Raydowne

JAY

My teeth cut through muscle and flesh like it's butter. Hawk's right at my side, his shaggy fur flowing in waves and his orange eyes shimmering as he fights off a Gladiator. Blood and gore has been spattered all across our pelts. I open my jaws, and the body of the Gladiator I just killed falls to the ground in a limp heap. Wow, this silver armor Karly gave me is really coming in handy. I look over my shoulder and see that while the metal plates have a few small scratches, it's kept my skin unscathed. Well, the plates on my neck have gotten all screwed up- it seems that people have been targeting my neck, probably since they know it's already injured.

Hawk turns to me. "Hey, Jay."

"Hi. Ha- look out!" I shove my paws into my brother's side. We tumble across the ground in a tangle of limbs. Heat burns in the air as the temperature skyrockets. I look back, and see Gladiators burning to ashes. The heat's gone just as quickly as it came. "Jay, scooch." I roll to the side. My brother gets to his paws and shakes dust off his shaggy coat. Dirt slides off the spines on the armour on his shoulders and forehead. His blonde hair is still spiked messily, and the red strip of cloth holding it back still holds the faint patterns of red and black plaid. He frowns at me as he says, "you were squishing me."

"Boo hoo."

"Wait, that was Sage?"

"What? She should know better. Anyways, what's she doing creating a commotion? She was supposed to keep a low profile to deflect the attention of the Wasteland guards! Didn't she listen to what Adrien said before she was sent here?" My voice falls to an almost inaudible whisper, and Hawk replies just as softly.

"I don't know, but she better have a good reason when I get my hands on her! That puts this whole thing at risk." My brother bares his teeth.

"Hawk, calm down. We've got our own operation to worry about."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Rescue Arrow and get him out of here, and to T-LOOT-D."

"So, what's next?"

"Find Arrow. Ha. Imagine that- all this and we lose who we're rescuing."

"Shouldn't be too hard. If we find Tremor, we'll most likely find Arrow.

Sage is brought below the surface of the Wasteland arena. When I look over my shoulder to say something to Hawk, I see that he's already gone and running across the sandy expanse. I sprint to catch up. "Come on, slowpoke."

"You know I'm faster than you, right?"

"Not as of right now."

"Aaaaand, I'm in front. So, come on, slowpoke."

"I hate you."

"You love me."

"Jaaay." Hawk sighs loudly.

"Fine. Where are you going, anyways?"

"I think I know where we can find our Gladiator."

"Alright, lead the way."

"You're going to have to slow down."

"Oh, yeah. That's right."

I allow my orange-eyed brother to take the lead. Our paws leave light footprints as we tear across the Wasteland arena. After a few minutes, I realize where we're going. I can just barely see the snag Arrow was talking about when he was describing what the Wasteland arena looks like. Thunder Creek and Stormy stream must be near there, with Lightning Pass just a little but further. Hawk jumps over the body of a hippo-like Gladiator, while I run around it. We leave a trail of dust in our wake.

I'm just a few paces behind my brother, when a buck barrels into me, antlers lowered. I yelp in alarm as I'm thrown through the air. Hawk skids in a tight circle and races towards me. The buck rears up and lashes out with its hoofs as I latch onto its chest. Hawk tackles the deer to the ground and bites at its haunches. He growls when a hoof catches him in the stomach. "Stupid deer." The buck smiles, but doesn't say anything. He turns back to me, and centers his antlers at me, while keeping an eye on my brother. I leap at him, but one of the points digs into my neck, opening the wound on my throat. Blood starts flowing down my chest, turning my tan fur a russet colour. "Oh, you did not just do that." I snarl, and take a few bounding leaps before launching myself at the buck. Hawk sees what I'm doing, and times his jump so we land on the deer at the same time. Our combined weight makes the spindly legs of the deer buckle. He kicks at us and tries to impale us with his rack of antlers, but we keep him down until I'm able to get a good grip on him, just below his jaw. After a minute or two, he stops struggling.

"How's your neck?" Hawk asks.

"It's alright. It hurts, but it'll heal."

"Ya sure? It's bleeding."

"I'll be fine. It's not too bad." Ok, it hurts quite a bit, but I'm not about to tell Hawk that. He'll probably call me a wuss or something. I'd rather not listen to that. "Whatever you say, bro." He smiles before trotting off.

"Race you to the snag!" I cry, and start sprinting.

"Jay! You're faster, and you have a head start!" Hawk grumbles, but races after me. We reach the snag a while later.

I come to a halt at the foot of the huge and most definitely dead tree in a cloud of sand. Almost all the bark has been worn off from wind and grit, and there are no leaves or needles in sight. When I press a paw against the trunk, it's smooth beneath my pads. "Next time we race, we're doing it on foot. I can't beat you like this." Hawk's panting as he draws to a stop beside me, his tongue lolling to the side.

"What, your ego can't take a bit of defeat?"

"Stop it, Jay."

"Scared you'll lost too much?" I smirk. Hawk glares at me, then turns to look out at the seemingly endless plain. I narrow my eyes. Where's Arrow? Adrien won't exactly take 'we lost him' as a legitimate excuse. "There." Hawk apparently read my mind. He jerks his muzzle maybe a hundred yards to our right. Arrow's locked in a brawl with Tremor, the supposed Silver Shock. My heart sinks to my paws, and the world seems to move in slow-motion as I watch Tremor sink his teeth into Arrow's side ,and rip off the gray wolf's flank. Blood pours to the ground like a waterfall. Arrow stumbles forward a few steps, swaying slightly. The loudest roar I've ever heard rips from his jaws. "No..." I breathe.

"Did I just see that, Jay?" Hawk frowns, his nose wrinkling.

