Fluffing out her thick pelt, Feathertail struggled to adapt to the rapidly cooling night air. Even in the shelter of the tall gnarled oak and its thick wood walls she could feel herself trembling. For a greenleaf night, Feathertail felt as if it could have been leafbare, and the ground should have been blanketed thick with snow, but the trees were alive and green, and the bushes were full.

It was just past moonhigh as she continued to scan the clearing that the tree stood in the midst of. With her eyes narrowed and ears flat, she sat with her eyes just above the bottom of the hole to constantly survey the ground for any signs of trouble. She shuffled her paws as she fought to get comfortable in the cold. Since the night had begun there was nothing out of the ordinary, and the steady croaking of frogs in a pond nearby was almost like a lullaby. If it weren't for the brisk night air, Feathertail thought for sure she would be fast asleep alongside her allies.

The opening in the tree faced the boulder that marked the end of the woods where it became the clearing, the area in which the three had originally came from. Feathertail watched the forest; beyond the thick of the trees she could see the tall, steep slope that lined the edge of the Arena. They weren't that far from the only exit. The night sky was clear and sparkled with stars. Her heart yearned for the connection with StarClan the elders whispered of. Where are you now, ancestors? Is it true you've really abandoned us? Questions loomed overhead as she stared up at the twinkling sky but she found no answer.

Feathertail stifled a yawn when the sudden sound of a branch snapping caused her to jump up onto her paws. She peered toward the loose dirt off in the distance. They had dug the graves behind a cluster of rocks jutting out of the soil off to the left, several fox-lengths away from the gnarled oak.

Her heart hammered in her chest while she unsheathed her claws, readying herself of the possibility that their scent had given their hiding spot away.

Down below, among the rocks, Feathertail spotted the bright yellow eyes and muscular grey pelt of Cedarheart. He was well hidden in the dark as he slithered through the undergrowth surrounding the rocks. She wondered what he had been through, if he was injured... if he had killed any cat.

For a few heartbeats the tom hid in the undergrowth, making Feathertail antsy. Does he smell our scent? Fear crept up her spine and every moment that passed felt like an eternity.

Cedarheart passed by the two graves and then with a quick glance over his shoulders, he rushed through the clearing. The tom kept low as he hurried toward the forest past the tree Feathertail was perched on. She felt her heart rate begin to slow down once her opponent had disappeared. There was almost a pit of guilt in her stomach combating the fear she felt inside of her at the sight of the tom. It felt wrong to be protecting two ShadowClan cats while simultaneously preparing to fight off another.

Despite her feelings, Feathertail gave a sigh of relief and decided it was Ashfoot's turn to take watch.

Nudging the she-cat awake, Ashfoot silently got out of her nest and took the lookout spot for the rest of the night. Feathertail let out a soft moan as she curled up in her little nook and almost instantly fell into a slumber.

Whispers among the mist swirled around her paws as the silver tabby raced through a dark woodland. Feathertail... Feathertail... She tried to scream out to the familiar call but no words came. How could you abandon me? The whispers turned to hissing, and with each word it felt like claws scraping her body. Feathertail... Where have you gone? They slashed her face, her ears, her flank, her shoulder. Frantically she gazed around the forest as she ran. Suddenly, in front of her was a cliff, and before she could stop, Feathertail tumbled over the edge and was sent into a black abyss.

Feathertail opened her eyes, gasping for air. She found herself flailing in her nest. As odd as it was, Feathertail was thankful to wake up with Ashfoot and Icepaw in the Arena rather than wherever her dreams had been taking her the past two nights.

"Well, good morning," Ashfoot teased, "We were just checking out the herb bundle Sandstorm had."

As Feathertail fixed her pelt, she responded in between licks, "What did we score, Icepaw?" She noticed that the small apprentice perked up at a chance to show her skills. In front of her were different herbs separated neatly in small piles.

"Here is some burnet, a travelling herb that will give you strength. A few dandelions that will reduce fever and give some pain relief," Icepaw began listing off what the bundle held, pointing to each pile with one long extended claw, "A good amount of goldenrod for wounds and just enough thyme for one use, this will help a cat with shock!" Her chest was puffed out with pride as she recalled the plants they found.

