Several hours passed, and none of the six could get to sleep, except for Brian, who was still unconcious at this point. Tam had woken up only moments earlier, a bump on her head the size of an egg. She'd appeared confused for a moment, but Craig and Faith quickly filled her in on what had happened. Stan was still speaking to Brook. He said he was getting information about the place, but it was obvious by the way he was laughing and grinning that the two had really hit it off. Scarlett sat now far away, Brian's head in her lap, staring down at him. Every once and awhile, she'd brush a stray strands of hair from his face, and his eyes would twitch.
"Hey, Scarlett." Stan said suddenly, making her jump. She looked at him, remembering that there were other people in the room. "Erm, yeah? What is it?" Settling Brian down on the floor gently, she crawled over to Stan and looked through the small window. Replacing Brook in the slit was an elderly woman, her black-and-white hair cascading down her back in beaded brades. Her gray-casted skin was wrinkled and leathery, her eyes small, bright, and black. She had a small smile on her mishappen mouth as she nodded to Scarlett. "Thundera, no?"
"Uh... yeah." Scarlett nodded, pushing Stan out of the way so she could be closer to the window. "My name is Scarlett Thundera. How do you know my name, exactly?"
The old woman didn't answer her question, just nodded deeply in understanding. "Midnight." She told her, pointing to herself with one gnarled finger. "There are six, correct? Strange, very strange. Stars said four." Without giving any explanation to what she was saying, Midnight reached out to the girl through the slit. Scarlett found she couldn't move away, not even when the woman's index finger met with the center of her forehead. Scarlett shut her eyes immediately, and it was almost as though her brain did a doubletake on itself. When she opened her eyes again, she had to blink several times to get her vision straight.
The woman laughed, though her eyes were solemn. "Lover of the pariah's son. The stars did say they had doubt. I am only glad you gave him strength to make his way here." Midnight frowned deeply, and it was as though a shadow fell across her face. "That boy, he is important. Very important. Heal his heart, girl, for though you love him, it will not give him the strength he needs to face this truth." Scarlett only stared at her, not understanding any of it, but hanging on every word the woman said. "And when the time comes, may you beware the man whose name alone suggests the death of fire. His love is the kind that will turn all you love to ashes."
Scarlett backed away, as if pushed by an invisible force, with only a nod to Midnight to show she understood. Which she didn't. As she moved out of the way, Stan took her place again, glancing back at her in confusion for a moment. Scarlett listened as Midnight spoke to Stan, telling him to allow the destiny his sister led to take its course. He appeared uneasy, asking her several times what this destiny was, and what she meant. She said nothing however, and the conversation stopped abruptly when two members of the Shadow suddenly approached the cell and began unlocking the door. They pulled some of the people out, one by one, and Stan gasped sharply when they grabbed Brook.
"Brook!" He exclaimed, crawling to the front of their own cell and grasping the bars. "Brook! Hey, where are you taking her?" Frantic, Stan turned to look at the others, seeing that Tam had recovered and that Brian was beginning to stir. "Guys, we have to help her! Maybe they left a key or something- I don't know... Scarlett, did you see-"
"Just shut up for a moment." Craig interrupted, effectively stemming the string of hysterics coming from the other boy. "I've got this." Faith put one hand on his shoulder questioningly, but he only nodded in response. He too approached the front of the cell and stuck his hand through the bars. "Crowfeather!" He called softly. Suddenly, a tiny gray-black creature moved in the shadows, slowly unfurling to reveal a small cat with pale blue eyes. In his jaws, he held what appeared to be a bundle of keys. The kitten approached Craig, set the keys in his hand, and accepted his praise with a curt nod before melding back into the shadows with only a single glance back at Faith.
Craig pulled the keys through the bars, then noticed Stan's amazed glance. "What?" He muttered, somewhat annoyed. "He's my cat. He followed us here, I guess. I knew he's been there the entire time. Sorry. I only told Faith. But it was better you guys didn't know until he got the keys." Standing up, Craig began to fiddle with the lock on the door while Faith looked on in admiration. She nudged her brother with her elbow and grinned. "See, I told you he was brilliant."
Meanwhile, Scarlett and Tam helped Brian sit up, and he was soon alert despite his obvious wooziness. Scarlett had managed to clean away most of the dried blood from his face, and there was no fresh bleeding, which she was thankful for. In quick, hushed words, Scarlett explained how Brook had been taken and Craig was trying to break them out of the cell. She didn't dare mention her conversation with Midnight before she knew what it meant herself for the sake of not worrying him in his already critical situation. "I'm not really sure what we're going to do when we get out," she explain, her hand tightening around his. "I don't think any of us really have a plan. But we're gonna get out of here, I promise." And for once in her life, she was sure this was a promise she could keep.
"Got it." Craig said suddenly, as the lock clanked to the ground. The door swung open almost immediately, and they all stood. Craig made a signal to keep quiet and exited the cell silently, Faith's hand grasped tightly in his own. He pulled her into the shadows and gestured for the others to do the same. Stan came next, ushering Scarlett and Tam to hurry up with a stumbling Brian. All safely outside the cell, they crept forward down the dank hallway, avoiding eye contact with the hollow faces of the other prisoners. A sudden scream split the air, and Craig hissed an order to get down. All six flattened themselves against the ground as best they could as two guards rushed by, a mutilated body held between them. Faith made a gagging sound after they'd passed, and Craig put a hand on her shoulder as what little comfort he could provide.
