Warrior Cats Hunger Games

Chapter 4- The Hunger Games Begin

Okay, so I'm finally up to the start of the Hunger Games! Here goes; enjoy!

(Ashfur's POV)

Ashfur clenched his jaw as he padded into the twenty-four separate caves that lead to the arena. He wasn't sure whether he should feel scared or excited. But he did know what he was going to do as soon as the games started. Go in for the kill. The more cats dead at the start, the easier for him.

Ashfur slipped into a small, dimly lit room. Inside sat a spiky-furred tom with a sour expression.

"Hello," he greeted, "I'm Thistleclaw."

Ashfur nodded hastily.

"First things first- the rules are simple: no running off until the start has been announced. There's an invisible border, if you attempt to cross it, you WILL die. Lastly, don't get into close friendships. Remember, they're all your enemies." Thistleclaw explained, keeping his yellow eyes calmly locked on Ashfur.

Ashfur gulped. This was it. Either he would die, or he would survive.

"Step on here, and when I pull this vine the rock will be tugged up into the arena. Remember, trying to run off before the Hunger Games have started will result in a painful death."

"Got it." The grey tom replied, stepping onto the light stone plate.

Before he knew it, he was up in the bright sunshine. He could see all the other tributes standing on the stones; none daring to move a muscle.

In the centre of the clearing there were ten rocks, each holding a leaf package with supplies inside them.

Suddenly, an image began to form in the huge spider web in the middle. It was Tigerstar's face.

"Welcome to the Hunger Games, everyone!" He yowled. "Just a quick tip for you all: the leaf bags have twisted, thick grass loops, so you can slip them onto your neck. You're only allowed one leaf package. Also, may I inform you that in some there are attachable dog claws. Some of you may know Scourge, a cat who had them."

The tributes around him nodded solemnly, and a couple of agreeing yowls joined in.

"Now, time for one of my favourite parts! Announcing the start!" Tigerstar snarled. "Darkstripe, bring over Shrewpaw... Contestants, as soon as I kill this apprentice and you hear his shriek, the games have begun!"

Gasps of pity for the young apprentice were heard through the screen as it blurred and now showed a small, dark brown apprentice cowering on the ground. Above him stood Tigerstar, an evil grin plastered on his face. Shrewpaw's amber eyes were wide with fright as Tigerstar pinned him down.

"3... 2... 1..." The dark tabby slashed down his claw into Shrewpaw's throat. The little tom let out a bloodcurdling shriek, as his bright eyes clouded with death, blood spilling from his body. The screen flickered and went out with a small cackle of electricity before the tributes started lunging forward.

Ashfur leapt towards the middle, unsheathing his claws. Within a split second, Sedgewisker was on top of him, clawing at his back. Ashfur screeched and clamped his jaws into the blood-thirsty she-cats tail. She yowled in pain and lost her balance.

Ashfur pinned her down quickly. A boom of thunder rang in his ears. One of the tributes was already dead.

Ashfur was about to give Sedgewhisker a killing bite, when a flash of tortoiseshell barrelled into him. The breath was knocked out of his body as Ivytail dug her claws into his shoulder. Her paws were already bloody. The blood smelt like Podkit.

Suddenly, before Ashfur could do anything, Ivytail dropped dead on top of him, a thin trickle of blood coming out of her mouth as a loud boom filled the air. Confused at first, Ashfur heaved the dead she-cat off him, instantly coming face to face with Lionblaze. The golden tom gave a nod, and bolted off into the forest, a leaf package dangling from his neck. Ashfur scrambled to his paws. Only two leaf packages left. He grabbed one and slipped it over his head, glancing around him. Crowfeather and Sedgewhisker were wrestling in a ball of flying fur and high pitched screeches, while Onestar had just helped himself to the last leaf package. Ashfur gasped as the WindClan tom locked his threatening amber eyes on him. Ashfur turned tail and fled into the forest, his nose still filled with the stench of blood. He couldn't bear to watch the cats spirits leave their dead bodies.

He had hoped to have had his first kill by now. Maybe he should've gone for the kits or apprentices, like Ivytail did. Disappointed, Ashfur stopped to catch his breath. He sniffed the air. He couldn't smell anything besides the tang of wounds, the forest air and even some far-away prey. Onestar must've known better than to chase him, Ashfur thought, smirking.

Now what was he going to do? Find shelter and check his leaf package, of course. Perhaps he could climb a tree? No, wait, he'd need water too. But he wasn't thirsty...

Ashfur clawed his way up a large pine tree until he reached as high as sturdy branches grew. Then he settled on a thick branch, slipping off the leaf wrapped package. A vole, some borage leaves, and a sharp rock. Ashfur was annoyed that he hasn't gotten one with the dog claws. What could a sharp rock possibly be good for? Sighing, he shrugged, looking up at the evening sky. The golden streaks of sunlight had disappeared, showing dusk as grey as a doves feather. He wondered how Lionblaze, Brackenfur, Ivypool, Snowfur and Cinderheart were doing.

Ashfur finally decided to wait for the death announcements, then get some sleep.

The stars above Ashfur twinkled, and turned into a starry image. Ashfur looked up, seeing poor Podkit's face. Then Ivytail, Lionblaze's kill, and Sedgewhisker. Then the forest went silent again, and the pictures dissolved into normal night sky. Ashfur rested his head on his paws and fell into a quick, dreamless sleep.

Ashfur awoke face to face with Raggedstar. He scrambled to his paws.

"Me and Russetfur are here to team with you." He growled. Ashfur nodded, glimpsing the old ShadowClan deputy dipping her head at him.

"Okay." Ashfur replied.

Sorry about the end. I just wanted to squeeze in Ashfur teaming up with Raggedstar and Russetfur, and I was running out of space because the chapter was getting too long. Yeah, anyway- I hope you liked!