Warrior Cats: BloodClan Hunger Games

Chapter 4 - A Watchful Eye

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.