There we are with the 11th chapter! Let's start the Games!
Chap 11- The week of the games
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After three months of preparations, finally the Week of the Games arrived. The mice with the white hair and the dark fur crowded in the chosen place, they spoke each other with the smile on the lips or teased the others playfully.
"It seemed yesterday when I won the Tug of war." Bruce commented stretching. His scarlet eyes slid along the flat surface of the lake, the expression happy and satisfied. It had been the last challenge in which he had joined when he wasn't the clan leader.
Stoker patted his shoulder "It's obvious, you stood... dead for years!" he exclaimed chuckling "And so you're back to your old life, eh?"
Bruce nodded melancholic, everything was perfect but something was missing. He sighed knowing what it was "I'd like to have Nadia here." he got a lump in his throat and the sadness in his heart. Without his wife, his live wouldn't be the same. It would be full of business being a clan leader, grandfather and father, but empty. Without that smile that had always shined her face and that emerald eyes.
The brown furred mouse snorted "Onh.. so sentimental! Oh... then... you have always been." he turned serious "Hei, seriously. Don't bother yourself. Nadia was special, I know it because I knew her. But who can say that you could do the same choice of Modo?"
The black mouse had a little reaction to that phrase, his tail twitched nervously beating one time the ground. Every time that he thought it he felt a monster, a betrayer. But on the other hand Vice and Modo were right. The problem was that Bruce didn't know if he would be able to fall in love again. He gave a shrug, an almost symbolic gesture, as he wanted get free from all the problems. He wanted that this week was perfect, he would put away all his research because the Imar's discovery was the beginning of everything, it was the missing piece that would confirm or deny his suppositions "We'll see." he answered, he didn't wanted to think more, at least for that week. Bruce turned to watch the families of the clan. He felt better, after so much suffering finally the calm was back and the clan could recover. The families had to grow up to save their race. This was the only prerogative.
The area around the Big Lake was filled in a few time. Nobody was missing between friends and Gladiators. The children survived to the war weren't so many but everyone was able to make so much noise that the others could lose their patience. The three twins, Stella's brothers, were the most lively and dragged in their run the other children. All the three had the tan fur, like their older sister, but the hair was blond.
Bruce looked at them in silence whilst the three little pests fought playfully with the other little mice with the dark fur and the white hair. The Gladiator smiled putting the hands in the pockets and the rough surface of the envelope brought to his mind a thing: he must give the missive to Rimfire. The letter was by the Sergeant Scabbard, Bruce wondered what it was written. He knew about Throttle's letter but not the Rimfire's. Despite the curiosity, the clan leader didn't open the letter preferring to wait the recipient.
Before to start, as usual, Bruce remembered the rules of the games and announced that the first challenge was the synchronized run and the participant must prepare themselves. So whilst the free Gladiators were organizing the gazebos with the benches and the tables for the lunch, the athletes were warming up.
"Good luck guys." Modo said "Do your best, Nephew!"
Rimfire and Stella stood to attention "We'll do!" answered the girl crushing her friend with the arm wrapped around his neck.
"Do you know that if you kill me you won't race?" he exclaimed couching "You're absurd!"
Stella chuckled sorry "Ups..." but her expression changed when she saw someone that would compete with them, the tan mouse became serious and turned to her warming-up.
Soon Rimfire noticed that change of mood and moved the look where Stella had looked before, Roy was training with his older brother, Arthan. The black mouse looked at him back with hostility, he made the sign of the L on his forehead with the index finger and the thumb "Loser" he murmured and smirked.
Rimfire understood why he hadn't seen Roy for all this time, the Gladiator wanted defeat him in the Games. But the grey mouse was good at the run and the trainings with Stella wouldn't be vain, he would win. He was sure.
Bruce recalled the participants, the team of his family was the Red, Roy's and Arthan's was the Green. He explained the conditions of the competition and finally the ten teams were in the camp. It was too late when the black mouse remembered the letter, he would deliver it after the race. It would be better don't distract him with that news.
Meanwhile the other mice grouped around the makeshift camp. Some of them bet on who would be the winner, others commented. Charley too was here to see the races.
"According to you, who will win?" Ronald commented sliding his emerald eyes on the participants.
