Jessi lunged at Grass-star, and Grass-star reared up on his hind legs, and slammed her shoulders into the ground. Her legs flew up, and he grabbed her scruff and tossed her to the side. Cats gasped at the sudden move, and Jessi hissed at him, and ran at his side. He was headbutted into a wall, and he was pinned. Jessi unsheathed her claws, glinting in the twoleg light, and Grass-star slammed it on the ground.
Jessi yowled at the sudden pain, and then managed to score Grass-star's flank as he tried to dodge to the sky. Jessi ran at him, and Grass-star tilted his body to the side a bit, and she jumped in the air, and Grass-star sprang up and grabbed the sides of her stomach and sent him flipping over so he landed on his back. His flank was scratched again on the rocky ground, and he flipped over.
Jessi whipper around and lashed out, catching onto his cheek. Grass-star ripped free, and he saw a bit of fleck on her bloody claws. He hissed and slammed her head into the ground, and he grabbed her shoulder in his jaws, and tightened his grip, but not enough to crack it. She unsheathed her claws and kicked him sending him skidding backwards.
Jessi ran at him in a zigzag pattern, and then faked a jump, and went Grass-star was going to jump too, she swiped at his underbelly. Grass-star hissed and came crashing down on her head, stopping her from breathing for a second.
He scrambled onto her back, latching his claws into her flank, and she bucked up and down trying to get him off. She rolled over, but Grass-star had already jumped off, and only his tail was caught under her rolling. Grass-star landed on her stomach sideways, and he batted at her face while she was still squirming.
He raked her underbelly and pulled his tail free and jumped off, but Jessi grabbed hold of his tail in her mouth, and nearly tripped him. He pulled himself forward, then he turned around and yanked his tail free by clawing at her mouth.
He hissed at her, and grabbed her ear in his mouth and shook it, and Jessi unsheathed her claws again and slashed his shoulder. She didn't let go, and Grass-star unsheathed his claws and slammed it into her eye, and she fell to the ground.
Grass-star reared up on his hind legs again while she was on the ground, and slammed them into her head, knocking her out.
A yowl broke over the clearing, and Pag was coming down from his throne of monster paws. "Well done, small one. You managed to knock out one of our finalists. Now rest while battle number two takes place."
Pag padded back to his spot, and then two toms padded into the area, each taking position underneath the twoleg lights. Grass-star looked at a very visible cut on his shoulder, and realized it was starting to heal quite fast.
Blood crusted around his wounds, but he felt energetic nonetheless. A small apprentice took a spot next to him, and blinked at him.
"Hello there." Grass-star greeted, and the apprentice gulped.
"Hi there. You beat up my mother, I haven't seen anyone win a battle against her." The apprentice commented, and Grass-star tilted his head.
"Is that so? Well now, what is your name?" Grass-star questioned, and the apprentice began to lick his paws.
"I'm Anot. Pleasure to meet you. Grass-star, correct?" Anot asked, and Grass-star nodded, his glittering green eyes flicking to the fight. Two cats padded over to him, with strange things in their paws, and some cobwebs.
They checked Grass-star of any wounds, and whenever they found some, they put the poultices and cobwebs on it. "I'm shocked." A big fluffy black tom muttered. He was quite battered, and one of his eyes didn't have a pupil. The younger looking cat, a dark grey tom with various silver patterns on his body nodded.
"You're healing so quickly, it is strange. What is your name?" The battered tom barked, and the younger tom padded toward Jessi to probably start helping her.
The tom had thick legs, and his snout was short. Grass-star stared at the tom for a good second.
"Speak." The battered tom demanded, and Grass-star nodded.
"I am Grass-star of the forest. It is a pleasure to meet you, what's your name?" Grass-star said, flicking his tail in a friendly manor. The tom grunted and sat down.
"Name's Wood. Now, 'Grass-star of the forest,' get a few moments of rest before the battle over there is over. Damned alley, I hate it so." Wood complained, and hobbled off toward Jessi.
"Master Wood! Why is Ko helping you? You didn't ask me." Anot said, looking at Wood.
"Quiet, Anot. You were talking to him so I just asked Ko. You're welcome for some time alone with your friend!" Wood fired back, and began to speak with Jessi after she had woken up.
"Anot, does he like it here? Do you like it here?" Grass-star asked, shifting so he could get more comfy. Anot shook his head.
