The Wrath of the Golden Fire [Book 1 of the Fire series]

Chapter 4: Catch me if you can!

Storm's POV, past-tense

I'd only been chained to Scratch for a few hours, but I'm getting stir crazy. Even though I'm outdoors. Doesn't make sense, right?

Even when we change human, Scratch and I are chained together by our wrists, like handcuffs.

I kicked Scratch in the face with my hind paws. "Hurry up, you dumb cat." I hissed.

Skylar slowed to a float next to me. "Hey, no offense, but you are being kind of harsh on him. What did he do to you?"

"He ruined my life!" I snarled, baring my fangs in the bluejay's face. Skylar's eyes went wide, and she flew on up ahead.

"That was just plain awful," Scratch muttered behind me. My claws slid out, and I whipped around to face him.

"You have no right to eavesdrop in my conversations!" I growled in his ear. I bit a hole through it, feeling the metallic taste of blood on my tongue.

Everybody thinks I'm being mean and rude, but I'm not. How would Skylar feel if she were chained to a psycho life-ruiner?

Scratch's POV, not past-tense (OMG WHUT)

I am chained to a psycho life-ruiner. I swear, Storm is NOT being that nice, playful girl I- never mind, you don't deserve to know.

The ragged hole in my ear is throbbing, and blood is streaming from it. I walk slowly behind Storm, my head facing the ground.

"Hurry up, you worthless creature!" She snarls to me. I'm afraid of hurring up, because I don't want to be near her, but if I slow down, Storm will find another way to torture me.

What did I ever do? I never had a choice. It was either work with the lab, or die a slow, painful death. I chose the lab, because maybe I would've had the chance to escape, and actually live my life.

This isn't what I expected.

Skylar lands on my shoulder. "I'm sorry," She whispers in my ear, so Storm can't hear. "I don't know why she's being like this. Just hang in there, I'll try to talk to her again. You're not the monster everyone else says you are, Flash told me all about you."

Skylar flits over to Storm, leaving me still depressed, and now confused.

I strain my ears to listen to their conversation, but I can only hear Storm, Skylar's too quiet. Even Storm's voice is lowering. Is there something they don't want me to hear?

Turns out there's nothing to be hidden, because Storm slashes her claws across one of Skylar's wings. Skylar falls to the ground, now unable to fly.

At least she only dropped like, a foot, I think as Skylar gets up onto her feet (A/N: talons? idk).

"Are you okay?" I ask my sister's friend.

Skylar nods, but I can see the pain in her eyes. "Yep, fine." Obviously not. Blood is trickling down her wing, and some of the skin and feathers are ripped aside. Skylar notices me noticing her wing, and says, "Okay, maybe I'm not fine. I'll go find something to cover it up, but there's no sense in talking to her; not unless you want to be killed."

Without another word, Skylar veers off of the path we're going on, to find some big leaves or something.

I sigh. I wish Storm wouldn't be like this, it'd make this a lot easier. If only I can talk to her without getting my eyes clawed out.

After a few minutes of thinking, I finally have an idea.

I set my pace at a brisk trot until I'm next to Storm.

"What do you want," She hisses, her eyes filled with hatred.

"Nothing from you," I reply, moving slightly ahead of her. "Just one teensy weensy little thing!"

"And what exacly would that be?" I can feel Storm's hard gaze burning into my head, as if her eyes are like lasers.

"Catch me if you can!" I slap her with my tail and speed ahead. I feel the wind in my fur and love the feeling of being free for once. Well, other than the feeling of Storm being dragged on the ground behind me.

I feel the weight of her on the ground be lifted. I look behind myself, and my eyes widen. Storm isn't there.

"Having fun there?" I hear her voice beside me, and look to see her smirking face.

"Wha- How?" My mind is confused at how she got to my side so fast. I push myself harder and try to outrun her again, but she just goes back to my side.

Storm rolls her eyes. "Magic. You've chased me for years and not once I have gotten caught. That's because all of your chasing actually helped me. See?" I looked down at her legs which are broad and stongly muscled.

Storm slaps me with her tail. "Tag! You're it!" Then she makes a U turn and starts running the other way.

I get dragged aftre her, of course.

When we reach Skylar, though, we stop.

Storm falls to the ground giggling. Skylar hops up on my shoulder.

"NIce job," She whispers.

I laugh a bit. "I'm SO charismatic, aren't I?".

Storm tugs on the chain and I get pulled down next to her. "Ow! That hurt!"

Storm giggles. "Oh yeah? You should know how it feels when you're dragged on the ground, chained to a running cat!"

I stick my tongue out playfully.

Storm's face turns serious. "I'm sorry for earlier. I- I didn't really think of other, I was selfish and only thinking of myself."

"It's okay," Skylar and I say together. Weird. Storm just nods.

***

By the time it's dark out, we're all tired of walking.

"We're IN the forest, now what do we do?" I ask Skylar.

She just shrugs. "I suggest we wait, maybe sleep!"

Wow, you're so very helpful, know-it-all bird.

"Yeah, I'm getting tired," Storm yawns. "Aren't we all? I'm ready to hit the sack."

Skylar laughs. "Hit the sack? I've never heard THAT expression before!"

"That's cause I made it up!" Storm replies. "I mean, I don't really like hay, so why not go and punch a sack instead?"

I roll my eyes. "C'mon, let's go sleep in a tree or something. Skylar, get on my back." Skylar hops on my back, and Storm and I try our best to clumsily scramble up a tree.

I hate labs. And chains.

I feel sort of grumpy all of a sudden, and I decide that it'd be best if I went to sleep.

Storm's tail is resting on her nose in the slightest way; it looks like a leaf on water.

Her soft breathing lulls me to sleep under the dim glow of moonlight.

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Muhahaha!!! I FINISHED THIS FINALLY!!! It was meant to be posted sometime in the summer, but then I got lazy. GUESS WHAT HAPPENS TO FLASH???? OuO

~Storm (that is how I will sign out of authora notes in this book :3)