Zipper’s damned if you do, damned if you don't

Fight night pairing!
Outfit: Yoga leggings, sneakers, and a t-shirt with this logo

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After a visit to the bookie, Esfir had her pairing. A gentleman named Mathis! She wouldn't know him by just his face, so she needed to ask around until she was pointed in his direction. Having zero expectations for whether or not she would win, jaguar was all smiles as she approached the cheetah. He was a good deal more powerful than her, she felt that but there was no way she wouldn't give it her best shot.

"Hello, we haven't met!" She'd say, extending her hand for a friendly shake. Her heavy Farci accent whorled and curled each word. "I'm Esfir, I believe we were matched this evening."

Mathis was in the midst of getting a drink from the bar, intending to wander through the crowd in a casual search for one of his cheetahs. At some point, he knew he would be up to fight, and it would do well to quell whatever nerves he had with jovial conversation. Instead, however, he was greeted with another cat entirely. Though, that didn't mean she wasn't a familiar one. A jaguar, first and foremost. But he recognized her as an older looking woman with a kind face, coming to purposefully greet him as if she'd heard about him. His first conclusion, of course, was that she knew Frank. Did the prowl have a new member Frank had somehow not mentioned until now?

However, she elaborated with an introduction and... that they had been matched. Mathis regarded her with a kindly puzzled smile for a beat, head shaking as he grappled with the meaning of that. They'd been matched tonight. This was his opponent.

Listen, Mathis was the last person on earth you could expect to entertain any sort of misogyny. But he did have a strong sense of respect for individuals older than him. And he didn't want to assume, but she did seem to have many years on him. That, paired with how warmly she was approaching him, unassuming of any extraordinary strength... it was vaguely frustrating. How would he look, beating into this woman? How would he look if he refused to? Yikes.

He could tell, at least, that she was no novice at Were life. She very well could be more capable than the man he fought last time.

With a soft laugh that wasn't direct at her specifically, Mathis renewed himself and nodded, extending a hand for hers, "Hello, Esfir. Mathis. Am I what you expected?" Lightly teasing. Surely, she would be aware that she appeared unlikely for this, and the irony would be apparent.

Esfir’s smile brightened, crinkling up around her eyes at his question.

"Oh, my dear," she chuckled gently, cupping his hand in both of hers. The older were wanted to hug him already, he seemed so sweet. "The name is handsome and I have found a handsome young man. So yes!"

Admittedly, there was a little thrill to be had in being the unexpected. There weren’t many older weres, it was a sad reality, but it could be a fun one when you were able to take people by surprise. However, it was less fun if you were, perhaps, a point of concern.

"Please, you look so worried." The woman laid a hand flat on her chest and shook her head, pinning Mathis with a solemn look. "I am strong, I would not have signed up if it weren’t to my liking. In fact! This would not be my first time."

Very sweet. Too sweet. Oh, God, how was he supposed to hit her? She was, of course, privy to his worry. She assured him she was capable, physically confident with this. He wasn't doubting that she knew what she was getting herself into, and not even surprised that this wasn't her first time. But, still. She was very kind and unassuming for something like this.

Smiling still, he chuckled softly, "I don't doubt you." He said with a nod. "Should I be worrying for my own safety, then?" Joking, of course.

In spite of being faced with a man who was clearly more powerful, the elderly woman puffed herself up with affected bravado, grin bright and wicked. "I will give you a challenge." She promised, before going on to detail how. "I will go half-way into a shift. Is this good for you?"

Now, that made him smile with almost every tooth. "More than good." He confirmed with an eager nod. A hybrid spar with a jaguar. Honestly, something he'd expected he'd do with Frank first, but this was exciting nevertheless.

"I look forward to it." He added with a nod.

---

feel free to time skip!

Time skip!

---

By the time their names were called, Esfir was shifted into the towering hybrid form as promised. Loping up into the ring, she felt the jaguar's aggressive energy moving in tandem her human thoughts. Pleased and eager, her tail lashed, huge paws gently flexing claws at the air. Her grin for Mathis was earnest, but hardly comforting when it was all fangs.

"Please, do not hesitate to let me know if you would rather I keep the claws out of it." She gruffed, accent even thicker around the fangs.

