Sacrificed

" Generations have past. Seven Clans- Wind, Thunder, River, Shadow, Blizzard, Sky, and Star. Eighteen contestants, seventeen chances to die, one chance to survive."

12 hours
I wake up.

I stretch.

I rapidly blink to adjust my eyes to the daylight.

I try to convince myself today's not the day.

I fail miserably.

12 hours left.

12 hours until we gather in the clearing.

12 hours until three of our own are condemned to certain death.

Certain death, the Hunger Games.

I sigh and look to my side.

It's empty.

Petalkit must have left to sleep with Thornkit during the night.

I turn to see her curled into a tight ball, her skinny frame rising and falling in sync with Thornkit's.

I see my mother, Thrushwind, gently stroking her pale ginger fur with her tongue.

She must have seen me get up because she lifts her head to stare at me, her eyebrows slightly furrowed in accusation.

"Are you going hunting again, Foxfrost?" she whispers

My mother knows me to well.

I give her a silent nod and I see her gaze darken.

"This will be the eighth time this moon," she growls.

I know my mother to well.

Her gaze bores into me, her eyes more worried than angered.

"Mother, I've never been caught and probably won't ever be caught!" I hiss angrily.