"You have a fantastic memory!" Feathertail praised, padding over to her and touching noses with the young she-cat. Icepaw blinked fondly at her.

Ashfoot scoffed, flicking her tail with annoyance at the small green leaves. "Oh, how thoughtful of them," she groaned, "Thyme for shock... But only enough for one use!"

Icepaw glanced down at the thyme and let out a purr.

A silence followed the short moment of laughter. There may be humor found in the small things, but truthfully nothing was funny about it. Feathertail could sense that the other two knew it, too. They were trapped in an arena for sport. Where your kin or your friend is to be murdered in cold blood... while Poison and his minions laugh, and probably even make bets on who will win.

If you can even call it "winning".

Shaking the thoughts from her head, Feathertail broke the silence, "We should go out and hunt. My suggestion is we grab what we can, bury a few pieces somewhere close just in case, and meet back here before sunhigh."

Ashfoot nodded thoughtfully. "Sounds fair to me. Icepaw and I can catch some and perhaps bring some soaked moss, too. To be safe." She added, "If one of us gets injured or things get too crazy, we will have a safety net."

All three nodded at the plan. Just as they were about to leap down from the ledge, Icepaw chimed in, "What about if something happens to one of us? What if one of us gets lost, or doesn't come back?"

Feathertail and Ashfoot met eyes for a brief moment. "Fair point." Ashfoot murmured.

"Well... if one of us doesn't return by sunhigh, don't panic. The Arena is quite big and there are lots of obstacles..." Feathertail trailed off before starting again with a serious tone, "At the end of the day, we are truly alone. I wouldn't feel betrayed if either of you continued on without me."

Pain flooded in Icepaw's eyes at the possibility of the group being broken up. "If one of you doesn't come back by sunhigh, I will search for you myself!" She cried, her voice cracking.

The other two she-cats nodded in sync. "Very well, if one does not return by sunhigh, the others will search. If by nightfall there is no luck, we will come back to the tree." Ashfoot looked to each of her allies for their agreement in her proposal before continuing, "If by chance we do get separated and that cat comes back to find the shelter abandoned, it is because we were forced, and each day at sunhigh we will gather at the waterfall in an attempt to regroup. Do we all agree?"

Icepaw and Feathertail both dipped their heads before the three of them hopped down to the ground. Waiting to emerge from the shadows of the gnarled oak, Feathertail lowered her head with Ashfoot and Icepaw. "You two stick together, I will head toward the sound of the waterfall and see what I can catch for tonight."

Ashfoot's whiskers twitched with amusement, "How did I know you would wander over to the river?" Verifying the coast was clear with a quick glance, Ashfoot meowed, "We will check for any herbs in the area and catch some fresh-kill to bury. If you're not back by sunhigh we will search for you by the waterfall."

Icepaw nestled into Feathertail's neck and mewed, "Be safe."

Nodding, Feathertail began to pad away from her allies. "I won't be long!" She called over her shoulder.

Now, let's find something good to eat. Licking her lips, her mouth watered at the thought of a sweet trout, or a tasty carp. Anything from the river would fill Feathertail's mouth with pleasure.

Feathertail hurried through the open clearing, her eyes constantly scanning the field of grass. She didn't want to stay out of cover for long and risk being seen by any of the other competitors. The early morning sunlight felt warm on her thick coat. After a long, cold night, it felt good to have the heat of the day seeping through her fur. The sky was clear of any clouds, another bright greenleaf day, and as the Arena was painted gold with the suns' rays, the world began to awaken. Birds began to sing in the trees, calling out to each other, perhaps verifying they, too, had survived the cold night. If it weren't for the constant nagging feeling of being hunted, Feathertail felt like she could almost forget she was in the Arena.

The silver tabby kept her pace at a trot until she made it into the forest; with the cover of the trees she felt it was safe enough to slow down. After tasting the air for any enemies, Feathertail trekked through the thick undergrowth. The woodland was lush and loud with the sounds of grasshoppers and cicadas buzzing in the grass. Large bushes waved softly in the calm breeze.

