I was running down a long, dark tunnel, panic rising in my chest. The darkness was engulfing me, and I cursed the circumstances that had put me here. If only I had stayed back home! Why didn't I listen to those two? The water was rising faster. "If I don't get out of here..." I kept running. Trying to find a way out. What would my mother think? They were right. Not even training can save me from rain.
(A few days earlier)
"Fallen Leaves!" I turned to see my trainer, Wolf's Claw. "Yes?" I have to mention that Wolf's Claw has very good eyesight, making it out of the tunnels in a day or two. He's also the strongest of all of us. I myself an surprised that Furled Bracken didn't say anything when he came out of the tunnels so quickly. I mean seriously! No one has come out of the tunnels that quick! As I was saying, Wolf's Claw is one of the best cats I could have had as a trainer. "You're not training. Do you think you're ready for it?" "No, but-" "Let's go then. Your mother doesn't want you dead. That's why you got me as a trainer, Fallen Leaves." The shock came a few seconds after he said that. "No. That's not true. It can't be!" I was about to run off, but Wolf's Claw managed to stop me. "Don't move Fallen Leaves." I froze. If I moved he would rip me to shreds. I turned to him. "Let's just get some training done." "Good. Maybe if you didn't daydream all the time you actually could become a sharpclaw. Or all my effort could be wasted. Either way I'm not hurt." I moved away from him. How could he just not care?
I'll show him. I would be the best. Show him what I could do. I wouldn't be alone. Never. I'd never give up. Train as hard as I could. "Fallen Leaves!" Wolf's Claw called. "What?!" "Get over here, now. We've got training to do!" I padded over to him, and we started training.
"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" A quick slash across my face made me want to rip him to shreds. "You may not even be a sharpclaw if you put off your training. Jay's Wing might be a sharpclaw before you!" "You know that won't happen, Wolf's Claw! I'll show you!" I leapt at him, my claws unsheathed. If he said I wasn't ready, this would prove him wrong. "You dare attack me?" He dodged, and slashed my flank. He kept slashing me. I was about to run off into the tunnels jut to prove I could be a sharpclaw. Even still, he was a good trainer. He was just annoying at some points. My mother told me stories of how he kept asking when he could become a sharpclaw, and it drove her crazy. She said he'd be one in time, and how he would run off. It always made me laugh until nightfall. But this time he was serious. I really should be training. I just never wanted to.
The night was cold. I could barley keep my eyes closed. The wind and snow was so painful I couldn't take it. I had to get somewhere the cold couldn't get to me. The only place to go was the tunnels. And I wouldn't go in there.
The night passed, but I didn't get any sleep. Wolf's Claw might as well slash me to pieces. A scream shook me out of my thoughts. "What?" "Wolf's Claw is dead."
My world turned black. "W-what?" My mother padded up to me. "Fallen Leaves,-" "No! It's not true! I wont accept it! I wont!" I ran off. I heard my name being called, but I didn't stop. I didn't stop once.
When I finally got back, my mother rushed to see me. "I thought you were dead, my son." The embrace was comforting to me, and gave me strength to keep going. I'd complete my training and be a sharpclaw, for my mother.
"Your new trainer will be Burning Sun." Oh great, another annoying trainer! Burning sun was even more annoying than Wolf's Claw! Then again, they were brothers, so it made perfect sense. "Let's go, Fallen Leaves." We padded out of the territory, and he trained me until sunset. When we came back night had already fallen. Burning Sun had been half asleep when we got back, so I went to my nest to sleep.
When I woke up, I was more excited then ever. Burning Sun had said that I might be able to go into the tunnels today. My mother would be proud of me. I couldn't wait! I would become a sharpclaw for my mother.
"Are you sure you are ready for this?"
"I'm ready."
"You're my eldest, Fallen Leaves. The first of mine to face the ordeal."
"I'll be fine."
"He was trained well!"
"Even training can't prepare a softpaw for rain!"
"But the sky's clear."
"I smell rain on the wind, I tell you."
"The sky's clear!"
I went into the tunnels unafraid. I knew I wasn't going to die today. As I went deeper into the tunnels, the light seemed to fade from view. Panic started to take me over. What if there was rain? No. The sky was clear. There was no need for me to panic. The light grew dimmer. If I was Wolf's Claw, I'd be able to see. He'd told me about his trial. "The light looked as if it never faded. The tunnels seemed to glow like the moon. I never lost track. By nightfall, my vision had faded, so I slept. When I woke up the sunlight bouncing on the rock was so strong, I could tell it was daylight. As I made my way back, I heard a roar of thunder, and I picked up my pace. I had made it out when the lightning struck the tunnel's entrance." That wasn't the case with me. I had heard the thunder while I was deep in the tunnels. I raced for the entrance, but it was to late. The rain started coming down in sheets. Darkness and death were coming for me. I tried to race out, but the water prevented me from moving to fast. I would drown in the next minute. My life flashed before my eyes, and I gave way to a watery grave.