name. And he's over there, and he's got yer sis standing guard over him."

With a strangled growl, Marcus darted past her. Sure enough, there in the street was Iza, standing over a motionless white body.

"Funniest sight I ever saw," Beyra went on as she followed in his wake, "Him flyin' out that window like a little white birdie. Seems like someone outside broke his fall, though. Otherwise that'd've been quite a spectacular death."

Iza looked up as they approached.

"He's alive, Marc," she said quietly, "How did this happen? You- you didn't throw him-?"

"What the hell do you think this tourney's all about, Fluffy?" Beyra rolled sneered, "But, nah. It looks it was an obsession with a flying trashcan lid that did him in. It ain't yer brother's fault the little twerp's got no common sense."

At that moment, Captain twitched and groaned, much to Marcus' intense relief. The small black animal he had seen earlier, which he could now see was a tiny cat, was at his side. It frantically washed his face, occasionally giving the white dog an urgent tap to the head.

Marcus had never cared for cats before. But the sight of this one, desperately trying to revive its friend, unheeding of any danger to itself, brought a stab of remorse. He reached out a paw in an attempt at apology. It stared up at him, its eyes wide. Then a tiny black paw shot out and angrily smacked his paw away.

"Well, well, well. Why ain't I surprised it's him?" Beyra's voice cut through the tension, and Marcus, Iza, and the cat all turned to look.

Nearby lay the unconscious form of a big black dog. One eye bore old scars slashed across it, and he wore a spiked red collar. He also bore a bent, very recently broken tail.

"He was trying to get into the building," Iza said quietly, "And Jack said he was Captain's former opponent and that he-"

A low, rumbling chuckle made them stare.

Beyra's head was down, her sides quivering. Then she threw her head back and bellowed with mirth.

"Well, whaddyaknow, Captain has good ol' Cryus to thank fer savin' his life!" she guffawed.

"And good thing fer you this happened instead," she added with a glance at Marcus, suddenly very serious, "Or else the minute he laid a tooth on yer opponent, ya woulda been disqualified."

"Yes," Iza growled, "And I wasn't going to let him do that. That's why he was in the street when-" she broke off, shocked.

"Damned good timing, I'd say," Beyra let out another bellow of laughter.  "If I didn't know no better, I woulda said you two had planned it."

Then she rose heavily and sauntered back towards the building.

"You two wait here a sec. Hey, Jack! Looks like ya get to bring yer little friend back."

"What about him?" Jack nodded towards the black dog.

"Some of the others'll be here in minute to deal with him," Beyra sat and nonchalantly scratched an ear.

At that moment Captain groaned again, louder this time. He stirred, tried to sit up, but he gave up with a faint whimper and was still once more. Marcus helplessly looked from him to Iza.

"It's okay, Marc," she murmured, "Maybe I can go find help for him once Beyra lets us go-"

"CAPTAIN!"

The new voice belonged to a brindle and white dog who materialized out of the rainy haze.

The strange dog skidded to a halt, spraying water and mud everywhere, and planted herself over Captain's silent, sodden form. Her snarling face was an inch from Marcus' nose, and he had a close-up look at rotting, gray teeth that were bared to the gums.

Iza bristled, and immediately planted herself between them.

"Don't do it," she growled.

Before the strange dog could respond, yet another dog, this one a giant black and tan fellow, appeared at her side. He said nothing, but stared down at Captain, his face crumpled up into a mask of grief.

OK, Marcus pondered dully, he has friends to help him out...

"The rules weren't no secret, kiddos," Jack snapped, "Everyone knew that this tournament is a cull, including him! So don't go acting shocked an' all that.

"And," he added savagely as the two dogs bristled, "You also know that you don't touch a hair on any of the entrants -or anyone that's part of the tourney!"

"Rags…?"

All of the dogs looked down at the frail voice.

"Suh- Slums…?"

Captain raised his head, his eyes trying to focus on his friends.

"You… came to watch…?" he smiled, "How nice of you…"

"Yeah, Boss," the big dog said quietly after a moment, "We came to see ya fight. Did good first round, so I heard."