As Feathertail wandered quietly through the bracken and fern, she came to a slight drop in the ground. Soft moss silenced her steps as she peered over the edge of a talus. Peeking through the treetops, the sun cascaded along a group of large rocks. In between two lay a dirt path, beaten from many paws winding down to the ground below. Exposed roots stretched out and grew along the edge of the top boulder, creeping its way through the path. Quickly checking over her shoulders for any sign of another cat, she padded through the two rocks, hopped over the root, and trotted down the path to the bottom.

Continuing forward with careful steps, Feathertail's eyes were scanning side to side in search of any prey or enemies. As she trekked through the forest Feathertail began to notice the woods were getting thicker and thicker with more shrubs, premature trees, and patches of wildflowers among the trees that stood tall. She had to weave through the greenery, pushing through the tall undergrowth that almost touched her shoulders and occasionally there would be a patch of premature pine trees racing for the canopy above that she would have to duck under. Though Feathertail felt more covered, it also gave her anxiety knowing any other cat in this part of the forest could easily stay hidden as well. With the ground cover being so thick and her being so focused on keeping an eye out for danger, the silver tabby ended up tripping over what she thought to be a tree root and tumbling into a bramble. Trying to remove herself, its branches pricked her pelt. Feathertail groaned as she shook out her coat and went to lick at her small cuts, but her annoyance was quickly replaced by shock as she noticed what she had really tripped over.

Sticking out from underneath the shade of another bramble bush lay a skeleton. Only one paw could be seen from the thick of its branches. Poking her head under the bush, golden-brown tufts of fur among some of the bones was the only indication of who it could have been. Feathertail realized it was Thornclaw, one of the contestants from the last Hunger Games. She could see the branches were now entwined along his spine and ribcage, and moss had begun to grow over the bones that sat directly on the ground. Thornclaw even had a daisy sprouting from a crack in his skull, growing up through his eye socket. The white flower stood among the white bones almost like a statement. Poison can order our death but he cannot take away our beauty, and the beauty of nature. Even in death, there is still beauty. She also noticed the leg that was sticking out of the brambles had a snap in its leg. Feathertail shook her head, wondering what the tom had gone through in his last moments. Starvation from not being able to hunt? Or was he hunted down as he tried desperately to limp away from danger? The thoughts about the once strong warrior pained her, but she couldn't focus on that. She had to focus on herself and getting something to feed her and her friends.

Dipping her head in respect, Feathertail had to move on from the skeleton. Not only was her stomach growling with hunger, but she also didn't want to be too long away from her allies. I will use his skeleton as a marker in case I get lost. She noted to herself. With his broken leg sticking straight out from under the bush, Feathertail would know to follow the direction his paw was pointing to.

She strained to listen for the deep roar of the waterfall and the splatting of the water hitting the pool below, or the gurgling of the river's fast-flowing currents. Feathertail's ears perked up at the sound of rushing water not far in the distance. Following the sound, the silver tabby trudged through the thickening undergrowth. She found herself coming to a short, but steep, slope as the noise of the river grew louder. Feathertail descended down the small slope as quietly as she could without falling. Once she came to flat ground again, Feathertail ducked under a tall bramble and finally spotted the water only a fox-length further. She stopped at the riverbank's edge.

Only six or seven tail-lengths in width, Feathertail could tell it wasn't as deep as the one in RiverClan's old territory but it certainly was faster. Upriver she could see a large eastern cottonwood leaning heavily over the opposite side of the riverbank. Its roots were fighting to hold the tree up and its branches, lush with small green leaves, were barely over the surface of the current. Feathertail's eyes followed the water downriver a few tail-lengths, spotting a large rock close to the side she was on and another only a leap away. The jump to the other side would require a good paw-hold, but it could be done. Trailing down the river further she could see a rockbed at the peak of a bend in the river; this would be the only spot in this section of the river where one could stand at the water without getting in. The riverbanks were high above the water, the vegetation so thick it hung over the edge just above its surface.

