"I, Tigerstar of the Dark Forest, state that six cats, three toms and three she-cats, between the ages of ten to twenty moons must compete in the annual Forest Games, and fight to the death, till one victor remains."

I shot up, shaking nightmares from my dark gray pelt. Chills ran through my body, sending timid signals to my brain. I slowed my breathing and tried to calm myself. Finally, I slumped down.

The dawn light poured into the apprentice den. It warmed my cold face and stiff limbs.

Now that my breathing had finally reached to a normal level, I closed my eyes and took in the morining air. Smells of dew and wild flowers filled my nostrils, making my fur bristle with amazement. This had been the first smell of newleaf flowers in moons, since the Clans were in a drought.

I stetched and padded out of the den. Looking around the ThunderClan camp, I noticed the elders were up earlier than usual. Graystripe, Dustpelt, Sandstorm, and Purdy were sharing tongues with each other. Maybe they were talking about the events that were going to take place later today.

Then, I saw that they weren't the only ones who were up and early today. Bramblestar, Squirrelflight, and Jayfeather were on the Highrock, preparing the stone for the arrival of Sparrowfeather, a Dark Forest she-cat and the one who will call six of us to be taken into the Forest Games.

Each cat traded nervous looks as they sweeped the dirt and dust off of the Highrock with their tails and paws. "I fear for our apprentices, because they are likely to be picked," Bramblestar said. "Only a few of our warriors are seventeen moons or under." Jayfeather nodded in return.

Suddenly, I felt my father's eyes watching me. "Lionblaze," I whispered, whipping around. Sure enough, a large, golden-tabby tom was standing over me.

"Er . . . Hello, Hollypaw. You're up early." he said.

"I just wanted to take a walk around camp, since I'll never see it again." I joked. Lionblaze shook his head.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, today's the reaping, and it's my first time in-"

His voice cut me off. "Exactly. It's your first time. You'll be perfectly fine, Hollypaw."

I sighed, twitching my whiskers. My hopes were low, and I don't know if I trusted my father or not. It's not like he was forced to fight to the death! Lionblaze is thirty-six moons, or so Cinderheart, my mother, says. "Yeah, I guess I will be fine," I admit.

Lionblaze touched my head with his nose. "I believe in you, Hollypaw. And you know that you'll do fine. I got to go now. I'm need to hunt for Cinderheart, since she just had kits." The tabby rose to his paws and bounded off towards the forest.

It's sunhigh, now, and Sparrowfeather will be here soon. I dread the moment when I finally see what the Dark Forest cat looks like, but I beleive my father- I'll be fine.

"You've got to hold still," Cinderheart commands. "Hollypaw, you'll have to go through this every newleaf, so get used to it!" I groan as she runs a pine cone through my fur.

"Are you almost done," I ask, straining. The silver-tabby hisses and finally, places the cone done.

"Yes, I'm finished. But wait right here." Cinderheart says. She padded off towards a hole in the nursery, and comes out with a violet flower, tinged with a midnight blue, and a sparkling hint of green. "This will go great with your pelt, Hollypaw."

She placed it in the unusual tuft of fur I have that stands between my ear and the top of my head. "You look lovely," squeaked a small tortoiseshell kit. I dipped my head at the tiny cat, who was also my little sister, Branchkit.

Suddenly, a voice rang out, "All cats between the ages of ten moons to twenty moons, gather beneath the Highrock for the reaping!" Cinderheart nudged me, but I could feel her sadness through my fur. Gulping, I padded out of the den where my friend was.

"Flakepaw," I yowled. The white tom turned his head, nervousness flushed through his emerald green eyes.

"Are you ready, Hollypaw? I'm not, and Dovewing was having trouble keeping herself from crying." he said. I imagined Dovewing, clawing at the ground and throwing herself at Flakepaw, keeping him from being taken away.

We pressed ourselves together, walking towards a pile of stones where two Dark Forest cats sat. One must've been Brokenstar, his tail was bent in the middle. The other was a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat. Mapleshade.

The ragged tom looked at us and snapped, "Toms over here. She-cats over there!" I gulped and released myself from Flakepaw's side and padded over to Mapleshade, her gaze full of hatred.

She snapped, "Hand me your paw!"

"Er . . ."

"Hand me your paw!"

I jolted my paw out. The tortoiseshell grabbed a sharp-edged stone, studying the point. Oh, my StarClan. I said to myself. Mapleshade took my leg and jabbed the rock into one of my toes.

I flinched, trying not to show my fear and hurt. Blood trickled down the tiny wound, as the Dark Forest cat used a leaf to dab the crimson liquid off. "Lick it," she hissed, shoving my paw in my face. I did as she said and went along.

A brown tom with scars etched across his neck lead me to the Highrock, where the young cats were. I sat beside of Ivypool, wondering why Dovewing wasn't with her. "Where's Dovewing?" I asked.

"She's a queen and they wouldn't allow her to come." Ivypool answered. I dipped my head and stared at the Highrock. A mottled brown tabby she-cat leaped up onto the peak, her blue eyes glistening.

"It's time to pick three toms and three she-cats to battle in the Forest Games! First off, we will choose from the she-cats," she yowled. The cat padded towards a pile of pebbles, each were a different color, representing our pelt colors. And, I think it had a picture embedded in it, showing what our names were.

The first one was a dark gray. My teeth clenched. "Amberpaw!" she yelled. The apprentice squeaked, padding slowly out of the crowd.

I could hear Brightheart's whispers, "No. No!"

Amberpaw sat beside of Sparrowfeather, her body shaking. Next, the large she-cat drew a dark ginger-colored stone. "Cherrybloom!"

The sigh echoed through the crowd, and a young warrior pushed her way through, climbing up the stones and finally, slumping down beside of Amberpaw. One more to go . . .

Sparrowfeather placed her paw on the stack. Then, she picked up a dark gray pebble, yowling, "Hollypaw!" My body froze. My teeth clenched. And my claws dug into the ground. "Come on up, Hollypaw!"

I realsed my breath and forced myself foward. I climbed up the set of rocks and sat beside of Cherrybloom, my body shaking timidly. Sparrowfeather nodded and walked over to the tom stones. Don't pick Flakepaw. Please!

The first one she grabbed was brown-and-cream rock, and immediantly I knew who that was. "Molefang!" Cherrybloom stretched her neck foward, watching her brother bravely make his way to the Highrock.

Their eyes met with each others', and Molefang sat on the opposite side of the peak.

"Next," the mottled brown she-cat yowled. She stooped down and picked up a gray pebble. "Dewpaw!"

Brightheart was in a full-blown panic. Cloudtail, her mate, grabbed her, keeping himself from crying as well. Amberpaw's brother padded up to the Highrock, a brave look on his face. Molefang helped him up.

"Finally," Sparrowfeather said, scraping her claw on the rock pile, "I will annouce the last tom." She sweeped one up, and studied it. "Marshpaw!" It was Flakepaw's brother and best tom friend. From where I was sitting, I could see Dovewing, Bumblestripe, and their newborns holding each other as Marshpaw padded up to Sparrowfeather.

After that, the Dark Forest she-cat dismissed everyone and we were escorted into the forest.

A/N: Dun dun dun! She got pulled in!