Hello everybody! As I said in the last chapter, I am going to be trying to get back into a routine. I am probably going to be posting a chapter every second day.

Yellowfang

Yellowfang had to admit that she had never expected to win the games. She honestly still thought she would be killed, even though she knew she could defend herself. She was easily one of the oldest tributes, and she knew she would personally rather die that condemning an innocent kit. Her mind was more the mind of a medicine cat than the one of a warrior. She knew sometimes sacrifices were necessary if she wanted to lead a good, honest life. Well, and she still felt guilty about Brokenstar. Sure, maybe she had pretty much forgiven herself, and she was mostly at peace. But when she saw Stormkit, she had thought- I can't let him die, but I can't let him grow up bloodthirsty. So she took it upon herself to teach this little grey kit about how generosity and good deeds always outweigh death and killing. She could have lifted a single claw and killed Stormkit while he slept, but she just had to ensure that he knew that mercy was a very powerful thing. Even though she had killed Brokenstar, she could save this kit from a similar fate.

And then there was the other matter- her Hyper-Empathy. Hyper-Empathy is just a fancy way of saying 'she could feel other's pain'. This was the biggest problem coming into the arena. If she was even slightly close to any other cat she would run, hoping they weren't injured and they weren't trying to kill anyone else. Once she made the mistake of staying where she was when she knew another cat was around, and that cost her dearly. She felt the pain Mistystar felt when Blackstar killed her. She felt the claws digging into her, and she could hardly breathe. She barely had the time to rest however, as right after came the death of Blackstar. Every piercing second felt like payback from Brokenstar.

She was certain he was watching her, and probably laughing as well. After all, it must have been extremely pleasing for him to watch her feel the pain he felt. She was nearly regretting killing him that way. She knew it was quick, and left hardly any trace, but now she understood how much it hurt... She had forgotten. Last time, the pain had been drowned out by her guilt and remorse. She hadn't felt the full force of the death berries as they slowly poisoned her son's blood. But that was over now. She had to focus!

She remembered the moment when she first found Stormkit. She had thought he was dead. He was unmoving and very thin. But he shifted around, so she knew he couldn't be. As she left the fallen tree, she sniffed the air. Along with the flood of the usual scents, the musty earth and the clear air, she had found an assortment of prey in the same clearing. She chased them all away, stalking some and bringing back a large pile of food. She ate a mouse and took a drink from the river she had found after hours of agonising thirst. She took up some of the moss from between the cracks on the towering trees and soaked it in the clean, rushing water. One by one, she carried the prey to the entrance to Stormkit's little shelter along with the moss. She gently tapped the tree to wake the kit before running into the shadowy bushes that surrounded it. She didn't know what caused her quick decisions. But she wanted that kit to be safe. One less soul she had to feel in pain.

Then came Bumblestripe. The idiotic cat who would kill a tiny innocent kit instead of having mercy and taking pity on the poor thing. He had tried to kill her little Stormkit. He had pressed a claw to his throat. That was more than Yellowfang could have taken. She pounced on him, seeing red. He had a mad look in his eyes, and maybe Yellowfang had felt a bit pitiful, but she couldn't spare him now. Here came the challenge she knew she would have to face eventually. Killing. As soon as she pressed a claw to his throat, her breathing became laboured. She had never been in such close proximity to a cat about to feel so much pain. But she did it. She murdered a cat. The feeling was almost unbearable, and she stumbled. Bumblestripe did something that very much surprised her. He thanked her. She had never come across a cat that would be thankful for so much pain and sadness. No cat knew what happened after Starclan, but he wasn't even scared. She was impressed by that.

She figured he had probably not been thanking her for the pain, and rather for helping him see the truth. So instead if leaving him to be thrown over the arena, she gently lay him under a bush blooming with beautiful flowers. Hopefully Darkstripe wouldn't find him there. She slowly backed away, and exhaustion took hold of her. She had murdered a cat. She had murdered a cat! The pain came back and she began limping towards Stormkit's tree. The battle had taken her rolling away. When she arrived after what seemed like hours but was really only minutes of limping towards the fallen tree, she collapsed in a big grey heap in the entrance.

She lifted her head to peer inside and saw two large sapphire eyes wide open in fear. The little grey tom stuttered softly under his breath.

"W-was it y-you?" He mewed. "The one who l-left the food?" Yellowfang smiled gently.

"Yes, little kit." She purred. "It was I."

"But why?" The kit questioned. "Why would you help me? You're supposed to be killing me." He stated matter-of-factly.

"The Dark Forest may control the clans, but they cannot control my actions." She replied, "I have already lived my life. I want to help a kit who hasn't lived theirs." This silenced Stormkit as he pondered how to reply. "I understand, I think." He meowed quietly. "But may I please ask you another question?" Yellowfang was taken aback by his manners. "Of course!" She exclaimed.

"How come that other cat tried to kill me?"

"Not all cats see the world in the same way." She spoke gravely. "Some, like the ones who put us in this arena, have no sense of morale. Some, like the cat who tried to kill you, lose their sense of right and wrong when put in situations that make them question themselves." Stormkit nodded slowly. "Are you going to stay?" He asked hopefully.