Feathertail bounded through the undergrowth with excitement and skidded down the rocky slope to the flat rockbed. Rocks waked from her paws clattered down to the pebbles at the rivers edge. The fur between her pads dampened from the water that wet the rocks, cooling her down. It was then she realized how hot the dense forest was becoming. Taking a glance up, Feathertail peered through the canopy above to see the sun making its way steadily toward its peak. There is still plenty of time until sunhigh, yet the heat is rising so fast... The sunlight shone through the breaks in the treetops, making the water's surface glitter as the current wisped around the bend and through the forest. Feathertail crouched down searching through the surface of the water for any fish racing by. Knowing it would take more effort, she looked to the end of the rockbed where a shallow pool was formed. She found it to be calmer with rays of sun filtering through the canopy, a good spot for fish to sit lazily. Just at the edge of the rockbed, Feathertail figured that if she waded in the pool and waited beside the current that comes around the meander, she could wait for something bigger to rush by. Her head swarmed with hunger. I don't care what or how I catch it, I just need something now!

Feathertail carefully waded into the shallow water with her eyes fixed to the current coming around the rockbed. The water swirled around her paws and for a brief moment, the beginning of her nightmare she had flashed before her eyes. She had to shake her head to rid her thoughts, calming her mind. Closing her eyes, Feathertail took in a deep breath before she opened them again. She let the sound of the rushing water soothe her rising anxiety as she got into place: standing just outside of the fast current, she extended an open paw with unsheathed claws and waited. As the river continued to pass by, thoughts began to form in Feathertails' head. Wondering about Icepaw and Ashfoot, if they were doing okay, if they were back to the tree yet, or if they were worrying about her, crossed her mind. Feathertail then imagined Crowfeather guarding the entrance to the Arena, then Crowfeather silently watching over the Arena from Poison's post. His aloof blue gaze watching her from above, his blue gaze looking into hers, his blue gaze passing by her in the clearing only yesterday. Was that pity in his eyes? She wondered. Feathertail had been too distracted to see the chub wisp by her claws. Frustration welled up inside of her. Crowfeather doesn't care about me, stop thinking about him!

So, she tried again. This time she pushed Crowfeather's blue gaze away when they popped up into her mind. Instead she found herself wondering about Stormfur. His strong demeanour stood over Feathertail in a vast field, his amber eyes dark and somber. Quickly the image of her long lost brother vanished as she spotted a carp coming straight for her still paw. In a motion as fast as the current it rode along, Feathertail's paw snatched the carp up and out of the water and into her mouth for the killing bite. Pride flowed in her chest, and her mouth immediately watered. She realized she hadn't eaten since the previous morning, and Feathertail had done a lot of running since then. As she padded over to some shade near the riverbank, she also started to notice how shaky her legs were.

Feathertail could hardly contain herself as she dug into the sweet meat of the carp. Barely chewing, she devoured the fish in a matter of heartbeats. She was just licking her lips when she spotted a trembling bush above the opposite bank a few tail-lengths upriver. Feathertail froze and unsheathed her claws.

Between the trunk of a young beech tree and the trembling fern bush, Feathertail spotted white fur. Her heart was in her throat as the bloody figure of Cloudtail came into view. At the sight of an enemy, he froze as well. Neither one moved. Feathertail could see his desperation; Cloudtail's gaze flitted toward the water below and to the carp at her paws and then back to her multiple times. One of his eyes was swollen almost completely shut and even from down on the rockbed she could see his bloodstained neck and shoulders. Feathertail's muscles loosened up, she knew he would not lunge first and she was not about to fight him. Any cat who attacks another who is injured like him is pathetic.

Slowly, Feathertail raised to her paws. The movement, though subtle, was enough to make Cloudtail jolt but when Feathertail pointed her muzzle toward the two stepping stones and his eyes quickly followed, he relaxed a bit. She calmly trudged up the slope and left Cloudtail to the scraps if he wanted them, and hurried downriver.

"I'm no monster," She murmured to herself, "He can have the scraps, I will find more prey downriver."

Feathertail had only been following the river downstream for a few fox-lengths when the wind brought a scent that caused her to freeze once again. She strained her hearing to pick up on anything around her but with the constant noise from the river, Feathertail could not hear anything else. The fur along her spine started to spike up as she felt eyes burning into her. Within only mere heartbeats, a yowl came from behind her and a flash of brown tabby fur flew over the undergrowth toward her. Feathertail dove to the right just as Hawkpaw landed where she had been standing. The thought of running crossed her mind but just as fast, she decided to fight.