Vice rubbed the index finger on his chin "I dunno. Ponga's family has always been the best at these speed races, but Stella and Rimfire are good too. I think that the Red Team and the Green will contend the first place."
"Do you say?" his younger brother was doubtful "Mh.. I bet a dinner on the Green Team."
"Traitor!" Vice exclaimed frowning "Then I bet on the Red Team, if they win you have to offer to me a dinner!"
Carbine rolled her eyes, she had other things on which complain, she felt a ball and said to be fat. Things on which she wouldn't complain in a normal situation. As answer Throttle chuckled and hugged her from the back "And then you're my fat girl!"
The lady grey mouse answered with a snort "Don't become sugary like Modo, Hot Shot!"
At interrupt the discussion was Bruce's weapon that shot into the air and the teams left at full speed. The beginning looked a disaster for some teams whose members uncoordinated fell and stood up with difficulty. But the Green and Red teams hadn't problems from the beginning and sometimes they found themselves to head to head. As it happened, Roy looked with hate at the young Rimfire who however ignored him, the grey mouse was focused on which he and Stella had learned. They hadn't lose, not against Roy and Arthan, it would be a double victory.
The competition went on without problems until also the other teams had caught the first two. Rimfire was astonished of so much energy. The teams had recovered almost at once endangering the domination of the Red and Green Teams. The circular path was long 500 meters and the team had to do two rounds to complete it (one kilometer was goal). It wasn't easy because between concentration and physical effort, the tiredness arrived soon and it wasn't long in being felt to Rimfire. Stella seemed min his same situation but she didn't want give up "A little more..." she murmured panting "We can't... let them... defeat us!"
The grey mouse was pervaded by a sudden enthusiasm, he smiled with determination "Then, what are we waiting for?" it was almost at the finish line now and the head to head lasted too much. If they didn't hurry with a final sprint they had lose because just in that moment the Green Team overcoming them.
Stella nodded like if her friend had transferred to her the same charge and, focusing with all herself, she helped Rimfire and both sped up channeling all the energies in that last act that would make the difference between the victory and the second place on the podium. The voice of Bruce who commented the race was only a distant sound.
The two teams were again head to head, and the finish line was closer and closer. Arthan and Roy were going to overcome them again and the white tape was going to be broken. A last effort. Only a few meters were missing. With great effort, Stella and Rimfire sped up and gained ground, they were at the head for some centimeters and succeeded to break the white tape that signed the finish.
The two mice lost the balance and fell on the red ground, despite the tiredness a big smile shined their faces and a big clamor came from the mice that had watched the race. "We did it!" exclaimed Stella freeing her ankle and jumping on Rimfire "We're great" We won!" she filled his cheeks of kisses whilst the poor grey mouse tried to free himself from that assault.
Roy and Arthan were tired and disappointed. They wanted to defeat them and show their value. Roy glanced at Rimfire and Stella and his stomach writhed for the rage. He took the price of the second place and went away from the crowd that ran into the camp to celebrate the two winners. Modo brought his nephew on his shoulders and it was in that moment that Rimfire noticed the amber eyed Gladiator, something moved in himself and he took a strange decision, maybe even dangerous. When he was finally with the feet on the ground, his mood became better with the delivery not only of the medallion but also the letter of Scabbard. Finally the answer arrived. The two winners were obliged to take some photos.
"What is that?" Stella asked noticing the white envelope as the dust settled.
"The answer of the Sergeant Scabbard." Rimfire said handling carefully the letter. His eyes studied with greed the envelope.
"And why he would send you an.. answer? For what?" Modo asked.
Rimfire lingered to answer, he didn't know if say it or not "I made a request to the Academy."
His uncle seemed surprised "Oh... and what are you waiting? Come on! Open it!"
Dragged by the general enthusiasm, the young mouse opened the envelope and read the communique. At first his face was contracted in an absorbed expression and then it brightened of a big smile "He.. he accepted me!" he exclaimed able to breathe barely. Everything in one day, the happiness was too much "I'll spend the next seven months in Academy!"
"I'm happy for you, nephew! You'll become a good soldier, also if you're yet." his uncle said.
"We hope to hear you sometime." Throttle commented patting his shoulder.