"Maybe." She replied. "But not right now. There are birds to be hunted. I can hear them." And with that, she left the trunk, padded softly away as to not startle the prey all around her.

Daisyfur

Daisyfur hissed angrily. She was mad. No, not mad, seething. She was angry at the Dark Forest. She was angry at the traitors who joined them. She was angry at the clans for not fighting harder. She was angry at herself for letting herself be put in this situation. Most of all, she was angry at Yellowfang. She had heard the yells and shouts of her father earlier, and she had seen his body being pulled up into the sky, covered in leaves and little flowers. Only one cat could have managed to kill him, and that was Yellowfang. She knew she didn't, and there was no reason for him to kill himself. It's not like a kit would magically gain the fighting abilities to go up against a trained warrior either. That left only Yellowfang.

The anger billowed in her mind like a cloud of smoke from a fire. She wasn't crazy, far from it. She felt as if she had never been so sure about anything in her entire life. Yellowfang was evil. And although she still walked will composure and dignity, she knew blood would run on her claws once more. She did not want to kill. But she felt certain that this had to be done if she had a chance in the games. All around her, the trees and bushes seemed to react to her anger. They seemed to reel back as she passed, terrified of the furious cat they saw before them. The howling wind was mocking her, making her feel as though she actually was crazy. But she ignored it all, continuing on her warpath.

The journey was a blur. She headed towards the spot she had heard the yells from, feeling slightly calmer than she had been before. She padded forward quietly, hoping she couldn't be seen or heard from a distance. She heard the familiar shriek of a bird in the jaws of death and knew there must be a hunter nearby. Yellowfang. Her mouth curled up into a slight smile, but she self consciously glanced upwards at her clanmates and set her face straight once again. She began to hear sounds like bushes rustling and wings flapping, and she knew she was getting closer to her prey. She shivered as a shock went down her spine. Her prey? She was going crazy!

The scent of birds was almost overpowering, but she hinted a slight scent of cat throughout it. She crept through the bushes, preparing to pounce on the unsuspecting cat that was now in full view. It was crunching through a large finch, and she seized the moment. She leaped gracefully through the air, landing with a small, gentle thud right behind Yellowfang. Before the medicine-cat could spin around, Daisyfur had struck her in the head with one sheathed paw. Yellowfang fell over sideways, still startled by the sudden attack. Her underbelly became exposed, and Daisyfur slashed at it, unsheathing her claws. Yellowfang's eyes widened.

"T-take care of him." She stammered, her field of vision slowly darkening. Daisyfur narrowed her eyes. What was the old fool talking about? Yellowfang blinked a few times before her eyes eventually settled on being shut. Daisyfur, who didn't have time to sit around staring at an old cat die, padded away. "Sorry." She threw over her shoulder. "But you killed Bumblestripe, and it had to be done."

She came across a small tree trunk with movement inside. As the anger drained out of Daisyfur, channeled into her kill, she became quite hungry and tired. She had, after all, spent most of the afternoon trekking across the arena in search of Yellowfang. When she heard the quiet rustles inside the tree, she immediately though it was prey, and peered inside. To her surprise, she wasn't met with tiny, beady black eyes and the scent of a mouse, but instead she saw large sapphire blue eyes. She was met with the powerful scent of Riverclan and the unmistakable scent of cat.

"Hello?" A little voice squeaked. "Is it you?"

"Is it who?" Daisyfur replied, confused.

"Oh..." The little kit mewed, disappointed. "Please don't kill me..."

"Why one earth would I kill you?" She replied, trying to wrap her head around why there was a little kit in the middle of the arena.

"Because, I'm Stormkit." The kit said, obviously expecting some kind of reaction from Daisyfur.

Daisyfur thought long and hard. The name Stormkit was familiar, but she couldn't place where from. Then she realised, 1. That she was in the Forest Games, 2. There was a Riverclan scent around the kit, and 3. There was a tribute named Stormkit. In all the anger and... Excitement from killing Yellowfang, she had forgotten that there was one tribute left.

"Who did you think I was?" She questioned the little kit, determined to find out what he had meant.

"You know!" He piped. "The big grey she-cat that gave me food and water! She was very nice. She even saved me from the mean stripy cat that tried to slit my throat! I really want her to come back soon. She said she might stay with me, and I'm quite hungry. I hope she brings more food!"

Daisyfur stared in shock at the little kit. She finally understood what was going on. Yellowfang, the cat she had killed, was not bad. She was merely trying to dave a little kit from the destruction of the Dark Forest! It all made sense... Sort of. So Bumblestripe had tried to kill Stormkit? And Yellowfang must have rescued him, and given him food, and probably been the kindest and most considerate tribute in the entire arena. And Daisyfur had thought she was evil. What's more, Daisyfur had killed her! Daisyfur had killed her... Oh no... This adorable little kit was waiting for a nice, kind cat to come back. And said cat would not be coming back...