Hawkpaw stood with his claws unsheathed and a wide, crazed grin spread across his face. The toothed collar was wrapped around his neck, protecting him from any deadly blows. Feathertail took a weary step back, eyes narrowed to a slit and the blood roaring in her ears as her heart raced. She let out a low growl and in turn Hawkpaw let out a hiss.

"Where's your precious friends?" He sneered, "You know you can't protect her. Once you're dead, I'll make sure to give her a one way ticket to the dark forest where you will wander until the end of time!" As the words came out of his mouth, it was like he was spitting them at Feathertail's paws near the end of his vicious statement.

Rage pulsed through her veins but before she could even respond, Hawkpaw lunged forward with his unsheathed paws extended out straight in front of him. Feathertail slid to the side and swiped at his face as he landed beside her. Raking her claws across his right eye, Hawkpaw let out a screech. Instantly blood began leaking from his face and his eye swelled shut. That's for hurting Cloudtail! She thought with triumph, but the feeling quickly dispersed as he lashed out at her. Hawkpaw's claws just missed her face as she turned away but it met her shoulder instead. In the same instant, Feathertail threw her other paw across his side. Blood immediately began pouring from both wounds but Hawkpaw didn't let it faze him while it took Feathertail aback.

Hawkpaw dove for Feathertail again, but this time she didn't have enough time to move out of his way. He barrelled into the she-cat, his collar piercing into her ribs just under the gash he gave her shoulder. The two tumbled down the bank, both pummelling at the others' stomach, and into the fast current below.

The cold water encompassed the silver tabby, a shock from the heat of the day, and she felt Hawkpaw's claws stop hitting her. Blood polluted the water around them. Her injuries stung as the water pushed and pulled at Feathertail's body. She had no idea which way was up or down as the river disoriented her, sending her farther and farther downstream. As she tried to get a grip on the current, Feathertail spotted Hawkpaw trying to swim as well but just as fast as she noticed his brown tabby pelt, Feathertail watched him hit a rock and stop moving. She rolled past the rock in less than a heartbeat. Briefly she wondered if he was dead or just knocked out, but her lungs begging for air consumed her mind.

Clawing at the water, she could see trees and the glint of sunlight through the surface. Just as Feathertail was beginning to black out, she broke through the water and gasped for air. Noticing the riverbank was lower downstream, Feathertail splashed desperately toward the edge until she could get a grip on the pebbles. Though she was now out of the water and panting, she still felt her vision darkening. She could feel the anxiety rising but Feathertail felt too tired to care. Collapsing onto her good side, she watched the treetops wave in the breeze and listened to her heart rate slow and the water rush by. Feathertail felt herself begin to shiver even though she laid in sunlight and the blood from her cut was warming the fur it leaked into. Even the shivering was causing more pain to her injuries but she couldn't help it. I can't stay here... Feathertail looked with only her eyes. It would take a lot of effort to just get up the bank, let alone to find Ashfoot and Icepaw, with the blood loss she was enduring. She gazed downriver some more and noticed the sides of the river were all large rocks instead of hanging vegetation. There might be a cave I can shelter in before someone finishes me off... If I could just get there... Feathertail almost attempted to get up, but her body was too exhausted. She willed herself to crawl, but instead she laid there. I'll just have a short nap, get my strength back... and then I will be back at the tree for sunhigh...

The last thoughts in her head were Icepaw and Ashfoot padding toward the gnarled oak tree, as if heading away from Feathertail, before her vision went black.

***

Feathertail blinked open her eyes to find she was inside a dark cave. The smell of herbs and damp rock filled her nose. She tried to move but immediately her body screamed in denial. Letting out a groan, Feathertail could feel the sting of her injuries just from the bit of moving she had made. 

Her weak gaze followed to the mouth of the cave as movement outside in the darkness caught Feathertail's eye. There was a white cat padding toward her with a bundle of herbs in her jaws, but her eyesight was too blurry to see who it could be. "Icepaw?" Feathertail croaked before passing back out again.

