This is my first challenge for Children of the Shadows!

Mistreated and Cheated

Description - An apprentice finally gets away from their parents, hoping that they won't find them. While hiding, their mentor finds them and asks what's wrong. The apprentice tells their mentor what has been happening between them and their parents. The mentor listens and tells them what happened to them, telling the apprentice that they don't have to be afraid anymore.

His claws dug into the hardened soil beneath him, clouds forming from the warmth of his frantic breaths as it met the frigid air. He tore through the dead forest, not giving any recognition to the thorn's that latched into his white fur and tore chunks of it out. His only focus was to get as far away from the crazy feline he called a dad that was chasing him. He could hear the toms sickly sweet voice calling his name, spelling out each letter with a venomous yet adoring tone. Suddenly the world began to spin and he barely made a sound as he tumbled through the bare and brittle skeleton of the undergrowth. The breath was knocked from his lungs as he collided with a large oak tree. A small groan escaped his lips, eyes closed tightly, his head pounding and blood roaring through his ears. He struggled to find air, his lungs felt tight and his heart beat increased. Once he registered what was up and what was down he tried to stand, but a sharp stinging sensation in his shoulder and a tearing in his paw made him cry out in pain and crumple back to the ground. He blinked several times to clear the snow from his eyes and a blurry image of his injured paw entered his line of vision. He cringed as the limb hung loosely, twisted almost all the way around and two of his claws were torn out, little bits of flesh clung to his skin. He looked away and bit his lip, before inspection his shoulder. He felt sick as he noticed that his bone was distorted and made his skin stretch uncomfortably. He could feel blood trickled through his fur as it dripped down his side, the wounds stung. All the pain of his injuries came rushing in at once and he groaned, his head began to pound and he felt light headed. He held back tears that threatened to spill, he suddenly felt a feeling of dread and he looked up, his ears flew back and the fur along his spine began to rise. His father stood two cat lengths away from him a smile on his face, eyes shining with rage. He began to tremble and tried to scramble away but felt pressure on his back and claws dug into both his shoulders. His eyes widened and he let out a horrible scratchy screech as pressure was applied to his already injured shoulder, tears exploded from his eyes and as he cried.

"Shut it!" His mother's venomous tone hissed in his ear, and he felt her claws dig into his skull and force his muzzle into the fluffy snow underneath him. He struggled to breath as the substance filled his nose and mouth.

"We can't have anyone hear us now can we?" His father chuckled as he kept closer to his son, grinning down at the injured cat.

"Now now Frostpaw honey, it's ok dear" His mother soothed, digging her claws deeper into his skin, fresh blood collecting around her claws and soaking into the snow. Frostpaw cried harder into the frozen white, as agony washed over him as his mother put more pressure on his shoulder. The molly frowned and she suddenly flew into rage.

"Shut it you mangy child!" She snarled and dug her teeth into his scruff and raised him off the ground. She flung the apprentice to the side and he crashed into a large bare bush, landing on his side with a cry.

"Dammit he just won't be quiet!" She hissed and stalked forward, raising her paw and scored her claws down his cheek. He bit his lip as blood flew from the deep claw marks that were imprinted in his flesh, letting out a weak cry, his dry throat making it hard for sound to come out.

"You know my darling Starling, maybe we shouldn't give it another day to live, why not rid this Clan of it's useless and ugly presence and do the them all a favour hmm?" She suggested whilst giving her son a disgusted glare. His father narrowed his eyes the grin on his face widening.

"You know what Dovesong, that actually a splendid idea!" He purred, leaning forward and drawing his tongue across her neck, nibbling at the flesh. She purred and her eyes fluttered shut and she leaned into him.

"Then we can have a little fun later, no worrying about that things filthy existence" He purred, pulling away and licking his lips, eyes narrowed. Frostpaw had made a last effort to pull himself away while his parents had their moment. He found a large patch of snow and with pained whimpers pulled himself into it. He snuggled deep into the cold white mound and flattened his ears, making sure his pink nose was buried in it. He swept snow with his long feathery tail over his body, the cold numbing the pain in his shoulder as well as stopping the bleeding. He prayed that he had covered the visible flesh wounds and that he looked just like ordinary snow.

"Where did that little shit go!" He heard his mother's voice snarl and he held his breath. He closed his eyes, all her could feel was the pouring of his heart. He listened as his parents began to curse.

"We over did it this time, no one is going to believe that it was just a tangle in the thorn bush when we didn't get to push him in one!" Dovesong snarled and swiped at the snow sending it flying.

"Honey, follow the blood" Starlingfeather purred in amusement and his mate hit him over the head. He glared at her.

"I was just going to say that" she huffed and stood up. Frostpaw began to panic, the blood would lead right to him. He could feel more tears make its way down his frozen fur. This was it, he was going to die today. By his own parents claws, cats that should have loved him and treated him like he was all the had. Cuddled him, soothed him when he was sad, praised him when he did something right, yet, they wanted to end his miserable little life. He smiled softly into the snow, at least this would end his suffering, all they did to him would finally end, no more sleepless nights filled with nightmares. Fearing the next day and what harm it would bring. All the days he did eat or drink, the only things where the remains of what his parents made him throughout for them. It would all end, right now, today out in the white wonderland of the forest, a place he wanted to escape from the moment he reached 3 moons.