"We need to keep going." Brian said softly, shouldering past Craig. The black-haired boy stood immediately, grabbing hold of Brian's sleeve. Brian looked back at him, watching as the heavy defenses in those pale blue eyes flickered to uneasiness. "Do you know what you're doing?" He asked after a long moment. For all his strong talk and attempts at keeping the others safe, Craig was no leader. Not like Brian was. He recognized this, and accepted it. But his conviction in this case just wasn't strong enough for Craig to trust him, not with his own life or any of the others'. "Are you prepared for any of this?" When the young man still didn't answer, Craig dropped his hand and shook his head. "That's what I thought. I'm sorry, but Brian, we can't follow you into this if-"
"Then don't." Brian said before he could continue. "I got you all into this. If you want to go back to the cell, wait until it's safe, I'd be perfectly happy. I'll handle this by myself if I have to. Craig, take the others back and I'll get Brook and any of the others I can."
A whack on the back of his head made him lurch forward suddenly, and he spun around furiously on Scarlett, who stared at him with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed. "You're really an idiot, you know?" She looked at Craig, and he nodded. Grinning, she looked back at Brian and pointed forward. "Lead the way."
Muttering under his breath about how they wouldn't let him be the hero just for once, Brian led the tightly clustered group down the long hallway. Noises became clearer as they reached a massive metal door at the end, and it was at the sickly sound of tearing flesh that all six stopped abruptly. Suddenly knowing what was happening, Brian reached behind him, grabbed Scarlett, and pulled her into his arms, covering her ears before the agonized scream echoed hauntingly through the corridor. For a long moment none of them moved. Scarlett slipped from Brian's arms shakily, and he gave her the best smile he could manage, which was more of a grimace. Faith seemed to be the worst off, her river-blue eyes stretched wide and her legs quivering. Craig nudged her gently, and she seemed to draw strength from his prescence, if only for a moment.
"Is everybody sure they don't want to go back?" Brian asked once more. All stood steady, even Faith seemed willing to go on. Tam looked behind her for a moment, then turned back to her brother. "Better hurry. Those guards are coming back." The brown-haired young man looked at Scarlett, who still stood by his side, steadfast as ever. Taking a deep breath, he shoved open the door, and they were suddenly flooded with the unnatural light coming from the ceiling of what could only be called an arena.
All around the massive area, crowding on the bleachers, were members of the Shadow. The rumble of the crowd, betting on who would die first, arguing over petty problems, was deafening. The arena itself was simple, with several piles of boxes, one of which climbing all the way to the ceiling. In the center were four people, bound with their hands behind their backs. Scarlett recognized Brook, staring in terror at the creature that approached them now. A massive dog, so huge each of its paws was about the size of a dinner plate. Slavering jaws snapped violently as it tried to reach the prisoners, who were suspended by a rope that was slowly being lowered to the ground. They were of no more use. The deal had been made. They were being disposed of in the most entertaining way possible.
"Brook!" Stan broke their cover as soon as they entered. Dashing over the ground, ignoring the dog that stared at his in bewilderment. "Brook!" He cried again, grabbing her as soon as the rope was lowered all the way and her feet touched the ground. "Come on, we need to get out of here-" It was then that he realized the people surrounding them, who were roaring now with laughter. The hero act wasn't played enough, but it sure was funny when it was. Bets were called as the others approached, gesturing madly for Stan to grab Brook and leave. But Brook hardly had time to scream, to warn him at all, as the massive mutt barreled into him. Watched helplessly as the dog's huge, razor-like teeth sliced deep into the flesh of his leg.
Stan's cry of pain and the intoxicating scent of fresh blood sent the dog into a frenzy. A low growl in its throat, the beast was snapping, tearing at the tendons in his leg. Stan fought back with all he had, wrestling the beast forward and onto its back. He was soon overpowered again, however, as claws grazed across his stomach. While the two battled, Brian led the others to free the prisoners who stood staring at the bloodbath before them. Brook's hands covered her mouth, and she begged them to help Stan. Brian only nodded, and turned to say something about a plain, when Scarlett came rushing at the dog with a trashcan lid in her hands. "Scarlett! Seriously? A trashcan lid?" But the girl didn't listen as she brought the heavy metal down on the mutt's head. Momentarily stunned, the creature went limp, and Stan crawled to the side, bleeding but alive.
The beast rounded on her, its hackles raised and lips drawn back in a ferocious snarl. Without hesitating, she hit the dog again, this time catching it full on the cheek. When a normal dog would whimper and cower, this one seemed to become even more enraged. It attacked fiercely, and Scarlett could hardly fend it off. Just as she was falling back, unable to hold him off, Tam appeared beside her, a plank of wood in her hand.
Meanwhile, Brian turned to the audience. Murmurs broke out as the group recognized him. What was one of their own doing in the arena? And Brian Garra, son of their revered leader, at that? "Stop this at once! How long have you been doing this kind of thing without authorization?"
