Last Battle (X-Men Fanfiction)

Don't Let The Past Repeat Itself

I sat on the edge of the field, my fur being warmed by the sun. I began to groom my fur and out of the corner of my eyes I saw the pups warming up. They kneeled down and arched their backs. They also did some drills with running back and forth and dribbling the moss ball tentatively. They then darted back and forth, getting their blood pumping and also to prevent injuries.

"Can I sit here," asked Thruster. I turned my head and saw my mate smiling sheepishly.

"Of course,"I barked as I scooted over a bit and patted a patch of grass. Thruster beamed before he sat beside me heavily, curling his tail around his paws. "Are you excited for the game?"

"As excited as I can be," he snorted in amusement. "I used to play moss ball when I was younger but now I'm more into herbs and diseases."

I butted his head against his shoulder. "No offense Thruster but what pup is going to be interested in that?"

"I would be," Thruster pointed out as he puffed out his chest in pride. "Once of the best memories of my puphood was when I learned about blood-cough and mange."

"Yeah no one else would think that was fun," I teased lightly as I cuffed his ear. "Just don't be disappointed if none of our pups want to follow in your pawsteps."

"I won't be," murmured Thruster as he shook his head to clear it.

I suddenly realized that this would be a great opportunity to talk to Thruster about his past. "So who first introduced you to the theory of healing?"

Thruster smiled, eager to tell his mate all about his love of healing. "It was my mentor and father figure you could say."

"What about your real father," I pressed before I heard the howl of the ref who was Poultice. He wasn't really into moss ball either. He was like Thruster, into academics.

"Play moss ball!" Poultice grasped the moss ball and flew overhead and lingered above Echo and Keen who were facing off. Poultice suddenly dropped the ball. Echo leaped into the air and collided her head with the moss ball. It bounced over Keen's back and rolled toward Sunset who wiggled her haunches in excitement. She tapped the ball gingerly with her paw and kicked it toward a small silver and light brown male wolf named Glint. However Glint wasn't looking where he was going and Feldspar bolted in and stole the ball way.

Once the ball kept going back and forth between the two teams Thruster looked back to me and plastered his ears against my head. "I didn't get along real well with my biological father. He had unrealistic standards that I could never live up to. He hated when I told him that I wanted to be a healer."

"Was he extremely vocal," I inquired and when I looked to the field I saw Reed dive for the ball. He missed and Thyme leaped over him, kicking the ball over to Echo who then passed it to a white and dark brown she-wolf named Frond. She veered sideways and kicked the ball between Keen's legs.

"No," sighed Thruster before he lowered his head in front of my face. He lifted a paw and brushed the fur away from the back of his neck. I gasped in shock once I saw deep lashes against his skin that looked like they had never healed. His thick fur covered them so that's probably why I had never seen them before.

"Great Starbound," I cried as I stretched out a paw gingerly and touched one of the gashes. Thruster flinched and I drew back, fearfully. "I-I'm sorry."

"No it's not your fault," Thruster grunted as he let his fur back down and shook his head a bit to clear his mind. "My father wasn't vocal at all. He never snarled or screeched at me but he took a stick and took it in his mouth and used it to whip me until blood was oozing and I couldn't get up."

"Thruster I had no idea-" I began but I didn't really know what to say after that. I didn't want to say anything that might offend him but I thought maybe if he talked about it it would make him feel better.

Thruster pawed at his muzzle a bit in embarrassment. "Yeah my father used to do this to me when he thought I need to be correct for doing something wrong of he also did it to make me better he said. He almost killed me when I told him that I wanted to be a healer, literally."

Tony never beat me and I was positive my mother didn't either. Just the thought that someone could do this to their pup made my blood run cold. That was one of the most despicable things I could think of.

"But then the healer of my pack came to me. His name was Hawkfeather but everyone just called him Hawk. He was cold and callus but that didn't bother me. He was always kind to me and he acted more like a father to me than my real father ever would," he growled, half to himself but I managed to hear.

"What about your mother," I asked as I leaned forward and rested my head against his shoulder before I nuzzled his cheek.

Thruster frowned. "My mother turned a blind eye to my father'a abuse but she knew it was happening so I've never really forgave her for that," he confessed darkly. "Soon though after I was made a full healer she died."

"Is your father still alive," I asked I heard the howling of congratulations and I realized that Keen's team had scored a goal. They bounded over and yipped to each other in excitement and I howled in glee.

"No he's been dead for a while," growled Thruster as he scratched as his muzzle harder, almost drawing blood. "He deserved it!"

"I didn't say he didn't," I murmured gently before I looked toward Echo who had tossed the ball in and was now surging after it, trying to outrun Keen. "Anyway I just want you to know that you're an excellent father and the pups adore you. You just need to let them figure out their lives on their own."

"Don't you want to be involved," he asked baffled.

I shook my head vigorously. "Of course I do! I just don't want to hover. They'll come to us if they need advice or someone to talk to. We shouldn't go to them or they may resent us."

Thruster forced a nod. "A-Alright," he stuttered as he struggled to finally agree with me. "I suppose you're right."

I nodded slowly. "I'm always right," I teased and out of the corner of my eye I saw Avery dart forward and pass the ball to Thyme. Thyme went in for the goal but Clutch saved it. He snickered at her and Thyme's fur bristled along her spine.

Thruster must have saw it too because a growl rolled in his throat. "Why do they treat them like they're outcasts?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. There are always going to be bullies no matter where you are," I pointed out. I was certainly bothered by it but I couldn't take on all of my pups' battles or they would never know how to defend themselves. "Our pups will be better along than the bullies will ever be. They have the skills and tools that we taught them!"

"I know," murmured Thruster as he leaned forward and rubbed his head against my cheek. "Thanks Starlight."

"Of course," I barked before I rose to my paws and stretched out. "I better go though. I think that Logan wants to chew my head off again."

Thruster rumbled in amusement. "Charles is probably going to let me have it too," he chuckled warmly as his tail wagged. "But I'll wish you luck first."

"Thanks," I called as I bunched my muscles. "I'll see you later!"

"Love you," he howled and I heard some students snicker and point at us and laugh.

I just puffed out my chest fur proudly and I beamed. "Love you too!" Let them laugh it up. They would probably never have mates so they could laugh at us all they wanted.

However I couldn't think about that right now. I had to speak to Logan or more or less try not to be eaten alive by him. I knew that he wanted to tell me not to talk to Tony so I was prepared for it. The sooner I got it over the sooner I could forget it.