MESSAGE TO TRIBUTES:

Starting now not every single tribute will have their own part in each chapter it might be every other chapter. However all characters will be mentioned in each chapter, this is to ensure a chapter gets released on time since I'm becoming VERY busy. I'm so sorry for the inconvience, but I hope you all enjoy!

The sun peeked over the horizon, blazing splotches of orange and yellow through the forest trees. Ripplenewt had stayed up all night, he hadn't wanted to stir the beautiful she-cat. He sat just a couple of fox-lengths away from the Cornicopia. The night had been quiet except for Snowfrost and Berrytuft had sat along the tree line talking. Ripplenewt had wondered if he should tell Hailscar, but he thought it was just Berrytuft and Snowfrost flirting. Ripplenewt didn't blame the tom there were plenty of beautiful she-cats and a very short time to live.

Since the day before when Barbwire had defended Ripplenewt he knew she was starting to have somewhat feelings for him. It wasn't going to be that hard after all. Ripplenewt stretched out his forepaws and yawned padding back to the Cornicopia.

Hailscar blinked his eyes open from the blinding sunlight filtering in. He saw Ripplenewt padding towards them. The mouse-brained tom hadn't even woken Barbwire up for her second watch. Ripplenewt would regret it. 

"Barbwire! Ripplenewt!" Hailscar snapped.

Barbwire swung her head up from her slumber while Ripplenewt looked as if an owl were coming down to swoop him up.

"You two! Go into the forest and find any tributes you can. Kill them on sight." Hailscar ordered. "Mousesnarl! When they returned you go out on a hunting patrol and don't come back unless you have fresh kill for everyone! Until then stay in camp with me, I'll need someone to help me keep an eye on those Dreaders."

Mousesnarl beamed and dipped her head while Hailscar could see the defeat in Ripplenewts brown eyes. He would be the first one of the group Hailscar would kill off.

Sagebramble woke to find a refreshing piece of soaked moss in front of her. She looked up  to see if Biohazard had eaten her share of the food when she realized her bag was missing. Sagebramble jumped to all fours frantically. Next to her Biohazard was still asleep with a dreamy look on her face.

"Biohazard!" Sagebramble shrieked rubbing the older she-cat's shoulder with her forepaws.

"Biohazard where's my bag?!" Sagebramble cried out in frantic.

"Huh you have it?" Biohazard woke startled.

"No it's missing! Did you take it? Where is it?" Sagebramble couldn't believe this.

Biohazard looked around the open thorn bush then jumped to her paws. There was no way another cat had come into the thorn bush while they slept, Biohazard had purposely slept in front of the entrance to ensure it.

"I-I," Biohazard stammered not able to think when it hit her.

"I left last night to get you some moss when you woke! Someone had to of snuck in while I was gone," Biohazard concluded.

"And you couldn't even scent them?" Sagebramble hissed at her shaking her head.

"The cat had to be covered in mud or fox-dung because I only ever smelled distant skunk," Biohazard meowed feeling utterly stupid.

"We have to get my bag back!" Sagebramble announced before diving out of the thornbush.

"Alright Dreader you have your weapons?" Berrytuft asked his group.

They had all woke early to hear Berrytufts plan and were eager and readier than Berrytuft had ever imagined even Badgerstrike was in on the plan. It almost made Berrytuft not want to eventually kill any of these cats, but thats how the games worked.

"Let me go over one more time. No one lets go of their weapons or sets them down for a heartbeat thats all we have. Snowfrost and I will scout the forests for a camp," Berrytuft meowed in a low voice. "Badgerstrike, Silverstorm and Owleye will remain here and keep an eye out on the Dreaders. At sunhigh me and Snowfrost will return and then Owleye will join me on the rest of the search. Badgerstrike and Silverstorm will go out on a hunting patrol. If we catch anything eat it in the forest and leave no trace of that prey on your muzzle or in your mouth. Make them think we're weak. Snowfrost do you have that grenade?"

Snowfrost pulled aside her axe sheath to reveal the grenade they had taken from the weapons table under it. She nodded her head.

