The all-too-rough guards tossed me into a dungeon-like area. It looked like a dungeon but still had an opening viewing area for the spectators. My last battle, a squid with a gun, had been rough. I'd barely made it out alive; and with each step, I felt shots of pain breaking through me. I hoped they would allow me time to rest and heal, but no such luck. I settled the mystic guitar across my back the best I could. I scanned the arena for my opponent. I saw no one. Maybe they had forfeited.

ROAR!!!

Or...perhaps not.

I heard a spectator scream as a swift shadow raced towards me. There was no way I could move fast enough; my legs were scratched and bleeding and rightfully sore. My back ached from when I had skidded across the battle stage while fighting the squid-man.

The crowd chattered in panic and concern. I took a deep breath and prepared for my fate.

The beast finally emerged from the shadows. It was a lion. I let out a sigh. "Oh, thank heavens," I said. Before pulling the Sword from the Stone, I fought many lions as I worked my way up to knighthood. I knew just how to deal with a lion; and now, I had a magic guitar to aid me. In between battles, this was my fifth, I'd learned a few "new" songs—they were new to me.

As soon as the lion was a few feet from me, I strummed the guitar.

What's new pussycat? I sang.

The lion roared in my face.

"Not a Tom Jones fan? Would you prefer 'Circle of Life'?"

The big cat swiped at me. Luckily, I jumped backwards in time and the paw only managed a dum-da-DUNG on the guitar's strings. "Careful there. They make these strings out of catgut...No, wait, that was violins."

The lion began to circle me. I'm not sure why he didn't just attack. I wasn't going anywhere. Suddenly, someone from the stands shouted, "Hey, Joseph!" I sneezed at the mention of my name. "Don't hurt the lion! It's an endangered species!"

"But it's OK for him to hurt me?" I shouted back.

"Well, you are just a human," said the spectator. "And he is trying to save his realm."

"So am I!" Wait a tick. How is a lion a Champion of a realm? Unless...That's when I noticed his smile. The lion then grumbled at me...and I sneezed. This was no mere animal. He was intelligent.

He then attacked at lightning speed. His claws gleamed in the light. His mouth pulled back showing me all his teeth. I jerked in defense and accidentally hit a dial on the guitar. The number went to eleven. My hand brushed a cord.

BWA-WANG!!

The rocking sound blew the lion's fur off his body like dandelion seeds. He meowed in surprise then ran with his tail between his legs.

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Words: 498

Entry for the round 2 "Knockout" prompt from action
https://my.w.tt/vObsf1GTOS