FSE

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Graafen woke to the sound of a siren, a brazen trumpeting that chased sleep away leaving him wide awake and staring up at the underside of the bunk above him. He shivered as memory of his midnight encounter and gave a start as the sandy furred monkey's head popped into view from above. He opened his mouth as if to ask something but was cut off as the caretakers voice boomed all around them.

"It's time contestants your next challenge awaits you, twelve of you remain but only six shall return to these cells. Wake up and move you lazy curs for the game awaits no man."

Shaking his head to clear it of the remnants of sleep Graafen clambered out of bed, running a paw through his thick head-fur as he turned to face the bars of his cage. He could see the red panda and kangaroo rat were also up and Sandson soon jumped down to stand next to him. The monkey looked like he still had questions he wanted to ask but he kept quiet as they waited to be shown where to go. The exit when it appeared however was not where he expected, the bars of their cage remained quite firmly closed. The black vinyl walls on two sides of their cell parted instead, revealing identical dark corridors that led away to who knew where but as the openings finished rippling and solidified the voice spoke again.

"Pick an exit, one to each and walk forth, refuse and storage awaits you.... play and triumph and your chance to win grows stronger."

Graafen didn't hesitate; he slapped the monkey on the shoulder and wished him luck before striding into one of the strange, rubbery tunnels. The walls were close and brushed along his shoulders as he moved deeper and he paused to glance back after about two feet. He wasn't at all surprised to find the way back was gone so he pushed forward, literally. The slick rubbery walls drew closer the further he went forcing him to have to shove his way through and make the stiff material bulge to let him pass. It was not easy, the walls were reluctant to bend and Graafen was soon sweating but he refused to stop even for a moment. Squeezing along the narrow tunnel the grey wolf shoved, wriggled until suddenly the vinyl pushed him from behind and he was shoved out into a small room. Well Graafen called it a room to soothe his troubled mind; the walls, floor and ceiling were all made from the slightly rubbery black material as the tunnel had been. It seemed to permeate everything in a most disturbing manner. Rubbing his bruised shoulders Graafen looked around trying to determine what he was meant to do which is how he missed the arrival of the stand. In the time it took the grey furred wolf to turn a full circle an ebony pole had emerged from the floor. It branched near the top into four tines much like a hat-stand but affixed there were no hats, just carnival masks. Each one represented the face of an animal, with fur patterns, full muzzles and eye holes, to wear one would require you to put your entire face into it. The detail was truly breath-taking and as Graafen stepped closer he could make out individual hairs or scales, it was like someone had removed the face of the animal and preserved it. They were magnificent in their detail but also slightly alarming in the way each mask had a predatory gleam to it. Walking slowly around the mask-stand Graafen made a note of each animal, there was a cougar his expression aloof and noble with the promise that his sharp teeth would rend those who disrespected his nobility. Next there was a komodo dragon, the scale pattern and the turn of his muzzle conjuring an air of laziness and sloth backed up by great strength. The third mask was that of a donkey, ears and bristling Mohawk standing tall yet the curl of his lips, his bared teeth suggested this creature was no placid beast of burden. Turning to look at the fourth mask Graafen saw it was a fox, red fur brightly coloured causing the dark brown markings to stand out. He had a sly smirk on his muzzle and something about the careless nature in which it had been hung from the stand helped it to achieve an air of mischief waiting to happen.

"Pick a mask...." the sibilant whisper of the Memory Weaver suddenly hissed in Graafen's ears making him jump, "It's a simple challenge, pick a mask, wear it and then come down the tunnel." Turning toward the sound of the voice Graafen was unsurprised to see that there was no one there; the opening in the wall was new though. It led into a tunnel like the voice had said and Graafen could just make out light at the far end of it.

"What is waiting for me?" he risked asking as he turned to consider the masks, walking around the stand slowly and examining each one again.

"The arena, you shall face one of your fellow contestants, you shall fight and we shall watch.... win the approval of the judge and victory is yours, lose... and well... the face you pick shall be yours forevermore in the jungles of the game."

Frowning at that last bit Graafen reached out for a mask, "Who is the judge? Who must I impress?"

"Who else, he'll be watching...... be strong and true.... choose wisely," the voice trailed off with a chuckle and Graafen had a sense that he was alone again. Shaking his head he walked around the stand and picked up the donkey mask. Turning it around in his hands he looked at the slick black interior surface and hesitated, it was a gamble but... if this mask did what he suspected he hoped such an unusual choice might curry some small amount of favour if he could pull it off properly.

Taking a deep breath the wolf raised the mask and slid his muzzle into it, pressing the slick material against his face. The reaction was almost instant, the mask clamped down hard, restricting his breathing to almost nothing as it pushed against his muzzle and pressed against his face. Groaning and giving it an experimental tug Graafen found he couldn't move it, the edges of the mask were stuck fast against his face and even as he ran his fingers along the edge it started to melt and ooze something thick and sticky against his fingers. Jerking his hands back the wold groaned as the sticky substance started to spread over the back of his head and down his neck. It was cool, oozing through his fur and to his surprise spreading over his fingers as the trace amounts he'd got under his claws whilst trying to pull the mask off started to thicken and spread out. Holding his arms up before his face Graafen whimpered as he watched thick slightly shiny vinyl pour over his hands and start down his arms. He could feel it oozing across his shoulders, squishing over his fur, layering inch by inch across his upper arms, reaching down to join the goop coating his fore-arms. It didn't stop as a mantle however, the gunge poured down his back and chest, rapidly engulfing his body, slurping down his legs to pool together, sticky and slimy, squishing beneath his feet, dripping and splattering off his body in thickly moving waves.