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Another finished chapter and it didn't take a year?? Craaaazy. Hope the few who have noticed enjoy x Ive been enjoying rewriting. XOXO

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After scrambling up the thick tree trunk, I sat and waited for even the slightest bit of movement, eyes wide and ears pricked for any noise. I scanned the forest below me; at this height, I felt that I could see almost the whole arena. 

It was actually beautiful, if it weren't for the deafening silence that rung in your ears when you waited to be preyed on. Or the screeches that fill your ears until you cry out, or how you can almost taste the victims blood, even when their farther away than our real home.

I shook my head, I need to stop thinking like that... I need to be confident that I will win this with Frostfur, Loudbelly and Icepaw. I will find a way to escape with my three allies and we can win this together.

Again, I shook my head. Focus! I crouched down on the branch and narrowed my eyes to slits, searching the forests floor again for any movement. 

A loud screech from the left of me rung in my ears and my heart pounded. I sniffed the air for enemy cats but I knew it wasn't cats that were attacking as soon as I got the strong whiff of it. A shiver went down my back as I realized it was a fox. Unable to make out whether it was a tom or she-cat, panic welled up inside of me. Loudbelly! The realization that Loudbelly could be the one being attacked hit me like a stone wall. We need him in this as much as he needs us... The four of us together create a perfect weapon of the four things we needed most, and without his skills at shelter, and assuming medicine, we would be dead. 

I jumped down and threw my head into the tree trunk where the den was, "I will be right back, I have to find Loudbelly!" I exclaimed, dashing away toward the direction the screams came from. The cat let out another howl of pain. This time I could tell it was a tom's voice, but I still had no idea if it was Loudbelly's voice or not.

Jumping over logs that were higher than me, dodging under thick branches, and avoiding roots sticking up out of the ground, I rushed toward the horrible stench of fox. The voice had stopped but the smell of blood was still coating my tongue. "Please don't be Loudbelly, please..." I begged through gasps.

I spotted the red fur of the fox and caught a glimpse of the cat. Two more had joined the attacked cat, beating the fox senseless. The fox let out barks like a dog as the other two confused it. I slowed to a halt when neared the fight and started backing away. They are not Loudbelly... Which was a good thing, but also a bad thing. It was Mudclaw, Hawkpaw and Sandstorm. I couldn't get near them or they'd tear me to shreds within heartbeats. I would be one less cat to worry about...

Quietly, I backed away as the fox took off running, blood trailing behind it. The three of them sniffed the air and turned to the bushes that hid me. Oh no... I gulped as Hawkpaw let out a growl. "Look who it is." The tom sneered, stepping closer with Mudclaw and Sandstorm beside him. 

I never thought of Sandstorm as a killer, but I knew she was mean when she was grumpy. "It's little miss Feathertail, and she's standing in our way of victory." Hawkpaw snarled, lip curled and fur spiked up. Blood was splattered all over the three cats' faces and bodies, but they didn't seem to care.

Without seeing it coming, Hawkpaw lunged at me, landing on my back and biting onto my spine. I yelped in pain and started bucking him, feeling his nose hitting my back harshly. But, still he did not let go. His claws dug into my skin in an attempt to stay put.

I hissed in frustration and rolled onto my back with all my strength, hearing a muffled yowl in pain. He was in an odd position but that wasn't going to stop me. Hawkpaw let go and I stood up, pinning him down and slashing at his face and neck. Mudclaw dove for me, arms extended and teeth bared. I dodged away, rolling on the ground until I found the ground on my paws. I landed just beside Hawkpaw - he had rolled a bit away, leaving a small puddle of blood - and he came flying at me again. 

I dodged to the right a bit and I rammed into his side with my shoulder. He slammed into the nearest tree and let out a groan. Hawkpaw sat there for a few moments, panting. I took the opportunity to dash away, out of sight. Taking a heartbeat to look over my shoulder, I saw Sandstorm nudging them up to their feet. I slowed down a bit, taking in large gasps of air.

