Welcome to the Freak Show

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Ravin's growls persisted, and as Ariel advanced, he took a step back as his growls intensified.

And Lord Martin was right there along to announce each moment, keeping the crowd leaning forward with a bated breath.
"It seems the monster is hesitating! The beautiful woman before him- forcing him to back down! But is he truly beaten?"

ANd while Ariel was finding courage in the cat's calming effect on Ravin, Night moved to rub at her leg before returning to the confused demon's side. Ravin let out a snarl, his mind whirling like an internal tornado and he could not take it anymore before he back handed Ariel with one massive paw as he let out a roar that shook the very world.

[GoblinFae]

A pained cry tore from her lips as the little huntress was knocked off her feet, landing awkwardly on her stomach. Instinctively, she immediately flipped over, turning to face Ravin in a defensive crouch. Old habits died hard and she still considered herself under attack despite the audience and the infuriating Lord's commentary.

Stubborn to a fault, jaw set against the pain, Ariel rose to her feet once more and reached towards Ravin. "Not mad," she cooed. "No pain. It's okay. You're okay."

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Ravin's eyes narrowed upon her- seeing her stance, he assumed one of the same while his throat continued to rumble in a deep throated growl.

[GoblinFae]

She quickly lowered her hand again, seeing his mirroring stance and wishing not to start another attack. Ariel lowered her head, keeping her eyes low to once more submission even as she continued to murmur nervously to him.

Beside her she could hearing the whispers of the crowd as they grew restless with the growing tension brought on by the standoff going on between the stage's two visible occupants.

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A few more brushes of the cat against his leg caused his growls to lessen in their intensity, but by no means had they vanished. His eyes were still wildly glued to the woman before him. His instincts were riding him to kill her- but some other unknown force kept him back. And it was perhaps goaded by the furry little creature mewing at his leg. It was only after a moment did the demon sit on his haunches and stooped forward, teeth bared but for now, it seemed as if he was not about to tear her to pieces.

[GoblinFae]

Ariel likewise relaxed back, her eyes wary but no longer trying to touch him or rile him up. A sigh of relief escaped her even as she listened to the circus master gleefully point out the taming of the beast to come, the challenging standoff, and querying the audience as to their belief over whether or not Beauty was enough to save both herself and the beast

Forgetting herself, the young woman's head shot up as she sent a disgusted look in the ringleader's direction. She had enough of his chatter knowing that if it got on her nerves she could only imagine what it was doing to poor Ravin.

"Enough!"

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Lord Martin might not have heard the woman's raspy demand, but the look on her face was unquestionable. He glowered at her as much as he could, but did not want to give away his persona to the crowd.

With one hand raised, he ignored her and announced to the crowd.
"And it seems the beauty has won! Look how the beast cowers before her! Truly an act of mercy from the Gods!"

And the crowd thundered into a roar of awe.

The sounds were deafening, the sensation getting to his head, making him dizzy, angered- and so much more. Ravin couldn't focus, his body burned with a wildness beyond him- and once that returned, he pushed past the cat and went after Ariel again.

[GoblinFae]

She wanted nothing more than to stamp her foot and holler her frustration at Lord Martin like a small child who refused to nap. Instead, Ariel squared her jaw and focused her eyes once more on a now charging beast. With a territorial howl of her own, the huntress leaped forward, intent on wrapping her arms tightly around Ravin's body.

There was no way of her knowing what would happen next, whether she would be torn to shreds or the show would at last come to a close. She hoped fervently thought that it was the latter and not the former though even as she cursed her foolish and reckless nature.

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As the young woman's arms bond around him, the beast let out a roar and stumbled forward and began to buck, trying to throw her off his form while his form shook with each intense and angered roar.

[GoblinFae]

"No!" Ariel cried clinging tighter as she was swung about like a ragdoll. "I'm not lettin' go Ravin. Please stop this!" Her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she fought to maintain her grip. Fingers tangled in fur as arms strained to hang on. "Don't fight it, accept it Ravin," she murmured repeatedly, hoping he would at least be calmed by her voice as before even if he did not understand the words.

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But her logic would not be heard, and the beast, not so easily contained as he wildly thrashed about until he reached the end of his rope and gagged on the chains that bound him. Roaring out, he took heavily clawed hands and slashed them towards where she clung to his body, all the while he bucked still- hoping to knock the girl off.

[GoblinFae]

His claws caught her arms, tearing them from around his neck and dropping her back to the floor. She moved her hands overhead, afraid he would tear her neck off in the state he was in even as she called for Night, begging the cat to come back. This had to end. Why was the imbecile ringleader doing nothing? Did he want Ravin to die? The boy was practically choking himself to get at her. Ariel feared moving back to safety for that fact alone.

