::Swiftstar's POV::

Dead (4):Apollo,Arjanna,Hazeleyes,Bismuth

Tributes:

Coldice

Silverpaw

Midstrip

Dodre

Kelive

Swiftstar

Dappleheart

Shadestar

Splash

Alex

Angelfeather

Comet

Tundrafrost

Skycloud

Burnflight

Bearpaw

Echostrike

Skyfire

Vi

Skyfire

Swiftstar continually kept cleaning the scratches on Echostrike's back while the silver tabby kept complaining.

"Honestly,Swiftstar,you act like you're my mother!I'm perfectly fine!"she protested.

"Just one more wound to clean,then I'll let you stand up,"Swiftstar soothed gently.

Echostrike groaned,settling down,though she rarely complained from then on.As the blue smoke with white she-cat finished up the last wound,her tongue was filled with the salty taste of blood.

"Just take it easy and not try to pick any fights,OK?"

Echostrike snorted."Of course,O Great and Mighty Leader!"

Swiftstar rolled her ice blue eyes but said nothing.She pushed the vole towards her and kept a close on her as Echostrike hungrily devoured the prey.

Swiftstar opened her jaws to taste for any scents of the other tributes,but the taste of blood on her mouth was all she could taste."Follow me,Echostrike.Let's go find some water.I can taste only blood on my mouth.

Echostrike nodded in agreement and quickly got to her paws as she followed after her."How will you even find any water when there's a mouthful of blood on your tongue?"she teased.

"I have a nose,too!"Swiftstar snapped.Lifting it to the air,she suddenly caught the whiff of blood.Can't I go anywhere without always smelling blood? she thought wryly.

Despite the fact every instinct in her screamed at her to turn tail and run the other way,Swiftstar forced herself towards the scent.The overpowering smell filled her lungs,though she forced herself not to gag.

Pushing her way through dried bracken,she emerged into a clearing.Her heart jumped into her throat.Dried blood was slipped on the ground,spilling into a small puddle under a jagged rock.

"Great!Now there's nothing for us to drink here!"Echostrike meowed in scorn.

Swiftstar was about to agree with her when a flame colored head appeared from nowhere.She didn't recognize the tom-she could tell from the cat's scent through all the blood-but Echostrike clearly did.

"Firefly!"she mewed in joy,rushing towards him."Where have you been?"

"Bismuth's been killed,"he replied grimly.

Echostrike suddenly trembled and her legs looked like they were about to buckle underneath her."No!Apollo's already dead!Bismuth can't be,either!"

Firefly nodded sorrowfully."He was killed by an Aussie puppy.I could smell it on his fur before he died."

Splash! Swiftstar thought.He would of never killed another tribute unless he had to!

"An Aussie puppy?"Echostrike meowed.Her eyes widened in realization."Splash!He's the only Aussie puppy in the Games!Why would he do that?"

"I don't know,"the tom admitted."It might of been an accident,but whatever happened,Bismuth is dead because of him."

"But...Splash would never...,"Swiftstar murmured to herself.

Firefly suddenly glared at her."He was in Swiftstar's group.Echostrike,why are you teamed up with an O.C. that's in the group of a murderer?"

Echostrike nervously flickered her gaze between Swiftstar and Firefly."I-It wasn't Swiftstar's fault!"

"She must've put him up to Bismuth's death,"the flame-marked tom snarled."You've been lied to,Echostrike."

The silver tabby looked wide-eyed at her."Swiftstar...you...y-you lied to me...?"

Swiftstar felt her legs trembled,though she forced herself to stay still."Of course not!Splash would never kill another O.C. tribute!"

"Well,he has,"Firefly growled.

"Echostrike,you can't possibly believe him!"Swiftstar wailed.

It took her by surprise when the tabby she-cat swiped her paw across her muzzle.Sharp pain flowed through her as claws raked across it.She yowled out in pain."Echostrike,how could you?!"she yowled.

"Get out of my sight,Swiftstar,"Echostrike snarled.

Tears welled up in her eyes."Echostrike,you can't..."

"You killed Bismuth,"she growled."I bet one of your O.C.'s from your group killed Apollo,too."

"We would never-!"Swiftstar began.

"Get out of here,Swiftstar!"Firefly growled,flexing his claws.

Their words stung sharper than her wound.Looking back at Echostrike one last final time,she whisked away into the forest as salty tears slid down her cheeks."This means war,Echostrike.And you've started this all by yourself..."

::Alex's POV::

"Midstrip,follow me."

The blue and gray wolf looked up at Alex."What?"

"I know a stream nearby where you can get water to drink,"the brown wolf replied.

"Why do you expect me to follow you?"he snarled in return.

Alex forced himself not to reply harshly."It's either you get a drink or let your wounds get you first."

"Fine,"Midstrip grumbled."I'll come with you."He slipped his leaf packet over his head after wrapping everything up.Struggling to his paws,Midstrip limped after him.The entire time,Alex's mind filled with guilt when he thought over his plan.

I shouldn't do this! he wailed to in his head.I shouldn't have to kill just to win the Games! At the same time,he tried to reassure himself.At least none of the other Webkinzluver5 O.C.'s have died yet.I'll just have to try and remove one of the dangerous ones so that way he won't hurt the others.That's all I'm doing.Removing the dangerous...

The roaring of water indicated that the two were nearing a river.Even better.

As Alex padded a fox-length away from it's side and sat down as he waited for Midstrip to catch up,he kept thinking over what would happen if Coldice found out.She won't,he thought grimly.Because I'll leave before she comes back.

Midstrip finally made it next to Alex."Are you sure it's a good idea to drink from here?"he asked cautiously,narrowing his eyes."The water seems a little too fast."

"Trust me,you should drink from it,"Alex reassured him,forcing his voice not crack.

Midstrip just snorted,crouched down,and began lapping at the water near the edge.

It's now or never... Alex thought grimly.He thrust himself forward,shoving Midstrip into the foaming stream.A loud yelp erupted as the blue and gray wolf tumbled off the edge into the deep depths.His head thrashed against the current as he struggled to keep his head over the water.A sickening crack sounded as he hit his head against a rock.

Alex's heart pounded.Overpowering guilt flooded him.I can't let him die!Not like this!

He pushed off with his legs as he leaped through the air and dove into the freezing water.And icy shock shot through his body.Water began filling his lungs and nose.The brown male wolf forced himself to move his legs and swim as he tried to fight against the overpowering current and look for Midstrip.A flash of blue tumbled downriver.Alex let himself be thrown against the current as he drifted closer towards the male wolf's body.

Once he got close enough,Alex began pushing himself towards him,fighting his hardest against the current.You won't die,Midstrip!I'll save you!

As he came in range,Alex opened his jaws and dirty water poured into his mouth,though he forced himself to grab onto Midstrip's scruff.His body dragged him down as he struggled to pull him to the surface.His lungs screamed for air,but he refused to give in.

Alex gathered up his last bit of strength and hauled the blue and gray wolf to the surface.As Alex's head emerged,he struggled to swim to the side.When he finally felt his paws touch grass,he hauled himself and Midstrip's unconscious body over.

Alex coughed up mouthfuls of water.As exhausted as he was,he dragged himself over to Midstrip and began pushing on his chest.He suddenly noticed a blood-stained gash on his head with blood still oozing from it.

Horror struck through him as a thunderclap and lightning filled the sky.No!He can't be dead!

CLIFFHANGERZ .D. Is Midstrip dead? o3o Who knows... eue YOU HAVE TO KEEP READING TO FIND OUT! :D Also,sorry for not updating sooner. D: I was in GA until Sunday so... ^^;

~Webkinzluver5