By the time they were up and ready to come at me, I'd be gone. Out of sight. The thing I was worried about was, Where's Loudbelly? Did he make it back?

I halted as a loud voice from above the trees echoed into the arena. I tripped over a root and yelped, landing face first into the pines and leaves. "Deaths of yesterday:" It announced; it was Poison. "Haypaw and Webfoot." I let out a loud sigh of relief when he didn't say Loudbelly, or Icepaw and Frostfur for that matter. Shaking out my pelt, relieving my face of a few pine nettles, I headed over to the the tree where Frostfur was waiting. She sighed in relief as I halted in front of her. 

"How's Icepaw?" I asked and she flicked her tail to the den. I peered in slightly and saw she was sleeping peacefully. I backed away and I looked back over at Frostfur. She looked me over, concern filling her gaze. There were only a few scratches, nothing serious or worth wasting time finding goldenrod.

Her frail body was fluffed up and shaky. "Any sign of Loudbelly?" She rasped. She needs to eat and rest more. I shook my head and sighed, "Nope. The scream came from Hawkpaw and his group." She nodded but didn't say anything. 

"You need to rest. After Loudbelly comes back, I will go hunt for us, that is if he didn't get any prey." She shook her head and watched the forest through stern eyes, "I'm fine." 

We sat in silence for several heartbeats, just waiting. Finally, my ear pricked at a slight sound behind me. "Loudbelly?" I meowed, turning around. Before I could move, two huge dogs came hurtling for me, jaws wide and slobber flying.

"Run Frostfur!" I yowled, clawing at the first ones face. In the corner of my eye, Frostfur ducked into the den while I dodged the dogs' bites. Hit by hit, I tore at the dogs' faces. I side-stepped as one snapped at me, its yellow teeth dangerously close to my nose. Ducking under the dog, I slashed it's stomach as it ran forward. The other grabbed my scruff and shook me in the air like I was its toy. 

My sight was a blur as the world spun around me. I could feel my brain shaking in my head, causing a terrible headache to form. I yowled in pain as its teeth tore into my skin, and suddenly my scruff was ripped from its mouth. The fur on the back of my neck was ripped out and I could feel blood beading up. Within heartbeats, I collided with a tree trunk head first. I tried to stand but my body refused.

And before I knew it, I was blacked out cold.

*****

I woke up in a dark place. Fear made my stomach churn, Where am I? My neck still felt sore and my body was as stiff as a rock. I hardly remembered a thing, only that the dogs had attacked me.

Did they attack Frostfur and Icepaw? I wondered, my breathing quickening. I tried to stand up but my legs buckled beneath the weight, so I made myself sit down. 

Did Loudbelly come back? Is he okay? Am I dead? Why is it so dark? Questions clouded my mind to the point where I had to shake my head to stop them from coming. I needed to focus on getting up. I didn't feel dead, I could feel the ground and I wasn't coated in starlight like those nursery-tails had said. Plus, I could feel the pain the dogs had caused me, which most likely meant I was alive.

I slowly stood up and padded out of the dark place. Soon I realized it was the hole in under the tree as I poked my head out into the cool night air. Icepaw was laying on the ground with Frostfur. They both turned as my paws hit the grassy ground. "Feathertail, we thought you'd never wake up!" Icepaw mewed, standing up to greet me. She touched noses with me, her wide eyes swarming with relief. 

"How long have I been asleep? Did Loudbelly come back? Anymore deaths? Are the dogs dead?" I asked, questions flying out of my mouth like a cat abusing catmint.

"You were asleep for two sunrises, yes he's on guard, Cedarheart and Sandstorm died during those two days, and yes, we fought them off." Frostfur answered when I stopped rambling questions. I was surprised she even remembered each of the questions. 

Nodding to her, I hurried to find the old brown tom. "Loudbelly!" I called and he jumped down behind me. He smirked and flicked my ear with his tail. "Ah, Feathertail, I thought you were going to be asleep forever." He teased, though his eyes were hiding worry. He continued, purring, "Are you hungry? I managed to get a magpie and two mice."

I shook my head, "Did you guys eat?" Icepaw shook her head as well, looking to Frostfur. "To be asleep for two nights with no fresh-kill? You can't tell me you're not hungry." Loudbelly narrowed his eyes at me.

