Sup? After a nearly two year hiatus, I have returned. And I'll be back for a while, until this is finished.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors characters. they belong to Erin Hunter.


Part one: before

Amberpaw

The voice had belonged to Dovewing, of course. She had been absolutely enraged, and ushered us out of the room immediately, leaving Molepaw and I standing outside the door awkwardly.

"Uh... what time is it?" I asked, even though I knew that I had asked him before we had gone to check up on Bumblestripe.

"Didn't you just ask me, like, an hour ago? It's 9:30," Molepaw replied, letting out a sigh, "We still have an hour... I was going to see if the building had a library, but I don't think it's a good idea... I wouldn't finish a book in time."

I didn't have to ask him what he wouldn't finish in time for. We all knew. My mind wandered to my previous task: Studying herbs. "Hey Molepaw, since you don't seem to have anything to do, can you help me study herbs? I mean, I know it's pointless, since I won't last long anyways, but-"

"Sure, I'll help," He said, his tone coming out slightly forced and a little too cheery. Then he glanced back at me as we were walking and gave me a sympathetic smile. "It's okay, Amberpaw. I'd rather die than continue living with the Dark Forest breathing down my neck, but there's no reason to keep talking about our deaths."

I sensed the logic behind it, and gave a small smile back. "I guess you're right."

"Come on," he said, giving me a grin and extending his hand towards mine. I felt a blush rage throughout my cheeks like fire, just because I had never really held hands with anyone before(yeah, Amberpaw, sure, I thought to myself),but reached out tentatively and took it anyway.

I stumbled over my feet when he began to pull me along abruptly. Once we had gotten back to the rec room we had been in before, I doubled over, attempting to catch my breath. The task proved to be difficult since I couldn't stop laughing.

Once I had recovered, I punched Molepaw in the arm, lightly enough that it didn't hurt, hard enough so he felt it.

"Loosen up, Amberpaw. You're so worked up about everything. That wasn't so bad, was it?"

I grabbed a tablet and plopped into an oversized bean bag chair with a huff in response.

"Now," I said, "Onto Chamomile and its many uses."

"I already told you what it was for," he groaned, flopping next to me, and snatching the tablet, "Now you can tell me."

"Uhhh..." I searched my memory for the answer. Something about anti-inflammatory? And wounds? "Its juices can be used to treat wounds... and it can be used against colds and fevers, but I'm not sure how; and it stops inflamement?"

He shot me a grin. "Good. The juices can be created into a salve that you can rub on wounds, and if you make it into a tea it works internally to stop said colds and fevers... uh, but without access to our camps, you'd have to create some dining utensils yourself. Unless the pile of supplies contains some-"

I held a finger up to his lips. "I think I understand. You can stop rambling now," I said, taking the tablet back and glancing at it to view the next herb. "Coltsfoot?"

"Oh, that one is easy. It helps with shortness of breath. Not a big deal."

"Comfrey?"

"It helps mend broken bones and soothe wounds. Anything else? No, wait, you should study some that have to do with infections. That's important."

I sighed, looking back at the list again. "Marigold, Horsetail, Burdock root, chervil..."

"Memorize Marigold and Chervil. That should be enough for now."

I put the tablet down, making a note in my head of the herbs that I had just learned: Chamomile, Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Marigold, and Chervil. I already knew that yew berries and Nightshade were poisonous. Yew was more common by the Lake than Nightshade was, but there was no knowing what the Dark Forest might have in store for the Games.

"Thanks, by the way, Molepaw. You didn't have to help me, you could have just left me to die, giving you a better chance at winning-"

"I have one more herb for you: Thyme. It's known to calm anxiety and nerves and is rumored to keep eleven year olds from talking more than they should."

"I'm twelve. Why does everyone think I'm eleven?" I sighed in frustration. It didn't really matter to me, honestly. But sometimes it got annoying.

He shrugged, glancing longingly out the window. "I miss home. Not home right now... home before the battle. Before the Dark Forest took over."

I slouched deeper into the bean bag. "You're not the only one. I miss my parents, and Snowpaw, and Dewpaw... But even if we could go back, the tensions are so high. At least we get a glimpse of freedom before we die."

