[ANNI-24] 3 - ONLINE (IN LINE)

this won’t do. this simply won’t do.

one of the younger bulls in matapang’s herd is getting restless. cocky. agitated. he thinks he can challenge their leader.

this has happened before. it will happen again.

they will learn again.

the others try to persuade him to stand down, to do anything else, but he thinks himself strong. thinks himself worthy.

he confronts matapang while the herd rests at a watering hole, proud and self-aggrandizing. he makes the mistake of approaching while matapang’s back is turned, like a coward.

“you are a fool. you’re making a mistake. stand down before i’m forced to do what i must,” matapang replies.

he refuses.

matapang doesn’t hesitate. they quickly undisguise and strike with their spiked tail, slashing deep wounds into their opponent’s face. he stumbles back in shock and pain, not expecting them to respond so quickly.

like matapang said, he made a mistake.

“are you still sure of yourself? still sure you want to fight?” they spit back.

the rest of the herd averts their eyes. this has happened before. they know how it ends. they will miss the foolish challenger.

“get back in line.”

he refuses.

they strike with their neck this time, their reinforced bones leaving swollen cuts and bruises against the challenger’s own neck. they rear up on their hind legs to strike with their arms, the spikes of enamel on their arms stabbing into their opponent’s flesh. he roars in agony, backing away from matapang. they land on the ground, their massive weight shaking the earth itself.

“GET. BACK. IN. LINE.”

battered and bruised, he relents. but he doesn’t return to the herd, he instead turns and walks away, humiliated. he has no place here now.

some of the herd will mourn the challenger’s loss, miss him, but they warned him.

this has happened before.

stubborn as he was, he refused, as always, to listen. this is the bed he made, and now he must lie in it.

matapang glares at the slowly disappearing silhouette of their opponent, disguising themself now that it’s over. the herd sighs collectively before getting up, ready to move once again.