Boo
Welcome back to Warriors High Sagelings!
so i know i said i had a plan and it would update fairly soon but i got caught up in fun planning and then writing one in five but here we are we have a chapter KD
laurs: It's okay, i'm also really bad at keeping up with stories KD. Angst is, in fact, a very good and interesting subject ehee cookies (: :) (: :)
Okay that's all, now enjoy the chapter which I'm kinda proud of lmao
"Are you sure this is the best way to get rid of him?"
"Yeah. Can't be seen as murder, looks entirely like an accident of his own volition, and it's not close to the school or the 'DForest so even if anyone has suspicions they won't necessarily be pinned as our doing."
"And if it misses?"
"It won't. We've measured everything out carefully."
"Good."
"And do you know what the best part is?"
"What?"
"It'll all seem like an accident, but she'll know it's us."
Flametail's POV
"And the maths homework?"
"Almost done…" I reply through gritted teeth, scrawling numbers down hard onto the paper, "just a couple more…"
Littlecloud sighs. "Well done for your perseverance, Flametail, but you really need a break once this is done."
"Which it is." I finish triumphantly, dropping the pen onto the desk with a satisfying thud. I lean back in my chair with a relieved sigh and spin it around when I come face to face with Littlecloud.
"Flametail, your mental health matters a lot more than your grades. You've been slaving away at that piece of homework all day, you really need a break!"
"Dude, chill, imma take one now." I reassure him, and he sighs and returns to reading on his bed. Suddenly there's a knock at the door, and he looks up.
"Come in, door's open!"
Someone pushes it open, and I look up to see Owlclaw.
"Yo, hey FlameT! Y'know the lake down by the shore?" he asks excitedly.
I nod. "Uh, yeah?"
"Well, guess what? It's completely frozen over! We've tested it and it's pretty sturdy too! So we were thinking of having a game of ice hockey, ya wanna join us?"
Ooh! Sounds exciting! I look eagerly over at my roommate for permission and he nods with a smile.
"Sure! Go ahead, enjoy your break."
"Thanks!"
I get up and go to leave after him, but then he calls me back temporarily.
"Just...be careful, okay?"
"Will do!"
I close the door behind me and follow Owlclaw as we race over to the elevator and wait impatiently for it to get us to the bottom floor. We are thankfully uninterrupted, and the second the doors open we dash out of them and through the front doors. We try to keep out of peoples' way due to our level of hyper and running speed but still end up at said lake in record timing.
I see Owlclaw wasn't lying when he said the lake was frozen over. It is, and it looks surprisingly sturdy too! Pine trees blanketed with fresh snow surround us, adding to the more Canadian mood. ...What? Ice hockey. Anyway.
I see Olivenose and Shrewfoot are already on the lake, and Pinenose and Starlingwing are watching from the banks. There's also Jayfeather, Briarlight (in her wheelchair, three cheers for her managing to adventure out!) and some other Thunder kid I don't recognise having a conversation opposite us. I can't make out any words, but it seems they're enjoying themselves.
I give everyone a wave (and am welcomed with cheers and calls) and slide out onto the ice, immediately slipping up. Thankfully not hard. I'm glad I brought a hat and gloves. There's a chorus of laughter which I join in with as I attempt to stand up again, eventually getting there.
"You ready to play?" Shrewfoot asks, watching as I get used to the feeling of gliding on my trainers, or sneakers if you like.
"Ready as I'll ever be." I reply, looking up, "What're the teams and where are the goals?"
"Me and Owlclaw," Olivenose explains, "and you and Shrewfoot. Goals are here…" she waves her hand in the direction of two stones placed near the bank and then over to the other end, and I'm glad it's the shorter length we're playing, "...and there. We're saying first to five points wins. Deal?"
"Deal." I nod, determination setting in my gaze as Shrewfoot throws me a makeshift hockey stick (literally a stick with a bent end) and glides over to the other end surprisingly quickly, placing down a smooth, light stone halfway as he goes. His girlfriend quickly follows.
"Alright!" Starlingwing calls from the bank, "Game begins in three! Two! One! GO!"
I race forwards, keeping my balance easily from years of playing our budget version of the sport. Shrewfoot follows, but keeps his distance a little bit back in case Owlclaw gets there first. Olivenose mimics, patterned hair tied back in a quick ponytail. I manage to get there first, though only just, and knock the stone forwards. My teammate glides up behind me, and I quickly pass to him as Owlclaw comes to tackle. He gets it easily but is blindsided by Olivenose almost immediately, who deftly twirls her stick around to take it from him. She does quite an impressive hit which sends the stone flying back towards our goal, and me and her teammate race to get there first. I do, and slide around so that I'm facing back to our target goal while guarding the stone, then taking off towards it.
Shrewfoot is ready this time, and I dodge Olivenose's attack and pass to him, both of us speeding up as we see the open goal, passing between us constantly and zigzagging to keep them off us. Both of them are catching up, but it's too late! I aim and shoot, and the stone zips neatly in between the stones, tripping to a stop on the bank.
