One in the Wild

---Chapter Three---

    I kept racing along hoping to see some sort of sign of Ripple. I decided to stop for the night, if Hailstorm finds me, then she does.

    I woke up and found Ripple standing over me. At least it wasn't Hailstorm.  Wait, "Ripple!" I had told her to keep running, but at least we were together. "Mountain, we are not even halfway through the forest, we need to keep going. We should start off, now." At that, pawsteps were heard behind. "We've waited too long Ripple, run!"

    Ripple raced off, me right behind. I didn't dare turn around, it might slow us down. We had just reached the edge of the forest. Couldn't be the other side, but the side of the forest. Me and Ripple raced along the outskirts of the forest.

    We stopped about mid day to take a drink and eat. I just realized how hungry I was. We were almost halfway through the forest.

    We decided to split up, Ripple would go back, getting her out of the danger, and I would keep heading along to the mountains. We said our goodbyes and I promised Ripple I would come and get her as soon as I had made a shelter in the mountains.

    We padded off in our own directions. I finally made it halfway through the forest with no trouble. Soon trouble would come.

    I was almost back to my old camp when I heard meowing. "She couldn't be here, she probably already left." It was Stick!

    "Stick, it's me, Mountain!" "Mountain, I'm sorry, I had to tell them!" "it's ok Stick, I know." I was hoping Stick would drop the conversation about this. "I'm going to the mountains Stick. You can come, if you would like." "Your sure you want to go Mountain, you've already fought off Hailstorm more than twice, so can't you just stay?" "Stick, you know I want to, but just let me think. If Hailstorm comes for me again, she probably will, or she doesn't come for me at all, then I will stay. If I loose against her if she comes after me again, then I will leave. Or, I will just stay or leave."

    Just then I heard pawsteps behind me, "Stick, we've taken too long, I need to go." "No, now you see, this is how it ends, you leave me to her, I leave you to her, now once and for all, you will be finished." I knew just then, Stick was always on Hailstorm's side. I knew what Stick meant, Hailstorm would just come in, with her claws ready to rip off my pelt. She and her cats, and Stick, against me.

    I knew I should just flee, but something told me just to say. Just then she jumped on me, just then I knew fear was not my strength, but the company of my ancestors was, I knew they were always watching over me, giving me the strength I needed when battles came to me. I let Hailstorm  pin me down and let my strength come back to me.

    I pushed Hailstorm off of me and leapt on top of her, I scratched at her nose, but then Stick leapt on me, I shook him off, but more cats come after me. I slashed Hailstorm's belly then left her there to lay.

    I slashed at a nearby cat and hit them, slashed at another, but missed. I turned and pounced on a nearby cat, not killing, but damaging her front paw. I turned around and saw more and more cats coming in.

    I leapt on two cats, both of them who fled with the first blow. I slashed at a white tomcat who pounced back at me, but I gave him a quick blow to the ear which sent him fleeing.

    I saw now that no more cats were in the clearing, but more were fleeing. Was Ripple here? "Ripple! Are you here?" "Mountain! Are you ok?" "Yes Ripple perfectly fine. You?" "Good! Don't give up!" "I know!" With that I leapt on two tabby twins sending them fleeing.

    Now only a few cat remained and I could see that Hailstorm was looking for me. I pounced on the nearest cat, almost killing them, just giving them a quick blow on the chest. Now only five cats remained. I signaled to Ripple to finish the cat she was on and then flee.

    I turned to the other four cats and two of them flead, the others hid in the bushes. I turned and faced Hailstorm. "You cam defeat my cats, but never me. I have returned, stronger than ever, face me Mountain, but prepare to die."

   I was prepared, just like her. I waited for her to pounce on me, when she did, I moved out of her way, but she got back and pounced on me again. I met her in the air, knocking her back with me on top.

    She knocked me off of her, but I held on. She was stronger, but I was bigger. I stayed on top of her, making her options limited, mine better. I slashed at her face, but she pushed me off her and pounced on me.

    I wasn't ready, but I pushed her off easily. She was surprised, but not by much. I hopped on her again, but she landed a blow on my tail taking me off balance.

    I got her back and slashed again at her belly. I got a decent blow on her belly and I knocked her back against the rock she had been sitting on. I saw blood coming from her eye. No, it couldn't come to this. I grabbed a mouthful of grass and raced over to Hailstorm. I chewed up the grass and layed Hailstorm down, then spit the grass out on her eye.

    I stood with Hailstorm for a while, her breathing getting worse. I hoped she wouldn't die. I would never forgive myself. I finally decided to go and hunt. I was starving. I caught two rabbits and a squirrel. I decided to give a rabbit to Hailstorm.

    Hailstorm finally gained caution after three days. She knew she hated me, from the moment she woke. I pushed a fresh rabbit to her I had just caught this morning. She sniffed it, then gobbled it up and looked at me for more. I gave her another rabbit and she seemed good.

    She tried to stand but fell again. I knew even though she had thought she knew me, but she didn't. I touched her with my paw, and everything seemed to come back to her.

    She looked at me, expecting me to attack her, but I couldn't. "I won't hurt you," I told her. I helped her back to my former camp and told her her warriors would come to get her. She deserved to die, but I didn't let her.