"Well, he ain't done so good this round," Beyra observed mildly from where she stood watch by Cryus, "And looks like the tail breakin's been taken care of already," her eyes briefly flicked towards Marcus, "So he's free to go. Get him outta here." She turned back to eye the prone dog.

The two dogs glared at her, but said nothing more. Gently Slums nudged his nose under Captain's sodden form, and with the brindle dog's help, got him onto Slum's back. The tiny black cat clung to his friend's neck, spitting once at Marcus before burying its face into his fur. As they drifted away, Captain stirred.

"Can't…" he mumbled, feebly trying to slide off, "Have to clean…"

Marcus couldn't bear to listen anymore and moved off. He didn't get very far when Iza came up alongside him, and gave him a small nuzzle on the ear. Moaning, he sat down hard, head drooping. He was battered, bruised, and very tired. All he wanted to do was rest before the next fight, and forget all that had happened that morning.

"Well, look who's comin' to."

Beyra scowled at the black dog, who was groaning and struggling to stand up.

"Get going, you two," she snapped at Marcus and Iza, "He ain't yer concern."

The black dog was on his feet, looking dazedly about. Then he spotted Beyra sitting and grinning at him, and slowly lifted his lip in a sneer.

Iza gently but firmly nudged Marcus' shoulder, and as they quickly departed in silence, they heard the black dog snarling defiantly at Beyra. They didn't have long to wonder what was in store for him. For out of the rain came a rush of dogs, all Beyra's cronies, and they had their sights on Cryus.

Outnumbered, the black dog had no alternative but to leave. But as he ran, he shouted something back at Beyra, something that earned a derisive snort from the big dog, and then he was gone.

After watching all this in uneasy silence, Marcus and Iza resumed their trek back to the fairgrounds. As they plodded along, Iza cast a glance his way. She regarded him sadly, but without blame. She wanted him to know that she understood.

Do you, Iza?

He tried to smile back at her, but failed miserably. They were joined by Jack after a few blocks.

"Doncha worry 'bout him," he shrugged indifferently as Iza frowned at him, "That fellow's gotta a grudge 'gainst our dear Alpha. But he ain't the first, and he won't be the last.

"And hey, girl, thanks for handlin' him for us! But then again, me and Drake figured you could use a little fun. You move fast fer yer size, missy, and you got a sweet bite. You coulda done OK in this tourney."

Iza scowled, but said nothing.

"As fer you," he grinned up at Marcus, "Congrats on the win! What an ending, eh? You and yer sis' had it all timed almost perfect-like!

Iza growled low in her throat, but Jack wasn't listening.

"I hafta say," he went on with a laugh, "I didn't think it was in ya to pull something like that! And, boy, that little nut had it comin'. I know I wasn't the only one wantin' to see him- Oof! HEY!"

With the speed that Jack had so recently admired, Iza lunged and slammed him to the ground with a huge paw. Marcus jumped back in alarm, croaking out a protest and glancing around fearfully for other dogs to come to Jack's aid. But they were all alone; every other helper was still in pursuit of Cryus. Which was a good thing, for Iza was beyond listening to reason at the moment. She leaned down close to Jack, until she was nose to nose with the astonished terrier.

"Do you think we wanted that to happen?!" she snarled, "Do you think we're like you and your buddies, enjoying other dogs' pain and humiliation?!"

"Hey, I-"

"Do you think Marcus wants to be in this damned tournament?! Do you think I wanted him to come here?!"

"Now wait just a-"

"You thought wrong, you little bastard."  

With that she yanked her paw away, and stormed off. Marcus, feeling as though another ceiling had been dropped on him, rose and followed his sister.

After a moment, Jack scrambled to his feet, staring after them in bewilderment.

"Ah," he stammered at Marcus' vanishing backside, "I can see yer sister's just, ah, stressed out a bit. S-so I'll, ah, forget this happened…

"…s-see ya next round, huh?"


THE END.