This time he didn't reprimand me for being pessimistic. "I know."

I looked over at him. He had his chin in his hands, with a downcast expression on his face. The usual, optimistic façade he wore was gone, and all I could see was a boy with a ruined life, with a bruised and broken heart, without a chance at real life.

A boy like me.

• • • • •

Tigerheart

I slept fitfully that night.

I saw my mother and my father, looks of anguish on their faces, soon turned into disdain and horror.

I saw my Clanmates, with similar looks on their faces, though I couldn't have cared less about them.

I saw Dovewing, with a stab wound through her stomach, the tips of her silver hair stained red, blood oozing out of the wound slowly. I felt a sickening glee at the sight.

But last of all I saw Flametail, and all I felt was an overwhelming grief, threatening to crush me. He wouldn't look at me, his face twisted into a terrible snarl of disgust. I tried to take a step towards him.

"Get away from me, you monster. I never want to see you again."

The force and meaning of his words was enough to send me flying backwards. The darkness dissipated and I was hurled off of a cliff. Looking down, I glimpsed jagged rocks, turbulent waters slamming against them.

"Tigerheart."

Stars, I was going to die. The rocks seemed to grow three times closer every second. All I imagined was my body, bloodied and broken, thrown into the sea, drifting away forever, being devoured by-

"Tigerheart!"

I gasped, sitting up abruptly, finding myself nose to nose with Olivenose.

"What are you doing in my room?" I snapped.

She recoiled, retreating to the edge of my bed. "I thought to come wake you. Are you okay? You look a little, um...shaken."

I jumped out of bed, walking to my bathroom. Olivenose was right, I did look shaken... as if I'd seen a ghost. Which I may or may not have, if the Flametail in my dream was from StarClan or if he was something my brain had conjured.

She followed me, standing in the doorway. I realized I hadn't answered her question. "I'm fine."

She didn't look convinced. "You sure?"

I glanced over at her. Her usually cheery face held a concerned look. "Yeah. Is there any other reason why you decided it'd be okay to come into my room while I was sleeping?"

At this she hid her face, but not before I saw the pink that lit up her cheeks. "To remind you of what today is!"

"Its Thursday. So?"

Olivenose turned back to me, her face still flushed, now annoyed. "No, you dumbass... today's the day of the party."

"Oh, that," I muttered, rolling my eyes, "The thing that's going to get us all killed. Got it."

"It's not going to get us killed," she scoffed, "The hangovers we get will."

"Like that's any better."

"It is," she said, her cheeky smile appearing on her face.

I blinked at that. "Okay."

There was a tense, awkward silence between us. Then I said, "How long do we have until training starts?"

She glanced at her watch. "Maybe an hour."

"Well... I would like to put a shirt on."

At that, her eyes flitted down to my muscled stomach, then back up to my face, a deep red blush instead of a pink one spreading throughout her face.

"Yeah, sure, I'll go, right now-" she laughed nervously, starting to leave, then turned back around, her grin now cunning.

"But I'll be back by nine thirty, sooo... hurry up. I wouldn't want to see anything I'm not supposed to... would I?" She winked and exited. For the second time that week, I stared at my door dumbfounded because of... her. Olivenose.

I shook my head, splashing my face with cold water in an attempt to clear my thoughts. I threw on a black t-shirt, with ShadowClan's symbol in the top left corner, and a pair of black sweatpants with twin stripes of deep purple down the sides.

I didn't bother to shower, since I had taken one after training and last night before I went to bed. I'd take a cold one after training today.

Olivenose said she'd be back by nine thirty... but I was already done, and it was only quarter past. But then the wickedest idea came to mind, and I decided to follow through with it.

(Well, not that wicked, compared to the deal I had made with Tigerstar, but hey, it would either make her upset or absolutely flustered.)

I jogged up the stairs(instead of recreating yesterday, I spent a portion of my time sprinting up and down the flights, since I had been disappointed with myself. It didn't bother me anymore because of that)and down to the breakfast hall, knowing Dawnpelt would be there.

