A few people have asked for me to continue the book, and I have thought for a while on what I should do... I thought maybe do another Hunger Games battle, but it would take too long and I'd rather not - though once Reedstar's Selfishness is finished, I might do it and change this chapter around later on...

October 15th, 2017: I have a few ideas on continuing BloodClan Hunger Games, and Reedstar's Selfishness too. Looking back on my books from 2 years ago or more makes me want to do a more realistic version, hence why I edited a couple of my books lmao. Hope the book is better than it was!

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Without the dead cats I had sent to the last Game, BloodClan had grown soft. Many whispered to each other at the edges of camp with their heads bowed in secrecy. Most patrols stayed out of camp more than usual and would only come back with a couple pieces of prey and no reports. There were only a few cats I could still trust. Ice was born to be a BloodClan leader, I could see it in his cold eyes and hear it in his menacing voice when he would scold the apprentices or demand more prey to be brought back.

Brick had always been loyal to BloodClan, even before I was taken in by Scourge, but it was obvious he was a bit more soft than the rest. He didn't ever demand, he asked politely. Now Brick was growing old and weaker as the sunrises came and went. A couple of the apprentices still tried to impress me, but the majority simply avoided any confrontation. Even my guards were growing distant, including Lostface. I bet they don't think I notice... For the past quarter-moon it had been nothing but hushed voices and uneasiness. The only cats who really spoke to me were Ice and the guards. The rest of BloodClan would keep their gaze down and pretend they didn't see me. Even Bloodcreek and Deathmist, new bloodthirsty warriors, walked past me like I was no more than an elder.

A moon had gone by since Icefeather had left me silenced from her speech. There had barely been a fight, let alone an argument. Only a few had broke out over the last morsel of meat; they mainly only talked to their own groups and kept to themselves. My paws were itching to see blood spilled again. It's been so calm for so many sunrises... Cowards! Icefeather might have actually gotten to them...

Silently, I lay under the shade of a thick patch of bracken, my flank and the ground beneath me lined with stripes from the sun shining through the leaves. The clearing had begun to dry out from the lack of quarrels; spouts of grass had started to pop up here and there. Pine needles and dead leaves were littering the ground again. There had been many rainstorms, but none were heavy enough to seep far into the ground to keep mud in the clearing from the many paws that trampled through daily.

Flicking my ear, I narrowed my eyes at the cats talking with each other. At the entrance to the camp, Tawnypelt had her three eager kits bouncing around her paws. She was speaking to Jaggedtooth and Brambleclaw, who were on guard in the camp. Those guarding in the camp made sure no cat left without reason. Tawnypelt's ears went flat to her head and her tail flicked to the nursery off on the far side of the clearing. Jaggedtooth bared his teeth while Brambleclaw reassured the guard. After only a few more moments of convincing, the two guards allowed the queen to leave camp with her kits. Brambleclaw touched his nose to his sisters ear as she padded off. He too is growing soft... Squealing with delight, the kits hurried out with their mother hurrying to keep up. Jaggedtooth caught my eye for a split heartbeat, annoyance flooding his amber eyes, but I didn't stare for long. Instead, my gaze wandered the clearing.

Beside the nursery, Timber and Snapper were talking to each other with their mouths full of prey. Closer to the left side of me, Rowansting and Sorreltail were sharing tongues under the shade of a boulder. Disgusting, I thought with a wrinkle of my nose. There was no room in my mind for a she-cat to worry about, let along a bundle of fur-balls biting my tail and clawing at my back! I had no envy toward the queens with their needy kits.

In the corner of my eye, movement at the camp entrance caused me to jerk my head to see who was entering. Willie was leading his patrol back, each of them carrying fresh-kill. Beside him was Minty, striding in step with the white tom toward the fresh-kill pile that was set beside my den. Boulder, Mistyfoot, Rainwhisker, and Ocean hurried to the pile to deposit their catches after him. Rainwhisker's catch was puny and distasteful. The shrew almost looked like it had already been dead for several days. Meanwhile, Mistyfoot placed a plump pigeon on the top of the growing pile and then began to pick through.

Ice's voice came from the center of the clearing. "Mistyfoot! Brackenfur! Onewhisker! I want you three to take Dagger, Silence, and Mothpaw out for training in the moorland. This will be one of the final assessments for them, remember!" He demanded. I could have sworn Mistyfoot rolled her eyes as she trotted to the front to wait for the apprentices. "Longtail! Deadly! Hoot! You three can take Onewhisker's kits out for training as well." Onewhisker murmured to his three kits and then hurried out with his own patrol.

