Truth Hurts by WyldClaw
Plot: spoilers for Erin Hunter's Bravelands: The Spirit Eaters. Not a Warriors book fanfic but no Bravelands section on yet and both series are written by Erin Hunter. short little piece from Keen's perspective after he leaves Fearless and his new pride. I own nothing...
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Keen Mightypride -once known as Keen Dauntlesspride and Keen Fearlesspride- felt hurt as he padded away from his friend Fearless. The two year old male lion had thought that telling Fearless he wanted no part in his obsession to bring down Titan would give him a sense of relief. Instead .. he felt like his heart and mind had been clawed . He forced himself to not look back as he ran to Mightypride's territory,.
Opening Fearless's eyes to the truth about his vendetta against Titan had hurt - he did not wish to internally wound his friend. . Alas he felt like he had no other choice Fearless was simply too stubborn to give up his obsession and in a way Keen couldn't blame him,He had witnessed the cruel tyrant Titan kill his older father Dauntless for the control of Dauntlesspride. Fearless had saved his life by telling him to run when Titan's lions mercilessly attacked his father's pride. As much as Keen wanted to avenge Dauntless's murder he'd let it go. The young male also knew that if he hadn't - the rest of his life would be spent spent obsessing about his revenge and he' wouldn't be able to look to what the next day would bring. Dauntless had taught him the Bravelands Code-Only kill to survive- and he knew that killing Titan would make him a Codebraker.
On the other paw his friend was so fixated on revenge he had hardly seemed to notice how much Menace's bullying brought Ruthless down. Keen had the one who most of the time stopped her from terrorizing her brother He had to admit Titan's older cub was simply too gentle to bear the name Ruthless- he wouldn't even stand up to his own sister. ( Then again spoiled Menace seemed to be used to getting what what she wanted and obeyed ). His friend was so intent on Titan when they were on their way to find Great Father Thorn to explain about the new Apha of the golden wolves plan Keen had been the one to tell him that Ruthless and Menace were nearly fainting from exhaustion. It was plain to see that the younger lions legs weren't ready for the strenuous running Fearless was planning.
Keen had been pleased when Fearless had won leadership from Forceful for his so called pride- what remained of Titanpride after the gold wolves had massacred them. He had missed being in an actual large pride-even if the pride members in question were thin, scrawny and weakened. a pride meant safety, closeness, a sense of normality , hunting as one. It meant strength in more numbers from from those horrendous vile gold wolves of Bloodheart pack. . He unsheathed his slaws and they scratched into the earth as he thought of how Fearless had brought that thought down by bringing hs goals back to Titan..
The young lion sighed as the distinctive scent of Mightypride hit his nose and he slowed his pace down to a run. He could only hope that Fearless would see sense. As much as the truth hurt he could only hope that his words opened his former friend's eyes.