"Only by letter. It won't be allowed communicate in real time." Rimfire answered, then he turned to Stella "Hei, Stella, have you hear... something's wrong?" he asked noticing the dark expression of the girl. While the other mice turned to speak about the race, Rimfire went close to the lady tan mouse "Are you ..."
Stella's eyes were watery, the look down and she bit the lower lip. When her friend was close she whimpered and then pushed him away rudely and ran away without saying a word. The grey mouse stood to watch her for some seconds before to understand what was going on. He tightened the letter in the right hand and breathed a long, he was tired but it didn't prevent him from running after her. Something had upset her but he couldn't understand what it was. He found her sat at the feet of the usual hut, that in which they went when they met for the first time "Hei, is it ok?" Rimfire asked panting "Man! Why did you run away?"
Stella didn't answer, she had still the funeral face "You didn't tell me that you'd go away." she said with accusatory tone, her voice trembled a little. She stood curled on the grass with the arms around the legs and the chin on the knees.
Rimfire arched the eyebrows "And I didn't tell you that I'd stay here." he answered serious, he sat at her side "I need to go to the Academy. But it wasn't in my intention to make you angry. Then, I have to think about what do for my future."
Stella rubbed the eyes with the forearm "But you could tell me, no?" she sniffed.
Rimfire clicked his tongue "You didn't ask me." he answered simply "Oh, the good news is that they are only seven months. According to the rules I'd spend about two years but having been on the battlefield and having made experience, the Sergeant Scabbard said that the period is shorter for me. So I can join the army and have a work right after the Academy."
The tan mouse didn't look satisfied of that answer, she continued to glance at the toes of her shoes "But why the army? You like so much fighting? The peace is back now and..."
Rimfire interrupted her with an exasperated whimper "And the Sand Raiders? And the fights against the rats that haven't accepted the treaty of peace? There will always be conflicts and not having been useful during the war I want do something. For this reason I need to improve. In these years I made more troubles than save lives." he put an hand on her shoulder "Also if we got away with the Sand Raiders and the Hunters, I admit that it was only luck."
Stella hugged him "Then promise me that you'll write to me!" she said rubbing her cheek on his chest, she looked relieved.
Rimfire raised the eyes to the sky and shook the head patient "I will." then he went away from the girl and stood up "So, let's go?" he asked extending the hand to her "We have to celebrate our victory!"
The lady tan mouse smiled and took the hand of her friend that pulled her up and finally she was on the feet. When they arrived at the gazebo the mice were worried and ran to Stella that reassured them "And now where are you going?" she asked seeing that Rimfire was going away.
The boy froze, he turned to her "I have a thing to do." he answered unease "But I'll be right back." and then he walked towards another gazebo. Around a long table were sat about twenty mice with the black fur and the yellow eyes, it was Ponga's family, his sons Arthan and Roy were speaking with the other familiars. Rimfire cleared his voice to attract the attention and, when the black mouse turned to him with annoyed frown, he spoke "Do you have some minutes for me?"
Roy seemed to think on it and then he nodded "What do you want?" he asked sharply "You want make fun of me for the defeat?"
Rimfire arched an eyebrow, perplexed "Of course not. I wanted only speak with you, alone." his eyes lingered on that white haired heads, they were all turned to him.
The black mouse glanced fast at his family and nodded "Ok, I follow you." he stood up from the bench with all the calm that he had.
The two boys went away enough to not being heard and Rimfire began to speak "Listen..." he started a little awkward "I don't want enemies or peoples hostile towards me only for a girl. Here." finally he could say.
Roy gazed him a little confused "Don't you care about Stella? I recommended you to hold her close."
Rimfire shook the head "Stella has her head to think. Do you think that once she had left you she would let you conquer her again?" he asked as the think was obvious, he didn't want say that everything was a lie of the girl and he didn't want put her in difficulty and so he continued his play, however it wasn't good having enemies above all if those enemies were big and strong "I mean, I'm trying to say that is stupid argue for someone that at the end will decide with his mind, as always. You know Stella, no?" He tried to smile hoping to involve the Gladiator too and extended his hand to him in sign of friendship "Therefore... my name's Rimfire."