"If you saw Tremor tear off Arrow's side, then yes. Unfortunately. How can he survive that?"

"I don't know, Jay. I don't know."

A snarl bursts forth from my jaws when Tremor lunges to finish off Arrow. His red eyes glow with excitement. Not so fast, mister. I leap forward like a racehorse from the starting gate. Arrow manages to fend off the Silver Shock with a few hard blows. Tremor stumbles off, nursing deep scratches across his face. I barely see the odd gray creature- I can only see Arrow. And the fact that he's now laying on the ground, in a puddle of his own blood. His green gaze is unfocused. My legs run faster and faster, before I stop in front of the Gladiator. I'm trembling when Hawk stops beside me. I can't do anything, except watch as Arrow's body heaves in a sigh, then stops moving completely, his eyes fluttering shut. I wasn't fast enough. I should've been able to do something. I've always been fast, but today I was too slow. I should've been faster. "No. No! NO! ARROW!" My jaws part in a scream. He can't be dead. Arrow wouldn't just die like this. Hawk freezes, his mouth slightly open. He steps towards me, and leans his head towards me. "Let's go take down this monster over there. Make sure to fake your death." His voice is a soft murmur. I nod soundlessly. My brother nudges me with his muzzle, and I snap back to reality.

"Hey, you! Why'd you kill Arrow?" My voice is a screaming demand.

"He deserved to die. He was at the top for too long, now I am." Tremor shrugs, licking away the blood that's streaming down his face.

"Arrow didn't deserve to die. You do. You heartless monster." I yowl the words.

"How are you two teeny tiny dogs going to kill me?"

"Oh, you'll see. Hey, Jay, it seems his proportions are a wee bit off. He's not that much bigger than us, right?"

"Yeah."

"Two against one as well."

"Keep him busy." I murmur, and my brother nods. I creep off to one side of the Silver Shock.

"Excuse me, dog. What are you doing?" Tremor turns to me.

"Hey, you! Yes. I'm talking to you, old man." Hawk raises his voice, and jumps.

"Old man? You dare insult me! I'm your superior!"

"Gray fur. Older than me, probably by far. Sounds appropriate to call you an old man. Elderly being. Senior citizen. Any of the above. Whichever you prefer." My brother shrugs.

"You. Tan fur and silver armour. Bleeding neck. What are you doing? You're not really trying to get around behind me, are you?"

Time for a new strategy. "And if I am?"

"It's not going to work."

"You said you're the best Gladiator, right?"

"Yes. I am the best Gladiator. Especially now that I've felled Arrow."

"So then, to prove your strength, wouldn't you like a new challenge?"

"I've already proven my strength, haven't I?"

"Some people don't believe Arrow to be the best Gladiator. This challenge would prove, once and for all, that you're the best."

"What is this challenge?" Tremor narrows his red eyes.

"Defeat Hawk and I."

"Pshh. Too easy. Make it harder."

"Very well, we start on your back. Or, one of us on your shoulder and one on your back. Whichever you choose, we will go with."

"Hmm." I can tell Tremor's examining this for traps.

"Hey, old man. If you don't go through with this, I'm telling everyone you're a giant chicken."

"Shut up, dog."

"Aww, so you've got some brains after all. You identified that I am a dog."

"Hawk, cut it." Tremor has to go through with this. Back in Raydowne, I once read a book about Norse mythology. Fenrir, Loki's son, was a wolf destined to destroy the world during Ragnarok. The gods knew this and chained him up with a rope forged by the dwarves. To trick him, they said it was a test of strength and the wolf agreed. Fenrir couldn't escape. Hopefully this will go how it did with Fenrir, and Tremor will fall.

Tremor thinks for a few moments. I know he won't play fair. I'd be shocked if we even made it half way up his body. I can only hope things go in our favor, and that Hawk knows what I'm trying to do. "Very well. I agree. Start on my back." The Silver Shock replies a minute or two later, and crouches down. Hawk's the first to jump up. His long, floppy ears sail behind him as he launches himself into the air, and lands gracefully on the gray creature's back. I can't make the jump onto Tremor's back so I'm forced to climb up his leg. As soon as I start the ascent, the Silver Shock jerks his leg, shaking me from his fur. "Hey, I never agreed to you clawing your way up my leg. You little cheater." He creeps towards me, his belly low to the ground as if he were stalking prey.

"Sorry. I cannot jump that high. I'm smaller than my brother, as you probably noticed." Hawk's stronger than me, but I'm faster than him, and I'm not about to tell Tremor that. I hope Tremor hasn't noticed that I'm not really that much smaller than Hawk, maybe only a half inch or so, and most of that's his thick fur.

"Excuse me, old man. This challenge cannot commence until Jay's up here with me. So, dearest chicken, how about you let Jay climb up your leg?" Hawk sticks his face out over Tremor's shoulder.

"There's something fishy here." The Silver Shock narrows his red eyes and frowns.

"Unfortunately there's no fish around here, so I'm afraid you're wrong. Ooh, cod though. That sounds rather delicious." My brother smirks.

"That's not what I meant."

"Hawk's perfectly aware of that, Tremor. So, can I please climb onto your back. Only then can you prove your strength once and for all." I pipe up.

"Very well." The Silver Shock lowers himself down so he's in a low crouch, and sticks out a foreleg. I quickly scamper up his extended leg. He slowly stands back up again. His muscles tense for a moment, before his head whirls around, fangs flashing, and he rears up.

Thank you for reading this chapter. As usual, please consider a vote, and feel free to comment! So, the first from Jay's perspective. 

What did you think? 

Both Jay and Hawk mentioned feet and hands, what's up with this? 

Do you think Arrow is dead?

 How do you think this battle's going to go down? 

Thank you!

-Werewolf14-