Shock hit Finn like a fist to the face. The little assassin tumbled to the floor and out of Jake's nose, landing on her backside.
"The assassin!" Finn shouted, his shock quickly replaced by anger. It was that little cast's fault that Jake was so sick. Why he was laying on the floor, green by the edge of the cliff.
"The name's Me-Mow," she said, jumping to her feet, her tail wrapped around a small veil containing a red liquid.
Finn's anger increased tenfold. His face twisted into a furious scowl. "If you let Jake die, so help me, I will kill you too!"
"Try it, oaf," Me-Mow retorted.
"Give me the antidote!" Finn did not manage to take a single step before he was jumped on by the tiny assassin. She jumped onto his arm and ran up his limb onto his backpack, jumping onto his hat and into the air. She took a hold of a nearby tree branch and crawled on top of it, away from Finn's view.
Finn pulled out his sword and looked around the area frantically. "Face me, cat!"
Me-Mow watched Finn from above, opening her mouth and pulling out a small, sharp dagger. She made her way down the tree, unsheathed claws digging into bark to keep her hold as she spiraled down the trunk. Her tail kept a tight grip on the antidote, holding it behind her back as she moved.
Finn could not see her move. She was fast and small, and his view was locked onto the upper portion of the tree. It was not until he felt a sharp pain in his leg that he realized she had already been on the move.
A smug grin formed itself on Me-Mow's face, and the cat ran away from Finn, leaving him to groan in pain and rub his injured limb. Me-Mow was quick. She leaped at Finn again and cut a strap of his backpack with her tiny weapon, making it sway to the other side. She leaped at him again and cut his face right under his left eye. The shock on his face was satisfying. He hadn't known she was so fast.
Wildberry Princess screamed, a noise very annoying to the assassin's ears. The sooner that princess was dead, the better.
Finn got a hold of his composure and held up his weapon at ready. "Give it up, Me-Mow," he shouted. "You're only making my face look cooler!" His eyes scanned the area as he spoke, and he caught sight of his enemy crouched on a tree branch. He knew she was too fast for him to charge at her, and so he threw his sword at her. He regretted his decision immediately, for the cat jumped out of the way before she was hit and his sword was stuck in the tree.
Me-Mow landed on a rock beside the tree and smiled maliciously, raising her dagger. "You're at my mercy!"
"You think you're hurting me with that tiny dagger?" Finn retorted, his face contorted into a glower.
Me-Mow's smile faded. "We'll see who's laughing when you're blind!" She leaped at him.
Finn took in a deep breath, and when Me-Mow got close, he blew her away, sending her flying back and hitting the tree. Finn charged her, pushing her against the tree with a hand, but not before she put up her weapon and digging it into his hand.
Wildberry Princess let out a loud gasp.
"Give me the antidote!" Finn shouted.
Me-Mow smashed the antidote against the tree with a grin, and Finn was distracted by a weak groan from his dog brother. He backed away from ME-Mow and joined Jake by the cliff.
"Forget it, kid. I gave Jake enough poison to kill a dog fifty times his size!"
"Oh no," Finn said, holding his brother and beginning to cry. "Wait a minute… Jake, you can stretch! Just make your liver bigger!"
Jake groaned and laid in his hands. "Can't."
"What? Come on, Jake, just stretch! You can do it!"
"No," Jake groaned, rolling onto his back. "Too weak."
Finn's cries began to turn into sobs. "C-Come on, you can! YOU CAN!" Fine resorted to trying to stretch Jake himself, pulling on his body, but it didn't work.
"Ha!" Me-Mow said victoriously. "You never should have tried to stop me, Jake!"
Jake pulled on Finn's arms. "Dude, you've gotta protect Wildberry Princess." His voice was weak, and his eyes were half open.
"Don't talk like that, man," Finn said sadly. "You're not going to die!"
Wildberry Princess was silent in shock, her hands to her face in horror.
"I am," Jake said.
"No," Finn said, his voice wavering. "No!"
Jake pushed Finn away gently and laid on the floor in front of him. "I love you, man." His voice was weak and breathy, and then he shut his eyes and went still.
"No…" Finn said softly, holding onto Jake. "No… NO!" He leaped to his feet, turning to Me-Mow with tears stinging his eyes.
Me-Mow caught the look in his eyes and felt the first pang of fear she'd felt all day. "Uh oh."
Finn charged Me-Mow, but she was still to fast, The cat jumped away from him and ran up the tree, traveled across a branch, and leaped off at Wildberry Princess with her dagger pointed forward. She let out a battle cry, startling the princess. Wildberry Princess' berries fell off, and Me-Mow flew over the edge of the cliff.
Finn spun to face the princess and saw Me-Mow soar over just in time, but did not notice that the bird that flew by afterwards held the cat on its back. He knew that the battle was over, but at an unnecessary cost. He walked over to his dead bother and fell to the floor, sobbing.
Wildberry Princess began to cry, too.
Finn felt guilty for everything. If only he'd listened to Jake in the first place. If only he never woke up Me-Mow and believed Jake when he said that she was hiding in his nose. If only he defeated her in the battle. Finn didn't feel like a hero. Finn was no hero. Finn was a failure. He hugged Jake's body and soaked his fur with tears.
He was no hero.
He was no hero…