The White Wolf |MCU|1

eleven

   This was not what I wanted!

I want to scream out to the gods. I know I wanted someone to challenge T'Challa, but I don't anymore. I take it back, I'm happy fighting T'Challa. Just make the Jabari go away!

A drum beats loudly in the background, my anxiety rising with each beat, as the boys prepare to fight. Zuri fixes a panther mask over T'Challa's face as M'Baku slings his own on.

M'Baku orders his guards to form one side of a half-circle, while some of the Dora Milaje forms the other side. Now no one can interrupt the fight and the fighters can't run.

"Let the challenge begin!" Zuri cries out, slamming the end of his staff into the water. The guards surrounding the fighters raise their weapons, keeping the fighters in.

I grab onto Shuri's arm as she grabs onto mine. I throw out all my White Wolf training. This is no longer about being a proper White Wolf; this is about T'Challa not getting killed.

M'Baku wastes no time in attacking T'Challa, swinging his club at him. T'Challa raises his shield, blocking the swing before side-stepping another swing. M'Baku continually shouts out aggressively as he tries to hit T'Challa. He manages to swipe his club at T'Challa's legs, knocking him on his back.

Zuri slams his staff down, signaling the guards surrounding the fighter to take a step closer, making the fighting space smaller.

T'Challa gets back to his feet, swiping his spearhead at M'Baku, missing. T'Challa then jumps up, kicking M'Baku in the stomach, knocking him into the water.

M'Baku angrily gets up. T'Challa runs up, dodging a few swings before getting knocked in the side with M'Baku's club. T'Challa flips in the air landing hard into the water, losing his mask. The Jabari men right behind him take a step closer, squeezing the circle.

T'Challa jumps back up again, going in for close combat.

"Where is your god now?!" M'Baku shouts before T'Challa flips him over to get a good kick in. T'Challa swings his fist, slamming it into M'Baku's side before delivering a one-two punch to his face, causing M'Baku to stumble back.

All around us the crowd cheers for T'Challa.

M'Baku gets back onto his feet, wrapping his arms around T'Challa, pinning him in place with his club. M'Baku then throws his head forward, smashing it into T'Challa's face.

"No powers!" Hitting T'Challa in the face again.

"No claws!" And again.

"No special suit!" Another hit. "Just a boy! Not fit to lead!"

"Show him who you are!" Mother shouts. My hold on Shuri's arm grows tighter. In response, Shuri squeezes my arm even tighter. The anxiety between us is rising dangerously.

T'Challa cries out as he lifts his elbow into M'Baku's mask. He hits a second time before dropping out of M'Baku's arms, hitting his knee into M'Baku's mask, snapping it in half. M'Baku stumbles back, blood spurting from his nose.

M'Baku wipes his hand across his face, smearing blood around before taking a swing at T'Challa.

T'Challa tries to block but gets impaled in the chest with the pointed end of the club. A gasp escapes T'Challa's lips, grabbing a hold of the end of the club. M'Baku pushes the club, driving T'Challa to the edge of the waterfall.

"I am Prince T'Challa! Son of King T'Chaka!" T'Challa shouts out.

"You can do this T'Challa!" Shuri yells out from beside me. I think I'm losing circulation to my hand in her vice-like grip, but I don't care. T'Challa has to win.

"Come on!" I yell out. At this moment I'm no longer the White Wolf, I'm a sister worried about her older brother.

M'Baku removes his weapon and tries to stab him again. But T'Challa grabs it, forcing his knee down and kicking M'Baku away from it. The water splashes around as T'Challa slides towards M'Baku, locking his head between his knees.

T'Challa's torso hangs off the edge of the cliff as his legs death-grip M'Baku's head and throat, making him lose air. "Yield! Don't make me kill you!" T'Challa shouts.

"I would rather die!" M'Baku shouts back, struggling to get out of T'Challa's grip.

T'Challa's grip on M'Baku tightens as the crowd begins to chant his name. "You have fought with honor, now yield! Your people need you! Yield man!"

After a long moment, M'Baku slaps T'Challa's thigh, giving up. M'Baku's men collect their leader and retreat to the cave.

The crowd erupts in a flurry of cheers. Shuri and I jump all over each other, hugging and screaming at the top of our lungs. T'Challa raises his arms in victory, walking to stand in front of his people.

Zuri walks up to T'Challa, holding out a beaded necklace with panther teeth. "I now present to you, King T'Challa! The Black Panther!"

Hanging the necklace around T'Challa's neck, Zuri gives him a warm hug and walks away. Behind T'Challa, the Dora Milaje does a ceremonial dance. Everyone around me is celebrating and dancing. T'Challa won, he's the king.

T'Challa raises his arms to cross over his chest, shouting, "Wakanda forever!"

Everyone mimics him, echoing back, "Wakanda forever!"