"Perfect! Since you'll be here alone, if the Terrors start to mess with you throw it directly at their weapons table. We'll all hear it and meet at that great oak." Berrytuft motioned his white tail at a tall oak farthest east of them.

"Anyone have any questions?" Berrytuft asked the group.

All four cats shook their head and Berrytuft nodded. 

"Then let's head out," Berrytuft nodded to Snowfrost and the two cats made their trek across the sinking sand towards the forest.

Lilytoad woke to see another cat standing across the pond from her. She gasped and tried shrinking back into the bushes, but the tom had already spotted her and was padding towards her. The toms hazel eyes grew larger as he padded closer. Lilytoad found herself frozen, unable to move. She noticed the tom didn't have any weapons and had a large backpack strung over his shoulders.

Suddenly the tom was face to face with her his breath smelled of tuna as he breathed out a cheery "Hi!".

"H-Hello," the she-cat meowed back.

Starlingmask recognized her as Lilytoad, the tiger looking warrior stuck out like a sore paw. He had discovered this small paradise only several heartbeats ago and didn't have much time to think up a plan. He definitely couldn't share all this food with Lilytoad it was for him, but the shy warrior was clearly stronger than his pile of bones was. She'd try chasing him out for sure.

"I seek refuge and in return...we can become allies?"

The tiger-like she-cat stared at him for several heart beats before shrugging and nodding her head.

Owleye watched as Berrytuft left into the woods observing everything about him; his walk his expressions and his movements. Berrytuft was beginning to prove himself smarter than what the others expected of him. And if Owleye could copy the whole persona of Berrytuft he could kill off Berrytuft and take charge, then send the others to do his dirty work and then send them to their own deaths. 

Badgerstrike watched as Silverstorm observed each patch of dried plant like stems in the sandy desert. She had told them they might be useful, but Badgerstrike couldn't see how dried out plants would be useful. He sat in the shade a rabbit-length away from Owleye who was staring of twitching with an odd smile. Badgerstrike scooted away from the tom. He knew that Owleye was related to Larkwing somehow and that tom was crazy.

Mousesnarl basked in the sun alongside Hailscar beside the fountain and pond connected to the Cornicopia. She watched the tom staring off towards the forest and followed his gaze.

"Ripplenewts weak, we should kill him off." Mousesnarl suggested.

"No we need him just a little longer," Hailscar meowed without moving his gaze.

"But he'll just drag us down," Mousesnarl began to argue.

"We need him for now so get over it Mousesnarl you're not in charge." Hailscar snarled.

Mousesnarl snorted angrily and turned away watching the Dreaders when she realized Silverstorm moving form plant to plant. Mousesnarl raised her eyebrow at the she-cat, wondering why she was paying so much mind to the little supply of dried up plants. Must be mouse-brained.

Stormthistle woke up to find Wonderingwind gone. The she-cat began to panic sniffing the spot he had slept before and finding a stale cold scent. The she-cat hadn't made the tom take a watch, figuring he'd try to befriend an attacker than warning her. But now she was regretting it. Had a canon gone off in her sleep? Was he captured? 

Stormthistle reached to grab her bag and found both her bag and Wonderingwinds was gone. With her heart pounding Stormthistle searched for any kind of scent and finally found a trail and raced off in the direction the paw prints were leading, stopping every once and awhile to make sure it was Wonderingwinds scent. She had to find him.

Shadowfur pounced down from the tree she had been perched in to scent the air. She was almost sure she had heard a cat coming through the undergrowth and was desperate to see if it was a cat that she had needed to speak to. 

The black she cat lowered her nose to the ground to get a whiff, but when she did she heard a low growl. Shadowfur's heart stopped as she looked up into the bushes to find deep brown eyes glaring at her. Shadowfur immediately began to step back close to a tree as a bright orange mutant fox sprang out with jaws foaming.

Shadowfur screeched and turned around to jump, but that was a huge mistake. The fox grabbed her by the tail and slung the she-cat across the forest floor, slamming her into the trunk of a tree. The fox then began to run full speed towards her.  Shadowfur gasped yanking her her spear out and pointing it at the fox closing her eyes.

"I'm sorry Goldenscar."