Chapter 5

I ran faster than I ever had.

My legs were stretching and my chest heaving with great heaving gulps of air to keep me running.

I heard Sharp and his siblings panting right at my tail. I then realized.

This was no game.

It was real.

Black wanted me to suffer, this is what he was going to get.
He was going to get a loyal, strong warrior.

That's what.

I heard the paw steps of my pursuers fade in the distance and I halted to a slow trot. Great Startribe, that was close! I thought. My breathing became normal as I trotted over to Tawny.

"Fleck!" She greeted me. I nodded, my tounge still hanging out of my mouth.

"What's wrong?"

I glared at her. You don't want to know.

"Sorrrrrry." She meowed. She glanced at Rowan. "Why don't you go play with the other kids?"

Hate gurgled in my chest. Yes, I liked her. She was taking care of me as much as Snow was.

But it hurt me horribly, she had just suggested that I go and play with the murderers?

I snorted, my teeth bared. I couldn't speak, but I was going to make the message clear. I am not wanted.

I unsheathed my knife.

She looked at me in surprise. "What have they ever done to you?"

That was it. My eyes widened, my jaw dropped to the ground and my eyes which were pratically sticking out of my head glowed in fear, sorrow, and hatred.

She stared in astonishment. "Well, you really show your emotions the best you can. If you could speak, you would be in the middle of a LONG story, I bet."

I snorted and turned away.

If if if. Always if. But if isn't now, is, is is now. My voice is gone. Not if my voice was gone. Is.

A salty tear started rolling down my cheek. If only they could hear me.... ahh! If again. Mouse brained word! I pushed my lean body into the brambles at the edge of camp, and sobbed.
If if if if if. If! If the world was full of if's coming true, I would be jabbering about how I was treated.

I paused and corrected myself. No, if if was true, I wouldn't have been picked on in the first place!

I buried my face in my hands, the fox hearted word wouldn't leave. It rang in my ears as day turned to night. If, if if if if if.

I couldn't take it.

I was going crazy.

To many if's in the world, none of them true.
I shook my hair and stalked past Snow who was sleeping in the bed next to me.

I emerged into the clearing. Petal was on guard. I sighed. Some trainees think they know it all!

I was basically refering to Petal's brother, Scorch.

I growled, my throat vibrating soundlessly.

Scorch... he's going to be trouble. I can see it now! More so I had seen it today. He had watched Sharp attack me, and as I glanced at him in my desperate flee away, I saw his eyes.

They had been impressed. I knew he wouldn't be able to resist the urge to join in long.

I stalked to the middle of camp, my sleek, small, skinny body hardly making a leaf stirr, even though it was fall. The dead leaves lay all around me.

I layed down on my back and stared at the stars.
Stars, that is when I knew.

When I had known I had found my place of peace.
Just laying, gazing at the stars.
*************************************
I woke as a long claw grabbed my throat.
I gasped, my eyes flipped open, as wide as the owl that was right in front of me!

My mouth gaped in a shriek. I sliced my knife across the long gruesome talons.
It let go for a split second, the grabbed my stomache and chest. It started flying away.

Petal! Sweet! Anyone! Help!!!! Sharp! Black, for startribes sake!!!!!!!!

But who would hear my voiceless wails? No one could hear my thoughts crying. It was up to me for my own survival.

Petal had fallen asleep. Seriously? ASLEEP??? Come on? This is night duty! How are you supposed to sleep now?! What about all of the kids getting picked off by owls??!!

I tried to turn myself over so I couls face the owl, but his talons had a death grip. I started rolling, slipping in a circle.
I smiled as I was flipped upside down.

I opened my mouth as wide as a rabbits burrow and bit the owls talon.
It shrieked and used it's good talon to strike my face.
My soundless hiss of pain was cut short as I heard voices.

"An owl!"

"What in startribe's name is happening?"

"Get all the kids in the nursery!"

"It's fighting something in mid air."

Then, I heard the last three voices I wanted to hear.

"Fleck! The owl has Fleck!" Snow cryed into the night.

"Fleck! Fight! We will catch you!" Tawny yelled.

"Mouse brained kid! I can't belive it! How did it get so high and not warn us?" Black snarled.

I was startled. I wasn't that high....
I was proven wrong. I twisted my head and glanced down at the ground, only one of my eyes were open.

My good eye widened and bad eye opened a slit.
I was above the trees!

I stared at the owls wings.
Whoosh,
Whoosh,
Whoosh,

I studied the pattern. If, if I could just...
I snorted. No! Not if! Is! I am going to catch the owls wing.
I did just that. The wings beat with a steady rythem.
I slashed it's talons.

It shrieked.

While it was calling, I jumped, grabbing its wing.
It hooted angrily.

I was light weight, and crawled onto its back from the wing.
The owls flight was out of control as it became unbalanced, but before it started crashing, I sat on its back.
My eyes stared in awe.

The world. Below me, the lake glimmered in moonlight. Forest of thick pines and broad maples were littered in front of me.
A swift and stable moorland stretched endlessly behind me.
Oh my, the world was at my finger tips. From forest to moor, river to ocean, it was all mine.

I was flying.

Blood dripped from my eye and onto the owl, but I didn't notice. All that mattered was this one moment.
This one, inspirational moment.

Author's Note

In the story animal are tripled in their size. Just thought you would like to know.