I walked into the arena with my eyes like fire blazing across the landscape. I will not back down from this. Nothing is going to make me surrender. If I were to surrender I would be ruined. Or more like dead. This place was like a monster that has swallowed me whole. Now I'm entering into the belly of the beast. The starving of animals, the burn pile, the rabies that infected the dogs, all of that was nothing to what I was about to face. A fight to the death.

As I walked into the arena, I heard a human screaming, well they were all screaming but there was one more distinct than the rest though. He seemed to be the announcer of this whole show.

"And on the blue side we have B31!" The announcer screeched. The humans cheered and applauded my appearance. I just rolled my eyes and ignored them. I've already told you my name is Ace, I thought. Though I knew they wouldn't care. I realized when I looked up that each side was spray painted in a different color as my side was blue as oppose to the other side which was red.

As I looked across the arena I still stared at the gleaming eyes that were filled with hate and anger. I knew when that gate opened a monster would appear with one thing on its mind.

My head in its mouth.

I shivered at the thought but I tried to stay calm, trying to recall everything Dogo had taught me. Though I knew when that creature stepped out none of it would pay off due to the fact that I've never fought before. This dog knew how to fight and not just how to fight. He knew different techniques that other breeds that have been used in the past.

Though one scary thought ran through my head. Is this Apollo? They wouldn't put me against the champion dog right away, would they? No, they wouldn't, they couldn't! Or would they...?

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the announcer starting to speak.

"And on the red side we have C74, an all time favorite! Am I right people!?". The humans roared and applaud at the announcer but what he had said made me think. An all time favorite? That can't be good...

As much as I wanted to turn and run and hide, I wouldn't do that. I couldn't do that. The first fight was always how you proved yourself. It was reputation, your title, it was wether dogs would respect you or spit at you. This fight would change my life forever and in honor of that I must give it all I got, even if it means...

I didn't really want to think about that right now. 'Just stay concentrated on fighting and you will will' I thought to myself. My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a clanking sound from the other end of the arena. I realized that it was the door opening. I braced myself as I was situating myself into a fighting position. 'Here goes nothing' I thought to myself.

At first nothing came out. I didn't hear a sound. The arena was silent as they were immensely waiting for the big moment that their so called 'all time favorite' would be revealed. I could hear my own heart pounding as I waited anxiously for the blood thirsty monster to step out. My hear beat became faster as it started pumping harder and louder, the adrenaline was kicking in hard. Everything around me became nothing as I stood their staring at the lonely door. I tried to look tough and keep my cool, but the problem was that I was terrified.

My legs were shivering like crazy and I couldn't help but put my tail between my legs out of instinct. Then I had the sudden feeling of something watching me. As I stated harder into the darkness that surrounded the door I found a slight twitch movement.

Then I saw it...

A large body that leaped into the air as I noticed that it was a dog and not only that, a HUGE DOG. Probably the biggest dog I've ever seen. When it's paws slammed into the ground I was surprised it had not started an earthquake. It's fur was multicolored with gray. Long floppy ears, with a schnauzer-like muzzle. I believe it was an Irish wolfhound with two huge scars that ran down his neck, probably from a bite that something was trying to kill him, but it had not succeeded.

His breath had smelled very unusual and very revolting. It had smelled of rotting flesh and blood. I didn't want to know whose flesh and blood it was, I just tried to get the thought out of my mind.

This dog had not said a word, it just had stared at me, almost through me. There was no expression on his face, just concentration.

As I was focusing my attention on the dog, I heard the announcer yelling his next announcement "Now let the battle begin!" The humans were cheering louder than ever. I think my heart had dropped into my stomach. This was possibly the start of how I will die...

The dog started circling around me as he had not moved his gaze from me. As kept on circling it had made me grow more and more uncomfortable by how he didn't look away from. Though a thought came into my head. 'Maybe I can try talking to him' I thought 'maybe then he won't fight me'. It was a long shot but I had to try.

"Hi Mr.evil bloodthirsty dog sir..." I said awkwardly while my head was down I was going into a submissive position without me realizing it.

"Ummm I know this may sound weird and I know you want to fight, well I think you like to fight. But I was thinking that maybe you could or we maybe couldn't fight..? Or maybe we could..". My pleading was interrupted when the dog pounced on me and had flung me across the arena. My body was thrown onto the ground, his huge heavy masculine paw on my tiny throat. I gulped as he was choking me.

His thick muzzle was lowered down into my ear "Listen runt" the dog woofed with his high pitched almost psychotic voice "We can do this two ways. Option A! You can act like the coward pup you are and you can allow yourself to be killed easy, fair and square. Or option B! You can act like a dog and attempt to fight me and you can get killed. It's your choice runt," his jowls running with saliva dripping onto my neck.

I panted trying to find the right words to say but I just couldn't "I..I uhhh...".

