(Note: Khudok is a traditional hand-to-hand fighting sport practiced by the Renzar, a ursinoid alien species inhabiting the planet Grom, within the Chakat universe created by Bernard Doove)

(Nathira art by )

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Following the opening ceremony, the first Renzar wrestlers entered their respective fighting circles, where a referee was waiting for them. Nathira awaited her turn with great expectation. She had witnessed many a Khudok tournament, both inside and outside the circle, but this time was different. Being a referee in the Grom World League was a dream that everyone aspired to, but few managed to achieve. Her father, an agile kangaroo morph like herself, had made it years ago and earned quite a reputation on the circuit. Nathira was determined to give everything this afternoon to follow in his footsteps and honor his legacy.

As the fighting began, her heart was pounding. The crowd cheered wildly, supporting their favorite wrestlers. The emotionally charged atmosphere was impressive, something only experienced at Grom World League tournaments.

Suddenly, while she was absorbed in her emotions, the head referee rushed towards her.

"Nathira, there are changes. Bronx isn't feeling well. You come onto platform six now," the head referee reported quickly.

"What? Now?" the kangaroo replied, surprised and fearful.

"Yeah, go. The Renzar are already in position. Good luck!" the wolf morph said before disappearing between the different combat circles. Nathira did a few stretches, shook her head, and said to herself, "Come on, you can do it!"

She trotted over to platform six. Upon arrival, the wrestlers were doing their last warm-ups. Nathira's heart pounded with excitement as she realized that one of them was none other than her ultimate sports idol, Tarek K'Eyak.

The young kangaroo could not believe what she was witnessing. She, a rookie in the major leagues, who until recently trained within the walls of an academy, was going to direct the fight of the great Tanet, the most serious contender for world champion. For Nathira, time seemed to stop. Everything around her was in slow motion. Tanet was majestic, graceful, and powerful. His white fur shimmered under the spotlights, creating a kind of aura around him. Nathira was absorbed, contemplating him for a moment.

"Miss referee, I am Vilard Kalem, from the Kalem house," solemnly pronounced the deep voice of the other opponent, a Renzar with black fur and a whitish torso, as imposing as Tanet. The fighter extended his hand in greeting to Nathira, who, still in a daze, responded quickly.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Nathira Kenet", while shaking her hand. Vilard, dressed in a green loincloth decorated with the white silhouette of a tree from the Grom woods, gave her a reassuring smile.

"You seem nervous. This is your first time in the World League, right?" he asked kindly.

"Yeah…I'm a little nervous," Nathira admitted, feeling her face flush.

"Don't worry. You'll do just fine," Vilard replied, before heading towards his position in the combat circle. Meanwhile, Tanet, whose red loincloth displayed Bolang's silhouette behind the mountain, approached Nathira at the end of his stretching and declared:

"I guess you know who I am. I hope it's a good fight," he said in a serious tone before turning his attention to the fight. Nathira, excited, wanted to express her admiration for him, but Tanet's distant attitude stopped her. The Renzar seemed totally focused on the fight he was about to start, and he paid no further attention to her.

Finally the time to start the fight had arrived. All eyes were on platform six. Not only the public present, but also the fans of the Khudok of all Grom by streaming.

***

In the stands, Yamil was looking closely at the big screen in front of her and couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her dear friend would be the referee for Tanet K'Eyak's match.

"Oh by Grom!, this can't be! I can't believe it," she gushed as she unconsciously shook and punched the arm of the Federation officer Renzar next to her.

"Heh heh... I see you're very excited, miss," the officer replied, patting Yamil's hand.

"Eh?... Oh... Sorry, sorry... Please, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that I was mistreating you. This is amazing! My friend is fulfilling her dream!" said Yamil a little embarrassed.

The skunktaur, on the other side, jokingly intervened.

"Miss, mistreating a Star Federation captain is a serious offense."

"Oops!, Please, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention, Mr. Federation Officer," Yamil replied blushing. The Renzar looked at her with a smile and said:

"Don't listen to my first officer, hy likes to joke"

Yamil, completely embarrassed, only managed to return the smile shyly.

“Well, let's continue to see how your friend fulfills her dreams. I just hope that my arm is not in danger while the tournament lasts ha ha ha", said the captain with a smile while everyone watched on the screen how Nathira began the fight.

