Chapter 9, The Game
The next morning Skye had to go with everybody else in the camp to the main cabin for a quick head count, to make sure everyone was there. After that it was free time for all. But Skye had remembered he had said he'd play the 'patrol game' with Alira. Even though he didn't know what that was, he padded over to her cabin and found her sitting on top of its roof.
She slid down to greet him when he arrived. "Hi, Skye." She said. "Ready to play the patrol game?"
He nodded. "Yep."
"It takes place at the empty space beside the main cabin," Alira informed, "You play with a ton of other creatures that are broken into two teams. The two teams wrestle each other until one team has taken all the other teams' prized possessions. But it's more organized then that. There's the two leaders of course, and they do everything they can. They protect wrestle, patrol and lead there team. Then there's the fighters, who openly go and attack the other team. Then there's the protectors, who stay at the teams prized possessions and guard them from the other team. Lastly there's the borderers, who patrol the borders and keep enemies out."
Skye looked up at her. "Alira…I can't fight."
"You can wrestle. They don't let anybody stun or draw blood, so it's pretty safe."
"Good."
They had reached the empty place beside the main cabin. But it was no longer empty. Now it was a forest with a large clearing in the middle, and orange and green lines painted on the ground to mark the borders.
"You can make this blank spot into a bunch of different, if you work here," Alira told him. "It's all controlled by some levers in the main cabin."
"Ok…" Skye was beginning to feel uneasy, realizing he would have to fight.
A lot of other animals had gathered, and when everybody was there, a German Shepherd leaped into a tree and yelled down to the others.
"Welcome to another match of the patrol game! First, I'd like everybody to choose teams! Green or orange!"
"Green," Alira said to Skye, "It's so much prettier. Come on, over here is where the greens gather."
She dragged him over to a bunch of other animals that all smiled, but for some reason they seemed intimidating to Skye.
"Next, raise your paw if you want to be leader, count up the contestants then vote for your favorite! The one with the most votes will be leader!"
Skye was beginning to feel confused. Around him, some of the animals were raising a paw. Alira glanced around then warily raised her own.
Somebody counted them all up then listed their names in order.
"If you want Gem to be team leader, raise a paw!" He said.
Three people voted.
"If you'd like Mesetar to be leader, raise a paw!"
Seven votes.
It went on and on until finally,
"If you'd like Alira to be leader, raise a paw!"
Seventeen votes. Skye was one of them, but he wasn't quite sure what he was voting for.
"Alright!" Said the one who had been speaking, "Alira is the leader!"
She was grinning as Skye looked over at her.
The German Shepherd in the tree went on. "Now choose your own personal position in the game!"
Skye looked at Alira desperately, heart pounding.
"Be a borderer," She said dismissively, "It's easy."
Now the teams were heading to the forest. Skye fought panic. "Alira-," he began, but she was already walking away to talk to some teammates.
I can't do this! Skye thought, I don't know the rules! He turned around, deciding to leave the game and go back to his cabin.
"Where you going, kid?" It was somebody from his team and they stopped him. "Stop chickening out! Come on!"
Skye was bustled back into the crowd. His eyes were wide and his heart hammered. He couldn't do this.
They were in the forest then. It was too late. Skye had to play. Fear washed over him in waves. The animals were taking positions in the game. Some went and stood beside a big pile of fresh carrots.
Prized possessions? Skye wondered. He saw some other animals spreading out by the green border. He guessed he should be doing that too and headed over to the border, slinking behind some trees.
Suddenly, he didn't know what to do if he was attacked. His heart hammered with panic.
A whistle blew. The game had begun.
"Wait!" Skye screamed desperately, "What do I do if—," He was drowned instantly. Screams and yells had erupted. Ahead of him, in the clearing, the animals were wrestling and running foreword.
Skye panted and looked around at the fellow borderers. Some were watching the game, while also scouting the forest around them. Skye pretended to do that too, but he wasn't sure what he was looking for.
The game ticked on tediously. Some of Skye's fear had left him, and boredom was creeping in.
Then suddenly, through the trees beside him, so fighters from the orange team were sneaking up. They slunk nearer to the border.
I'm supposed to keep them away! Skye realized. He was afraid to. He turned away and acted like he couldn't see him.
The orange teamers crossed the borders and prowled into the clearing. The pile of prized possessions, or carrots, was unguarded, because the guards were wrestling other orange guys.
The orange guys who had crossed the border approached the carrots and started taking as many as they could, stuffing them into their jaws and clamping them under their tails.
Skye's heart hammered. He had to warn somebody—they were making his team lose!
But the stealers were already racing back across the border- into their own team's territory. A cheer sounded form the orange guys, but the green team's boo was so loud the ground shook.
Skye's ears burned. He should have stopped the stealers from getting the carrots.
The game went on and on. Hours passed. Skye was so bored he began to doze against a tree. He could see Alira ahead, charging and fighting and protecting. Being the best leader. The game was probably flying by to her. Skye yawned widely. When was he going to get out of here? He was getting a bit hungry too.
Suddenly, his absent thoughts were knocked from him as some leopards from the orange team sprang on him, knocking him over and holding him there. Skye looked up and realized he was trapped.