Untamed and Unforgiven: Cassandra Williams vs. Bengal

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

As the referee's hand slapped against the canvas a second time, Bengal felt her eyelids starting to droop with exhaustion. She shook her head, willing herself to stay awake. It would be pretty embarrassing if she passed out on top of her opponent, even if she won the match in the process. She had to stay conscious, so she could savor her imminent victory.

But right before the three-count, something dropped hard onto her back, and the impact sent her rolling away. The Tiger clutched at Cassandra's body like a drowning swimmer grabbing for a life preserver, but it was no good - contact had already been broken, and the pin was invalid. "No fall! Two count!" the official declared, as Bengal released a shriek of pure, primal rage.

The Tiger propped herself up on her elbows, about to turn her attention toward Sofia. She wanted revenge on the Leopard for disrupting her pin once again. But as she raised one hand, preparing to slash at the smaller woman's back, she realized the futility of her actions. She was out of energy, and badly outnumbered. By the time she finished dispatching Sofia, Kiana would no doubt recover enough to rejoin the fight, and then Cassandra in turn. If she kept splitting her focus between them, she was doomed to lose. The loyal BCW members would stop at nothing to rescue their Pride Leader, and she was just as dedicated to them in turn.

Perhaps there was a way for Bengal to exploit that loyalty. Instead of attacking Sofia, the Tiger instead picked up Cassandra, wrapping her aching arms around the Lioness' neck from behind. She drew her opponent (and herself) into a kneeling position, placing Cassandra between herself and the other BCW girls. "Back off!" she growled, tightening her grip around the Pride Leader's windpipe. "Or I'll do her...even worse than I did both of you!" She pressed herself tightly against Cassandra, so there would be no way for the other fighters to reach the Tiger without going through their friend. Muscles straining, chest heaving, she waited to see if Sofia and Kiana would respond to her threat, and finally stand down.

[Weonna]

Cassandra’s vision blurred. The forearm crushing against her throat made every breath a battle. Her boots scraped weakly at the mat as she clawed at Bengal’s arm, trying to pry it loose—but the Tiger's grip was unforgiving. Each wheezing gasp came out more ragged than the last. Her body trembled, not just from lack of oxygen, but from the sheer weight of exhaustion built up throughout the war they’d all endured.

“Ghhhkkk…!”

she coughed, her fingers digging into Bengal’s arm, her legs kicking feebly in front of her. The crowd buzzed with tension.

On the other side of the ring, Sofia and Kiana froze, barely able to stand, but fists clenched and eyes locked on the scene before them. Their chests rose and fell rapidly—Kiana wiping blood from her lip, Sofia still clutching her shoulder. They looked beaten… but only in body.

Their eyes told a different story.

Sofia’s jaw tensed. Kiana took a shaky step forward before stopping herself. They weren’t moving, but they weren’t retreating either. No, they were waiting...

One false move. One loosened grip. One cocky gesture… and they’d be on her like predators.

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Bengal continued her strategic retreat, holding on tightly to the half-conscious Cassandra. Meanwhile, Sofia and Kiana followed the Tiger's every move, waiting for their chance to pounce. Bengal's eyes bounced back and forth like ping-pong balls, desperately trying to keep both her foes in view at the same time. Much like fighting three opponents at once, this proved to be an impossible task.

Still backing up, Bengal found her progress halted as the ropes pressed against her spine. That was an obstacle, but not an insurmountable one. Sinking onto her knees, the Tiger slid her legs out of the ring and onto the floor. Then she maneuvered Cassandra under the bottom rope as well, before starting the long climb up the entrance ramp. Her arm remained wrapped around the Lioness' throat the entire time, denying the other BCW members any opening to attack.

Boos rained down from the stands, as the LAW fans bemoaned the lack of action. The referee seemed to better understand the tense nature of the situation, yet was unsure how to react. It was a No Disqualifications match, after all, and the Tiger's actions were permitted. But what would happen if she maintained her current course, dragging both her opponent and herself out of the arena entirely? The official would have no choice but to declare a draw via mutual disqualification. It was a result so rare that the ref couldn't recall it ever happening before - not in one of their matches, at least.

Would it happen tonight? That all depended on what Sofia and Kiana did next. Working in tandem, the two BCW girls could doubtless overwhelm Bengal, but not before the Tiger did serious damage to Cassandra. What was more important to these young women: their friend's safety, or their own sense of pride?

[Weonna]

Sofia and Kiana exchanged a glance—one full of fire, but also of calculation. They took a half-step forward in unison, their eyes narrowing at Bengal’s every backward shuffle up the ramp. Cassandra’s face was red and glistening with sweat, her breaths shallow and ragged. Every second they waited risked real damage to their leader.

The crowd’s boos reached a fever pitch, while the referee, still trailing the trio up the ramp, finally raised both hands and shouted over the chaos.

“That’s it! Ring the bell—this one’s over! Double count-out… match is a draw!”

The timekeeper slammed the bell, and the announcement was met with another wave of boos. Bengal didn’t loosen her grip immediately—her snarl only deepened—but Sofia and Kiana’s demeanor shifted instantly. They weren’t holding back anymore. The moment the call was official, they charged forward with murder in their eyes!

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Even at the very top of the ramp, Bengal could still hear the referee's words, and the disappointed boos from the crowd. The fans had been expecting a decisive finish, not a double count-out. The Tiger didn't have time to worry about customer satisfaction right now, however. She was more concerned with the murderous expressions on Sofia and Kiana's faces, as the two BCW members charged her simultaneously. They bounded up the last few steps of the incline, the Cheetah slightly in front, covering the distance with shocking speed.

Bengal froze for a moment, gripping tight onto Cassandra, as if she was holding up a riot shield. But the Tiger knew that turtling and hiding wouldn't keep her safe, not with her foes in such a furious state. She quickly came up with a better idea, shoving Cassandra forward. The Lioness' limp body bounced off the ramp and rolled downward, like a barrel being unloaded from a ship, right in the path of her two team members. Bengal knew that Sofia and Kiana would stop to catch their friend, not wanting her to suffer any further. That gave her the distraction she needed to make her final escape.

The Tiger spun on her heel and dashed away, headed backstage. The heavy velvet curtains flapped behind her as she rushed past them, like a pair of oversized bat wings. Bengal kept sprinting down the empty hallways of the backstage area. She skidded around corners, making turns at random, not even caring which way she was going, as long as the jeers of the crowd grew quieter. Eventually, she got far enough away that she couldn't hear them at all, just the flickering of the lights, and the steady hum of the building's generator.

Bengal slumped against the cold concrete wall, wiping away tears of frustration with the back of her hand. It just wasn't fair. She'd been so close to finishing off Cassandra. If only the referee could have counted a split-second faster! But then, Kiana and Sofia had to interfere...

It was all a numbers game, the Tiger decided, her face set in a bitter grimace. Individually, Bengal could take any of the fighters in BCW - she knew that she could! She was the apex predator, the queen of the jungle! Collectively, though, the group could overwhelm her. Bengal leaned back, her mind racing. The adrenaline from her escape was wearing off. Her limbs were stiff, her neck so achy she could barely lift her head. But right now, she welcomed the pain - it helped to sharpen her focus. She needed a way to get revenge on the Big Cats. And she needed to make sure they were fighting one-on-one when it happened.

Despite her continued tears, Bengal's face broke into a manic smile, unseen by anyone in the deserted hallway. She'd just had an idea. The perfect way to get exactly the kind of match she wanted...

Match Result: Draw Via Double Count-Out