***

Meanwhile, back in the ring, Nathira instructed the wrestlers to take up their positions, reminding them of the basic rules.

"No direct blows to the face and remember to keep your scrotal pouches contracted. Partially or completely stepping out of the circle awards points to the opponent. The first wrestler to step outside the circle also awards points. Leaving the match awards victory to the opponent. Understood ?"

Both Renzar nodded, not taking their eyes off each other. After a few seconds, Nathira extended her arm and, lowering it, the fight began. The audience erupted in excited cheers as the contestants charged at each other.

“Oh my, they're both determined to win”, the kangaroo thought as she watched the Renzars collide abruptly, pushing each other to measure their strength. Their faces showed intense ferocity, and their muscles were taut to the max. They remained motionless in the center of the circle, until Vilard's sharp white teeth became visible, contrasting with the dark fur of his face. The tension between the two colossi was palpable.

Nathira moved from side to side, carefully watching the movements and postures of both fighters. Although she continued to marvel at being so close to Tarek, she constantly reminded herself that, at that moment, she was not a fan, but a professional referee.

Tanet pushed Vilard hard, trying to push him out of the circle, but the latter resisted stubbornly. Most of the public supported the young white-furred Renzar, whose rapid rise in the League had surprised everyone, earning him well-deserved popularity. Vilard quickly realized that he needed to change his strategy if he wanted to win the point. Tanet continued to exert his colossal strength, tensing every muscle in his body. Vilard gradually began to back away, approaching the edge of the circle. Nathira remained attentive and the entire world was expectant. Suddenly, the black-furred Renzar quickly ducked and grabbed Tanet's side, causing both of them to fall to the ground. Tanet was left with half of his body outside the circle, while Vilard landed on top of him.

"Point! Back to the positions!" Nathira exclaimed, sanctioning the first point of the match in favor of Vilard. Tanet got up, reproaching himself for being surprised by his rival. Vilard, for his part, returned to his position, exhausted by the effort. After a few moments, the fight resumed.

"Ready! Fight!" Nathira exclaimed. This time, both Renzars took a more cautious approach and began to circle the circle, studying each other. The kangaroo moved alongside them, trying not to get in the way of their movements. However, it was inevitable for her not to get excited about being on the same canvas as her lifelong idol. From her vantage point, she gazed with delight at Tarek's statuesque, athletic figure, who had always held a strong attraction for her. She was surely the envy of many females, both Renzar and other species, who dreamed of having the imposing male nearby.

This time, Vilard took the initiative and tried to catch his rival with his powerful arms. However, Tanet was more agile and easily escaped. The audience cheered incessantly at each movement of the fighters, showing their support for the beloved idol. At one point, Tanet counterattacked and charged at his opponent. Nathira watched in astonishment at the Ulkarian's agility, froze at the edge of the circle. But in a sudden and unexpected movement, Vilard slid to the side, avoiding Tarek's charge and deflecting his trajectory with a slight push. The Renzar, losing his balance, stumbled and ended up off the canvas, ramming Nathira in his path. The kangaroo tried to jump, but collided with a retaining wall. Tanet's heavy body landed directly on one of his legs, bruising her ankle. Surprise invaded the public, who remained silent before the accident. Nathira lay on the ground, whimpering in pain, as a human assistant referee rushed to her aid.

"Are you OK?" asked the attendant with concern.

"It hurts! It hurts!" she complained to the kangoroo as she clutched her ankle with her hands. The young assistant stood up and requested the presence of the medical team. Tanet, getting up and brushing off his fur, walked over to them and said.

"Hey, rookie! Why didn't you move? I almost crushed you!" But Nathira continued to complain about the blow. At that moment, the Renzar, frustrated by the situation, exclaimed.

"Was the point valid? Grrr...respond, girl!"

"Hey! Can't you see she's hurt?" the human assistant referee suddenly interrupted, looking at him seriously.

"By Grom, what happened? Nathira, are you alright?" the head referee inquired as he approached them from the neighboring platform. Renzo, who was waiting for his turn to referee the next match on the edge of the platform, stated:

"Don't worry boss, I'll take his place and clean up the mess", giving the kangoroo a mocking look.

"Okay, do it. Sebastian, did you call the medical team?" the wolf morph asked the assistant referee.

"Yes sir. They're coming right away," the human declared.