Of course, he was eager to match Esfir in forms. It was not often he got to take this one, and he was left feeling energized as he moved with springing steps into the ring. She seemed just as eager, and Mathis could not help but take a moment to assess the creature before him. Was... that grey fur? Around her muzzle. Did that mean Frank would sprout silver hairs when shifted as time when on??? Wait... that was adorable?

Aha! Anyway! Fight.

His golden eyes narrowed as his muzzle bunched in what could pass as a smile, weight shifting to and fro as he prepared himself. "Perhaps just around the face." He suggested. No one should be losing an eye tonight. This was just fun and games, yes?

Soon after, the bell run loudly, and Mathis' weight shifted in a semi-crouch as he prepared for the jaguar's first move.

A cheetah hybrid! He was beautiful, in his way, the mixture of both human and spindly cat. They both sported golden fur and spots, which Esfir rather admired.

But... Yes. Around the face. The beast nodded her silvery head deeply in agreement, just as the bell rang. Thick back limbs bunched with tension, and then a heartbeat later, the hybrid jaguar thundered forward, one great paw--claws sheathed--swooping forward to bat at Mathis' torso. Over eager for the fight, she knew immediately it wouldn't connect in any meaningful way, and instead would resort to bulling her way past him, hoping to not be caught in a grapple before she had her wits about her.

---

HARD MISS HAHA

ESFIR DON'T BREAK HER FUCKING HEART PLEASE Asha cheered for her even if she was starting strong with a total miss.

Heart hammering, toe-fingers tingling, he readied himself for her advance. When it came, it was something easily skirted away from. Light on his feet, he leaped back. She continued on her momentum, but he whirled swiftly to lunge after her, a long arm extending so he could catch her by the upper arm and keep her from making the full distance between them.

---

Hit

As Mathis’ name was called, Frank was already by the ring to watch, surprised at the sight of a jaguar he couldn’t remember ever meeting and a hybrid, yet still familiar, cheetah bouncing in. And so they’d be going at it like this? There was some mild worry that itched when it came to anyone using something less than human, but also a tad more considering who was fighting. Still, he had a lot of faith in him and actually found some excitement in seeing how this went down.

The jaguar was soon charging forward and missed, Mathis taking the chance to grab her on the way..

”Take her down,” he hollered.

Coming on too strong, she didn't see the lunge or the clawed hand snapping out to curl around one brawny bicep. The jaguar roo'd in fury as she was twisted around, forward momentum halting and tail lashing out. Esfir was fairly certain that if she ended up getting pinned by the more powerful cheetah, that'd be the end of it. Huh... Evading a cheetah with speed--maybe that had been an oversight, she thought with some amusement.

The jaguar pushed to turn around and fight. They were better at getting in close anyway! Chomp! She didn't have the forward motion to redirect anymore, but decided to lean into it, Esfir stepped forward and try to get her one free arm around the cheetah, aiming to loop over his shoulders and neck.

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Miss!

In another, more serious setting, Esfir would certainly be a daunting opponent. Sheer power in the muscles beneath rosetted skin, teeth that were set in a jaw built for crushing. He was glad it was only a spar.

She was quick to push back into his space, and he only just managed to duck out of her grip. So close, he took the chance to duck his weight into a crouch, and loop his arms around the back of her thigh as he drove his shoulder into her stomach, all of his weight pummeling into her as he took the advice of the familiar voice in the crowd. At least, he tried his best to lift her off her feet.

---

miss

Asha was going to PUNCH FRANK IN HIS STUPID PUNCHABLE FACE sorry no offense she was just really into this fight.

"THROW HIM BY HIS TAIL!!" She yelled louder.

Mathis' strength and speed were almost so overwhelming as to be demoralizing--she was not a sore loser, but perhaps she sensed a losing spar--but she heard Asha's cry in the crowd and let that bolster her. She wasn't down for the count just yet!

Powerful arms coiled around her thigh, but Esfir kept her paws planted by sheer will and weight. Booming a roar in response to her queen, she pushed herself down over his back, trying to get her arms around his middle. The jaguar's jaws opened to try and get a mouthful of his back, but could get no purchase in the rush.

---

A MISS

She was sturdy, not that he had thought otherwise. He knew how jaguars were built and knew it wasn't so easy to get them off of their feet. She folded over him, and while she did not manage anything long withstanding, her teeth were sharp enough to graze skin. He loosed a hiss of pain at that and reaffirmed his grip on her leg so that he could shift his weight up further into her sternum. Driving with his shoulder, he focused all the force of his upward leap into it, this time taking them both off of the ground for a moment, and plummeting to the mat.