We cheer, and Pinenose announces 1-nil. Olivenose pokes her tongue out playfully at us but smiles and congratulates us, catching the stone as Starlingwing tosses it after racing to fetch it.
The game goes on. Olivenose looping around us before passing it to Owlclaw and him scoring. The same boy slipping over while defending, allowing Shrewfoot to skate past him and score while I keep his girlfriend busy. Ahead with the score 2-1, then 3-1, then 3-2 and 3-3, and then 3-4 and after that 4-4. I take a deep breath, readying myself once again. I'm a little out of breath and tiring, but the fire's still burning in me. One more point for our win. I glance at Shrewfoot and nod, grinning. He grins back.
"PLAY!"
We race forwards once more. This time there's a little more of an aggressive fight for the stone in the centre, sticks clashing and the stone being knocked back and forth continuously until Owlclaw hits it the wrong way and it glides out, conveniently towards our target. I quickly dash out in pursuit of it, both my teammate and his chasing after while he tries to process what happened, and take it, rushing forwards.
Then I feel something's wrong, and the crack of ice beneath me is the only warning I get before I'm plunged into freezing water.
Jayfeather's POV
I hear the subtle cracking, then the shattering and splash as someone falls into the water, and immediately whip around. The echoing cry of "FLAMETAIL!" tells me all I need to know.
Then.
Then suddenly.
I can see.
I don't hesitate or question it as I rush forwards, over the ice towards where I can see the gap, leaping over another breaking-apart piece. It's happened before, only a couple of times though, when a life was at risk or a danger approaching, just sight comes with a little adrenaline rush. It tells me all I need to know. I need to save him, and I can.
"JAYFEATHER!"
I ignore the cries from behind me and press onwards, not taking a moment to pause (well, except for the deep breath in) as I reach the gap and dive in.
I'm not sure which hits me harder, the returning darkness or the deep, icy cold. I fight to keep a hold of my breath and start kicking downwards, ignoring the pain of the coldness and trying to detect any signs of him. It's well-known among the high school that, though we're taught the basics at a young age, only River Team are kept swimming regularly. They enjoy it. But it's because of some dumb tradition and risks other people's lives a lot so i don't know why they haven't removed it. I know how to kick though, and there's some instinct that fires up within me, so I have to try as hard as I can to reach him, and he should be fighting too.
However
I know he was playing sports for at least half an hour before this, and so he's going to be tired and probably a little hot too. It was sudden so he didn't have time to take a breath. In short, he's freezing, breathless and tired. I won't be too surprised if he's already unconscious. I have to fight harder.
Fingers brush my hand and I snap in the direction immediately, pushing harder to get downwards. I feel about, but he must be sinking quickly. Like I guessed, he must be out. I press my lips tighter and kick harder after him, but I'm getting numb quickly, and I'm sinking too. B-but that's where I need to be! Just quicker! So I kick.
Down
And down
And down
Until I'm not sure if I can hold onto the breath any longer. Until the ice seems to be surrounding me, grabbing me and pulling me down into the depths alongside Flametail, welcoming me into the dark…
I'm fighting to remain conscious, my lungs like they're being crushed by some metal contraption, everything slipping away. I need to reach the surface now, he's too far gone.
It's like the incident in the pool.
Except this time I can't save him.
.
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No.
No. I refuse.
I refuse to let him die.
I refuse to let him die because I am too weak!
The adrenaline rushes back, pushing the cold and the fear and the numbness. My vision opens up again, almost lighting up the water around me, until I can see Flametail. He is unconscious, falling through the water like he was just sleeping. He's close! I can reach him!
So I do, I kick harder and I grab him, wrapping an arm under his and around his chest and immediately turning back towards the surface, where I can see a light shining through the gap we came from. We've almost reached the lake bottom, but that doesn't matter as long as I can get us both out in time. I can feel the thumping of his heartbeat. He can last without oxygen for a few minutes longer, but the cold…
I pull him closer to me, hoping whatever strange adrenaline rush is keeping me alive spreads to him too. I kick furiously, using my free arm to push myself up further. It's working, I can see the ice getting closer! But as I approach, my lifeline fades again, sight dimming until it's gone and then the coldness returning, but I grit my teeth and carry on, feeling the light on my face getting ever brighter...but still I can only hope that we make it…
I'm running out of time
It's now or never
The emptiness is spreading through my body, and I just want to give up…
But no
One
Last
Kick
My hand breaks the surface.
I'm grabbed and hauled out, voices calling urgently as someone takes Flametail too. I'm close to losing consciousness, I know, but I can't stop the feeling of relief taking over me as I cough out some water and then pass out.
I did it.
I saved him.
And we're both going to live.
It's going to be okay.
Ahahahah tricked ya there didn't I?
Fun fact: Flametail was originally going to drown, and the chapter would end on "Except this time I can't save him" but then last minute I decided no, no he's not going to die. He's going to live!
So yay three cheers for Jayfeather hehe
Alright see ya'll next time 'cus I can't think of anything else to say bai
~KT