Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Sixty-two

The Ape King addressed the crowd, "Trial by combat has been demanded. The one who shall take over as Tiger King, should he lose, will be his opponent. Winston. Step forward."

I leaned down to kiss my tiger on his head and whispered to him. "I'll be waiting," was all I said. Nothing else seemed appropriate. 'Come back uninjured,' wasn't realistic, 'make sure you win,' was too much pressure and he already knew that I had faith in his victory. So, I let him know that no matter what the outcome, I would be waiting to welcome him back with open arms.

Harvey shifted and helped me down from Winston's tall and broad back and not just us, but everyone backed off of the dais. All but Winston and his brother.

His brother shifted and let out a loud roar. The Tiger King had similar coloring to Winston, the only difference being the black stripes were much thicker on him, making him look darker. They were also similar in size. Both towering, larger than any tiger on earth. Winston answered his brother's roar with one of his own. Despite them both being tetra-marked, Winston's scar made him look far more fearsome.

They began circling each other around the dais. Their tails flicking this way and that as one watched the other for weaknesses. Their ears lay flat to their skulls as each exhalation was a rumbling growl. They may have been speaking to each other but there was no way for me to know what was said.

They both released beast pressure at the same time and anyone below a four-stripe shivered in fear despite it not being aimed at them.

Then, the Tiger King attacked. Using his massive back legs to push off from the ground, he launched himself at Winston. His huge front paws spread wide and his long sharp claws ready to dig into my mate's skin.

Winston turned and met the attack head on, with his own forearms spread wide as if to catch his brother. With thunderous roars, their bodies collided. Their claws latching on to each other as they sought to tear at each other's throats with their pointed fangs.

My heart was hammering in my chest, and I clung to Harvey beside me. Without him, I'm not sure I would be standing. My legs felt like jelly, and I had to bite my lip to keep from whimpering, drawing blood.

The Tiger King got the upper hand and Winston was forced onto his back as the scruff around his neck was clamped down on. The Tiger King shook his massive head as though to tear through the skin to get to the arteries below but Winston, drawing his back legs up, used his back claws to tear into the Tiger King's side. Blood flowed, dying the fur around the Tiger King's thighs pink, matching Winston's neck.

Surprised by the pain, the Tiger King retreated, and the two beasts went back to circling each other like boxers in a ring. The Tiger King licked the blood around his lips and snarled again at his little brother. Winston snorted with derision in reply.

Enraged, the Tiger King charged again but this time, Winston was ready. He side-stepped the two-ton feline and with a swift change of direction, leapt onto the Tiger King's back. His teeth clamped down on a shoulder and one of his front paws swept across his big brother's face. Skin split and three claw marks raked from nose to ear, spraying the front of the crowd with blood. The Tiger King roared in pain and tried to counter. Using his weight, he rose on his back paws and fell onto his back in an attempt to crush Winston beneath him. Winston, having frequently sparred with a large constrictor, reacted quickly and easily avoided the Judo style move.

The Tiger King rolled back to his feet and for a third time, the two brothers circled each other. The Tiger King was fatigued and breathing heavily. It wasn't easy forcing his large body to make swift movements. Winston, though also panting, looked slightly less tired. His eyes were bright and his head still high. Then, without warning, Winston went on the offensive.

He ran at his brother but at the last second before they collided, lowered his body and clamped one of the Tiger King's front legs in his massive jaws. He bit down hard and a cracking sound could be heard above their growling breaths. The Tiger King let out a pained snarl and fell forward, losing his balance, putting his neck right in the path of Winston's back claws. Once again skin ripped and blood sprayed. The wound was deep and the blood began to pool beneath the Tiger King's head.

Winston disentangled himself from his brother who lay panting on the floor of the dais. His energy spent and his injuries dire, the Tiger King tried and failed to raise himself up. Finally, knowing he had lost, he lay boneless and watched helplessly as his little brother approached. He closed his eyes in expectation of the final blow. But it did not come.

Instead, a large paw put heavy pressure on the wound at his neck and Winston let out a loud victorious roar.

Then the Ape King's voice announced, "The victor is clear. Oscar has lost and will be exiled. Winston is the new TIGER KING!"

I nearly went deaf with how loud the crowd cheered. Roars of congratulations from all clans made the earth beneath my feet tremor. But I cared for none of it.

I grabbed Harvey's hand and pulled him along with me as I ran up the steps of the dais to my Winston. I then let go of Harvey's hand and flung my arms around my tiger's neck, crying into the thick fur that had protected him from killed.

Harvey leaned down to where Winston's paw was still stopping the flow of blood from his big brother's neck. Taking the satchel he had brought from home, he began the first aid treatment that would stop Oscar from bleeding out.

Winston, seeing that his paw was no longer needed, shifted and picked me up in his arms, kissing me fiercely. The wound on his neck bled a little but it was negligible and would heal quickly.

The crowd cheered again at the public display of affection we had for each other. The Ape King had kept his part of the deal. And now, my man was King.