I turned my attention to the seven kits that were each playing moss-ball. It seemed like they had made groups and were trying to get it in the small holes they must have dug out on either side of the medicine den. Violet and Russetfur were sprawled out behind them, their flanks rising and falling slowly. I wondered if they had fallen asleep. But as Lionkit dove for Bumblekit, who had the ball of moss grasped in his jaws, they tumbled into Violet. She let out an annoyed growl and shooed them away. After watching them play for a few moments, she rested her chin on her paws again and let her eyes close.

Over by the apprentices den, Tess was sitting in front of the new apprentices, Piercepaw and Breezepaw. The two she-cats gazed up at the grey she-cat in awe. She must be telling one of her over exaggerated stories again. I quickly looked to the opposite side of them as a flicker of movement distracted me. From beside the stump I used to make announcements, Bloodcreek and Deathmist sat together with their heads ducked close together. Deathmist's fluffy tail tip was twitching. The two were muscular, tall toms with short tempers and fearless attitudes. They were one of the only cats who would come back with injuries. From where, I had no idea and no interest in knowing.

The two suddenly stood up and headed toward the entrance, interrupting my thoughts. Where are they going now? If they're going to fight random cats, why not fight the other BloodClan cats? A growl crept up my throat. The two were allowed out within heartbeats, but it was nothing to make a fuss about.

The BloodClan deputy rushed over to the grey she-cat. "Tess, if you're going to sit there and talk nonsense to those two apprentices, why don't you make yourself useful and take them out for training?" Ice retorted. Tess's whiskers twitched with amusement but nodded reluctantly. With the flick of her fluffy tail, she lead the way out of camp with the two eager apprentices following close on her heels.

As Blackclaw escorted Graystripe, Fang, Dustpelt, and Dawnstripe out of the camp behind Tess and the apprentices, Cinderpelt and Littlecloud poked their heads out of the medicine den. The two nodded to each other and trotted out. After watching the old tom follow the injured grey she-cat, I noticed Littlecloud was noticeably frail. He was weakening as the long sunrises went by. I guessed he wouldn't live another season; he would be just another mouth to feed by then and would be useless to the Clan... His once shiny tan tabby pelt was now rugged and his muzzle had visibly turned grey.

The two medicine cats paused to talk to Brambleclaw and Jaggedtooth when Mudfur and Barkface scurried out of the den. The four of them usually spent most of the time in their dens and it almost agitated me that they were trying to leave. The two guards didn't see any problem with what they had asked, and let them leave with a nod.

A sudden burst of anger churned in my stomach. They all come and go as they please, eat what they want, do whatever they want... What has BloodClan come to? Scourge would have never allowed this much freedom!

I stood up and unsheathed my claws. A growl was rumbling deep in my chest as my tail whipped from side to side. A few eyes glanced my way and paused out of curiosity, possibly even fear, to see what I was doing. I spotted Rainwhisker digging through the fresh-kill pile. "Rainwhisker!" I yowled to the dark grey tom. Jerking his head toward me, he lowered his head and murmured, "Yes, Poison?" His ears went back and his eyes flashed with both worry and caution in his eyes.

"Where's Sootfur?" I snapped, taking a few slow steps toward him. Eyes narrowed, I could feel the blood roaring in my ears as I waited for the scared tom to reply. Rainwhisker straightened up and almost seemed to relax. His calm reaction only fueled my anger.  "He's training. Ice sent him out earlier-" Rainwhisker replied evenly before I interrupted, "Well go get him! I want him here. Now!" I exclaimed, standing up to shove my muzzle in the toms face. He didn't reply, Rainwhisker only scrambled away, nodding as he dashed out of camp. Murmurs of the remaining cats echoed among the camp as they wondered what was about to happen.

The voices around me buzzed in my ears and within moments an unexpected burst of rage escaped. "Shut up, all of you!" I spat at the crowding cats. Instantly they all grew quiet. Why can't these stupid excuses for cats just do things right?

We all waited in an awkward silence until Rainwhisker padded in with his brother Sootfur. Sootfur looked more puzzled than frightened while his brother gave me a stern look as they headed toward me. I sat with my tail neatly wrapped around my paws, waiting impatiently for them to get past the many cats sitting around. Each cats' eyes had eagerly followed the brothers as they entered. Even the group of kits that had been distracted before were watching from beside their mothers. Tension quickly filled the camp.

"You asked for me, Poison?" Sootfur meowed with his head tipped to the side.

