The Denver Coliseum was quieter than usual as the Cannibals filed into the locker room for Monday’s recovery session. The echoes of their wild, high-scoring win in Texas still lingered, but so did the bruises and exhaustion. Alexandra Jordan felt every one of them as she eased her sore shoulder out of her jersey, the ache a reminder of the price of victory.
She glanced around and saw the toll on her teammates. Trisha Steinmetz, the legendary quarterback making her comeback, was limping slightly, her ankle heavily taped. Heather, the record-breaking kicker and secret weapon at receiver, massaged her thigh, her face drawn with fatigue. The rest of the team moved slowly, each player carrying the weight of expectation and the physical scars of a championship chase.Jenifer Walter, head coach and general manager, strode in with her usual purposeful energy. She surveyed the room, her gaze sharp but full of care. “Listen up, Cannibals. We’re not going to win a third champThe flight back to Denver was a mixture of exhaustion and relief. As the Cannibals’ plane touched down, Alexandra Jordan pressed her forehead to the window, watching the city’s lights flicker across the foothills. She was proud—proud of Mia’s breakout, proud of Travis’s poise, proud of the team’s grit in Chicago. But beneath it all, a restless ache lingered in her healing shoulder. She wanted to be out there again, in the thick of the fight.At baggage claim, fans greeted the team with banners and cheers. Alexandra, arm still in a sling, smiled for selfies and signed autographs. Trisha Steinmetz, leaning on a crutch, was mobbed by kids in Cannibals jerseys. Travis and Mia seemed almost dazed by the attention, but their shy smiles betrayed how much it meant.Jenifer Walter, clipboard in hand, shepherded everyone to the bus. “Rest up, Cannibals. We’ve got work to do and a city to make proud.”Return to Denver and RecoveryBack at the Denver Coliseum, the locker room buzzed with the ener
The Denver morning was somber and gray, the kind of day that made even the championship banners in the Coliseum seem muted. Alexandra Jordan sat in the trainer’s room, her shoulder swaddled in ice and her mind racing with frustration. The win over the Vipers had come at a cost, and the Cannibals’ locker room was a patchwork of bruises, bandages, and anxious faces.Across the room, Trisha Steinmetz flexed her taped ankle, wincing as the trainer checked the swelling. Heather, ever the optimist, tried to lighten the mood with jokes about “kicker’s privilege” and the luxury of not getting hit on every play. But even Heather’s smile was tinged with worry.Head coach and general manager Jenifer Walter swept in, her presence commanding as always. She looked at Alexandra and Trisha, her gaze softening. “I know you both want to play. But we’re not risking your futures for one game. We’re going to need you down the stretch.”Alexandra nodded, biting back her protest
The Denver Coliseum was quieter than usual as the Cannibals filed into the locker room for Monday’s recovery session. The echoes of their wild, high-scoring win in Texas still lingered, but so did the bruises and exhaustion. Alexandra Jordan felt every one of them as she eased her sore shoulder out of her jersey, the ache a reminder of the price of victory.She glanced around and saw the toll on her teammates. Trisha Steinmetz, the legendary quarterback making her comeback, was limping slightly, her ankle heavily taped. Heather, the record-breaking kicker and secret weapon at receiver, massaged her thigh, her face drawn with fatigue. The rest of the team moved slowly, each player carrying the weight of expectation and the physical scars of a championship chase.Jenifer Walter, head coach and general manager, strode in with her usual purposeful energy. She surveyed the room, her gaze sharp but full of care. “Listen up, Cannibals. We’re not going to win a third champ
The Texas sun was merciless, baking the turf at Lone Star Stadium until it shimmered like a mirage. The Colorado Cannibals’ bus pulled up to a wall of sound—thousands of Thunder fans in blue and gold, waving signs and booing as the reigning champions stepped off. Alexandra Jordan led the way, helmet in hand, jaw set. She’d been in big games before, but nothing like this: a hostile crowd, a vengeful rival, and the weight of a three-peat dream on her shoulders.Inside the locker room, the air was thick with tension and sweat. Jenifer Walter, head coach and general manager, stood at the whiteboard, reviewing last-minute adjustments. “They’re coming for us. They want to knock us off our throne. But we didn’t get here by backing down. Play your game. Play for each other.”Trisha Steinmetz, the Cannibals’ legendary quarterback, paced at the front of the room, tossing a football from hand to hand. Heather, already in her kicking gear, sat on the bench, eyes closed, visualizing every Uno and
The Denver sky was impossibly blue, the kind of crisp, high-altitude morning that made everything seem possible. The city buzzed with anticipation, green and black Cannibals flags fluttering from balconies and storefronts. The Denver Coliseum, already legendary, stood like a fortress on the edge of the city, its banners proclaiming the Cannibals’ back-to-back championships—and daring anyone to try and take the crown. Alexandra Jordan felt the electricity in her bones as she walked through the players’ entrance. The echo of cleats on concrete, the smell of fresh-cut grass, the distant rumble of the crowd—it all felt like coming home, but with a new edge. She was a world champion now, a veteran of the NAFL, and her teammates looked at her with fresh respect. But none of that changed the butterflies in her stomach. Opening day was always a new mountain to climb. She found Heather in the locker room, lacing up her cleats, her game face already on. Heather’s
Philadelphia had never seen a morning like this. The city was a living, breathing river of green and silver, stretching from the stadium all the way down Broad Street. Banners fluttered from every window, horns blared, and people danced on rooftops, waving homemade signs and singing Talons fight songs. For once, the whole city moved in perfect rhythm—united by joy, pride, and the sweet, wild taste of victory.Alexandra stood on the top deck of an open-air bus, her championship hat pulled low and her cheeks aching from smiling. The Talons’ world championship trophy gleamed in the sunlight, passed from hand to hand as the team made its way through the heart of the city. Confetti rained down in thick, sparkling waves, sticking to her hair and jersey. She’d dreamed of moments like this, but reality was bigger, louder, and more beautiful than she’d ever imagined.Beside her, Lockjaw Blaze led the crowd in a chant, his booming voice echoing off the skyscrapers. “Who’s ho