Moments after the last bare patch of fur vanished beneath the thick black ooze it started to squeeze against his body. The gunk pressing against his skin started to solidify, forming a tight layer of flexible, rubbery latex that started to exert pressure against his body. It forced Graafen forwards, making him lean over onto all fours as the thicker, outer layer of black slime started to shift and flow into a distinctive form. It lifted him up off the floor, the gunk about his arms and legs pouring down onto the floor, holding his body trapped inside its tight rubbery shell deeper beneath the surface as the black goo continued to shift and flow, taking on shape and form. For a moment Graafen blacked out, the lack of breath and odd squeezing sensation overpowered him. He felt dizzy and sick, disorientated and confused as the squeezing pressure against his body faded.

Moving his hand to try pushing himself up off the floor Graafen froze as a hoof clopped against the stone where he had tried to put his hand. Looking at his feet he just locked up shock. He had four of them, large black hooves attached to four grey furred legs. Shaking his head, half turning Graafen gaped at the sight that met his eyes. One wall had turned into a large reflective surface showing what he had become, there was no sign of black goo or slime just a grey furred donkey with a thick black mane that was tufted up at the front as a mohawk. Moving on all fours he found it felt quite natural, there was no disorientation any more, he knew how to walk and run; the instincts were just there in his mind. He could vaguely sense his canine body buried someplace deep inside this donkey form but he couldn't influence it in anyway, all he could do was move as the donkey.

Lowering his head he eyed the tunnel and took a deep breath and, "Haaaaw...." the echoing, bray of a donkey that escaped his muzzle made him pause. He had no voice, a fact that made the forfeit of losing even more daunting. Steeling his nerves, head held up the donkey that was Graafen started to walk down the corridor toward the light. He could do this, and he could win, especially in this body. It might not have teeth and claws but it was strong and fast and more importantly, or so he hoped, it showed that he was inventive. The clack of his hooves was muffled as he walked along the tunnel; the slightly rubbery floor seemed to devour sound as it sloped upwards. Slowly, step by step Graafen approached the light, letting his eyes adjust as he moved out into the arena. The large sandy space was as big as most stadiums, ringed on all sides by ten foot tall black marble walls. They were smooth and unbroken except where the tunnel he'd stepped out of and an identical one opposite formed large archways. The tiers of the amphitheatre were empty, no one was sat on the long benches or richly appointed chairs but the large box that dominated the centre of the arena had figures in it.

Shadowed by a large awning Graafen could only make out who one of them was, the bright amber eyes that stabbed through the darkness, easily identifying them as the demonic Memory Weaver. The other figure was stood at the back of the box, an indistinct shape lost in shadow. Trying to shake off his eagerness at maybe standing before the Dark Knight, Graafen turned to watch his opponent as they slunk out of the tunnel opposite him. It was a cheetah, sleek, spotted and deadly looking and he sneered when he laid eyes on the large grey donkey. For a moment Graafen felt doubt gnawing at his confidence, this cheetah looked powerful, he wasn't sure he'd be able to fight something this fast. A quick glance at the shadow shrouded box however lifted his spirits. Snorting and tossing his mane back he stepped forward slowly. If it was the Dark Knight watching he was not going to disappoint him. Watching the cheetah warily Graafen started trying to think how to fight on four legs when movement in the box made him look around. The dark shape had stepped forward, arms spread, some form of cloak or robe billowing about them, a dark rounded helmet just visible on the very edge of the light. The sight made Graafen moan, his sheath twitching; his donkey shaft thickening even as his legs trembled in anticipation of what was to come.

"MOVE!" the order rumbled across the arena, a hollow boom that made Graafen haw in delight even as the cheetah let out an eager mew and launched himself directly at the donkey. He didn't try to run there was no point, instincts were screaming at him to flee but Graafen pushed them back, turned and bucked, kicking with his back legs directly at the leaping feline. His hooves clipped the cat, knocking them sideways but claws still grazed his leg, leaving a line of red welts scored through his fur. Bellowing Graafen leapt away, running across the arena and then as the snarling cheetah caught up to him he stopped dead and kicked backwards again, hooves slamming into the feline before it could turn aside. This time the cheetah tumbled backwards, sliding through the sand of the arena but he didn't go down just rolled and sprang back to his feet and charged. Teeth bared as he leapt at the donkey and tried to get his jaws around one of his forelegs. Kicking out with one leg the donkey that was Graafen moved backwards trying to stay out of the way of those jaws as he brayed loudly, kicking up sand, jumping sideways as quickly as he could.

