Mandarin Orange/Episode 1

Too Late To Turn Around
As I ran away from the sounds of angry cats, I tried to think of where I had chased the mouse into the forest and how to get out. But, the apparent battle was not over yet, and I chanced to see more angry cats, and even more coming up behind me. My chance appeared when a yowling she-cat was thrown off the back of another, and as she crashed into the undergrowth next to me, I dove into a clumb of nettles.

She surged upwards, completely unaware of the bits of branches and thorns stuck in her fur, and she leaped into the fray. I crept into the same patch of brambles she had fallen in, and hid there, waiting until the right moment to creep away.

"Are you trying to hide out here during the battle?"

''Oh no! ''I thought as I turned to see the spying tom. The only way to get out of this one was to attack him. I had seen only a few battle moves, so I would copy them on him.

I hissed and lunged, digging my claws in his pelt and battering his belly, but he suddenly swerved and I was flung into a tree.

Pain shot through my skull, but I stood up anyways and circled him.

He bared his fangs, and I snarled and faked a lunge. He tensed, bringing his claws up immediately, but I ran and attacked him from behind.

He struggled to get me off, but I dug my claws and teeth in his scruff and pelt, and wouldn't let go.

He suddenly ducked and rolled along the ground, squashing me beneath him. Then, he sat up, having me pinned against the ground.

"Get...off...!" I growled, but he just smirked and drew back a paw, ready to smack me.

I remembered something I had seen, not at the battle, but somewhere in the Twolegplace, and I went limp, acting like I surrendered and he got me.

He loosened his grip, but he still brought his paw down with great force.

I rolled to the right, knocking him off his paws, and he fell down with a thud. I bit his foreleg and felt the skin burst and warm blood flooding my mouth.

He yowled with pain and got up so quickly, I was stunned, letting go and tumbling backwards into the undergrowth. But, I wasn't out cold, and I sprinted off, trying to get away.

"Hey! Get back here, mouse-brain!" He called after me, but I raced away, trying to get to the forest edge.

I heard heavy pawsteps, and soon he was next to me, barreling into me and we both fell.

"Got you! That was a nice trick you pulled back there, I'll remember that," He said, pinning me down and flipping me over so that my back faced him.

He picked me up by the scruff like I was a kit, and dragged me past half of the forest, until we came to a stop at something like a camp.

Cats, old and young, milled about, plucking branches and twigs from the ground and weaving them into the surrounding walls. Another cat with a scar running down his face was shouting orders at a group of cats, and when he finished, they raced towards the battle I was dragged away from.

"Where am I?" I mewed out loud, uncomfortable under the gaze of the noticing cats.

"You're in GorgeClan camp," the tom said proudly.