The Life of Finnick

Finnick ran through the forest, streaking silently across the ground. Once he was out of JayClan territory, he gasped for breath and looked up. He sighed, and looked around, before slipping into a hollow tree. On the other side was a large, hollow. When he padded in, he was knocked down. He snarled and kicked out with his back legs, but he was pinned down. He stared into the ice blue eyes. The black cat stared at him.

"What do you think you're doing!?"

The cat hissed, and dug his claws into Finnick's shoulders.

"I told you to stay away from her. Do you want more scars?!"

Finnick struggled, but that only made the black cat dig his claws in farther.

"Answer me."

Finnick bared his teeth.

"Hurt me all you want, I will never stop seeing her."

The black cat snarled, and ripped through Finnick's flesh. He winced, but tried not to react.

"I have a better idea. Why would I hurt you, when I can hurt her."

Finnick leaped up and snarled.

"You can't! She never trespassed!"

The black cat smirked.

"Oh, but what if she did? If she does, I'll be the one to attack her. You can count on that."

Finnick lowered his head, his blue eyes matching the colour of the black cat's.

"Then you wouldn't be my father. I will kill you before you ever lay a paw on her. Then I will leave this group. If you can even call it that, Aesir."

Aesir narrowed his eyes, and struck out. Finnick yowled in pain, and backed up, shaking his head. Cats had come out to watch, and had formed a circle around the two toms. Aesir flicked his tail.

"Don't kill him. I don't want the next leader of our group dead."

Aesir walked out of the circle, and didn't look back as the cats leaped onto Finnick. Finnick yowled in pain as the cats tore into him, giving him the punishment of a traitor. Though a traitor would normally be killed.

As the sun was going down, the cats moved away from Finnick, leaving him in the middle of the hollow, torn and bloody. He crawled to the edge of the clearing, his eyes glassy and his silver pelt tinted red. He then saw blue eyes coming towards him, and stiffened when he saw it was Aesir.

"Have you learned your lesson?"

Finnick glared up at his father, breathing heavily. His eyes burned with rage, and he struggled onto shaky legs.

"I... will... never... listen to you."

Aesir snarled viciously and grabbed Finnick and threw him against the ground. Finnick's vision blurred and it felt like his mind went numb. Aesir leaned down, hissing into Finnick's ear.

"I hope you die. As long as I live, you will never be considered my son."

Finnick smiled slightly.

"Then maybe you should die."

He leaped up with the last of his strength and grabbed Aesir's neck. Aesir yowled and slammed his paw into Finnick's face. He gasped, and let his father's neck go, before falling limp to the ground. Aesir padded away, his fur standing on end.

::---::

Ebonypaw followed the scent of Finnick until the scent became stronger. It was soon mixed with the scent of other cats, and the reek of blood hit Ebonypaw. She padded quickly, and padded silently into the hollow. She sniffed the air, and heard the deep breathing of many cats sleeping. Ebonypaw's ears spun and she heard coarse breathing, and recognized Finnick's scent mixed with blood. She ran over to where Finnick was.

"F-finnick!?"

He raised his head slightly, trying to see through the blood.

"Ebonypaw...?"

She licked his head fiercely, tears streaming down her face.

"W-what happened?!"

He shook his head.

"You have to leave. He'll kill you. You still have a life. I'm dying, I can feel it. Go back to your own territory, prepare your clan for an attack. It may come. You can still live."

She shook her head slowly.

"N-no. I'm not leaving you. I'll save you. I-i'll fix you!"

Finnick laughed slightly.

"There's no hope for me. Please, leave, for me? I couldn't die knowing you died. I would have died for no reason. It would all have been a waste, protecting you."

Ebonypaw sobbed, and gasped for breath.

"You aren't going to die! I-i can't let you! You saved me. I couldn't- I can't live without you. I-i love you."

She buried her head into his blood soaked fur, and he sighed, purring slightly.

"I... I love you too. Please, be okay. For me. You'd leave if you wanted me to be happy. I only want you to be safe. Please."

Ebonypaw stood still, the only sound was of the other cats. She lifted her head, and licked his shoulder, then his cheek, then his forehead.

"I love you. Please remember that, and I'll find you again. I swear by it."

Finnick smiled as he looked up at her determined face.

"I'll remember everything. Good-bye..."

Ebonypaw nodded, before turning around. She looked back once more, seeing only darkness, but she could imagine his body laying there, his sweet scent came to her through the blood, and she stifled a wail, before running as fast as she could with her leg. Once she was a safe distance in her own territory she collapsed and curled into a ball. 

Once the sun started to come up, she got up, her legs stiff. She shook slightly, and she limped back to camp. Ebonypaw stumbled into camp, trying to get to the apprentices den. As she was walking in, Ivorypaw came out.

"Ebonypaw? Where have you been? What happened?"