"Oh and by the way" the dog smirked interrupting me, "It's not Mr.evil battle dog. Just call me Bullet,". Bullet had grabbed my scruff and had flung me across the arena. The back of my head had hit the concrete walls in the process.

As I fell to the earth below me, I felt my head pounding hard as I felt a sudden heat run down my neck. I lifted my paw while lying on the dirt below me and felt a strange liquid on my paw. As I pulled my paw back around to see what it was my heart had dropped. Thick blood was running down my paw, it felt warm and thick as a big drop fell to the ground. I stared at shock as a million thoughts started rushing through my head. My family's murder, my first arrival at the kennels, Bucks near death experience, the burn pile, the fighting at the kennels, the rabies illness, everything came coming in so quick I lowered my head in exhaustion.

I should of kept my head up though. Bullet came in hot on his heels as he grabbed my head and once again flung in the air and with a swing on his massive paw, he had hit my cheek as I was flung onto the ground. Though this time I had got up onto my paws quicker.

Bullet had spitted some blood from his mouth looking very content, almost as if I was a easy opponent. Which I was but I wasn't going to admit that.

"You know runt, I don't think you got what it takes," Bullet said all smirk like.

A growl rose up into my throat, "You know I have a name too," I growled "it's Ace,".

Bullet just shrugged. "Whatever,".

Typical I thought to myself. I have to try to attack him, even though it's an impossible match, I still have to try.

I started to sprint under Bullets legs, while Bullet just smiled evilly and ran to the side. I had slid to a stop to see where he was. All of a sudden a huge gray pelt popped out of nowhere and I felt a huge restriction to my air flow. It took me a few seconds to see what was going on.

When I regained sense of what was going on around me I noticed Bullet's jaw around my throat. Again...

And of course I had to be pushed up against the cold earth below me. Again...

And I was losing this battle all together. Again...

'Wow this day just hasn't been a good one', I thought to myself.

Bullet surprisingly let go of my throat but still had hold me tight against the ground.

"You know your not cut out for this. You won't win," Bullet taunted.

"I could if I tried!" I said struggling against his grip against me. Bullet just laughed as he flung me across the arena. Agai...you know I'm just not going to say that anymore to make me feel better about myself.

I panted in exhaustion from the fight. Bullet seemed to take my exhaustion into notice.

"Ohhh poor little Ace," mocked Bullet "Do you need to go cry to your mommy, oh wait! You don't have one anymore!" He started laughing maniacally.

I flinched at the last sentence. How does this dog know of my mom and her passing, he wasn't even there! Or was he..? The thought made me shiver. What if he had something to do with my moms death? Or was he just taunting me more? Though If he was taunting he wouldn't have known of my mom.

My body started shaking with frustration as I tried to hold back my anger. I let out a deep growl to warn him that I wouldn't be bullied by the likes of him.

Though Bullet did not show any sign of giving up yet. "She tasted so good too! Wish you could of seen it, all the flesh and bones with her blood..." He licked his lips with wide eyes as if there was a whole buffet in front of him. Though the only thing he was staring at was me...

'Did I hear him correctly? Did he just say my mom tasted good? Does anything this dog says make sense?!' I thought to myself.

"Wha...what are you talking about..?" I asked shyly backing up a few paces from the mad dog.

Bullet just smirked "Don't play dumb with me pup! You know exactly who I'm talking about!". He started to grow a little pyscho again, "Though would it matter if you even did know? All that matters is you becoming my next meal," he seemed to be getting weirder by the minute. He lunged at me with his paw on my back. He was staring at me with great intensity. Licking his jaws in suspense as he waited for the moment to rip my head off.

"Does anything you say make sense!? Did you just say I'm your meal...?" I questioned him.

"What do you think it means kid?! I'm going to eat you! Just like your mother! Just like any other dog that falls victim into my fangs!" Exclaimed Bullet.

Woah woah woah wait....is this dog trying to tell me he is a....

I was staring to cough up blood from the exhaustion of the fight and the weight of the huge wolfhound on me.

"Your...." I coughed before I could finish "your a cannibal...." I whispered though I didn't intend it to be whispered it though I couldn't really talk too much.

"And we have a winner!" The wolfhound exclaimed with excitement "finally you got that through your thick head".

"But...but why?" I creaked while coughing up more blood.

"Why not!? Why waste your victims body when you can use it to the fullest potential to sustain yourself!" Bullet exclaimed.

I was utterly disgusted. "As if murdering dogs was bad enough. But consuming your own kind, is just insane,".

"It's not all that disgusting, maybe you should try it, who knows maybe will have the honor of consuming each other," Bullet replied with pride.

"I would nev...*cough*...I would never kill a dog, let alone sink down to your own dirty level," I stated.

He seemed to have a slight disappointed face, then he seemed to have a evil smile come across his face.

