Marching On

Fiametta had spent a lot of time back inside her home pack since her return. There wasn't much a reason, aside from wanting to stay tucked away in her den and drink every couple nights. Suffering had become her friend on her own accord and she even knew that. She just didn't know how to fix it. It was nearly impossible for her to admit she needed help, and so she wouldn't. She just kept digging herself into the bottom of the pit. There was no telling if she'd ever be able to climb back out.

She walked along the dark trails atop the Crysallum Cliffs, staring down at her paws one after another. Step in step, lost in her own empty mind. It was easier to let everything be blank. Void of any thought at all. Heavy eyes but she couldn't sleep not that these were her usual sleeping hours. Ever since she was young she lived off of short sleep. It was just harder now with the things that plagued her mind.

She'd be brought out of her trance as she heard rustling in the bushes behind her. She stopped in her tracks, glancing the the suspicious noise but would soon be making more steps forward away from it. She wasn't scared of what could be lurking in the shadows, but she could sense it wasn't any kind of company that she would welcome. Or maybe she would, it would be a fun brawl but she wouldn't get anything worth her time. So she tried to ignore the stalker in hopes they weren't after her or would lose interest.

As she neared the cliffs falling into the ocean she paused again, the air eerily silent. Her nose pointed out towards the dark horizon but her eyes moved around from side to side waiting for the right time to defend herself. The scent in the air proving she still wasn't alone. Her claws extracted into the cold hard soil under her as she prepared because while she was one to start a fight, she wasn't up for it today. This creature would need to strike first.

It was like all the night fowl and bugs shut off by a switch and not more than a few seconds later was the unknown beast making itself known. Leaping out from the trees behind her the black panther was ready to strike maybe thinking it had the edge on her. Silly cat. Fia turned rather abruptly as it closed the distance in a few strides, and she was prepared to fight the cat head on. It would have been super simple to call for help from her home, but again that wasn't the way her mind set was these days.

The cat swatted out a large paw, nicking at her shoulder causing her to let out a harsh snarl not because of the pain but because of the audacity of the cat ready to kill. How they weren't much different than each other. Fia was used to hunting and fighting off predators in the dark so there wasn't much fighting against her odds. She was a grown woman now and she would be able to handle this all her own int the most fluent way.

As an agile lady, she immediately jumped up and curved to hop onto of the smaller cat's back, digging her claws into it's shoulders and ride it as it bucked like a doe. She wouldn't let it go unscathed though as she drove her own feline claws straight down it's back and side as she slid off. It seemed to be just as quick though because as she was regaining her footing back on the grassy floor it was toppling her over in brute force. The two rolled around on the grounds, luckily not too close to the cliff's edge, fighting each other for the one up. Fia was not scared for her life even an ounce. Annoyed she had to spend her night like this, but never down for the thrill of the fight.

Soon she'd pound the cat at it's shoulders taking the upper hand but just as quick it was doing the same. With the panther now on top of her, she dug her claws into it's chest and shoulder, pushing it away from her inches from taking a maiming bite to her face. She was about tired of this now and she was ready for the risk. Collapsing her legs under the cat could give it the opportunity to win the match and pay the ultimate price, but she was more clever than that. As the cat lost all it's balance from the stegs of her paws, she opened her jaw wide and bit into the throat of the panther, easily piercing through its neck with her serrated teeth. She pulled back, removing a large chunk from the black cat and relaxed as it bled to death on top of her. Her head tilted back as she was drenched in the waterfall of hot thick liquid, and she felt her own heart stop a beat. Reminded of what had happened to her and how she had to kill. It wasn't so much the act, it was everything that led up to it. Not here with the stalking cat, but back when she was lost in Auster. She waited a while before moving at all as the feelings weren't easy to hold back. But no one was here to see her. Still, she didn't shed a tear. Inside maybe, but she wasn't ready to let the gates loose. She felt like she never would be. Just keep holding it, don't burden, don't feel weak. She couldn't. It wasn't part of her nature. She would just have to move on and thinking about the cold bath she needed when she was home. And hopefully no one would come across her and worry. She didn't want to be bothered, or bother anyone for that matter. She could handle it herself. She could be on her own.

Word Count: 1,010 words

"Fiametta"