I heard the announcers voice ring out, but I didn't feel like listening to what he said. The feel of the sand under me, the lights about me, everyone around me, it took all of my strength, and some reassuring looks from Tellka, to keep me from running. I glanced around the crowd. Blacksmith, human, winged and forest, all types of clans up there. Some were betting for me, some against. Some wise-guy shouted out "Katt!" I looked around curiously.

"Katt? Whose Katt?"

"Don't ask, I'll tell you about her later."

I glanced over where Tellka was standing by the door. Odd, she doesn't want anyone to know she's there, but she lets herself be in a physical form. I turned my attention back to the arena as they began to announce my opponent. I didn't bother to listen to what they said about him. I'd rather see for myself. As he stepped up I began to study him. Black hair, eyes look like they're brown, glasses. I blinked. Why would you wear glasses in a fight?

"I dunno, but my guess is um, gee, maybe so they can see?"

Well excuuuuuussse me. Okay.. so I am a little nerves.. so my mind wanders when I'm nerves... I could tell a bit more about him as he got closer. At his side I saw that he had a long rapier, and there was something strapped to his back to. I've never seen anything like it, it's like... somekind of long barrel or something. It looked like a metal staff, but it was oddly shaped.

"Kate, that's a gun."

A what?

"You know, bang bang?"

Oh yea, I had forgetten about those..

"How could you....... Oh nevermind...." I felt Tellka sigh.

We both began to step towards eachother, kind of like when boxers first start a fight, they step up to eachother and kinda knock their gloves together. We did something like that, we stepped up and met eachother in the middle of the arena, like some cerimonial greeting that people usually expect before a fight. I couldn't help but glance at the crowd around me. There weren't that many people, but I felt so small being down there in the sandy pit. I bowed to him, like saying 'hello' before a fight. I'm not sure if he did anything because I never really looked up at him. Then we both backed away and I heard the signal for the fight to begin.

We circled eachother, sizing up eachother. Both of us seemed to be waiting for the other to make the first move. I took a small breath and lunged at him. Of course, he moved. I tried to regain my footing, but stumbled back as I felt one of his punches hit me in the stomach. I can't say it really hurt, but it sure did knock my breath away. Ow..

"Look up! Look up or he'll do it again.."

I glanced up time to see another fist coming at me. This time I jumped to the side in time to dodge the hit. I kicked out with my left foot, and oddly enough, I actually hit him. Of course, I also knocked myself a little of balance. I think my opponent recovered before I did because the next thing I knew he was there in front of me. I glanced up at him for a moment, and suddenly I thought I heard his voice.

"-needle."

I blinked. "What?" He had said something about a needle. He kind of mouthed out the words, like he didn't want to say it too loudly. I blinked again. Poison needle? Was that it? Was that what he was saying? I felt a shudder run down my spine. Why was he saying that? I shook my head. "What are you doing?" I looked up at him. "You're... you're just trying to run my concentration...." I backed away again.

Now I couldn't get my mind to think right. What did he mean posion needle? What does that have to do with this fight? Why was he doing that, or, what if he was serious?

WHAM

I hadn't even noticed that he had come up for anothe rpunch until I felt his fist slam into my stomach. I stumbled back a little. Then, I did something completely unexpected. I suddenly jumped forward and tackled him, throwing him to the ground. In a flash I was back up on my feet and putting distance between us. Most of the people in the crowd didn't even see what happened, and from the look on his face I could tell that my opponent wasn't expecting it.

"What the heck did you just do?"

I don't know, that wasn't ment to hurt him, I just wanted to do something that would surprise him, and maybe put distance between us.

"Well, don't worry about the surprise part, I don't think anyone was expecting that to happen."

I watched as my opponent got back up. I guess I was just waiting for him to stand. I heard some people shout out, "Get him while he's down!" but I never did.

*Click*

What was that? I glanced up. Something from the crowd, I don't know why, but it seened to stand out.

WHAM

I felt myself get thrown to the ground. It was like I had been hit by a large animal or something, the weight tossing me to the sand. By the time I realized what had hit me, I was just sitting up and rubbing my head. The crowd has stopped cheering (or booing, whichever) and there wasn't much noise. I look up my opponent. I didn't know how he had gotten up so quickly, but one moment he was on the ground, and then next he was up on his feet and knocked me over. I rubbed my head. I must have hit it in the fall. He was looking over his shoulder at something. I glanced over to see what it was.

In the sand, where I was just standing, a dart, a long needle.

e-mail author, talonr@hotmail.com