DISTURBING IMAGERY TW!!!! “an angel bares her teeth / while the seraphim sing” — Chlorophyll Amethyst Tassletail stood on the edge of the horizon. The edge of her imminent death tolling— her fate sealed down below. Up here? On these steps? Nothing could touch her. She snapped back to reality. She wasn’t on those steps yet. Soon. A precious few seconds. The announcer for this round was a beautiful young tabby with a yellow bonnet on her head. Her blue eyes scanned the crowd, landing on Chlorophyll. Oh, if only they had been closer in age. They could have been the best of friends. The proceedings had been going on for a while. Four, maybe five, scared children were up on stage. Then, the last drawing. Chlorophyll raised her paw in the air a split second before the name was read. She opened her jaws to speak. Her amber eyes narrowed as her presence commanded the entirety of the district for a precious few seconds. ‘I volun—‘ The announcer cut her off. ‘Chlorophyll? Chlorophyll Tassletail…?’ She gasped, and the audience did too. Everyone knew her brother. Eyes turned to her, a victorious figure with her paw in the air before the games had even started. She trotted up the steps, every step and flick of her tail exuding confidence. Radiating it, even. A pinnacle of hope among the bleak wasteland surrounding her. Round Nine, was it? When the finalists fought on that mountain? Then the next round. Her brother. Oh, sure, she had spread that rumor about him joining that gang. But obviously nothing would ever come of it. She blinked, at the top step with the other tributes. She turned towards the crowd, a grin on her face. She wasn’t coming out of this alive— she’d make sure of that. Whether as a ghost or the victor, she would die. She took a deep breath, ready to head to the train with the other tributes. Before long, a hooded figure followed her and joined her on the top step. ‘Chlorophyll Tassletail.’ It was definitely a more masculine voice, and one she recognized but couldn’t quite place. She did not shrink back. The announcer’s eyes widened slightly, and she looked quite scared. Did she recognize something that Chlora did not? ‘Yes?’ Chlorophyll mewed, her words a challenge to her would-be attacker. She unsheathed her claws, preparing to fight. It all happened so quickly that she didn’t register it until it was too late. The cat seemed more panicked now. ‘They’re making me do this.’ they hissed. Chlorophyll snarled, snapping forward to scar her attacker. That was her worst mistake she had ever made. Her attacker lowered their head gently and fastened their jaws around her left eye. Pain. Horrid pain. Indescribable pain. All of a sudden, her vision was filled with red. She coughed up blood. She couldn’t see out of her left eye. Her eye … her left eye was in her attacker’s jaws. She almost vomited from the pain. No. Fight. It’s what your brother would have wanted. She screeched, grabbing the bigger cat by the neck and throwing them off of the stage and into the crowd. The crowd parted, and the figure ran away. But before that, Chlorophyll had caught a glimpse of something. Something that had made the announcer so scared, she almost fled. Sickness. Rage. Chlora felt sick. She heaved, tears welling in her eyes. She felt caught between sadness, disgust, pain, and anger. Now she had gotten a taste of the arena. This action— against her —would have consequences. . . . She had seen a butterfly necklace. — “divine intervention / by the blade in her hand”
