Hajin chased the bird into the trees, which left one threat standing alone in the fighting pit.
The second signature came low and fast along the right-hand wall, a lean rabbit-woman with long ears flattened against her own speed.
She crossed half the bowl without seeming to touch the ground, both fists drawn back for the opening blow.
The pit carried every impact down through its roots, so each collision echoed like something below was listening.
She closed on Juna, but Juna refused to surrender one step of the broken earth.
The rabbit led with a kick that could have folded a man in half.
Juna turned it aside with the flat of her glaive, and the impact rang down through the shaft.
The force pushed her boots backward through the dirt, though her grip never once loosened.
She rolled the blade around and answered with a cut that forced the rabbit to throw herself clear.
For one heartbeat the two fighters stood apart and measured each other through the settling dust.