"You have a point Ace. Though who is to say that other dogs won't? Maybe Buck would. He does seem like a awful lonely dog who could use an activity to keep himself occupied," taunted Bullet.

I growled at the thought of Buck slowly turning into one of those monsters. My paws were staring to shake from anger but I kept my feelings under control.

"Or maybe Reika, she seems like a fine nice pup too." My growls became louder and deeper as he kept taunting me.

"Dogo has much fighting experience too, he could do it quite well,". I felt my own heart beat pounding, I'm not sure how much more I can take of this.

"Or maybe they should all just have the same fate as you will soon have,".

That's it, I couldn't handle my anger anymore. "You lay a claw on them and I'll kill you!" I screamed as I pushed Bullet's paw off my back and leaped toward his head. Bullets face was shocked as I took my paw and I scratched the side of his face. Everything felt like in slow motion as I felt the fur being ripped from Bullet's face and the blood oozing down my claws.

I landed firmly on the ground on all fours while I heard Bullet sounding annoyed and slightly angered from what I did. But I knew he felt shock over anything else.

Though Bullet almost seemed pleased with what I have done. "Good, you did exactly what I wanted you to do," spoke Bullet with pleasure in his voice.

I tilted my head with confusion of his statement. "What do you mean?" I questioned.

"You brought out your inner self kid, your true self. Didn't it feel good to hurt me?" I looked at my paw that was covered with Bullet's blood at his statement, "Wasn't it appealing to you? Didn't that help with your anger?" Spoke Bullet who started to pace around me. "You know you like it, don't lie," Bullet taunted.

I let out a low growl, "I did it only out of defense of my friends," I stated firmly. Bullet didn't seem to convinced though.

"Oh come on Ace, you know you want too," Bullet had stopped pacing and backed up a few paces in a very casual stance, "Come on Ace, kill me. I dare you".

I didn't know what to do. I couldn't kill a dog, could I? I mean he was an enemy. He wouldn't kill any other dogs, he wouldn't be a threat, I would become a hero...

Or would I?

No, I wouldn't go down that path, I'm too good for that.

I started to pace around Bullet, baring my teeth a little, eyes narrowed, head low, ready to attack at any moment. I saw a evil smile reach across Bullet's face as I paced around him. I felt the crowds silence as they were so apprehended to see what would happen next. I circled around him a few times just to make him grow a little more fearful, though in reality it was the opposite way around. Though I knew I had to show no fear or else I would be seen as vulnerable.

When I was reaching around his rear end about after two or three times of pacing I felt the wind on my fur as I pushed myself into the air, feeling mangy fur a couple of seconds later as I took a grip of Bullet's scruff. I felt my world starting to become a little dizzy as I heard a yowl from Bullet as I realized he was trying to shake me off.

I kept my grip as I scratched my claws down his shoulder, feeling the hot, sticky blood running down my claws and staining my fur. I felt myself loosing my grip on Bullet but I kept my grip by biting down hard on Bullet's neck.

My vision became very blurry and I was starting to grow very dizzy as I wasn't aware of my surroundings. I could hear Bullet's desperate growls as he tried to get me off of him.

I suddenly felt his weight shift very awkwardly. As soon as I was aware of what was going on, I had the strange urgency that something was behind me. I finally realized he was going to squish me onto the wall so I would let go! Though by the time I realized what was going on it was too late. I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder as I quickly let go of Bullet. I felt nothing for a couple of seconds as I fell down to the rough earth below me.

I had hit something hard as I came to realize I had hit the ground. Right away I had tried to stand up but had quickly fell due to the fact that my shoulder gave out on me. Seeing the blood run down from me almost made me sick. My body was starting to shake from exhaustion and my desperation from attempting to stand up.

"I can't take much more of this. If I continue to fight I'll just injure myself more. Or worse..." I thought as I struggled up onto my paws. Finally after many desperate attempts I felt myself wobble a little bit but I kept my self up and I tried to distribute weight off my shoulder and onto my other paws. I tried to keep my head held high as if my injury was nothing. Though it had failed as I lowered my head and panted hard. Though when I took notice of the damage I did to Bullet, he was on all fours as if the bite and scratch marks were nothing.

He spitted out some blood from his mouth and he smiled as he saw me struggling to stay stand up. I saw the delight in his eyes when he glimpsed my injured shoulder. He held his head high with pride as if it was something to be congratulated on. Well at least the humans thought so. Their screams and applause had filled the arena.

"I told ya you couldn't handle it pup!", Spat Bullet.

I felt some blood coming out of my mouth but I kept it in as much as I could. I tried to respond but I felt more blood coming out of my mouth as I tried to speak. It was getting harder to breathe as well. I tried to calm myself down but I couldn't keep my breathing under control. I felt my heart racing at the thought of me not being able to breathe. I was shaking too much that almost made me lose my balance.

