Maui was now facing Borg in her transformed state, and the atmosphere in the circle had shifted from excited anticipation to palpable dread. Everyone present could feel the wrongness emanating from her, the unnatural bloodlust that made their instincts scream warnings about predators that shouldn't exist. Some of the watching orcs wanted to intervene, to stop what was clearly about to become a massacre rather than a fair challenge. Their hands moved toward weapons, their feet shifted as if to step forward.
But the Chieftess Grishka's presence prevented any such action. She stood at the circle's edge like a wall made of violence and authority, her expression making it absolutely clear that anyone who interfered would face her wrath before they could take three steps. Her killing intent focused on the crowd served as better deterrent than any spoken command. The challenge had been issued and accepted. It would run its course regardless of how one-sided it became.
