Toadie settled down in the pillow with a rumble and leaned over with a slight hunch as he started in on the food before him. The spread was massive, as a whole roast sat in front of him with various smaller bowls of sides like roots, tubers, grubs, and even sweets. He took it all in with a great inhale and heavy sigh. The ring had been good to him, and he reveled in the benefits. Power and strength, the only currency he needed here.
There was no real need for a plate, as the other fighters left as soon as he made his way to the table. He had built a reputation for himself, one that he couldn't help. However, he never lamented his private time with his meals. Pulling the roast closer, he plucked up the meat as it slid off the bone without much resistance. Tail curling behind him, this was just what he needed.
He took it slow. There was no need to rush anymore. The smells of the food were floating around him in the darkened corner of the great room. The sounds of other bodies in the congregation hall were ignored in favor of the solitary time he got to eat. This was his time to relax and come down from the fights and the pit. Clawed hands taking more from the roast, he rumbled softly to himself. He savored every bite.
Scuffling. The sound of another making their way closer to his meal had his ears flat back in a snap. The rumble turned into a deeper growling as he looked sidelong at a much smaller figure. He had seen this one before, but couldn't be bothered to remember a name. Opting to sit a good distance away, they didn't take the warnings as Toadie hunched further over the meat. Lowering his head back to his meal, Toadie kept only one ear turned on the other.
"Go away." It was the only warning Toadie was going to give his unwanted company.
"How does it feel... Killing for sport?" Toadie snarled, but curled his tail around himself. Fights out of the ring got you put back in the cell. Don't look up.
The other fighter pressed forward a little more, and the crowd around them slowed in their chattering. Eyes were slowly turning to them one by one as Toadie gave his warnings. The massive aurin tried to make himself smaller. He tried to shift so that he could eat in peace. He wasn't about to lose his privileges to some upstart. Keep eating. Ignore the flea.
"Everyone here has heard the rumors. Monster of the pit..." The other scooted closer and Toadie narrowed his eyes as his growling grew more intense. "You revel in this life. You give them all the show they want."
Shifting and curling even further over his meal, Toadie lashed his tail once before it wrapped tightly around him again. It wasn't the taunting. He didn't care for the words of others. However, the closer they came to his meal, the more he felt the familiar anxiety grow in the pit of his stomach. The need to hover and protect his food was growing as he reached out to a few bowls dragging them closer. There was a reason all the others left the table when he sat down to eat.
He tried to talk himself down. Food would not be taken from him. There was enough food here to feed several aurin, and he wouldn't go hungry. He had enough strength in himself to survive without this meal for one night. Everything would be fine. The pang in his stomach sent a sharp chill up his spine, and he had to take a moment as his sight darkened around the edges. His breath quickened.
The new challenger moved closer still, and now the deep growling turned to a wet snarl as Toadie finally looked up. "Don't."
The other aurin seemed pleased with themselves as they bared their teeth, smiling. "Did I hit a sore spot?"
By now the crowd closest to the table was watching in horrified silence. Fighting was banned in the gathering spot, but it never stopped someone from trying. The slow panic and almost hyperactive awareness made the other think they had finally hit a chord with the beast. Words. Toadie heard them, but he focused on his rising panic as his space was invaded. He didn't care that he killed others. He cared if he got fed.
"Do you feel any guilt?"
Further away Toadie could hear laughter, so their small altercation wasn't turning too many heads. He could feel the tension rising around them. The smell of fear hit his senses and he swiveled his ears forward then back down. In his peripheral he could see the crowd slowly backing up and getting out of range. Toadie became acutely aware of the rising terror. Something switched and the snarl was replaced with a very wide grin.
The other aurin hissed at his audacity and lunged. Ears back, Toadie was ready. The surrounding group got out of the area fast, which helped to alert the guards. There was a loud booming roar that blanketed the room and silence most of the louder chatting and laughter. Eyes were already turned as everyone shifted to see what the commotion was about.
Pushing through the crowd, the guards raced to the scene from their position at the door. Tight clusters tried to move out of the way as the two warriors went to break up a fight. The larger, a draken, shoved his way to the table and looked around. Eyebrows furrowed, he narrowed his gaze at the two aurin. The larger still eating slowly. Looking down to the cassian, they shared a shrug. "Keep it down!"
Toadie raised a clawed hand to the guards as he continued to eat, body turned to the table. His slender friend resting against the table, face in the crook of their arm... Neck at an angle.
