One in the Wild

---Chapter Two---

Me and Ripple raced off, after surprising me and Hailstorm. We paused after a few moments, just to take a drink, and we're off again. We didn't get far before hearing the sound of racing pawsteps behind us. "Now I got you!" came the familiar sound of Hailstorm's voice. Ripple turned around, trying to distract Hailstorm, and I dashed off. Hailstorm knew what was going to happen, she dodged Ripple, and came sprinting after me. I gave it every last tail length of my energy and raced away from her. Ripple! I forgot about her. "Rip-" then I remembered, if I said something, Hailstorm would hear me. I kept on running, this time looping around bypassing Hailstorm on the way. "Ripple!" I shouted, "Where are you?"

Me and Ripple were off again for the mountains, this time more slowly, for Hailstorm had injured one of Ripple's legs. I wasn't sure which way the mountains was, but I was sure it was the other way.

We came to the edge of the forest, only seeing clear plains, no mountains behind them. I had knew it, know we have to go into the forest once more, just to get to the mountains.

We started back the other way, just realizing that the sun was going down. Shoot, we had spent so much time with Hailstorm and her cats, that we had forgot about sun down!

Ripple had set off long ago to collect moss for bedding. Where was she? We had made our camp in a hollow tree stump near the edge of the forest. Something seemed wrong. Where was Ripple? "Ripple!" "Mountain, shhhhhh!" "Why Ripple?" "Their coming!" Who I wanted to say, then heard it, "There around here somewhere. Where are they!" "Ripple, let's go, now!" Ripple darted the other way, then without thinking, I darted the other. Now I knew why Ripple had gone the other way. Me and Hailstorm both ran into each other. Oh no. "Ripple!" Just keep running a voice inside my head said. So, I ran. "I will get you, in the dark or light."

I took off as soon as I heard this. I did not want to stick around to get my pelt torn off. I knew Hailstorm would send some of her cats after me. Right now, I needed to find Ripple. "Ripple!" I shouted. No use knowing Hailstorm could hear me. I kept running, only this time slowed down to a trot. If I wanted to get away, I should run at the sound of pawsteps.

Now it was far past moonhigh. No Ripple, no nothing. Hopefully Hailstorm had stopped her search for me. Actually, I should stop running too.

I woke up to someone breathing on me. "So you now decide to wake up to you death, now your mine." As long as I kept fighting, this was not my death, not yet. I hopped up and dashed away. I knew it wasn't this easy. As I had hopped up I got pinned back down. Wow. Hailstorm was really strong.

"No. This is not my death!" I attempted to throw her off but failed miserably. "Well I won't kill you yet, knowing you haven't tried to escape." She let me go, now I knew the plan, she would try to get me to escape, then kill me. This would not happen. I quickly got up and raced at Hailstorm. She darted out of the way and let me fall to the ground. But, I was smarter, I quickly got up and pounced at her again. This time she wasn't ready.

I pinned her down, like a piece of pray, but couldn't bring myself to tear her pelt off. She shook me off like a few drops of water. "You will die, the worst death of any cat. Now I shat rip your pelt of one piece of fur at a time!"
See what I told you. Now this was my time while she was meowing her head off.

I could easily throw her off. And that's what I did. She was taken back by surprise, and so was I. I was suddenly stronger then I felt. I pounced on her like she was a small mouse and I was the monstrous cat. I knocked her back off her legs suddenly realizing I was stronger then her. Fear was my strength. I slashed at her belly, but only gave her a small scar before dashing off, while fighting her cats, they were nothing like her, easy to push out of your way.

I probably gave most of those flea pelts the scars of there lives. Hailstorm probably killed the victim before it became it battle.

I heard soft pawsteps behind me. Couldn't be Hailstorm, she was probably licking her wounds, not following me.

"Ripple?" " Mountain is that you, what happened?" "Hailstorm is what." "I'll leave you for now about that, but how did you get away?" "Fear is my strength, Ripple, she will come at me harder than any badger that did that, I tore her belly open, just a small scar." "Mountain, let's get moving. Now."

Ripple and I were off again twords the mountains. I wanted to tell her I that I was stronger then Hailstorm, but she wouldn't belive me.

It was growing night and Hailstorm would probably be fit enough to do what she had done with me , except this time, finish me.

We weren't even a quarter from where the battle was when I heard pawsteps behind us. Hailstorm. She was ready, I smelled about 10 other cats with her. "Now you come crawling back to kill me" I shouted behind me. "Yes and this time I will succeed." I turned to Ripple and wispered "Ripple, run as far away from here as possible, don't turn around for me, I will come." She turned around and dashed away.

I turned around and faced Hailstorm, I pounced on her as hard as possible, but missed. I let her pin me down and do her talk. "Now I've got you, my pretty. I shall do this quick and painless, I tried to move, but fear kept me still.

As soon as I could finally move again and Hailstorm was deep in her talk, her cats surrounded us. I had waited too long. I jumped up and pushed Hailstorm aside. I pounced on the nearest cat easily knocking it away. I dashed out of the circle and ran the way Ripple had earlier.