Warriors: Clockwise

<------ Chapter Two ------>

His breathing was soon the only sound he could hear, and his head had suddenly started to ache. Bolts of pain shot down his spine with every step he took, sunspots danced across his vision, and the watch dangling from his jaws rhythmically collided with his chest. He couldn't hear Tags' jeering any longer, but then again, he couldn't hear his heart beating either. It took far longer than he would have liked to realize that he was headed in the wrong direction, and the buildings were quickly become more sparse and further apart. But it didn't matter where he was going by this point, they weren't going to stop until he was dead. He racked his memory, trying to figure a way out. The next Faction territory was too far away, and even if he could manage to find one that didn't also want him dead, he wouldn't be able to make it in time.

A shadow passed over his head, and he quickly found himself passing under an arch that marked the edge of the innermost portion of the city. A wall stretched as far as he could see in either direction, and his heart dropped like a stone when he realized that there was no way to turn back without immediately being slashed open.

Lost in thought, he didn't notice that the wire trailing along behind him, still attached to the watch's clasp, had gotten tangled around his leg, and he promptly tripped when he attempted to jump over a metal rim protruding from the earth. He toppled to the ground, spitting as it continued to wrap around his legs and he slipped down the rise. Struggling to untangle himself and breathing heavily, he glanced up towards the hazy outline of four cats, who stood motionless near the arch he had run through. A distant clattering jogged his memory, and he saw the long snaking shape of the machine tracks that ran throughout the city.

As Hero watched, he saw all four of his pursuers staring uneasily into the plains that stretched behind him. "Get back over here before I come get you myself!" Tags growled audibly, and though she had advance towards him, Hero decided to not overstay his welcome. He quickly scrambled to his paws and dashed away from the city, until the crunching of gravel beneath his paws turned to the crinkling of dried meadow grass and soot-stained leaves. He looked over his shoulder briefly, just to see Bravo's tail disappearing into the shadows of the metal storage boxes that lay near the tracks. Wearily, Hero padded towards a large, flat boulder close to where he had stopped, and laid the watch he still held between his teeth on its surface. He pulled at the wire, wincing as he felt it cutting into his skin. Blood dripped down his muzzle just as he snapped the remaining wire and pulled it from his legs and tail, and the shallow wounds on his forelegs stung when he tried to lick away the blood that had crusted on his fur.

The cats had not followed.

Were the tracks a territory border? He'd heard stories of wild cats who lived out here, away from the city. He couldn't imagine such a life, and he thought it ridiculous for the cats to be afraid of some imaginary forest cats and a big stretch of grass. Well, all the better for him, he supposed. Hero turned back to the boulder, buckling the watch's clasp and pushing his head through it so that it slipped onto his neck.

Satisfied, he give a short, decisive nod, stepped forward, and was immediately swathed in a torrent of fire.

Hero screeched in surprise, scrambling away from the flames that had suddenly leapt up from the grass and scorched his fur. Agonizing, burning pain traveled up his spine, and he dropped to the ground, rolling to try and put out the bright orange flames crawling around his fur. As he writhed, he felt his movements slowing, and through the pain and caterwauling he saw something black and sticky beginning to cover his fur.

"Hold on!"

The words were drowned out, and Hero's voice cracked when he tried to scream again. Sparks flew across his vision. His eyes watered and his throat burned, and all he could see was the dancing of bright flames.