She was chatting with Cloverpaw, Crowfrost, and Slightpaw(he was from WindClan, I think)about who knows what. I grabbed a chair and slid into it rather noisily, then stopped to catch my breath while they gave each other bewildered looks.

"Hey sis... um, what's Olivenose's... favorite... breakfast food?"

She smirked, sharing a knowing glance with Crowfrost. "Why do you want to know?"

I shrugged, putting up a nonchalant façade. "No reason. I was just wondering." I wonder how Olive is going to react... hopefully she won't freak out.

Like Dawn was actually going to believe that, but I wasn't about to reveal my motives.

"French toast and breakfast sausages, with peaches and whipped cream. Oh, and if you want to make her especially happy, it's been ages since she's had coffee. I'm sure she'd love that," My sister answered, her tone full of restrained teasing. Crowfrost was barely managing to suppress his snickers, and I made a mental note not to go easy on him during training today.

I thanked my sister and began to grab the things she had lifted from the counter at the front of the room. When I was just about finished, Slightpaw called out, his tone full of amusement, "You should throw in a few roses and orchids, too. Specifically the yellow roses, with red tips."

I thought nothing of his comment, doing as he said while shooting playful glares at their table. Honestly, I didn't understand what was so funny...

Until I was just outside of her door and remembered the significance of the flowers. I almost dropped the tray I was carrying.

I considered going back on the plan, but shook my head and opened the door, peeking my head through to make sure she wasn't there. Let them laugh, I thought.

I shoved away the thought that this was proving I was completely over Dovewing. I wanted it to be true.

While going through with this was pretty much admitting what I had been denying, and only making things worse for me by getting attached, I had already dug a deep enough hole with Tigerstar. Now I was just jumping in.

Olivenose was waiting at the bottom of that pit for me.

I think.

Walking into her dorm and setting the tray on a desk in the corner, I scoured the room for a piece of paper. I tore off a scrap from her booklet and scribbled a note on it:

Looks like you were a little too late to see anything you weren't supposed to... better luck next time ;P

-Tiger :3 3

What was I doing? There was no way any of this could end well.

• • • •

It was nine forty five, and still no Olivenose.

I was sitting at the edge of my bed, tapping my foot impatiently, when the door burst open. She was red-faced, her cheeky grin wider than usual(Her outfit consisted of a purple, loose fitting tank top with our Clan's oversized symbol in the center. She wore black leggings with purple criss-crossed lines on them.).

Her hair was in an updo, and braided into the bun was the rose I had brought with her breakfast. The sight of the rose was enough for me to feel heat rush to my cheeks, and I avoided her eyes.

"I didn't know that a ruthless person like you could be so sweet."

"I guess sweetness is one of my quirks," I muttered.

SIightpaw was going to get it bad during training.

"So... you're not going to talk about it, are you? What, was it a dare from Crowfrost? Smokefoot?" She sounded somewhat hurt.

I didn't answer. She stalked up to my bed and sat down next to me.

"Tigerheart."

"No, it wasn't a dare. It was my idea, I was ready early so I decided to do something nice and-"

"Okay, okay," She replied, the grin back on her face. "Thank you... especially for the coffee... and the rose."

"About that-"

"No, It's okay. I like it."

Wait. So she didn't know what it meant? But we took a class on that when we were apprentices...

But she skipped that class and went hunting with Dawnpelt during it, so of course she wouldn't know. Typically, that increased the awkwardness of this situation.

I attempted to avoid the significance. "But it doesn't go with our clan colors or anything, and you don't even like yellow."

"That's true," she ventured, "but I do like the idiot I'm sitting next to... and the rose clearly speaks the same for you."

What?

"B-but Olivenose, you skipped that class, you couldn't possibly know what it means."

"But I do. Crowfrost taught me himself after he discovered I didn't go."

"Oh."

She scooted closer and lifted her head to whisper in my ear.

"I'll see you during training."

And then she left.

I didn't realize how much I wanted her until the door closed and Olivenose was gone.