---

hit

A roar of surprise and dismay ripped through the air, sent forth by lungs like bellows, before being cut short on impact. Mathis moved in under her center of gravity, shoulder into her middle and then there was nothing under her paws. They hit hard enough to shake the stage, two titanic beasts, and the jaguar did not even remotely love the feeling of being on her back, stomach exposed. She struck out wildly, claws poking through soft paws but found no purchase except to drag furrows in the ground. The breath was knocked out of her and the older were splayed flat for a second, before trying to squirm onto her side, to protect her soft underbelly.

---

Miss

At an advantage already, he did sort of feel slightly bad about it all. But giving in now would be disrespectful to both of them. Instead, he clambered to straddle over her, knees pinched to either side of her as he swung a heavy fist into her broad face.

---

hit

The brawny jaguar took the hit, head snapping to one side and seeing stars. Esfir’s heart quailed. She knew a losing battle when she saw one—or rather, felt one—but their thoughts were aligned. She’d promised a challenge and to go down after one hit was poor sportsmanship.

The jaguar rallied, body curling up beneath the cheetah and both paws arching forward to try and drag him forward into a grapple. Unfortunately her swings were still too wild, the animal in a panicked kind of flurry.

---

She miss!

Her grappling was not precise, but it was enough to throw his balance, sending him slumping to one side. He hit the ground with a grunt, shoulder first. It wasn't dignified, rolling about on the ground like animals. But, well, that's what they were in the moment. Facing her now, he hiked his leg so he could drive a digitigrade foot into the jaguar's lower gut.

---

hit

Esfir curled around the hit the big cat rowling, almost demanding to take over completely. However, without being pinned, she had a bit more maneuverability. Surging forward, she tried to grab ahold of him, one paw, then the other. She missed both times, although both back legs were already curled up for the excellent 'angry cat rabbit kick' technique.

---

she miss and miss

The scrabbling paws were a nuisance, but he managed both times to shrug them away, intent on keeping himself moving. With her legs bent closer to him, he reached to grab her thigh with a vise like grip, and pushed his weight to flip them back over. With her on her back, he fought to stay crouched above her, and swiped another heavy blow into the tiny ear nestled on the side of her head.

---

Hit and hit x.x

Esfir struggled, she did, limbs thrashing, tail lashing, but at some point, she needed to call it. Protecting her head, the big cat's body rumbled in a breathless chuckle. "Ah, Mathis, I must yield!" She called, rowled out around her fangs.

Before the jaguar got too riled up and this became less than fun.

---

Oh this is not meant to beee! miss and miss

And with that, the fight was called. Mathis withdrew immediately, huffing through his teeth as he pushed himself onto his side, then rolled to rise to a half crouch above her, "Alright? He prompted her, a hand on her broad shoulder. He worked to steady the surging of adrenaline that pushed him to continue, instinct telling him to strike now while she was down and disoriented. But he witheld, his chest heaving, golden eyes scanning her for any sign that she was less than in control.

Her words said one thing, but the jaguar's ego wanted more, uncaring for the terms of the fight. When he asked after her, she was slow to answer, fighting the animal down from her spitting rage. Finally, one great clawed hand would lift to cover his and the elder jaguar nodded.

"I am alright. Thank you." If it didn't look at all unsettling, she would smile. Sitting up, she tilted her head to one side and then the other, rolling her broad shoulders. "My God, I was out of my depth." She had to laugh.

He was patient in her gathering herself, taking the moment to even his breathing. When she took his hand, he helped hoist her to her feet. "I apologize. It would have been wrong to go easy, si?" He jested lightly. Really, a tricky situation, but he felt alright about the outcome.

Even sensing the strength in him, it was disappointing all the same. Sometimes the underdog could come through--tonight was not one of those nights, but Esfir was to old to be sore about it. The jaguar didn't feel the same of course--the jaguar wanted an immediate rematch with the stick cat--but she tamped down on the urge to tumble back into a tussle.

"Si!" She replied, her accent weighing heavily even on this simple word. Straightening, she shook herself out from nose to tail, the motion rippling through her thick limbs. "I would have been disappointed, had you done so. Thank you."