Forest's Fate

Chapter 11

Before you start reading, I'm going to warn you that there is some violence in this chapter (specifically near the end of it). I don't think it's enough to make people extremely uncomfortable, but just in case, be prepared for that. Enjoy!

-Midnight

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        As I slowly trudge over to Mirage, I feel the heat of everyone's eyes on me. I felt it before back at the whole fiasco that happened after Branch's punishment. It's an uncomfortable feeling that makes me paranoid that they're observing my every move.

"Hurry up!" Mirage snaps when I'm halfway to her. "We don't have all day for this." I grit my teeth and slightly increase my speed of getting to her. Only slightly.

Once I'm finally standing at about five cat tails away from her, Mirage turns to face me. Her brown eye scans my body, as if I'm some sort of prey. Even the huge scar on her face is glittering with anticipation. Finally, she straightens and stands up from her seated position. "You start the fight," Mirage quietly commands.

From somewhere within me, panic begins to set in like ice forming in the bottom of my stomach. Start the fight? How? I guess I'll have to pounce on her or something. Mirage is standing motionlessly in place as I walk towards her. I'm still painfully aware of the others watching us, and my stupid paws are shaking. Her cold, emotionless stare is starting to give me chills down my spine.

Suddenly, I have an idea of where to start. Maybe I'll do better at unbalancing her if I attack her from the side instead of the front. And I exactly know from which side. I feel my tail lift with satisfaction of my plan before creeping over to her blind left side. Murmurs start to rise from the others as Mirage starts to turn her head to see where I was. That's when I barrel straight into her body.

        I land right on top of her side when she loses her balance and topples onto the ground. Her blind side is still towards me, so she still can't see me when I pin her down in her awkward sideways position. Suddenly, Mirage forcefully rockets my front paws back by rolling onto her back, knocking me off balance as well. Before I actually fall though, her strong back leg kicks my stomach.

        Although her claws are luckily sheathed, the impact knocks the breath out of my body. A strangled, loud noise slips out of my mouth as my back crashes on the ground. Pain flares through my spine like fire. Before I can think of getting up, a gigantic force crashes into my side and makes me lay on my stomach. I feel Mirage leap onto me and hold me down with her entire body as my back is still throbbing with pain.

At first, I think that our battle is over. I'm squirming under her weight to try to escape, but I see no chance of slipping out of her grip. But then I feel her face lower to my ear. Mirage harshly breathes, "Try to knock me off. I bet you can't." Confusion fogs my mind for a moment. How in the world can I get her off me when I'm tightly pinned down like this?

        But then I understand what she might be doing. She's challenging me and trying to test my limits. She's not making me surrender yet.

         This is the exact same position I was in the other day when I fought with that random cat. There seemed to be no way out either in that situation. But there has to be a way.

        I know I'm running out of time, so I rack my brain with ideas. One possible solution could be to do what Mirage did earlier and do a sudden push to make her fall off me. But I can easily tell that she's way too strong for that. She would hold on no matter what. Also, I feel like my back is going to break if I do any more intense movements with it. I have to scratch that out of my list.