"Loudbelly had gotten back yesterday with the prey, and we ate the two mice together. We saved the magpie for you." Frostfur mewed. I flicked my tail and raised my chin, "You two need to eat, I will go out for more. I don't think it's fair for me to eat something someone else worked for." I decided, stalking away quickly before they could stop me.

"You aren't fully healed, Feathertail, come back!" Loudbelly hissed, but I knew he wouldn't come after me. Frostfur was old and frail and Icepaw was young and vulnerable, together they didn't make that great of a team so Loudbelly needed to stay with them. And I knew he knew that, too.

I shook out my fur and parted my jaws to search for prey. It was chilly and it felt like rain was coming. I looked up but the sky was hidden by trees, tons and tons of leaf-full trees. A stick snapped suddenly, and instantly I ducked down into a crouching position.

Eyes wide and fur bristled up, I glanced around the dark forest. I stayed down and looked carefully through the wilderness. My heart slowly went back to its normal pace as moments went by without anyone lunging for me.

I forced myself to believe that it was a mouse or rabbit, but something was telling me it was something different. Taking a deep breath, I straightened my posture and began to walk in search of prey. I sniffed the air and followed the scent of a dove. Stalking toward the strong scent, my mouth began to water. Behind a bush of bracken was two doves pecking away at seeds. 

Creeping carefully forward, I got so close I could reach out with my front paw and touch them. Wriggling my haunches and holding my breath, I leaped. A loud sound above me made me jump out of my fur while the doves scattered away. Their panicked coo's echoed in the sky.

I growled with fury as I landed right where they were. I fought to keep myself from yowling into the trees and hunting down the one who made me lose perfectly good prey. I refused to let the cat - or whatever it was - know I cared, and kept going. I felt eyes staring into my pelt but I decided not to turn around. Whoever was staring at me wanted attention, and I wasn't about to give it to them.

I stalked away and spotted a mouse doing almost nothing. I quickly got into a crouch and leaped, but the stranger made a similar noise and scared it off just before I could get to it. A scream was rising in my throat but I refused to let it out. Stomping away, I soon spotted a small rabbit. I charged full tilt and leaped at it. Alarming the rabbit, the brown creature scurried away. I dashed at it, running around rocks and branches until finally, I pounced and pinned it down. 

Giving it the killing bite, pride warmed me up. Finally! I grabbed it by the neck and started my way back, panting heavily. I looked around. Where am I? I wondered, suddenly feeling helpless and lost.

My heart pounded as I searched the forest. I ran toward the place where I had tried to catch the mouse but I couldn't find the place where the two doves were. Starting to panic, I spun around, feeling dizzy and alone. If I don't find my way to the tree, I'll be killed!

I ran in the first direction that seemed in anyway familiar and in a blink of an eye, I was rolling head first. My spine burst with pain as I tumbled into a tree. My paw throbbed where I had tripped and fallen, but I ignored it as I studied the tree. I wanted to scream with joy; it was the den!

Loudbelly came out of the hole and purred, looking down at me from where I lay, "Well, well, well. Did you bring the rabbit or did the rabbit bring you?" He teased. I rolled my eyes, purring.
I stood up and set the rabbit down. "I would've been back sooner with two doves and a mouse but someone was in the trees scaring them away..." I muttered as Loudbelly took the rabbit and brought it into the den. 

The brown tom didn't seem to concerned, but I couldn't help but feel that the cat now knew where we slept. "Odd... At least you got a rabbit. This thing might just feed all of us."

I jumped as a yowl from far away echoed through the treetops. My fur spiked up as I glanced around the forest hurriedly, expecting a herd to come at us.

"It's probably Hawkpaw and Mudclaw attacking someone. It's okay." Frostfur yawned from inside of the den. I nodded but I couldn't get myself to relax. I still felt like someone was watching me.

Frostfur's stern meow from the den brought me from my thoughts. "Eat Feathertail, you haven't in two days." Frostfur ordered, her voice serious. I ducked into the den and dipped my head, finally devouring that fresh-kill I longed to eat.