The Warrior Games

Chapter 10

Runningpaw was still limping through the forest when he heard a nearby scuffling not far above her. She froze and looked up to see two sharp, black eyes glaring down at her, it had a gray and white face and snarling yellow fangs.

Runningpaw gasped. She had heard about these creatures from one of the elders in WindClan! They were racoons, and they could be vicious if they felt threatened. Runningpaw knew to never look a creature straight in the eye because they found it threatening, so the brown apprentice looked down towards the ground and slowly began to back away, her tail and head down, trying to not make enemies with the creature who was glaring so viciousely at her.

I'm no threat. She thought, but decided not to say anything. The racoon's eyes drew to slits and an angered hiss came from his mouth. Runningpaw gulped...maybe getting away fast would be a better idea then staying.

She didn't have time to make a choice.

The racoon flew at her, claws aiming at her head, and the last thing she saw before she fell were those two dark slits of eyes, before the mass crushed her to the ground.

Runningpaw screeched in terror, too afraid and too weak to strike back. She couldn't see a thing, the racoon had its claws on her face, scratching down, aiming for her eyes. Runningpaw couldn't move, for the weight of the racoon had her pinned to the forest floor.

Suddenly, amongst all the hissing and scratching, Runningpaw heard another shriek. She didn't see what it was, but all she knew was something was dragging the racoon away from her. Runningpaw managed to stand up, and striked the racoon as it was being pulled away. Blood was dripping over Runningpaw's eyes, making it hard to see what had saved her. All she could see was a white figure of fur. The brown apprentice's energy slowly began to drain. She managed to watch the racoon hiss and run off for the trees, and then she saw the white figure come over to her.

Runningpaw's eyelids closed on her, her body grew extremely tired, and suddenly, her paws couldn't hold her anymore.

And then the young apprentice collapsed on the ground.

***

Rabbitpelt had just finished washing himself. He padded over to the river, and sat by it, thinking to himself.

He had not one idea where his sister could be. If she was alive or dead, he did not know. He knew that he, himself, was safe here - but his sister? Where was his sister? Rabbitpelt shut his eyes tight. If Mossheart was dead, it was all his fault. He should have convinced her to stay with him. Then the two of them would be here, by the river together.

Instead, it was only him. Opening his eyes, he looked down into the water, hoping for a distraction. Seeing the fish swimming around in the tiny waves that washed against the pebbles. Rabbitpelt flung out a paw and hooked the salmon out of the water, holding it to the ground before killing it with a death blow. Immediately, he sank his jaws into it and began to rip into the flesh of the deceased fish.

Next time he would have to make a fresh-kill pile, he thought, one to store food for himself. He tried to keep Mossheart out of his mind, yet the memories of their parting kept flooding back...

"Maybe we can only win the Games with them...."

"Well, I'm not going to join those murderers!"

"I will miss you..."

Goodbye Mossheart.

Rabbitpelt shook his head. It was done! There was nothing he could do to fix it. He couldn't go searching for her - he could die, and how would he help his sister if he died?

"Oh Mossheart!" He cried, "I don't know what I could possibly do to help you!"

He threw his head back, his eyes were watering. The only thing that was keeping him from giving up was the thought of seeing his Clan again.

"What did I do wrong?" He yowled to the sky, "StarClan, are you even watching me? Or is it just the Dark Forest? The cruel, the evil-" He stopped himself. What was he doing? There was an even more likely chance that The Dark Forest would do something bad to his sister or to his family now.

"You know what, forget it!" Rabbitpelt tried to take it back, not sure if it was working or not. He didn't want his family or his Clan to suffer from his stupid actions.

Rabbitpelt collapsed beside the flowing stream, the carcass of the fish was still lying next to him, but he didn't care. He needed to get away, and the only way to do that was to fall asleep again. He closed his eyes and soon his body gave in to sleep.

As he was sleeping, quietly, Rabbitpelt didn't notice the small squirrel scurrying right by his nose and over towards a bush.

He also didn't notice the pair of green eyes that had been watching him, or the sharp set of claws that swiped out in a flash.

The squirrel never knew what killed him.