On the canvas, the fighters had already resumed their positions. Renzo made them both approach the center of the circle and then said:

"The point was legal in favor of Vilard. To your places, please." They both complied and when Tarek was in position, he declared:

"I hope you're a more competent referee than that fool," leering at Nathira. The kangoroo, still on the ground, felt the cold contempt of his favorite fighter. The sadness and shame for having ruined the fight began to ache in her heart as much as her injured paw.

The audience in the stands cheered the Renzars again after the break. The excitement for the fight returned and everything was ready to continue.

Renzo, in the middle of the circle and with his chest puffing out with pride by making his World League debut, raised his arm and then lowered it, starting the match.

"Fight!" he exclaimed forcefully.

Tanet, who was behind on the scoreboard, took the initiative and prepared to attack his rival again. But at that moment, Vilard, standing up to his full height, turned and walked out of the circle. Tanet stopped short, puzzled by what his eyes saw. Renzo and the rest of the public were left with their mouths open. Vilard walked calmly towards where Nathira had fallen.

"Grrr! What are you doing?" Tanet roared in annoyance. But the great Renzar with black fur and light chest replied:

"Mr. Referee, I'm retiring from the fight", continuing to walk towards Nathira.

Then Tanet, seething with rage, glared at him at the edge of the canvas.

"You can't do this! You must give me a chance to get my points back!" But Vilard, unperturbed, replied:

"Are you deaf, sweetheart? I said I'm retiring. That means you won the match, even though you were losing."

"Grrr! Who do you think you are!" the Ulkar roared.

"I'm someone who cares more about that girl's health than winning points in a match with you," Vilard replied as he crouched next to Nathira. Tanet, faced with the new setting, looked at the voxxan referee and demanded:

"Grrr! What do you expect? Declare me the winner!"

Renzo, a bit annoyed, stood in the middle of the circle and, following the rules, pointed at Tanet, naming him the winner. He raised his arms in victory, drawing roars and cheers from the fans in the stands.

Vilard, bringing his furry face closer to Nathira, asked: "Are you okay, little one?"

"I think she hurt her ankle," replied the young human referee who was still by his side.

"Mr. Vilard, I'm so sorry. You don't have to give up the fight for me," the female kangaroo said sobbing.

"Heh, don't worry. There are more important things in life than winning or losing a match. Let me check your ankle," the Renzar replied kindly. Nathira was surprised to see how Vilard skilfully examined her injured paw with his soft fingers. After pressing a point near the bone, Nathira squealed in pain.

"Grrr... I'm sorry. It's a fracture. You won't be able to get up. Referee, I'll take her to the infirmary. Have the medical team receive her there," the wrestler said to the head referee, the wolf morph.

"Okay," he replied. Vilard, for his part, carefully took Nathira in his arms and lifted her up, before walking with her towards the interior corridor. The human assistant referee, walking next to him, asked curiously.

"Mr. Vilard, are you a doctor as well as a fighter?"

"Heh heh... In my region, Volthur, we learn many things, boy. And one of them is diagnosing fractures in our limbs."

Nathira could not remember having felt such smooth skin on a Khudok fighter. Despite the pain in her ankle, the female enjoyed being carried by someone as powerful and kind as Vilard. Although in her privacy, she dreamed that this Renzar was her beloved Tarek K 'Eyak.

"Mr. Vilard, you are very kind. I thank you, but you must be exhausted," said the kangoroo suddenly with tears in her eyes.

"Yes, I am. But not too much. Also, you are very light and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to look closely at those pretty eyes of yours," the Renzar replied with a kind smile, trying to cheer her up. Nathira couldn't help but blush.

"Mr. Vilard, the judges should give you points for doing this. The rules might consider it," the young human referee said.

"It doesn't matter, kid. Let Tanet take the win. With today, I already showed that I can beat him."

"Uh, I see," replied the boy. At that moment, the medical team came out to meet their, bringing with them a stretcher on which Vilard carefully placed Nathira. She, still shocked by what happened, declared:

"Mr. Vilard, I'm so sorry. It was my fault! I lost concentration looking..."

"Tanet's beauty, right? Heh heh. I don't blame you. He's a really handsome Renzar, don't you think? Everyone loves him, heh. And I admit that I do too."

Nathira blushed again upon hearing those words. Then she stated:

"I was stupid. I didn't act professional."

