After her
recent victory over Patricia Lincoln, Bengal figured that the remaining Lion’s Den wrestlers would want to stay far away from her. However, she was soon proven wrong. It wasn’t long before she was challenged by a second, unnamed member of the group. Despite the lack of detail, the Blaze Tiger quickly accepted, eager for another win. She had developed an inflated opinion of herself since overcoming Patricia, convincing herself that the fight had been much easier than it actually was. In truth, she had struggled to put the Panther away, though she was never going to admit that.
Arriving at the arena for her match, Bengal got into position early, so she could spy on her opponent’s entrance from backstage. Peering through the curtains, her dark orange eyes grew wide with surprise as she noticed Wanda’s attire - or rather, her lack of it! Apart from her costume cat ears, the white-haired woman was completely naked. Her arms and legs were speckled with blue leopard print, while the pale skin on her chest and back was unmarked. Bengal expected the fans to start hooting and catcalling, but the crowd seemed too stunned by her beauty to even speak.
The Tiger felt a spark of jealousy flare up, somewhere deep within her heart. What had this woman accomplished, to earn this kind of hushed awe? All she’d done so far was show up and strip down. She was only just making her LAW debut. Bengal was a league veteran, and she’d never been treated this way during any of her entrances. It was all totally unfair!
Speaking of her entrance…Bengal’s ears pricked up as the opening chords of
Meshuggah’s “Combustion” swelled through the arena speakers. She tried to let go of her insecurities and focus on the fight at hand. Emerging through a cloud of smoke and sparks, she cast a long shadow down the entrance ramp as she strutted toward the ring. But the nearer she got, the more her feelings of envy intensified. Wanda’s body looked even more impressive up close!
She was glad to have the distraction of the ring announcer’s voice.
“And her opponent…from Kolkata, India…standing five feet seven inches, and weighing in at 140 pounds…THE BLAZE TIGER! BENGAL!” The reaction from the crowd was underwhelming: a few scattered cheers, mostly boos. More than anything, the fans seemed disappointed that Wanda’s entrance was over.
Bengal ducked under the ropes and squared off with her opponent. She tried to keep her own eyes locked on Wanda’s, and not let her gaze wander down to the other woman’s bare chest. “I’ve seen a lot of gimmicks before,” she began, planting her hands on her hips in what she hoped was a confident pose. “But ‘nudist snow leopard’ has got to be the strangest one yet. You’ve actually impressed me…kudoes!”
Her tone became more serious as she raised her arms, shifting into a battle-ready stance. “I’ll be even more impressed if you know how to fight. Your little friend sure didn’t!” She bared her ivory teeth in a hungry smile. “How is Patricia, by the way? Still sleeping it off?” The Tiger laughed cruelly, throwing back her mane of raven hair over her shoulder. “By the time I’m finished with you all, your ‘Lion’s Den’ will be nothing but a hole in the ground!”
Her eyes shifted to Martha, immediately recognizing the butler from her previous match. “You again! What, are you their groupie or something? Do you clean out the litter boxes?” Bengal sneered, her upper lip wrinkling with disgust. “How pathetic. Moving in a pack will just slow you down. That’s why I prefer to hunt alone…”
