Apocalypsis 01 - Kahayatle

tribe.   On top of all that, he had a giant ego that would only let him lose if he was down to taking his last, dying breath.  
    Maybe the Creek tribe was only made up of the twenty odd people here, or maybe it was a hundred of them - but it didn’t matter.   A guy like this with his ego on the line would go to just about any lengths to protect it, and that was enough to let my brain know that I needed whatever performance enhancing chemicals it had on hand, and I needed them now.
    “Bryn, I wish you wouldn’t do this,” said Peter.   He sounded exhausted.
    “Oh, you’d rather get thrown out on your butt back in town?”
    “Heck no.   But do you really need to go this far to keep that from happening?”
    “There’s more at stake here than just that.   These guys need to kiss and make up with the Miccosukee.”
    He rolled his eyes.   “Tell me about it.   They spent half the night talking about them.   You’re going to have a problem with them getting together.   Too many roosters, if you know what I mean.”
    “Must have been fun for you,” I said wiggling my eyebrows and giving him a look.   “All these sweaty, half-naked man-bodies.”
    “A small consolation for my otherwise hellish experience as a kidnap victim.”
    “Yeah.   There is that whole kidnapping thing, you’re right.   You’ll have to give me the details later.   Right now, I have to go all American white girl on this guy’s ass.”
    Peter chuckled.   “You go do that.   I’m too tired to worry about you.   Just don’t get killed, okay?”   His nonchalance about my upcoming battle translated in my mind into confidence in my skills, which made me feel a little better.
    Bodo sat, just listening to our conversation.   As I stood to walk away, he got up too, taking my hand and pulling me over to him before I could go out into the circle with Trip.
    “Before you go out dare and kick dat guy in da balls, I just wanted to say good luck.”
    I looked into his eyes and saw they were full of concern.   “My dad always said luck is where opportunity meets preparation.”
    “He’s right.   As soon as his balls are giving you da opportunity for a good kick, take it.”   Bodo leaned down before I realized what he was planning to do, and kissed me quickly on the lips.   “Kiss for good luck.   Try not to let him hurt you.   I’m not a very goodt doctor.”
    I was stunned into silence for a few seconds, my brain processing what my lips had felt.   I broke eye contact with him and looked out at the angry indian in the fighting ring.   Then I looked at Peter watching me, and Bodo, holding my hand.   I didn’t want that kiss to make me soft, vulnerable for the benefit of Trip.   I hardened my heart to the emotions that wanted to dance and sing right now.   It was a confusing situation to analyze later.   Right now I had to defend my family and our right to live in this safe haven.
      I squeezed Bodo’s hand once and pulled mine from his grasp.   “Just stay out of my way, that’s all I ask.”
    “Dat’s not a problem,” said Bodo, stepping back to sit with Peter.  
    “Bryn!” whispered Peter loudly.
    I turned my head sideways and whispered back, “What?”
    “Trip has a knife near his ankle somewhere.   I saw it earlier.”
    I nodded.   Trip probably had one on each ankle if he were smart.   I’d bet he wasn’t the kind of guy to tell a girl that before a fight, either.   I moved slowly into the area designated for our challenge, watching him move, looking to see where he might have a tell - the thing that would show me his favorite move or his biggest weakness.   So far, all I saw was a guy dancing around on the balls of his feet with excellent balance.   The shape of his upper body muscles told me that he liked to use a punching bag when he worked out, which meant I was going to have to take as few punches from him as possible if I wanted to stay conscious.   Quick and mean strikes in critical zones had to be my methods here.   He was too big to use simple power plays on, and too in shape to outlast.
    “Just so everyone’s clear,” I said loudly as I walked around the ring, keeping him on the opposite side of it, “we’re fighting for control of the swamp … of the Everglades.   I win, I decide who stays and who goes; Trip wins, he decides.”
    Trip laughed.   “Understood!   Now come on over here and get your ass kickin’, girl.”
    “You’re gonna whoop a girl?” yelled