"About that..." She started, hesitating at the look of horror that came over the kit's face. "Umm... The kind cat... Might not be coming back."

"And why is that?" Stormkit looked terrified. Daisyfur didn't know what to do. Would she tell the truth? Could she tell the truth? This cat seemed very smart for his age, and he would probably understand the basis of the situation- nice cat helps him. Bad cat comes. Bad cat kills nice cat. But she couldn't lie either.

"I- uh- listen, let me explain.. I killed her... But I swear I didn't know! She killed my father, so I thought she was a bad cat. So I attacked her and now-"

"She's dead." The kit finished.

Daisyfur felt guilt creep into her mind like ivy on a tree. It slowly consumed everything.

"I'm so, so sorry!" She wailed.

"That-that's alright." The little kit inhaled deeply. "I understand." Daisyfur knew the kit was trying to stay strong, to not break down.

"You are a very, very brave kit." She tried to console him. "You know that right?"

"But you're going to kill me now, aren't you?" He asked. "We're the last two tributes, and I can't hurt you." Daisyfur's guilt overwhelmed her once again. She couldn't live with herself if she killed the kit. But she had to think about Roseclaw too, right? Motherless, Fatherless, and Brotherless. Could she bear to be sisterless too?

"No." She replied firmly and confidently. "No, I am not going to kill you. Come out of this tree. Come out into the open. Because I want every single traitor and member of the Dark Forest to see that I am not under their rule. I am not going to follow their stupid guidelines."

She led the way out into the open clearing, under the dome, in clear view of every cat watching. She told Stormkit to stay where he was and walked into the forest. Prey called to her begging stomach, but she was looking for only one thing. This arena was a death trap, so they were sure to be around. Aha! She grasped a few of the familiar scarlet berries gently in her teeth, not letting any of the juice seep into her mouth. She padded slowly back into the clearing. Stormkit gasped when he saw her with the berries.

"You can't!" He exclaimed fearfully. Daisyfur placed the berries down before replying.

"Oh, yes I can!" She sounded grim. "I want every cat up their to know that we can make our own choices!"

She took a few deep breaths. "Congratulations Stormkit." She muttered. "You are their newest victor."

She bent down, not listening to the tom's many protest. She picked up the berries, chewed them for a while before finally gathering the courage to swallow. The reaction was not immediate, but she lay on her side on the ground, awaiting the pain.

"Goodbye." She meowed, smiling at the little tom who turned his head away.

"Goodbye." He choked.

A tingling sensation tickled her stomach, quickly dissolving, only to be replaced by an insistent, growing burning feeling like flames were licking the inside of her body. Eventually the burning grew so strong she felt herself screaming, but her vision blackened and she could not hear it. She felt herself slipping into unconsciousness, but she welcomed the darkness as it showed her some relief from the pain that was slowly becoming more and more unbearable. For the first time in her life, she really felt like a corpse. When her eyes flew open again, she realised that she was hovering above her body. She knew that the Dark Forest warriors would be here soon to kill her again, but she promised herself something. She had always been good at escaping. She was nimble and could climb trees and camouflage herself with her grey coat. She had denied the Dark Forest in life, and she would deny it in death as well. She sprinted up into the sky, leaving her old life behind, welcoming a new one of refuge.

Roseclaw

Roseclaw stared blankly at the scene she had just witnessed. She could see cats wailing out of the corner of her eyes, but she could not hear them. She could only hear the pounding of her own heart, loud and thumping in her ears. She could barely bring herself to blink. She just wanted to die. But she couldn't. Then Daisyfur would have died for nothing. She vaguely remembered screaming and pounding the dome. She remembered horror and devastation when she saw the berries. She didn't feel any of that now. She just felt emptiness. Everyone. Everyone she loved was dead. She felt a slight tugging on her tail, but she didn't care about anything anymore. Did Daisyfur not care about her? No, through the tears and the screaming Roseclaw had seen the regretful glance that Daisyfur had sent her. She vaguely heard her name being called, and she tried to tear her head away from the sight of her sister's dead body, but she couldn't. It was almost like if she looked away, she would forget all the good things she did with Daisyfur, and she would not even remember that she had a sister at all.

The calling become more insistent, and finally Roseclaw tore her head away from the clearing.

"What?" She snapped, angry that her mourning had been interrupted.

"I just... Wanted to say sorry... About your sister." A dark grey tom, Ashfrost, looked up at her sympathetically.

"Why are you sorry? You didn't kill her!" Roseclaw wailed.

"I just meant... I understand how you feel. My family died last Forest Games." Those words jolted her out of her state of shock. Understand. It had never even occurred to her that perhaps some other cat had ever felt the same way she did now.

"Y-you do?" She whimpered.

"Yes." He replied firmly. "And we are here for you, you know." He gestured around him as the other cats nodded or replied. She smiled slightly, but when she turned her head to look once again into the clearing, her smile dropped.

"But I don't want you..." She muttered softly under her breath. "I want her..."

I think that may be my longest chapter yet! I'll try to get maybe 2 more up this week. Hope you enjoyed, and please read and review!