Forest's Fate

Chapter 9

        "Hey, Forest, wake up!"

        I am still lying on the chilly, hard ground. My head is pounding with pain. I'm on my second strike, and I bet that by the end of this day, I will be on my third. What use is there to get up?

        "Seriously, Forest!"

         I finally realize that the voice belongs to Mirage. What does she want from me? "Leave me alone," I mumble.

She ignores me. Instead, she hisses louder in my ear, "Hey, get up!"

       "Why?" I force my head to turn to her. My nose bumps against hers, and her eye is suddenly just a mouse tail away from my face.

        "Just do it." She's giving me a death stare, and her booming words stab at my aching head. I don't know why my head hurts so bad.

        "What's the point? Just one more strike, and I'll be-"

        A large paw slams against my mouth to cut me off. Mirage yells, "Shut up! Come on, you idiot, just get up." Nine words. Nine more stabs to my head. Why is she so loud? Why does she want me to get up?

       Name's quieter but firm voice cuts through from behind Mirage. "Leave Forest alone. I believe he is capable of getting up himself. In fact, if he is not standing by nighttime, then he will be on his third strike." I want to retort something to him, but Mirage's paw is still shoved against my jaw. All I do is let out a long and stretched-out groan, one that reminds me of Branch's moan when he got the blue-leaf. My voice is muffled from Mirage's paw. No answer comes from stupid Name. I hear his paw-steps as he starts to walk away.

         But before he is gone, I hear him growl, "Certain consequences will take place if you don't step away from Forest, Assistant Mirage." I flinch as her claws unsheathe for a moment against my mouth.

        "Yes, sir." I can sense the deep frustration in her voice. I know she doesn't want to be Assistant Mirage. Fighting Trainer Mirage suits her better. I stare at her as she slowly drags her paw off my face. She glances at me before silently stalking off without another word.

        "Your choice, Forest," Name growls as he walks away again. I grit my teeth, flopping my head to the side again as I see the tip of his tail disappear into a den nearby.

       For a moment, I just want to lay on the ground and die. Maybe I'll force myself to choke to death on the blue-leaf when I get it or something. But Mirage's voice echoes in my head.

       "You will fight the rebels, and as soon as we win, we will send you back to Earth."

We win, I go home. Either that, or I'll escape to go join the rebels, and maybe we can capture Name to make him send me back to Earth. There's hope.

But what if Branch is right? What if they just make us slaves after they win? What if they get greedy and try to take over Earth?

No. Mirage has to be right. There must be hope for a way out. Hope.

I repeat the word hope in my head as I put my weight on my paws and push myself up.
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I can't sleep.

Hope.

My head is still pounding like crazy.