Prologue Mal and Zoe drew their guns and opened fire. Two men were down and then Mal felt a blinding pain and fell to the ground unconscious. * ** Mal was walking along a road on his home planet going to visit his mother, the trees were turning shades or red and gold the leaves were falling and the air was crisp and clean. He loved the fall, their was no other season like it. His mom had waved him before he had landed, said that she had a surprise for him and that he should come and visit, after his job he had started walking over. He always liked to visit his mother she made the best cookies, they were so moist. He walked up the front steps he could hear voices inside, he grinned and shook his head, “ It must be the farm hands, hell they're probably hiding and waiting for me.” he thought. He open the door and fell to the floor with two men on top of him. He struggled and was hit on the head and knocked out. He woke up in a small wet sell. “ Uuuaghhh my head.” he moaned clutching his head and looking around blearily. He straitened up and and fell back down, he had seen eyes staring at him, a man walked forward his hands tied in front of him looking at Mal. “ Who are you?” the man said in a dry voice. “I'm Mal, were the hell am I?” “ Your in the lion pit, or well actually your under it. Don't you know were you are? Didn't your parents tell you?” the guy was tall and thin, he had scars on his face and his hair was black with gray and white hairs mixed in, but strangely he didn't look older the 25.He put a wet cloth on Mal's head and continued. “When I came hear my ma tolled me, she said that the family needed more money and that they were selling me. Actually most people seem to know that their coming, but not many are actually prepared for the truth.” Mal, groaned, his head still felt like a porcupine had been set loose in their but his vision had cleared He could see that the man was definitely not older then himself, he had light blue eyes with flex of a darker blue and what looked like gold, they were very nice eyes, he had huge shadows under them . “And what might the truth be? Who are you?” Mal queried the man. “My name is not important you can call me stag. As for were you are you won't believe me but hear we go. You under a secret fighting arena on a unmarked planet, rich people pay to watch use fight. Your parents probably sold you to the owner of the pit, Markus Leo, ironic name isn't, anyways your my ring partner, my last one died a few days ago and your his replacement, Ive been hear the longest I'm only twenty-nine and Ive been hear since I was about 13.” “ Thats the strangest story I have ever had the fortune to hear. The government would know about another planet wouldn't they?” Stag laughed. “ the government doesn't care about regular people, they only care about the rich, since the rich come to watch use no body does a thing. I wouldn't be surprised if this is a government supported operation.”

The next day a man came into the sell and woke them both up. They were changed together by the leg and were led to a large room and given a plate with a goo and a piece of stale bread. The goo wasn't actually that bad but the bread was horrible, Mal gave his to Stag and he wolfed it down. After breakfast they were taken to a large sunny arena were Mal was given a wooden sword and was made to fight stag. Stag was very good and in under three minutes had Mal on the ground with the sword at his throat. “ I know some people who I would love to set you up against.” said Mal as Stag helped him up. You'd be surprised how often I get that. Also you have to use your wrist more then your arm your slower when you use only your arm and it gives more time to the opponent to get in and kill you.” He said showing Mal what to do. Gradually Mal became a better sword hand and after a week was set in a battle with Stag and another two person team. They were pushed out of the arena entrance and a huge crowed of people started to cheer and call Stag's name. Stag raised his sword and so did Mal. Then the two others came out. One was a giant of a man the other was small and fast. “ You go against the tall guy and Ill go up against shorty.” muttered Stag looking at them “ But hes fricken huge, HE'LL CRUSH ME!” said Mal giving the giant a ominous look. “ He might be big but hes not very fast and to be honest neither are you. So get in their and kick some ass.” Stag roared and charged at the small one who was coat completely of guard and just barely parried his blow. Mal was more deliberate when he went toward the big man. He went slowly, the man swung at him and Stag was right, it was a very slow movement, but it was very strong. Mal rolled in under the blow and