Roy continued to look at him and then he moved the gaze on the held hand, he didn't understand why that mouse was offering to him his friendship. He had always been very rude towards him, and Rimfire wanted to settle the situation and start over. The black mouse breathed deeply and squeezed his hand, a soft smile curved his lips "You know, I like you. I thought you were a buffoon, one of those that having fought in the war they think to be the best." he felt a stupid "And Stella goes crazy for this kind of peoples" because he himself was one of them.
Rimfire felt relieved, Roy didn't seem a dangerous guy. He left his hand "I don't know. She never told me about what kind of peoples she likes." he answered embarrassed, he had never spoken with Stella about this topic. She did questions about what he had done during the war and what where the duties of a Freedom Fighter but she had never said why she liked him so much, he started to think that it was the usual female whim despite Stella had showed more times how much she cared about him and the reaction that she had that day was the clearest evidence. Then he remembered a thing "Does Stella behave like that with you? He asked.
The black mouse looked at him embarrassed "Then.. y.. yes." he muttered "She's... how I can say... a very outgoing girl, here."
Rimfire wrinkled the nose, perplexed, but before he could speak Roy continued "She hadn't an easy life. Despite her mother had taken care of her trying to don't make her feel the weight of the war, the loss of her parents had provoked the opposite effect."
"Yes, I know the story." the grey mouse said "And then this would be the cause of that behavior?"
Roy scratched the head "Nope, she's made so. When her father was still alive and he had the opportunity to go to his family, Stella had always assaulted him, literally. And now that he's dead, she lavishes her affection on the others, above all on the boys that she likes. Unh.. now that you make me think..." his yellow eyes squeezed and analyzed Rimfire's face "Stella stops to be so outgoing once she has started a relationship. She behaved so with me too. When we got engage she seemed to calm down, doing exceptions for some moments..." his expression became nearly investigative "This makes me think that you and she aren't together. Is it so?"
Rimfire opened the mouth but he couldn't speak, that Gladiator was smart. He felt in trouble but at the end he preferred to say how the things were "When me and you met for the first time outside of the lab, she didn't give me the time to speak." he mumbled hastily. He feared that Roy would get angry.
But it wasn't so. The lips of the black mouse curved in an amused sneer and then in a big laugh "Poor you!" he exclaimed "Then you must put up with her until she won't have intentions to do something of serious with you." he laughed "I guess she's thinking on the pro and con."
"Eh?" Rimfire glanced at him with the wide eyes "Pro and con?"
Roy turned serious "Well.. we can say that the things between me and her weren't as we had hoped. I admit it, I'm too jealous and possessive while she's too outgoing. I often got angry and at the end the situation fell. At the beginning I wasn't able to comprehend it but now is ok."
The grey mouse knew finally the truth and he was astonished when he felt integral with the Gladiator. Roy invited him to lunch at his gazebo but the young Rimfire denied the offer because he was awaited by his team to celebrate "We can see later. Oh.. what's there after?"
The Gladiator thought "My father told me that the races will continue but unofficially. The official races are only in the morning while the others in the afternoon." he answered "On the other hand this evening we'll have a big dinner with dances and songs around the big campfire."
Rimfire listened interested and fascinated, probably he would tire a lot in that day but he didn't doubt that he would get funny "Then see you later." he answered simply.
The two mice shook the hand, they felt better and Rimfire wondered if it was the beginning of a new, unexpected friendship. At his return, the boy was obliged to put up with the suspicious gaze of Stella but he didn't mind, he preferred to focus on the celebrations and then he enjoyed the company of his uncle and the friends.
They were on the summon of the sand dune, the silver helmets covered their faces. The tales whipped the air. The group of motorcyclists watched from above the continue of the Games.
"I found the target." one of them announced "It won't be easy to try to recover it."
"Try?" a male voice asked aggressively, he wore a silver helmet with black lines "No. We won't go away until we don't reach our aim also if it would mean making victims, we won't give up. Then remember about the second target. I'll look after the first one. About the second, I leave it to you."
The companions nodded. They were ten at all. Attacking a full clan was a madness, but they had waited too much before to act.
"Remember. Recover the targets and go away." the man with the stripped helmet said "Be ready that we'll act in short!"
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Oh yeah! The Games started and... well.. what will happen into the next chapter?