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The moment she called for him, the cat leaped into the ring- but came right onto the scene at just the wrong moment and instead of one heavy back hand of his claws smacking Ariel- they raked into Night and sent the black cat landed harshly several yards away.

[GoblinFae]

"Night!" The huntress screamed in horror. The crowd no longer mattered as she raced to the little creature's side, nearly choking herself on her anchored collar in the process. Nothing else mattered to her in those moments as she flung herself at the wounded creature, using her own body as a shield in case of Ravin wishing to attack again. Ariel could feel soft fur of the cat matting with warm blood against her chest as she peeked fearfully towards the demonic beast that had once been a quiet young boy.

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A furious roar erupted from his throat, and soon the beast was bucking against his chains, going wild, going frantic in attempts to free himself of this show. And the crowd was going wild, Lord Martin was sweating even as he announced the changes in the act, and Ravin only continued to storm about- that was, until he came to a sudden halt after hearing the soft mrowl from the injured cat. The noise would be all but lost to the crowd, but Ravin heard it, and jerked his head their way, his breath catching in his throat and froth dribbling down his fur.

His hackles were raised and his ears pinned back, and those blood red eyes of his wavered.
Night. It took him a moment to digest it all, the crowd soon becoming background noise. Night... he had hurt Night.

[GoblinFae]

"Shh-shh-shh," Ariel tried to whisper to Night, hoping to soothe him into silence. She feared that his sounds would only serve to anger Ravin and bring more attention to them both. The poor cat was injured enough and probably would not understand how the being that smelled like his friend could cause him such pain.

She tried to crabwalk backwards as far away from Ravin as her chain allowed with one hand, while the other clutched the injured creature close to herself. The huntress was doing her best to protect him and stop his bleeding but could not help but curse herself for being so stupid and letting the innocent cat come so close to Ravin in the state he was.

"Domesticated fool," she muttered under breath. She caste darting glances at Ravin, half-expecting him to suddenly leap forward and break his chains as he lunged for them intent on both their deaths.

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Out of desperation, out of fear, out of shame, the beats rose it's head and released a deep throated howl. It was eerie and shook the very grounds, and sent the viewers within Lord Martin's tent into silence as they all watched in fascination as the demon bowed before the girl, ears pinned back, tail between it's legs, and it's body in humbled submittance to her.

Night... the one friend, the one thing, the only treasure he still carried in this world was now but a lame ball of fur and blood within the young woman's arms. Though the woman herself meant truly nothing to him in comparison to the creature in which she held, he submitted himself unto her, unto this, and before the cat-
For he felt shamed.
And he felt fear.

And prayed to whatever masters of the universe were out there that Night be free of this curse. To be free of him- and to not die this day, but to live again, somewhere, elsewhere- perhaps, far, far away.

[GoblinFae]

Even Ariel shivered in fear at the sound but fear turned to shock as Ravin bowed before her. Taking the short steps between them, she placed a hand gently on the beast's head between the ears as her other hand tucked Night in close against her chest.

Then with an exasperated breath, her gaze snapped to the side where the ringmaster stood. "End this, now," Ariel demanded stiffly.

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Lord Martin gave a dark glare their way, but in a flick of his wrist, Ravin's beast form all but melted away. Fur lightning into skin, long sharp teeth turning into a short, handsome and youthful face. And then he was standing there, naked before the crowd as Lord Martin made his announcement,

"And beauty is the winner!"
The crowed paused a moment before beginning to cheer, the sounds thundering all around them and nearly shaking the ground. Such a dramatic sight was something they all could approve, and soon the chains on either of them were being pulled.

"It's time to get back into your cages," Lord Martin half growled, but still smiled and waved to the crowd as the pair were guide away.

And while the circus was winding down, and Ravin dressed and thrown back into his cage, Ariel would find herself escorted elsewhere, as the conjoined twins took her to Lord Martin's personal carriage.
"Inside, little girl," the one twin said.

"Lord Martin wants you staying with him for the night," the other said with a smirk.

"I think he's afraid you'll get fleas if you stay with your little tamed beast," the other replied with a giggle as they held the door open for her.

[GoblinFae]

She was half-choked as she was dragged backwards by her collar, her flashing eyes never once leaving the ringmaster's face until he was out of sight. Everything was a whirl for her from that point on and she briefly had the chance to see Ravin whisked away before the freakish female beings of nature were back to torment her again.

Not once though did Ariel let them steal away the dark cat laying frightfully still within her arms for any attempt resulted in hisses, bared teeth, and even the lucky bite from the wild child herself. The sight of the carriage made her feel sick though as she stared disgustedly forwards. Their twittered comments only made her turn slightly with a dead fish-eye stare before a thought struck her.

"As if his are any better," she spat before steeling herself to enter, Night pressed close against her breast.