The continual goading of the crowd sees the Leopard bristle further in response, a savage snarl ripped free of his jaws that sees a number of the crowd fall silent in response, the more submissive among the gathered Weres readily cowed by the Leopard's own dominance in this. It is rare indeed that the spotted cat is coaxed from his throne, himself and Tetradore brought to the ring only within their own private training sessions else to deal with any Were whom manages to earn themselves a fight with either, or both, jungle cats. To see Tobias in battle is a truly rare thing for many within the crowd tonight, this chance to see the fabled creature battle one few are willing to pass up- many content to cheer equally for the wolf beside him. After all, if she is his chosen partner then she too must surely be great, a true sight to behold, their excitement a palpable thing as far more then one begins to volunteer themselves to fight- thrilled at the chance perhaps, to skip a number of the ranks within the ark to fight at the very top against one of the Kings of the Ring and his partner.

Another snarl from the tawny, spotted cat sees the crowd shrink further back from the ring they stand within, powerful, muscular form moving to circle around the wolf as if to shield her from the cord, pressing against her, guiding her towards the door before the thump of feet upon the earth see both black rimmed ears flicker backwards at the sight of a man and woman having entered the ring behind them, seeing the cat turn once more as Birdie's words press against his mind, assuring him she seeks to fight, seeks to prove why she deserves to be beside him. For a moment his own mind wavers, seeking to understand her acceptance in this, amber golden eyes meeting her own gaze once more.

Birdie...will win.

He is assured, it would seem, head nodding before his attention returns to the pair before him, tail lashing in agitation at the challenge put before him. He is a dominant creature by nature, the challenge placed before him grating against his agitation, some part within himself refusing to yield, refusing to be challenged in such a manner by those he perceives beneath him- the man before him, a tall, slender fellow seeming to almost reconsider his challenge before the Leopard now. Reputation within the Ark is...everything, some part within the fractured mind of the creature given to understand this concept. He, as Tetra, is above them, his reputation earned, a mere look often given to send others fleeing from before him, their eyes never daring to meet his own and as such there is...standard to be upheld, the man refusing to allow any to challenge him and yet he is confident, it would seem, in Birdie's abilities as she shifts beside him into her own towering form, prompting the pair before them to change.

The man is rapidly replaced with an Oryx, the large grey, long horned antelope pawing readily at the ground as his mate shifts beside him, her own tall, slender frame replaced with a Maned Wolf, her teeth bared readily towards Birdie in threat as heckles lift upon her spine. The Maned wolf is the first to lunge, Birdie well within her sights as Tobias hisses, his own claws scrabbling against the earth as each muscle contracts and coils, the felines power to leap significantly greater than that of the wolf, colliding with her mid-air and knocking her to the earth in a hiss of claws and fangs as the Oryx spins, hoping indeed that Birdie has become distracted, charging suddenly forward- hoping to skewer the wolf with the prongs of his horns, twisting suddenly to aim for her vulnerable flanks.

madness, as you know, is like gravity: all it takes is a little push