It wasn't easy, Graafen found himself shifting sideways, kicking up more sand, ploughing furloughs through the floor of the arena with his hooves as he tried to keep the cheetah in front of him. It wasn't easy and then the cat lunged forward without trying to bite him and the donkey was caught off guard as the cheetah slipped beneath his body. Graafen panicked, he was done for, dance back and forth as he could on his hooves the cat kept place, lashing out with its claws at his feet, trying to slice something important. If it succeeded he'd go down and then it'd have its teeth in the flesh of his stomach. He only had two choices, rear upwards like a dumb feral donkey and expose his stomach to those teeth. Or the other option, falling down, legs splayed uncomfortably in all directions the donkey crashed atop the cheetah, the full weight of his body ramming him into the ground. Pinned as he was his opponent let out a sound that made Graafen's mohawk stiffen in alarm as the cheetah lashed out with all his claws, scoring deep lines that bled freely in the donkeys flesh. Bellowing loudly Graafen pushed through the pain, pushed through the searing agony of those claws slicing through his flesh. For a moment he managed to keep the cheetah down, braying loudly and struggling back and forth. It wasn't easy however, a donkeys body was not designed to fight a large cat, Graafen brayed angrily pressing back, trying his hardest to stop the cat, holding its head down whilst its claws raked over his underbelly. In the end he had to throw himself away, scrambling back to his feet, his hard hooves slipping on the blood soaked sand as he tried to stand. He lashed out wildly with one hoof catching the cheetah in the side of the head. His hoof connected with a crack and the already dazed feline slumped to the floor with a soft mewl. Stumbling along the length if the arena Graafen turned back to face the cat, swaying somewhat as he tried to stay on his feet, tail swishing from side to side as his vision started to blur. He watched as the cheetah swayed back to its feet, hissing softly and started to pad slowly toward the donkey. Breathing heavily Graafen brayed and stepped forward, his hooves displacing the sand as he wearily approached and just as the cheetah bunched his muscles, growling and baring his teeth the shadows flowed across the arena from the box and the figure of the Memory Weaver coalesced between them, arms spread wide as his voice roared across the arena.

"Stop... the knight has seen enough," Graafen froze and waited, standing on his hooves, trembling badly, bleeding from a dozen cuts, chest heaving as he panted and tried to steady himself. The flowing mass of darkness that was the caretaker settled, slowly becoming a creature of fur and flesh as opposed to shadow and ooze. His black fur was thick and wild, shaggy and unkempt and yet he had perfectly styled hair. It fell to his shoulders in a rich wave metallic maroon, broken only by a pair of large black and red horns that curled tightly against the side of his head. It was a ferret, the grey mask over his eyes made that clear alongside the short shaggy tail. He turned and looked up at the grand box watching the shadowed figure in the iron helmet as he spread his arms wide, the flowing darkness of his robes spreading out to either side. For a moment the figure stood still then dropped one arm, the one pointing toward the donkey. Graafen froze, had he just lost? From where he was standing it looked like the Knight had just signalled that the cheetah was the winner and the cat was standing tall and preening in victory. Heee-hawing a question the donkey took a half step forward then lurched back as the ferret suddenly ran up to him. One claw tipped hand lashed out to grip his muzzle and pulled. Bellowing loudly he staggered backwards whimpering and pawing at the sand of the arena with his hooves as his face was torn off. There was a squelching sound followed by an intense moment of pain and a rushing motion as liquid sluiced off his body. Then with a heavy thud Graafen slammed into the sand of the arena.

Lying on the ground groaning and trying to clear his head Graafen lay still, his mind retreating from the spectre of defeat. His thoughts filling with despair at the idea that he'd failed in front of the Dark Knight. The terrified mewling of the cheetah drew him out of his thoughts and the wolf watched in shock. The ferret moving like lighting had pinned the cat to the ground, seemingly immune to its claws and teeth. He then slowly forced a matt black cheetah mask over the struggling feline's muzzle. As soon as it closed over the cats head the ferret jumped away and stood, watching as the mask melted and fused to the cat's head. The black latex sank through his skin, slowly revealing tawny fur, eyes and nose until there was no sign of it ever having been there.

"It is done..." the ferret glanced at Graafen who had finally noticed that he was no longer a donkey and was staring at his hands in surprise. "Well champion," he said to the canine with a sly grin, "Will you insult his eminence by not paying respects to the box?"

Jerking his eyes away from the demonic creature Graafen hurriedly turned and bowed low toward the robed shape hidden in the shadows of the box. They said nothing, just watched and after a minute or more of holding his bow the grinding boom and clank of chain from one end of the arena drew his attention. One of the arena doors had opened and to his surprise Graafen saw that the cheetah was gone and the dark ferret was flowing back across the ground as an inky wave of darkness that leapt up and engulfed the box in a bright flare of maroon fire. Blinking his eyes clear after the dazzling burst he saw that the figure in the box had left with the odd shadow creature so with a shudder at the thought of what had happened to his competitor the wolf turned from the arena and walked toward the door. He had won, he'd shown his strength and determination before the Dark Knight, and he was one step closer to wining the grand prize.