Warrior Cats: BloodClan Hunger Games

Chapter 7 - Stories of the Past

The morning call came above and jolted me awake. My heart lurched in fright as I slid off the branch. I held on for dear life with my claws, upside down. I didn't want to wake up Icepaw until she was ready, so I swallowed a scream for her to help me. Pulling myself up again, I glanced to the sky as Poison's voice echoed through the Arena.

"The deaths of last night: Loudbelly, Frostfur." Icepaw blinked awake as Poison's voice rung throughout the arena. "What... What happened?" Icepaw looked around and then set her panicked gaze on me. "Feathertail?" She woke up at the wrong time. 

"Oh, um, morning Icepaw." I breathed, tearing at the soft wood with my claws. She blinked at me with confused. 

I glanced to the ground and after judging the height, I let myself fall. Landing swiftly, I called up to the white apprentice who peered over the branch. "Are you okay, Feathertail?" Icepaw called down to me and I nodded, looking up at her. 

"Come down, we need to find shelter and fresh-kill before night-fall," I insisted and she climbed down slowly and cautiously. I looked away, searching for any sign of The Horror, but the sound of claws scraping the bark drowned everything else out.

Not realizing she had come to sit beside me, I imagined leaving the horrid Arena, the dead behind me, never to be heard about again. I pictured me being free, the feeling of the wind in my fur and the one I love beside me. But Crowfeather was brainwashed. He no longer loved me, or even knew what love was. Besides, I couldn't just leave everything behind with no memory. It's almost impossible to be free after killing so many cats. As for Crowfeather, he would be searched for until he was found if he ran away.

I had heard rumors that the last winner of the Hunger Games, Thornclaw, had gone crazy and was out for murder. That also made me feel a bit off just thinking about it.

"Psst, Feathertail," Icepaw's hiss made me turn to her, shaking me from my thoughts. "Yes?" I answered, blinking over at her. 

"I asked where we were going to go like three times!" She snapped, her ear twitching.

"Oh, sorry." I murmured, turning away again.

"Yeah." 

"Mm-hmm,"

"So... Where are we going?" She put her face in front of mine, gazing deep into my eyes. 

"Oh! Sorry," I mewed, looking to her and then the tree. We shouldn't stay so close to Loudbelly's accident. Icepaw couldn't bare that.

Quickly, I decided where we would go. "Lets head this way and find a new tree. Hawkpaw won't find us if we stay in a tree, up higher this time." Icepaw nodded, padding in beside me as I headed off. 

We fell silent as we picked up our pace, heading away from the river Loudbelly and I had discovered. Icepaw limped slightly with her wounds still fresh. I noticed they were healing well, though. The wind was heavier that day, whizzing by in a rush. It smelled of rain and when I glanced up at the sky, I noticed the clouds were dark. The ground was spiky with pine needles, poking my pads constantly. 

"So, Loudbelly's gone?" Icepaw croaked, keeping her eyes on her paws, "I remember what happened to Frostfur, but not Loudbelly..." Icepaw's small mew was barely audible and I pricked my ears toward her to hear her more carefully. 

I hesitated and closed my eyes for a brief heartbeat, unsure of how I would tell the young she-cat. I thought of how I was going to word this. Should I just say it straight up or be gentle about it? 

"Look, Icepaw, while you slept and healed, Loudbelly failed to keep up with me. He was old, weak and not the best runner after carrying you." I began, my voice braking slightly. This is all my fault. Icepaw looked at me with big, sorrowful eyes. "He was eaten by The Horror. He is safe now, don't worry about him," I stopped, looking to my paws. I studied the ground as the number of old, dead leaves and pine needles increased when we traveled under the trees. Icepaw was still silent.