"Hey, we all make mistakes. You're just starting out in this League. Remember that," the Renzar replied stroking her hair. Then, after giving him a friendly smile, Vilard said goodbye.

"Take good care of yourself. Don't be so hard on yourself. Learn from mistakes." Then, he turned around and calmly headed towards the wrestlers' locker room.

***

In the stands, Yamil watched the screen with concern, capturing all the details of what happened on the canvas. Her heart was filled with anguish when she saw her friend Nathira suffer the accident.

"Oh by Grom, how could this happen!" she sobbed inconsolably.

"Calm down. The announcer said she's fine," Officer Renzar tried to comfort her.

"But I want to be with her," the female insisted.

"Unfortunately, the organizers do not allow the public access to the executive area of ​​the Arena," added the skunktaur.

"Hmmm, but I think I saw my nephew on the monitor," the captain mentioned.

"Really? It's strange, I can't mentally perceive it," Teo replied.

"Heh, that mischievous one used to use little mental blockers to throw off red paws like you. Don't you remember?"

"Hmmm, that's right," Teo acknowledged.

"Miss, come with us. We'll go see your friend now. Don't worry," Officer Renzar stated. Then, they left the box to go to the lower part of the Arena.


***

Meanwhile, in sickbay, Voxxan medical technologists immobilized Nathira's ankle and applied a bone and tissue regenerative substance. At the end of the process, one of them reported:

"In a couple of days, you will recover the mobility of your foot, but you must maintain your rest. This external prosthesis will help you walk. Do not push yourself too hard."

The chief referee, who had also approached the infirmary, commented:

"It was an accident, Nathira. We'll see what will happen with your situation in the League."

"Trust me, I'm so sorry," Nathira said with sadness in her voice.

"Calm down. Go home and rest. I must return to the tournament now. We'll contact you later. Goodbye," the head referee replied.

"Thank you very much, sir," Nathira said as she sat on the stretcher. The young human assistant referee, who had been with her all this time, introduced himself:

"By the way, I'm Sebastian, nice to meet you."

"I am Nathira, as you may have heard."

"Heh heh, the pleasure is mine. So you're a professional referee, huh?"

"After what happened today, I'm not sure anymore... By Grom!... I'm sure they are very disappointed in the academy... And what will my father say! I pray he didn't see me on TV!" Nathira exclaimed in anguish.

"Hey, listen to the good-natured big guy. Don't be so hard on yourself," Sebastian replied with a reassuring smile.

"I don't understand how I got so distracted by meeting Tarek. That shouldn't have happened," Nathira insisted, lowering her long ears.
"If you ask me, I prefer Tundra fighters like Vilard more than Ulkarians like Tarek, because they have better tempers. Tarek hurt you, and he didn't even apologize. Vilard was very nice to you on the other hand. Even he gave up the fight, giving the victory to that jerk, which I consider unfair. You know what? To me, those are the true idols that people should look up to," the human said trying to cheer her up. Nathira smiled slightly upon hearing those words and then asked:

"And you, Sebastián, do you also aspire to be a professional referee one day?"

The human, smiling to himself, replied, "Could be if the pay is good hehehe. But honestly, I took the basic refereeing course just to please my grandfather and lead in the Chakona League."

"You come from Chakona? Wow. That's far away. And your grandfather... is he a Renzar?" Nathira inquired curiously.

"Yes. My grandparents are Renzar, my father is human and my mother is a skunktaur. Sounds crazy, right? And don't think I haven't had an identity crisis because of that," Sebastian declared, followed by shared laughter.

At that moment, a familiar voice made Nathira's ears perk up. From the other side of the hall Renzo was approaching with a group of voxxan. The hostile attitude of her colleague always irritated her.

"Very well done, Nathira! What a sad show you gave today on the combat canvas," Renzo teased.

"Shut up!" the female snarled.

"I wonder what they will say in the academy. Did you really deserve to be here in the Pro League?" he continued to sneer. Nathira insisted that he shut up, but Renzo applauded and bowed mockingly, causing laughter from his companions.

"Bravo, Nathira! You left our reputation in the ground!" he scoffed.

"Hey, why don't you go off with your pack and leave us alone?" Sebastian intervened defiantly.

"Heh, what was missing, an irreverent human," Renzo replied, still teasing.

"Don't listen to him, Sebastian. He's just a braggart from the academy," Nathira said.