"No, I don't. Neither does Wood. Wood is about sixty one moons old. He's a old one." Anot joked, and Grass-star nodded as acknowledgement.
"Say, Anot, do you know what a clan is?" Grass-star asked, looking at him from the corner of his eye. Anot shook his head.
"Nope. But, why do you smell so funny? Is it because you're from the woods?" Anot said, obviously confused. Grass-star gave a short nod.
"I guess you could say that, yet it just depends. Oh my, is the battle over already?' Grass-star mewed, glaring at the unconscious looking tabby tom on the ground. A dark brown tom with a white underbelly stood over him, his eyes gleaming.
"Rati wins!" Pag called, and the whole alley cheered except for Grass-star and Anot. Anot shifted uncomfortably.
"I am a little healer, learning from master healer Wood. We're leaving this wretched alley to find a quieter spot somewhere else, possibly in twoleg nests. But this will be after we find out who our new leader will be." Anot said absentmindedly, and Wood rushed over to the tabby tom.
He placed a paw on his flank and throat, and grunted. "Anot get your healing supplies and get your tail over here!" Wood said impatiently, and Anot nodded.
"Yes, master Wood!" Anot rushed off, and went behind the silver webbed fence and disappeared around a corner. Wood looked over at Pag, who seemed bored.
"He's dead, Pag." Wood said, his eyes narrowed into tiny slits. Pag nodded, and flicked his tail.
"Cast him into the dumpster please." Pag sighed, and Rati began to get treated by Ko. Anot came back and helped, while Wood carried the tabby into the dumpster.
Grass-star watched as Rati was left alone, and he sat next to Grass-star. "You're going to die." Rati whispered, sending a slight shiver up Grass-star's back. Rati huffed and looked at Pag who was walking to a cream she-cat, and stretched.
"The next battle shall take place in a few moments. It shall be Rati vs. Grass-star. Place your offerings down to who will win, then whoever wins shall go to Sline and battle her. If they fail, they shall leave the battle alley forever. If Sline fails, then they will move up to battle me." Pag's meow ringed around the alley, and cats began to shuffle toward two square boxes.
They placed pieces of prey, weird twoleg items, and even dog teeth on the boxes. Every cat voted for Rati. Nobody voted for Grass-star.
"My luck will be high tonight, thank you for your offerings!" Rati called out, and all the cats meowed in unison to his response.
Rati sat underneath his twoleg light, and Pag hissed as Grass-star walked by him and sat on under the other twoleg light. Rati's light flickered for a moment, and shut off, then it came back on.
Pag nodded. "The battle shall begin!" Pag mewed, and Rati got into a offensive position.
Grass-star ran at him in a zigzag pattern, and Pag moved one paw forward. His right. Grass-star swerved to the left, as Rati lashed out to catch Grass-star in his bloody claws, and Grass-star zoomed around him and headbutted him, knocking him to the ground.
Rati's underbelly was exposed, and Grass-star sunk his teeth into it. Rati screeched in pain, and grabbed both of Grass-star's cheeks in his paws, and rolled over with him, so he was on top. Rati sunk his claws into Grass-star's flesh, and slowly pulled down. Rati was launched into the air by Grass-star's hind legs, his claws flying out of Grass-star's cheeks, and he tumbled on the stone ground.
Rati looked at the ground and hissed, and then he looked over at Grass-star and muttered something, licking blood from his mouth. His eyes dilated and he ran at Grass-star, placing one paw on his neck and pushing him toward the ground.
Grass-star saw this move coming, and he craned his neck around so he could grab onto his leg, and he did, sinking his fangs into it. Grass-star reared up on his hind legs, and lashed out at Rati's head, his claws catching onto some flesh. He drew back and he heard a low growl come from Rati, as he tried to rip his leg free from Grass-star's mouth.
Grass-star kept a good hold on it with his fangs, and jumped over Rati, making him fall on his back. Rati grabbed Grass-star's tail as he tried to turn around, and yanked him down too. He finally managed to get his leg free and he swiped aimlessly at Grass-star, and then tried to roll back over.
Grass-star pummeled his head, and Rati flinched at each kick. Grass-star flipped Rati over on his stomach, and Rati nipped Grass-star's throat, pulling out a large chunk of fur. Grass-star hissed and grabbed onto Rati's shoulder, and snapped it, a loud crunching sound echoing around the clearing.