I hadn't realize how out of it I was until I realized Bullet wasn't in his usual spot. I saw a gray pelt getting ever so closer to me. I felt my world going upside down as my paws slipped off the gravel and onto my back as I felt a tight grip around my throat. I saw Bullet's huge body over mine as I realized he was actually doing it. He was going to kill me.

Bullet had beaten me. He had taken my dignity. He had taken my strength. He had taken my courage. Now here he was towering over me. Ready for the final killing bite, for he had won, and for the first time in this entire fight...I was glad it was all about to be over. The psycho dogs, the burn pile, my family's death, the torturing, the starvation, the loneliness, the killing...I'm just glad it's almost over.

Finally I could join Alpha and the other wolves and run around through the forests without a care or worry in the world. I could see my family again. I could meet my dad. My suffering could end. I could go home.

I felt myself wanting to breathe so bad but I just laid there. Feeling the blood dripping down my throat. I heard some mumbling from Bullet though I couldn't understand what he was saying.

"What..?" I croaked.

Bullet lifted his head and had let go of my throat for a second. He stared at me with eyes of fierce intensity.

"You know why you failed Ace?" He questioned.

"No" I coughed.

"Because your something you'll always be and that you can never change,". Bullet lowered his muzzle by my ear, "Your a coward, always have, always will,".

I tried gasping for breath as I tried to speak "I....I can change," I replied as I coughed up more blood.

I heard a small bit of laughter from Bullet. "Your forgetting one thing Ace...".

"And what's that?" I questioned.

Bullet gave a small smirk, "Because you won't be around by the time that happens,". Bullet snapped quickly at my throat and I began to panic. I had a sudden rush of visions of Dogo, Buck, and Reika. My friends... What would happen if I died? Who would watch over them? Who would protect them? Who would comfort them when they were feeling down? Who would be there for them when they needed it...?

I couldn't go. Not while they were around. Not while I had something to fight for. I struggled against Bullet's grip on me, though it was no use. My body had grown too weak to move at all. I gasped and struggled more and more with every ounce of strength I had left. Then I felt it.

I couldn't feel anything in my body no more. My breathing became very shallow to almost nothing. My head fell back into the cold earth where I felt the sticky hot blood oozing on the back of my head. Hearing I satisfied growl from Bullet, I didn't retort, I didn't even growl I just laid there. My vision had grown quite dizzy as I saw a great orb of light that pierced my eye. A gray and white body had say there.

It was Alpha.

I used every little bit of energy I had left I extended out my paw trying to reach him, my limbs shaking rapidly, my eyes sweltering with tears as they fell down from my face from the exhaustion of the fight. I cried on the inside for my desperation to scream in agony for my lack of air made that impossible.

".....help..." I croaked with desperation. Though all I saw was Alpha look kin disappointed as he closed his eyes and faded away from my sight. I let my paw fall to the ground with defeat. For there was nothing else left to do. Just to hope it would be all done soon enough.

I closed my eyes just to get it over with. I thought I had heard a 'goodbye Ace' for a few seconds before I heard the crack of a whip that had silence everything around us. I then heard the whimper of Bullet as I fluttered my eyes open to see to my surprise Bullet whimpering and submitting to the human with the whip.

He growled at the human as he was forced to go back through the door which he came out of. I lifted my head slowly to see Bullet growling at me.

"Don't think this is over mutt. You won't be so lucky next time," he threatened.

Before I could see Bullet finish his walk of shame to the door I felt a force on my scruff. I whimpered as it had hurt much from the fight. I just heard a 'shut up' from the human as he opened a door and darkness had filled my eyes once again. I couldn't see where we were going until finally the door opened and I smelled the scents of dogs as I realized we had reached the kennels once again.

I heard shocks and terror from dogs I knew and didn't know. We had reached my kennel where I had seen a chocked face of Reika and Dogo while the human had attached me to the chain and had thrown me into the kennel.

Suddenly a bunch of questions were being thrown at me from all around. Though I couldn't understand anything. My vision became blurred, I felt light on my paws as my world turned black only hearing the pleads and cries of the dogs around me. Then there was only silence.
*************************************************************************

4289 words later, IM FINALLY DONE WITH THIS CHAPTER *runs away* just kidding. Guys I got to say.... IM SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING IN LIKE FOREVER. And the chapter isn't even that good ;A;
I hope you guys don't hate me for taking so long, or for what happen in the chapter...anyways! It just took so long cause schools been kicking me in the butt hard. I haven't had any time with the book between personal life, activities, school, etc. I hope you guys enjoy this though! The pic at the beginning is Bullet (he is an Irish wolfhound and will probably be the biggest jerk I'll ever write about). Though I hope you enjoy! And I'm sorry this took so long!

~StarShepherd🐾