Chapter 9: Tournament

    Dark.

    Midnight scanned around, bars of grey blocking her escape. She looked at her hind leg, covered in ribbon, slightly stained red- blood. Boxes were around, and before her was a free sleeping hound. It was free.

    She heard two voices arguing, and recalling the two men, she was sure the voices belong to Martin and Smith. "Y-you can't!" a voice yelled.

    "She's my hunt, I can do whatever I want," snarled a voice.

    The sleeping hound instantly woke up. "What do they want?" Midnight asked immediately.

    "Master Martin usually have... creative ideas," replied the dog, eyes sparkling darkly.

    "'Creative ideas'?" gulped Midnight. She doesn't like the sound of it.

    The door creaked open, and light poured into the room. "Here, Dusty!" called a voice.

    The dog gave a yelp of excitement, saying, Master Martin!

    You're such an underling, growled Midnight.

    Dusty whimpered. He just gave me steak.

    Steak, meat, stew, doesn't matter unless I survive, replied Midnight.

    Before Dusty could reply, Martin snapped, "Be quiet, wolf!"

    Another figure appeared. A plump man- Smith. He kneeled down beside Midnight's cage and touch the wound. Midnight, by reflects, gave a sudden yelp of pain. "It still hurts, Martin. I told you so," said Smith.

    "Whatever! She's going to be the main attraction later!" Martin scowled.

    Smith patted Midnight, who trusted Smith. "Hope you make it 'till the end of today, girl," whispered Smith before picking himself up and left.

    "Dusty, guard her well," said Martin before leaving. The echoing sound of the door rang in her ears, and Dusty retorted, "You're dead meat."

    "Ladies and gentlemen!" cried Martin's voice. Midnight was still in a cage, she wasn't fed at all. "Today's tournament will start very soon!"

    As Martin talked some more, Midnight asked, "Tournament?"

    A rather elderly dog who stood guard beside Midnight said, "You're fighting."

    "Fighting? Bah! Easy!" cried Midnight.

    "You have no experience," said the dog. "You have injuries."

    She's darn right, thought Midnight.

    "Today, we have a she-wolf!" Martin cried, and the crowd goes wild.

    Suddenly, the word she-wolf struck her. The 'Pack Quest'! Oh fang! This is the third morning!

    Midnight thought a tear slid down her cheeks, but then snapped back to attention when Martin cried, "Here, she will battle our legendary Jack until near death!"

    The crowd cheered again. Suddenly, Midnight felt her cage lifted up and then her cage door sprung open. She didn't know what to do. Her cage tipped over, forcing Midnight to slide out.

    "She's injured! Unfair!" cried one of the humans.

    "Be quiet!" roared Martin as the crowd began to protest. "She's a wolf! She had training sessions in the wild!"

    Midnight stood, wincing at the pain on her hind leg. Then, she saw her opponent. A doberman. Fierce looking, his black eyes glittered at the sight of Midnight's bandages. His name is Jack, ha! Funny, thought Midnight.

    Jack growled, You're going down.

    His brown and black fur seemed to stand, and Midnight growled.

    A bell sounded, and Jack pounced on her, but Midnight quickly stepped aside. Jack hesitated for a moment and Midnight quickly pounced. She let her fangs sink into the doberman, and a howl of pain filled the air, and Midnight tighten her grasp, letting her claws clip onto the doberman, not letting him escape.

    Jack tried to roll on the ground to lessen the grip. As soon as Midnight's injured hind leg touched the surface of the hard ground, she didn't feel as much pain as expected, but Jack manage to shake her off. Jack growled and leaped. Midnight moved backwards, but Jack quickly caught this. Jack landed and gave another agile leap, and caught Midnight in his grasp.

    "Jack! Jack!" part of the crowd chanted.

    Midnight needed to survive. For the quest, for Wisp, all her friends. She felt Jack's grip being weak, and she quickly ran around the stage. Seeing the borders that refrained her from escaping, she knew it was an advantage. She rammed Jack on the see-through walls, and Jack yelped, his grasp loosened. Midnight heaved the doberman in her jaws. "I... I can't believe it! Jack has been beaten!" stuttered Martin. The crowd went wild, and two men entered the arena. One loosened Midnight's grip, and the other rescued Jack. Together they brought him out. Smith came to the arena and coaxed Midnight over.

    Then, after the crowd was dismissed, Martin stormed over to Smith and Midnight and grabbed her. He threw her in the cage once more, angry, yelling, "You beaten Jack! The star!"

    Midnight whimpered. A fight, isn't it?

    Smith glanced pitifully at Midnight before closing the door.

    The old dog came over to her. "I don't like the way you beat my son," growled the dog.

    Jack was at a corner, being bandaged by the two men. "Mom..." he croaked.

    "Hush, son!" she barked.

     Midnight sighed. "This Martin being told me to fight."

    "Brash wolves," muttered the old doberman.

    Midnight retreated to a side far from the two dogs. When the two men finally left, Martin entered with another human to check on Jack. "Useless wolf," muttered Martin.

    "The padlock isn't secure," warned the man.

    Padlock?

    "It's not like she's going to open the door and free herself," said Martin. The old doberman yelped out loud, laughing. "Be quiet, Lisa."

    The doberman stopped laughing, and sighed. So strict, but he's generous, Lisa, the old doberman mother spoke softly.

    Placing a platter of steak for both Lisa and Jack, Martin left.

    Hours passed. Midnight could feel it. Another day flown away. She only have three more days until she's exiled. Fourth day.

    The door creaked open. The two doberman asleep, Smith's face appeared. "I'm freeing you," he said, determined. Midnight's ears perked up in excitement. "It's not right to treat you as such."

    He looked at the latch and pumped it open. The cage opened, and Midnight cautiously stepped out, aware for any sudden tricks. Smith help out a chunk of meat, and Midnight sniffed it. It smells a little icy.

    "It's from the freezer. It's chicken," said Smith. Midnight remembered chickens, but not freezers, but she trusted Smith and ate the meat. Next, Smith gave her a bowl of water to lap up, which she did. Feeling satisfied, she let her ears drop, and gave out a soft purr.

    Smith revealed a piece of cloth and placed it over Midnight. Midnight growled, but Smith just said, "I'm getting you out of here. Into the wild. You'd like that, won't you?"

    Midnight growled in agreement. Then, darkness covered her eyes. Slowly, Midnight felt herself being lifted, and then she squirmed. Smith held her still.

    After minutes, Midnight felt the gift of vision slowly returning to her. Smith heaved her down, and Midnight couldn't resist purring a growl. "I'll miss you, girl," said Smith, then left after saying, "Be careful."

    A tug on her heart. Humans can be so unpredictable, thought Midnight. She looked ahead. A cliff, an eagle soaring above it. She just have to pass it, then go to this "unseen road" and return.

    Everything else will work out. Everything else will be a breeze.

Author's Note: My favourite chapter so far. Spoken words in italics by humans means that Midnight didn't understand the words. Enjoy...
Oh, I added a new page.