Rati threw himself at Grass-star, and Grass-star was knocked over by the sudden attack. He rolled on the stone covered ground, with Rati on top of him. Rati went down to bite his neck, but Grass-star moved his head so he was protecting it. Grass-star reached up and sunk his claws into Rati's own neck, and pulled him closer.
Grass-star let go with one of his paws on his neck, and slashed his forehead. Rati cried out in pain as blood trickled down from it, and then bit onto Grass-star's leg. He shook it, and Grass-star kept clawing him.
Rati placed a paw on Grass-star's chest, and sunk his claws into it. Grass-star kicked up, knocking Rati off once more, and he landed on his flank on the ground. Grass-star grabbed Rati's scruff when he was dazed, and ripped at it angrily.
Grass-star wasn't aware of what he was doing. He ripped it so hard, that blood began to gush out of the wounds on his neck. Grass-star dropped him, and Rati writhed in pain, squirming around on the ground. He yowled loudly, and scratched's Grass-star's chest again, and opened the wound that was already there more. Rati looked over at Grass-star, blood pouring from both sides of his body, and growled.
"You despicable monster! Drown in the depths of the green twoleg waste!" Rati screeched, and then fell to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth. His eyes were still open, but they had no sign of life in them.
Grass-star's whole world spun. What did he just do? Did he kill a cat?
Oh dear StarClan! I-I never meant for this to happen! Forgive me!
Wood padded over to Grass-star, and looked at Rati. Wood looked over at Grass-star, then blinked at him. "Thank you for killing him. You did a good thing." Wood carried away Rati's body, and Pag screeched, outraged.
"You little rodent! You killed him! Sline, after he has rested, battle him like there is no tomorrow." Pag hissed, and Sline nodded.
Grass-star could already feel his wounds healing. They still stung, so he padded over to his spot he was sitting in before.
Wood and Anot were busy tending to his wounds as well, paying more attention to the bigger wounds. After they finished, Grass-star nodded to them as a thank you.
"The battle shall commence now." Pag mewed, and Sline got to her spot.
"No it shall not, Pag. Grass-star needs his rest. Sline had not been through any battles quite yet, and she is rearing to go. Have you dropped to a new low, Pag? Allowing the she-cat you've had feelings for beat the evil and good soul out of Grass-star?" Wood accused, and Sline looked over at Pag worriedly. Pag hissed.
"Shut up you old thing! You may be a wise tom, but you aren't! Now shut up and let the leader of battle alley choose what happens!" Pag yowled, and Wood shook his head.
"I don't recall you being the leader quite yet. You're still a tiny tomcat. You have no power over us. All of us together could take you out in one instant. Have you not forgotten I was second in command at one time? I'm afraid you have. Now how about you shut up and let Grass-star rest?" Wood said calmly, and Pag shrunk back, looking at the evil stares around him.
"Grass-star also gets all of the offerings given to Rati." Wood said, and sat down. Anot followed him, and Grass-star sighed.
"Thanks for doing that up there. I am so tired..." Grass-star complained, and Anot nodded.
"It is fine, don't mention it. That wretched tom needed to be put in his place one time. Now shut up and sleep you." Wood said, and then curled up next to Grass-star and fell asleep.
It was almost sunhigh by now, he had been fighting all night. He slowly drifted off to sleep, surrounded by the bodies of strange cats.
Grass-star woke up later on, and realized everyone was still sleeping. Even Pag and Sline were. He sat down and observed the area.
He padded over to Wood and Anot, and asked if they could wake up everyone. Wood hissed at Grass-star, but he eventually got up to do it anyway.
Wood stood in the middle of the battle alley, and yowled loudly so everyone would hear him. It was a sort of strangled meow, but it got everyone's attention anyway.
Pag growled when he was woken up, and he called for everyone's attention. "The battle between Grass-star and Sline shall begin momentarily, for now, battlers, take your places." Pag said, and Grass-star sat down under a twoleg light.
Sline sat down opposite from him, looking at him secretly, with her head lowered.
"Let the battle begin!" Pag's cry ringed around the area, and Grass-star got into a defensive position.
Spooky. Sorry for ending the chapter so abruptly! I'm a bit sick too, so I'll try my best to get out tomorrow's chapter.
- Kate the Greasy Fry