Last Battle (X-Men Fanfiction)

Conflicted Once More

Fear pricked through my pelt as I pushed back into the Professor's room. I bet that the Professor was tired of seeing me and I didn't blame him but I needed to see how Poultice was. He was still my pup and I had a duty to help him at any cost.

"Professor," I rasped in fear as my eyes struggled to adjust to the lack of lighting in the room. I was surprised anyone could see in the room right now.

"I'm over here Starlight," the Professor murmured and I had to use my super senses just to hear him. I just surged forward and ducked behind the desk. I saw Poultice laying in the corner with his head pressed against the wall. His breath was raspy and his eyes unfocused.

"Did you help him," I asked but that was such a fish-brained question. I'm sure he just sat there and watched Poultice struggle. I really had to think before I asked questions.

"I tried," the Professor murmured as he wheeled up to me and I dipped my head in respect. "However he is a lot worse than I was."

I cringed and looked over to him. "Poultice," I murmured as I leaned forward. He didn't even twitch his ear. "Poultice it's me, Starlight. Do you want to talk to me about it?"

"There's nothing to say," argued Poultice as he rested his head on his paws.

"Just tell me and the Professor what's wrong," I suggested as I tried to make my voice sound light. "We just want to help you but we can't if you don't tell us what's wrong."

Poultice sat up and pressed his forehead against the wall. "I'm sorry I'm such a bother to both of you," he apologized.

My eyes widened in shock. "You are not a bother," I growled sternly as I plastered my ears against my head.

"Poultice it's my job to help mutants," the Professor pointed out as he leaned forward and eyed Poultice gently. "You are not a bother to anyone here."

"Then why is this so difficult," he complained as he turned with despair lighting in his usual energetic and bright eyes. "I hear everyone's voice in my head whether I want to or not. I try to put up blockers but it's as if they want me to hear them. I can't escape it." He turned before he hung his head. "The worst part is what they say about me."

I drew back a bit in shock. "What do they say about you, little one," I inquired as I felt claws raking my head. I hated the fact that wolves spoke or thought badly about Poultice. He had spend the first moons of his life fighting for mutants' lives that he didn't even know. He deserved the upmost respect now.

Poultice looked up at me and snarled. "They say that I was a mistake just like my brother. They think that wolves like me are just a waste of space," he grumbled as he hauled himself to his paws and limped forward. I stopped him and rested a paw on his shoulder. He flinched before he looked up at me.

"Why are you limping," I asked sternly as my ears twitched.

He bit his tongue before he looked away from me. "It was Clutch," he sighed as he shook his head to clear it. "He er-" He suddenly mumbled it into his chest fur and I could hear what he had to say.

The Professor suddenly sighed and sat back, his brow furrowing. I ducked back and looked to the Professor, a growl rolling in the back of my throat. "What? What did they say to him Charles," I snarled as saliva dripped from my teeth.

The Professor's eyes blinked open and he looked to me. I lashed my tail and tapped my claws impatiently. "Charles," I pleaded as I strode forward and rested my head on his lap. "Please tell me."

The Professor looked down on me and my eyes flickered. "Clutch was talking about Thyme," the Professor confessed.

"Thyme," I echoed in shock as my paws began to tingle. "What where they saying about her?"

"They told me that I should stop hanging around a wolf with no potential like their mother," Poultice murmured as his eyes hardened. "They said if she had any chance in life it was to stay away from me so that's what I'm going to do."

He rose to his paws and pushed forward. I leaped in front of him and braced my muscles. "I appreciate you standing up for her. You are her best friend. You can't leave her."

Poultice curled his lip. "It's not her fault that she chose to be friends with a wolf with voices in his head." He pushed past me with his head hung in defeat.

"Don't be like that," I argued as my fur spiked. I couldn't believe what Clutch had said about Poultice. Poultice was one of the smartest and best wolves I knew. He didn't deserve to be treated the way he was being treated. "Poultice wait. Poultice!"

He surged out of the room and I turned to the Professor with my eyes wide. "Great Lupus," I gasped as I shook my head gravely. "What should I do?"

"I don't know," confessed the Professor. "I wish I could do more for him."

"You're doing your best," I argued as I licked my lips. "We both are. I mean I know that being a telepath isn't easy but it has to work for him, right?"

"It will eventually but it takes time," pointed out the Professor as he looked to me sternly. "I didn't master my powers until...well I still haven't mastered them."

I snorted in amusement. "That's not true! You have the most powerful mind of anyone I know," I rumbled as I set my head on his lap. "Probably the most powerful mind ever."

"Starlight," chided the Professor as he ruffled the fur between my ears. "That's not true. I'm sure there is somethings that I still haven't unlocked in my mind yet and might never."

I rolled my eyes. "Well when did you have a better grasp on your powers?"

"I'd say in my forties," answered the Professor with a shrug. "However I don't know how long it will take Poultice."

I shook my head to clear it. "Claw Wolves, Wolvys, Burrowing Wolves, and Sea Wolves live much longer than any dog. They can even outlive humans give or take a few hundred years," I taunted as I looked up at the Professor. "It might take a while."

"Then we shall be with him every step of the way until then," murmured the Professor before I raised my head from his lap and romped forward. He wheeled after me and I made sure not to walk too fast.

"Of course! I would never abandon him right now. He is my son and he just needs reminded about all the good he's done and about the good he will do," I explained as I kinked my tail over his back. "He will be a perfect asset to the X-Pack."