The Island

Chapter 1=

Chapter 2=

Chapter 3=

Chapter 4=

Chapter 5= {| class="notice noprint" id="Season Section" style="font-family:Kalinga; color:white; border: 5px solid #00BFFF; background:-webkit-linear-gradient(top,#FF00FF,#FF00FF,#BA55D3,#9370DB); margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding=7 I stood, frozen in fear, as the wolf scanned us, as if deciding which of us would be the tastiest. I pressed my shaking legs together and tried to appear as untasty as possible, but all that meant was that one of the others would be attacked. What would happen when you were wounded fatally but couldn't die? I shuddered to think about it, feeling sick.

"What do we do?" whispered Sagewhisker, her eyes round.

All of them looked like they regretted coming here, and I realized it was my fault they were in this mess. I had to find a way to fix this.

Pushing away all my fears and doubts, I took a step forward. "Guys, I'll distract it. You all run."

"Works for me," Turby panted; sweat was staining his dark fur.

"No!" Aden said, a little too forcibly. "There has to be another way."

While we were arguing, the wolf had come even closer. It let loose with another growl, blasting us with the rancid smell of rotting meat and death. Just then, my eyes fell on the silver-tipped plant nearby. The needles gleamed like sinister claws. I knew what I had to do.

"Cover me," I hissed to Aden and Dragonpaw. Both toms nodded, moving to block me from the wolf. I darted towards the plant in a sprint. Behind me, I heard a bloodcurdling howl as the wolf gave chase. I chanced a glance over my shoulder, and was shocked to see my friends clinging to the wolf. They were tiny in comparison with the beast, but they were keeping him busy... for now. It was all resting on my shoulders to save them.

Upon reaching the plant, I tore savagely at the sunset-colored reeds, picking the ones with the most dangerous-looking needles at the tips. When I turned around to face the wolf, I almost swooned. It had Aden pinned down on the floor. The ginger tom's shoulder was bleeding profusely, but he didn't even seem to notice; he was slashing out at the wolf with the ferocity of LionClan.

Suddenly, everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. I saw the murder in the beast's face as it opened its gaping jaws and dived for Aden's throat. I heard a scream the seemed to come from incredibly far away- later I realized that it was me who screamed-, and the next thing I knew, I had hurled the dart-tipped reed straight towards the wolf's head.

The trance was broken. Letting out an earsplitting scream of pain, the wolf stumbled backwards. The silver needle had lodged directly in its forehead. Already a swollen red boil had bubbled up, spraying blood everywhere. Aden wriggled out from under its grasp, stumbling back against Willa, who steadied him. The wolf stared at me, its eyes blazing with pure fury; I took a step backwards. Its message was clear: We will meet again, and you won't be so lucky that time.

But for now, the wolf could only paw at its nose helplessly, turn, and crash headlong into the underbrush.

Turning to the others, I said hopefully, "I don't suppose that could've killed him?"

Togat shook his head in amazement. "No, but he'll be in a lot of pain for the next few days."

The others were all staring at me in wonder, like I was some kind of hero or something. I wasn't comfortable with that at all; it was my fault they had gotten into this mess at all.

I cleared my throat, preparing to apologize, when Turby spoke.

"That was pretty epic, yo. Thanks."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

The others crowded around me, all jostling to congratulate, thank, or laugh with me. I felt overwhelmed. "Guys, you shouldn't- I mean, it was my problem. I just solved it. I would never have forgotten if you guys had gotten hurt."

Aden didn't join the others, and I saw the gash in his shoulder; guilt squeezed at my heart. As the others settled down to rest,- the battle had worn them out- I walked over to him.

"I'm sorry," I said softly. When he didn't respond, I added awkwardly, "I didn't mean for you to get hurt. Maybe if I had been a little quicker, I-"

He looked up, his green eyes full of bewilderment and a more pained emotion. "How can you do that?"

Taken aback, I mewed, "Do what?"

He gestured wildly with his tail, staring at me as if taking me in for the first time. I felt suddenly self-conscious of my rumpled fur and torn claws. "Act like that. So sweet and innocent, after I was so mean to you. Don't you know it's killing me? I don't want to like you. I can't like you." He hung his head, panting, sweat glistening on his coat and turning it to flame.

"I- I don't understand. What are you talking about?" I stammered, completely confused.

"Rainpaw..." he groaned, closing his eyes as if to shut out my face.

I was beginning to feel angry. "If you want me to leave, just say so! You don't have to be so incredibly rude!" Tears stung the back of my eyes, and this time I couldn't hold them back, not after the trauma of facing the wolf.

As the first waterfall of tears spilled down my cheeks, all of the ice left Aden's expression, as if torn from him by an invisible force. "I'm so sorry," he said softly.

Flinching back from him, I said, "For what? You don't care if you hurt me. You said all those things deliberately."

"Yes," he said in exasperation. "So you would become hateful towards me. So I couldn't like you, no matter how much I tried."

This was making absolutely no sense to me. "Why don't you want to like me?"

Instantly, his expression became closed and guarded. "Never mind," he said, lashing his tail. "You can't understand. You haven't been here long enough. You don't understand how it feels..."

I took a step closer. "I could try."

His lashes lowered- I had never noticed how surprisingly long they were for a tom's- and brushed his cheek in the most innocent, kit-like way. I motioned to his shoulder brusquely to rid myself of the warm feeling that was spreading through my chest. "You should get a salve on that."

He raised his eyebrows. "Playing doctor, huh? I probably know more about herbs then you."

"On this island," I said haughtily. "I haven't been here as long as you."

I half-expected him to be offended by this, but he just laughed and turned towards a nearby berry-laden bush. He picked up several of the crimson berries, crushed them, and applied the juice to his shoulder. The scarlet juice mingled with his blood, looking frightening in the light. I picked up a leaf and pressed it against his wound, both trying to stop the bleeding and protect the torn flesh.

"You don't have to do that," he whispered, his eyes drifting shut at my touch.

Hoping I hadn't hurt him, I dropped my paw. "I'd do it for anyone."

His eyes flew open, and he fixed me with that stunning emerald gaze of his. I felt the irrepressible need to say something; as a result, I decided to start babbling. "It's okay if you don't want to like me, but... I think we could be friends. You know, if you wanted. It's not like we can escape each other."

Aden continued looking at me, and the expression on his face was tortured. He shook his head at me. "You can't stop, can you? You have to be like this, all the time. It's who you are."

"Aden-"

"Okay." He took a deep breath, giving me a brave smile. "Let's try it. Let's be friends."

I smiled and turned to join the others, but not before I caught the rest of his words. A shiver ran through me, despite myself.

"Even if it kills you."