"I'm ready Starclan" he murmured and closed his eyes as his parents footsteps neared. He tried to hold back tears but he let them spill. The crunching grew louder, one step…two steps…They were just in front of him now. He could hear the breathing, tails lashing and he could feel the excitement they held for this moment.

"The blood trail ends here! Where did he go!" His mother snarled and he froze. What…what did she mean.

"Why does it end at the base of this tree, there is nothing but snow here" She sighed, stomping on the pile of snow that laid before her. He could here her beside him, tearing into the snow mound that was beside him.

"Where would he escape to darling, you know I bet you he's hiding here somewhere, but let the cold do the dirty work for us" Starlingfeather suggested, a little regret in his voice.

"As much as I want to kill it myself, being the deputy and with the clan depending on me and my beautiful mate, we can't risk it" He sighed. Dovesong snarled and mumbled to herself angrily.

"Fine! Let's go back to camp. Being out here this long has probably made it frozen if it's hiding in snow, it ain't going to make it back to camp alive guaranteed" She huffed and trudged away.

"I'll be there in a second sweets!" He called after her, however her received no response. He chuckled to himself and turned back padding through the snow.

"Might as well get some prey if I can, don't want the Clan to grow suspicious" Frostpaw heard his voice disappear as he walked away. He let out the breath he didn't know he was holding, and more tears poured from his eyes. He allowed himself to sob, his tiny dry voice muffled by the snow that he laid buried in. He was numb, nothing hurt and he couldn't feel anything. The pure adrenaline had kept him warm when he tried to escape his parents. He didn't know how long he just laid there, buried in the cold snow, deserted and alone. Did anyone even notice he was gone?

"Frostpaw?!" A voice called out and he froze, it was a male voice and it sounded worried. He couldn't tell who it was because of the snow that plugged his ears, but he didn't dare move. Once the voice grew louder he recognized the warm and soft tone of his mentor.

"Frostpaw?!" He called again and the little tom wanted to answer, but he had no voice. With the little strength he had, he shifted, trying to make his presence know. Suddenly he heard a gasp and the sound of thudding paw step's. He could feel the snow being brushed off him and dug away from his shivering frail body.

"Frostpaw great Starclan!" His mentor's voice was fear filled as he pulled the small tom from out of the patch. Frostpaw didn't respond, he couldn't move, nor see or even make a sound.

"What are you doing out here!" His mentor cried through his apprentices scruff. He dug as much snow away from the ground as he could and placed the small cat down, wrapping his body around the tom. He noticed the claw marks on his face as he began to frantically lick the snow from his fur and Frostpaw could feel his mentors large body trembling. He started to lick his fur the wrong way and he could soon feel the numbness melting, but with that came the pain in his shoulder and paw. He cried out in agony as the pain rushed back and he began to tremble. His mentor jerked his head back in surprise and horror as the pained sound escaped the small body he was coiled around. He then noticed the dislocated shoulder and twisted paw. He gasped and drew his tongue across the tom's eyes, helping them open.

"Frostpaw…" he murmured, nudging his uninjured cheek.

"Hey what happened?" he asked, his voice nothing but warm and concerned.

"I-I can't…" He began to cough, his throat burning from the sudden attempt to speak. He wanted to tell him, oh great Starclan did he want to tell him but...he just couldn't. His parents always made it clear that if he wanted to live another day, he wouldn't dare tell anyone.

"Please Frostpaw, I'm here for you, you can tell me anything" His mentors smooth and gentle tone made Frostpaw want to spill it all right there and then. He didn't know if it was the pain, or the overwhelming feeling of wanting to die, or the fact that his just didn't fucking care anymore, he began to run his mouth. He told his mentor everything, about the sleepless nights, the nightmares. How his parents rarely let him eat, how they scratched, bit and beat him. How they tortured him, he said it all. It came out as a rushed, painful jumble of words, but the tom got it all and Frostpaw could feel him trembling in rage.

"How dare they!" He hissed, his tail lashing in fury. A growl rose in his throat and his lips peeled back into the beginnings of a vicious snarl.

"Those foul, fox smelling, shit faces! Wait until Nightstar hears of this" He hissed, Frostpaw cringed and buried his face into his mentor's warm chest. He began to sob.

"Y-you can't...:" He hiccuped, shaking his head.

"T-They will surely kill m-me" The white apprentice murmured into his fur.

"I won't let them Frostpaw" His mentor spoke, his voice determined. The young tom began to cry harder into his mentor's protective embrace.

"You're safe now, I'll protect you" He murmured, leaning down and nuzzling his apprentice.

"I promise"

Thank you so much for reading, hope you enjoyed!