"Antlers."
"Red eyes."
"Teeth. Lots of teeth."
Dorian had never heard of such a beast.
Corbin stepped forward and pulled Dorian's short swords. "You'll need these—“ he grabbed his own knives from his side and shoved them into Dorian's belt. "And these—“ the last knife was in his boot, and Corbin strapped the buckle to Dorian's calf. "This one too."
The clap Corbin gave him on his shoulder didn't help Dorian's nerves.
"You got this, Prince," Corbin said, though he didn't meet Dorian's gaze.
"Lies," Dorian accused.
"Felt like the right thing to say."
The beast bellowed again, and Dorian finally turned.
His friends hadn't been wrong. It was a great brown bear, twice as tall as he, and that didn't include the set of white antlers growing out from its forehead. It shook the snow off its backside, and the brown fur shimmered in the sunlight. Faint scars and patches of missing hair were easily spotted, as though this beast had been through battle after battle and had always come out on top. The beast turned to him, and Dorian saw the scar stretching across its right eye.
The beast let out a shout, and Dorian's heart began to thud.
"Hey Bin," he said.
"Yes, Prince?"
"Don't tell my sister about this."
"Definitely the first thing I'm telling her when we meet again."
"I thought we were friends," Dorian argued.
"That's why I'm telling her."
The beast gave another great roar, and Dorian's mind spun. The last thing he wanted was to spill this magnificent creature's blood all over the mud and ice. A beast which he was sure meant more to the Blackhands than his life.
But he wasn't sure he had a choice.
Dorian's fists enclosed around his swords, and he stretched out into the stadium.
He noted his surroundings. The obstacle course had been moved. There were only the three great poles around the empty circle. Poles he knew were where people had been chained to them for executions.
The beasts' scarlet gaze met his. A great huff emitted, the show of his exhale hitting the cold air. Teeth bared, its head dipped.
Dorian wondered when it had last been fed.
A whistle sounded from the box.
The beast charged.
And so did Dorian.
He dove onto his side beneath it, skidding through the frigid mud. His swords caught its back ankles, but they didn't seem to have much effect. The bear cried out in pain, a cry that made Dorian wince. Dorian made to his feet and crouched ready as it circled around. The bear's head dipped again, and Dorian's ears began to ring.
He blocked out the crowd.
Just he and the beast.