Ignoring his question, I ordered, "Everyone, gather around." Though every cat in the camp exchanged confused glances with one another, they listened. "Sootfur, Rainwhisker," I began, circling the two alarmed warriors. Sootfur's eyes darkened. "As loyal as you two have been, I noticed Rainwhisker has been bringing back pitiful fresh-kill. We do not accept such depressing offers." I challenged the two. They looked at each other, guilt glimmering in Rainwhisker's blue eyes and shock in Sootfur's amber gaze. Sorreltail shoved past the cats that had crowded in front of the two toms.

"The territories are deserted! You know my brother would never-" The tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat pleaded, but was cut short as Ice pushed her back. She tried to get close but I raised my tail and demanded silence.

Before the two brothers could argue or defend themselves, I went on, "As your punishment, you two will fight to the death." I purred, halting in front of them. I noticed the two swallowed and that their tails were trembling. Sootfur was hiding it a bit better than his slimmer brother, but I could still smell the fear wafting from his bristling pelt. Perfect. My smirk grew to a wide, eerie smile.

Finally Sootfur managed to speak. "Poison, I can assure you-" Sootfur made that purring sound where I knew he was frightened and trying to reassure me as he tried to convince me otherwise. Anger sparked through me and without thinking, I sneered, "I'm the leader and you will do as I say!" My eye twitched and I flexed my long claws into the dry ground. I longed for the clearing to be sloppy with blood again.

The two didn't move. "Where do you think BloodClan's name came from? Blood will be running at your paws and staining your minds whether you two like it or not! Now, fight!" I shouted in their faces. I was shaking with fury; I felt like I was going to explode. The wind picked up speed and my fur was sent into knots. Sootfur gave his brother a sympathetic look while Rainwhisker stared at him with his mouth wide open.

Sootfur slid out his claws, with his eyes closed and his face staring at the dirt. Rainwhisker took a step back. I heard Sorreltail let out a whimper from the back of the crowd. "Attack!" Yowling as loud as my voice would let me, I felt my chest tremble from the effort. And with that, the two brothers had no choice but to battle.

I could feel myself ease as I watched the two slash at each other. At first Rainwhisker didn't lay a claw on his brother, but as Sootfur swiped his nose and ears, the dark grey tom started to get mad. Rain began to sprinkle down as the toms battled. Wet dirt was sent flying at the cats watching as the two brothers dug their claws into the wet ground, trying to keep their balance. Rainwhisker managed to cut Sootfur's eye, and as he yowled with pain and staggered backwards, Rainwhisker sheathed his claws and hurried to his side.

The rain started to pour down. "I said fight to the death, not help him when he's down!" I snarled through the heavy sound of rain hitting the ground. I noticed that many of the cats watching were hissing to each other; only the BloodClan cats were watching attentively, their eyes filled with eagerness.

Rainwhisker had no choice but to continue attacking his brother. Sootfur let out a shriek as Rainwhisker's claws sliced through his neck. Rainwhisker's eyes were filled with terror and he began to hesitate. Sootfur stared at his brother with nothing but fear in his eyes. Within moments, he collapsed onto the ground as his blood flowed from the wound in his neck. Stunned, Rainwhisker stood in front of his brother with guilt shining in his blue eyes.

Sootfur's amber gaze was dimming by the heartbeat. "Finish him off you mouse-brain!" I yowled. The grey tom gurgled and, while blood trickled from his jaws, Rainwhisker bent over his brother. Glancing over at me with his lip curled, he snarled, "Over my dead body..."

"No." I demanded, my voice a deep growl, "Finish him or I will!" I glared at the pair of them, unsheathing my long, sharpened claws. Cowards!

"Leave them alone, Poison. Haven't you already caused enough pain?" Lostface shook her head as she padded over to the dying tom as he lay in the mud.

I was taken aback. The fur along my spine bristled up and I glared at the one-eyed she-cat as a growl rumbled deep in my chest. "Who's side are you on?" I sneered low, baring my teeth.

"Our side." Onewhisker pushed his way through the cats in the clearing with his chin raised. Coldpaw joined in, repeating Onewhisker's claim, along with his other two kits. Most of the patrols had come back, including the medicine cats. Barkface padded over with Cinderpelt beside him and the two other medicine cats. Barkface and Mudfur pushed Rainwhisker aside gently as they began to apply cobwebs to the wounded toms large gash. Sootfur didn't look alive, but as they pressed on his neck, he opened his eyes.