"Well, this is what I do to jerks," Sebastian said, reaching out to them and closing his eyes. At that moment, a warning roar echoed through the place.

"Sebastian, stop!"

They all turned to see how a huge Renzar and a skunktaur, dressed in the Federation uniform, approached them. Sebastian then lowered his arm and addressed the newcomers with a nervous smile.

"Hehe... Uncle Hajo, Teo! I'm glad to see you," he replied. Renzo and the voxxan, in the presence of the officers, gave up their taunts and preferred to move away from the place. After the uniformed officers appeared Yamil, who ran excitedly to hug Nathira.

"Oh, my friend. You don't know how much anguish I felt when I saw what happened. Are you okay?", he declared while he didn't stop licking her face.

"I'm fine, Yamil. In a couple of days I'll be able to walk normally. Don't worry," replied the female kangaroo.

"Nathira, if you can't walk, I'll gladly carry you on my back. But please get well soon," the female Renzar added without releasing her from her embrace.

"Sebastian, your family is very worried about you. You haven't communicated with them since you arrived in Grom! My brother commissioned me to take you back home Grrr" the Renzar said suddenly in a reprimanding tone.

"Heh, I'm sorry, Uncle Hajo. I've been quite busy with the basic refereeing course," the human replied.

"Sebastián, that's no excuse. You look a lot like your father when he emigrated to Chakona. From time to time he made everyone suffer with his mishaps. Although we must admit that the poor man had very bad luck," Teo added, crossing hys arms.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Don't embarrass me in front of these pretty ladies, please," the boy replied. Nathira and Yamil giggled playfully.

"Well, we should go. A spaceship to Chakona awaits us. It was nice meeting you," the Renzar said with a smile.

"Same here, sir. Thank you for everything," Yamil responded kindly.

"Well, I'm not leaving. They're taking me hehe. It was nice meeting you, Nathira. Take care of that paw," Sebastián declared, hugging Nathira and Yamil. Then, the officers along with the human disappeared in front of them in a flash of teleportation light.

The two friends were left alone in the hallway as the tournament continued to unfold in the Arena.

"You want to go home?" asked Yamil holding Nathira.

"Yeah, it's been a rough day. I'm sure Dad will call me tonight. I just hope…"

"Hey, Nathira, I think he'll understand," the female Renzar replied with a smile. Both of them slowly walked towards the exit of the sports arena. Once there, Yamil offered to carry Nathira on her back so as not to force her injured foot from her. She settled in easily and together they headed for the subway entrance. However, before arriving, Nathira noticed the imposing figure of Vilard sitting on a bench. The kangoroo was happy to see him and asked Yamil to take her to him. Upon arrival, she greeted him warmly.

"Mr. Vilard, once again, thank you for your kindness," said Nathira.

"Heh, hello again, little one."

"Yamil, I want you to meet Mr. Vilard, Tarek's opponent today."

"My pleasure, miss," the Renzar replied with a smile. Then he added: "And don't thank me. The important thing is that your paw gets better." Yamil was impressed by Vilard's appearance and presence. She thought that his physique had nothing to envy to Tarek's.

"Mr. Vilard, I thought you would continue to participate in the tournament?" Nathira asked.

"Oh no. The fight with Tanet was my only commitment. Now I'm waiting for my boyfriend, who also participated in the tournament today."

"Oh, that's... cute," Yamil said with a smile. At that moment, a brown-skinned Renzar approached them carrying a sports bag. The wrestler was still wearing his combat gear. Vilard received him with a hug and a kiss on the lips.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting, honey, but I couldn't find my suitcase in the locker room, ha ha."

"Arles, I want to introduce you to Nathira and Yamil. Nathira was the referee who directed my fight with Tarek."

"Nice to meet you both," the brown Renzar said, bowing politely. The two friends looked at each other with a smile. Nathira was delighted with how nice and attractive both Renzar were. Yamil thought about how sexy Vilard's boyfriend looked in his wrestling outfit.

Bolang cast its last flashes of light before hiding behind the western mountains of the capital of Gromnia. The sky acquired a striking golden color over the heads of its inhabitants and over the four friends who, sitting on the wide benches outside the Sports Arena, chatted happily about their lives and destiny.

Nathira, as an act of revelation, confirmed that day that not every time you can get what you want and that reality is not always what it seems.


TO BE CONTINUE...