• • •

Minnowtail

Mousewhisker pulled me up after another round of sword fighting, where I had lost to him, again. I grounded myself to avoid falling into him, fully aware of my brother's clear blue eyes boring into my back.

Pebblefoot needed to mind his own business. So what if Mousewhisker and I decided to train together? It didn't mean anything.

My training partner smirked, pale green eyes glittering. "I thought minnows were food, not predators. You're proving me wrong."

I bit my lip, my eyes never leaving his, and pretended to lose my balance, catching myself on his shoulder. "Hmm...I guess I'll just have to be as deadly as a barracuda, then." He was hot to the touch from the fight, and smelled of ferns and wildflowers and all things ThunderClan.

"Barracuda. I like that."

Pebblefoot was probably seething. Good for him. He could go simmer himself into a pot of stew for all I cared.

"It's a good thing I don't like mice, or you'd be dead meat. Let's go again," I said, finally righting myself.

But to my disappointment and slight relief, he shook his head. "We've done enough for today. You don't want to be sore tomorrow from overworking yourself. We can't afford to lose that time, otherwise I'd be all for it."

It was true, my muscles were already beginning to ache. They would be sore anyways. And though that'd be torture during training in the day following, I'd have to suck it up.

"Ok then... what now?"

"I have a few ideas," Mousewhisker muttered. He looked up, eyes glazed, but once he blinked the glaze was gone.

"And what might those ideas b-" I let out a huff of frustration as the signal for the end of training went off.

The boy in front of me smirked instead of catching up with his clanmates. "Want to break some rules, and piss some people off?"

I gave him a wicked grin right back. "Absolutely, baby."

• •

Pebblefoot

Minnowtail was looking to die prematurely, wasn't she?

I had decided that, because she was my sister, I could trust her to take care of herself-primarily with Mousewhisker.

Apparently not.

Because I walked into my room, and my bed was covered in pinecones. The top drawer of my dresser was filled with pinecones. I walked into my bathroom, and my tub was full of freaking goshdarn pinecones. And on my nightstand, content in a small, translucent box, was a mouse. It was nibbling away at a hunk of cheese, and taped to the box was a note-

Hope u like your present, bro!

See ya at the party.

~Mouse & Minnow

And so I silently raged as I disposed of the mess they had made...though I couldn't bring myself to get rid of the mouse.

I'd have to shower later.

When I arrived for dinner, I discovered that I wasn't the only one. Ivypool, Breezepelt, and Tigerheart all looked ready to tear someone apart.

I joined them at their round table, chirping, "Does revenge sound sweet to you guys?"

Breezepelt eyed me, looking angry and bored. "Since when did you ever care about revenge?"

"About the same time I started hating pinecones."

He scoffed, and went back to seething quietly. Tigerheart tapped his fingers on the table, clenching his jaw. "Whatever you want to do, Pebblefoot, I'm in."

"Me too," Ivypool added, rebraiding her hair.

"Okay. So... you're both aware of the party, right?" I asked, just as Mousewhisker and Minnowtail barged in-correction: my sister barged in, the latter following her-laughing their sorry arses off.

The Thunderclan female rolled her eyes, but ignored them. "Of course I am," she replied.

"You, Tigerheart?"

But the warrior's attention was on Olivenose.

"Tigerheart," Ivypool hissed, "snap out of it."

He blinked, casting one more glance in Olivenose's direction before turning back to me. He muttered, "Yes, I know about the party. What about it?"

"Well...however the girls are working their wonders, I'm expecting drinks. What if we spike theirs with something that'll cause them to be out of it for all of tomorrow? Including during the interviews?"

"Genius, Pebblefoot," Ivypool drawled, "Easy way to get yourself killed. But I'll look for something. Tiger, you're in charge of spiking the drinks." Then she sauntered off to the buffet, grabbing a horde of food, and slipped out the door.

Tigerheart just shook his head, pushing back his chair and getting his own dinner as well. Instead of returning to this table though, He went straight to ShadowClan-and sat in close range of...big surprise-Olivenose.

I shook my head, chuckling under my breath, but then realized I was still sitting with Breezepelt.

"What are you looking at?" He snapped, and my hackles raised.