"Oh, really?" I scoffed as I flexed my claws into the ground. Onewhisker unsheathed his claws and began to growl. I looked around at the original BloodClan cats. Brick sat at the edge of camp with Boulder, both avoiding eye contact. Ice looked baffled but said nothing. Jaggedtooth, Flame, Snake, and Claw had their claws unsheathed, looking around at the original Clan cats, ready to spring into action at any moment. I let out a loud purr and murmured, "So this is how it's going to be, is it?"

Jaggedtooth and the few others that remained on my side came to stand beside me and behind me. Each had their claws ready for a fight. Crowfeather, Brambleclaw, Blackfoot, Longtail, Mistyfoot, Mousefur and plenty others - including a few BloodClan cats, like Ocean and Snapper - pushed to the front and unsheathed their claws.

"We're sick of the unnecessary deaths! It's our turn to take back the territories once and for all." Blackfoot announced, his teeth clenched.

"Idiots!" I sneered. "You will pay for your foolish decisions! For all the cats who actually are loyal to BloodClan, attack these cowardly Clan cats. We don't need these weak fox-hearts to rule the forest!" As Violet and Russetfur gathered their kits up and hurried out of camp, I gave a demanding caterwaul, and with that the few remaining BloodClan cats dove into battle.

Lostface, Onewhisker, and Blackfoot all lunged at me while the others attacked each other. I hissed at them and slashed Lostface across her cheek and then turned to Onewhisker to give him a hefty blow to the chest. Blackfoot shoved me with his shoulder and, falling to the ground, my back skidded in the mud. The cold, squishy substance clumped in my fur and seeped through onto my skin.

Onewhisker pinned me to the ground before I could stand while Lostface wiped away the blood that was starting to ooze from the wound I had given her. She was soon attacked by Jumper. Blackfoot was then attacked by Jaggedtooth while Onewhisker started to slash at my face. While I swiped his face, I kicked at his stomach as well. Even though I managed to cut deep into his chest and his soft belly, he didn't seem to notice from the adrenaline pumping through him.

The lean mottled tom continued to swing, hitting my cheek and then my exposed throat. Blood splattered all over Onewhisker's face, but he blinked it out of his eyes and kept hitting. I tried to bite down on his throat, but as I reached for it he slashed my eye. Letting out a howl of pain, it gave him time to bend down and sink his teeth into my neck. I gasped, but hardly any air went to my lungs. As he squeezed my neck, I felt the world around me begin to spin and darken. Struggling to free myself, I began to kick at his stomach again. The pain must have been too much to bare because instead of killing me then and there, Onewhisker backed off.

I flipped over and as I attempted to gasp, it came out as a sickening gurgle. I could feel the warm blood seeping from my throat. My eye throbbed and burned as if a bee had stung me. Stiffening, I refused to move. Any movement would open the wound more and cause me so much pain it made me dizzy. I lay there in the mud and rain with my claws dug deep into the ground. Widening my eyes, I realized all the cats in the muddy water and blood soaked ground had stopped fighting and were watching me as I weakened. "You're all weak... disloyal... cowardly pieces of fox-dung!" I hissed through clenched teeth.

Through draining eyes, I watched the remaining BloodClan cats start fighting again. Jumper lay in a curled heap of knotted fur and blood, while Claw was sprawled out near the stump. A few Clan cats lay in the mud as well, while the four medicine cats rushed around trying to apply cobwebs and give them some kind of seeds. Jaggedtooth was being taken on by three cats, Blackclaw, Tess, and Webfoot. Ice was brawling with Sorreltail and Tawnypelt; her kits were no where to be seen. I assumed Russetfur and Violet offered to keep them until the battle was over. Snake took off out of the camp with Shadefur and Mousefur snapping at his tail. You pitiful Clan cats... One day... I will be back...

The world around me grew fuzzy as the last drops of blood escaped my body. I lay there, trembling in the cold rain. I realized I couldn't move my head anymore. I had grown so weak that I was almost paralyzed. Unable to even call to the medicine cats, I watched the battle continue. Not like those fox-hearted medicine cats would come to my aid anyway!

As the Clan cats continued to chase off and kill the BloodClan cats, the world around me disappeared and I soon found myself laying in a misty forest. The wind that blew past seemed to whisper to me. Standing up, I glanced around. There was no sky there, only endless tree tops and darkness. A swirling fog clouded around my paws. The pain in my neck remained, but it wasn't nearly as excruciating as before.

I began to pad toward the sound of voices far off. A deep growl crept up my throat. I'll get my revenge one day. Those cats haven't seen the end of my wrath, for this was only the beginning.