stuck his sword into the mans stomach. The man roared in pain and tried to hit Mal, but Mal jumped out of the way and the man fell on the sword. Mal took the guys sword and went to help Stag, but truth be tolled he didn't seem to need any help, he had already inflicted several deep woods onto the small guy and was uncut himself. Mal decided to stay out of the fight. It was very interesting to watch, The small man staggered forward, and swung at Stag who stepped out of the way and hit the man on the back with the pummel of his sword. The man fell to the ground and rolled over. And threw some sand at Stag. He dodged out of the path of the sand and stabbed the man in the heart killing him instantly. The crowed roared its approval and started cheering their names. Mal felt pretty important and waved to the people. The announcer came on the speakers. “ Ladies and gentlemen, We have a special surprise for you, our two winner will now fight the Tragnot.” The cheering that followed was deafening. Mal looked over at Stag and saw that under his scars hi face had gone white. “what wrong?” asked Mal starting to get worried. “ We can't win against the Tragnot, no one has ever been able to hurt it, and most people have died fighting it. It kills slow, thats how my first partner died, and I got all these scars.” he touched his face. “ Tragnot chewed on me and spit, He only did that because I stuck my sword in his lip.” Mal was about to reply when a deep rumbling noise started. It sounded like heavy steps walking toward them and i was getting louder. A gate in the side of the stadium were no people sat was opened and the Tragnot came out. I was huge, it had a square jawed face with three long tusks in the center. It's body was shaped like a elephant but was cowered in a shiny orange, yellow and white skin that looked slightly crinkled. It had huge three toed feet with long claws at the end of each, it opened its mouth and its teeth were long and sharp, the Tragnot raised its head and gave a ear splitting below that could shader ear drums. “ Here come the TRAGNOT!!” shouted the announcer or the roar, Mal could feel his knees weakening. The creature started to lumber toward them its howl body shaking with its wait. Stag took one look at it and ran in the opposite direction, Mal followed suit. They ran till they came to the side of of the lion pit and tried to clime the wall. Stag had actually made it half why to the top when the Tragnot got their. It lunged its head toward Stag who screamed once, only once and was devoured by the monster. It took its time, chewing slowly, which gave Mal enough time to reach the top. The stadium went into chaos, people were running in every direction and screaming, The Tragnot moved its head so fast Mal just had time to dodge it but it bit his leg. He cried out in agony and fell on the rock seats. The Tragnot was about to eat him, Mal closed his eye and woke up in Serenity's Med wing completely safe. He had a horrible pain in his ribs but otherwise he was fine. He groaned and the doctor came into view with a wet cloth. “ He's awake everyone, but I don;t know if he can talk just yet. You were shot captain, rite under the heart.” he said looking with a slight frown at the captains wound. Zoe was sitting next to the capt on the extra bed. She was grinning at him. “What?” said Mal suspiciously. “ You were talking in your sleep, and the things you said sir were mighty funny.” she said giving the others in the door a knowing smile. “ what I say?” said Mal trying to sit up. “ You were talking about swords and creatures and some guy called Stag... strange but true.” said Wash looking at Mal from under his eyebrows. Mal lay awake that night, not only from the pain which was bad, but from the thought that the last few days had been a dream. He almost missed Stag, during the time that he had been in the lion pit he had become quite attached to him. Mal wondered what his real name was and were he was from, and if, even though it wasn't likely, Stag was a real person that was out their waiting for Mal to find him. Epilogue (A month before the rescue or River Tam) A man walked down a long street on Persephone. He had dark hair with flex of gray and white in it although he couldn't have been older then 25 his face was covered in scares. He turned onto a dark ally and waited in the shadows. A few minutes later a man came down the alley, this man was if not short then of medium hight with dark hair and blue eyes. He was well dressed and didn't look like he spent much time in dark alleys. Just as he was about to pass the man in the shadows stepped out. “ Good evening Doctor Tam, my name is Stag, I hear you wish for some help involving your sister?” END?