"Only something quite unpleasant," I snarled back, and then stalked away.

Yet another person's bad side I had gotten on. Minnowtail and I were more alike than I thought.

Heathertail

Recreation time? More like recreation time. As in recreating my look for the party.

I planned to spend my time with Dawnpelt and Olivenose. Our closets were stock full of dresses-for the interviews- that I recognized from what those in the clans would wear to special occasions.

It filled me with disgust at first, as some of them probably belonged to dead Clanmates, but that disgust was overruled by the fact that I'd be dead soon, too.

So, I had brought myself and a handful of dresses up to ShadowClan's floor, and we met in Olivenose's room.

All I overheard when I walked in was, "Ew. That's why my brother wanted to know? I didn't know he was such a sap."

Olive glanced toward me as I came in, then looked back to studying the note she was holding. I deposited my clothes on her bed and joined her and Dawnpelt on the setee, snatching the note out of her hands.

"Hey, Heather! Give that back-"

I pushed her away, reading as I did so, and then snickered. "Tiger wrote this? That's hilarious."

I gave it back to her and she huffed. "He brought me breakfast, too."

I cackled again. "And I thought Tiger's soft side was only for Dovewing-" Gasping, I slapped a hand over my mouth, and Dawnpelt glared at me.

Olive frowned, tucking the note away. "What about her?"

I cringed at my mistake, and Dawn muttered, "He was in love with her a while ago. Last thing I knew he was still trying to get over her..."

"Oh," Olive whispered, eyes downcast. Instead of pressing further though, she sprang up from her seat, a fake grin on her face. "Well, we're here to get ready for the party so we might as well! Dawn, you go first."

Wiping the concerned expression from her face, Dawn went over to her pile of dresses. "Well...I'm stumped between these three."

She held up a strapless white dress that faded into a pale orange at the skirt, a skintight black dress with mesh long sleeves, and an off-the-shoulder frost blue skater dress- and they were all mid-thigh length.

"Off the shoulder," I chirped, "Most definitely. But you should try them all on first, just to make sure."

Olive agreed. Dawn shrugged and modeled all three for us; honestly, she looked good in all of them, but we still liked the frost blue one best, so she chose that one.

For Olive, Dawn and I both agreed that the two-piece olive green dress she grabbed was quite fitting, literally. It was skin-tight with a knee-length skirt, and long sleeves on the top piece, which was also backless.

And for me...though I had grabbed a good amount of dresses, my favorite ended up being a lilac gray halter dress that stopped just above my knees. It was simple yet elegant.

In fact, I recognized it as the dress Cinderheart had worn at the gathering she was named a warrior. For a fleeting moment, I wondered what Lionblaze would have thought, if he were still alive.

"You look lovely, Heather!" Dawn squealed. Olive voiced her agreement.

I smirked, replying, "If you think this is great, wait until you see what I'm wearing to the interviews tomorrow."

Dawn scoffed. "I can guarantee it won't be better than mine. Whoever set up my room ended up giving me one of my own dresses, and it just so happens that I've never worn it before. I was planning on wearing it the day my father became leader but...well."

She didn't need to finish her sentence. The final battle had taken something from everyone.

"Well then," Olive butted in, "I can't wait to see it! I can't really say mine is very exciting."

I shrugged, and Dawn threw an arm around her shoulder. "It's alright Olive, we still think you're a beaut. And apparently, so does Tigerheart," she snickered.

She then proceeded to say a quick goodbye and headed out, supposedly to spend some time with Crowfrost before the party.

I stayed a little while longer, but left within the half-hour after talking to Olive about idle things. As I jogged down to my room, I hoped that said party went well and that we really didn't wind up doing something stupid.


Welp, there it is. I'm working on part two at the moment, so expect another update within the week. I'd say there's about 6 or 7 more chapters left in this story. It was never meant to be long, simply a side project. However, I'm going to try and make the chapters a little over 5k words so it makes all of this waiting worth it.


QOTD: What are you looking forward to seeing in the Games?


I do apologize for how long I've been away, but life is life. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! There are more to come.

Peace out.

~Mystic Wolf.