"Authorization?" Dennis cackled from high up in the bleachers. "Authorization from who, boy? You?" Great peals of laughter came from the audience at this remark. Even the guards, who had returned at this point, did nothing to remove the trespassers, only watched with detatched amusement. "You were never in charge." Someone else sneered. "Yeah, you've just got the name. You ain't never been important for anything other than that." Another chimed in.
Teeth clenched, Brian whipped around, surveying the damage done. The first dog appeared to have been killed, but Tam kneeled on the ground, one hand pressed against her shoulder as blood trickled between her fingers. Scarlett was beside her, looking bruised and exhausted but trying to staunch the bleeding from the ragged wound in Stan's leg. Meanwhile, a second dog had been realeased and was watching Brian with a keen eye. Sharp eyes surveyed him silently, and a long pink tongue swiped over its black lips. Hunger had made it savage. Abuse had made it merciless. This creature would rip them all apart, as the one before it had tried to do. That was how they were programmed, to rip the life from prisoners no longer needed, to provide worthless criminals with cheap, gory entertainment.
Suddenly, in a whirl of spiked black-and-tan fur, the creatured whipped its gaze away from Brian and instead approached Craig, who sat kneeled beside Faith in the shadow of the huge pile of boxes. He gritted his teeth immediately, knowing without a doubt what the beast's intentions were. Without hesitating he pushed Faith to the side, and she rolled several feet before finally slowing enough to sit up and watch as the dog's jaws snapped closed on Craig's neck. However, his hands were on the mutt's jaws, prying them open just enough that the teeth didn't puncture his throat. Still he struggled beneath it while small trickles of blood stained the skin on his neck.
Brian was just about to rush forward, to lead the creature away, when he spotted Faith out of the corner of his eye. In deft, lithe movements, she was climbing the pile of boxes. The crowd around them was laughing loudly, some screaming out that she was going crazy. Ignoring them, the silver-haired girl balanced precariously at the top of the stack, staring down at the attack below. Her eyes, usually so warm and laughing, were narrowed now in intensity. She looked up momentarily, fixing in her gaze the ceiling light that dangled in front of her. Too late, Brian realized what she was doing. Too late, the words stuck in his throat. Too late, he knew if he'd been able to say anything, she wouldn't have listened anyway. But at the moment her feet left the teetering pile, he screamed, "Faith! No, don't do it!"
She leapt. Her hands gripped the hanging light and found purchase. For several terrible moments, she was suspended in the air, before the terrible creaking of the metal sounded. It snapped all at once, and Faith was falling rapidly, her silver hair billowing around her, her hands gripping the heavy light, her eyes wild with determination. Craig noticed her before the dog did. He looked up, momentarily distracted from the beast's attack, and his mouth opened for only a moment in shock. Then the light hit. It smashed, sending shards of glass and metal flying through the air, along with the dogs blood. Faith hit the ground with a sickening bump not far from it, having misjudged the landing by several feet. As the dog lulled to the side, dead on contact, Craig struggled to get to his knees. "Faith!" He choked, crawling forward.
From behind, the others appeared as well. Tam and Scarlett were helping to carry Stan, who pushed away from them and dropped beside his sister's motionless body. Scarlett, Tam, and Brian all sat as well, staring silently at the dent in the side of Faith's head. There was no blood. There was no other visible injury. But as her clouded blue eyes slid slowly to look at Craig's face, there was no doubt she knew what the injury meant. Even so, a small smile spread over her face as she looked at him, then Craig, than at each of her friends in turn. "Is... everyone alright?" Her voice was heavily distorted, but in the deathly silence that had fallen over them, they could all hear it perfectly.
"Yes." Craig choked, bowing his head as tears he'd been fighting to hold back spilled over his face. "Yes, Faith. Everyone... everyone is fine."
"Your... your neck..." Craig's fists clenched in the cement of the ground as she continued. "I wasn't... wasn't quick enough. You're hurt..." He looked up again at her face, seeing through his blurred vision the blood that had begun to trickle out the corner of her mouth. "It doesn't matter." He insisted in a strangled voice, forcing the tiniest smile. "You saved me, Faith. You saved us all. I couldn't ask for more than that. You... you were amazing." Faith closed her eyes for a moment, smiling. "Well, that's good, I guess." When she next opened them she looked at Stan, who had been staring, completely stricken, the entire time. No tears came to his eyes. Nothing registered on his face but the undying shock of watching his little sister sacrifice herself right in front of him. "Goodbye, Stan... be nice to Craig..."
Even the audience was relatively quiet, so the only sounds were the muffled sobs of Craig and Scarlett. Stan gulped heavily, staring at his sister's body, at her dull eyes that looked ahead, forever unseeing. "Faith...?" He whispered, reaching out one hand to touch her shoulder. "Faith... Faith, wake up..." His brows knit together for a moment in confusion. "Faith, it's me, Stan. You need to wake up. We have to get going..." Drawing away his hand, he looked at Tam, his movements sluggish and forced. "What's wrong with her? Why won't she wake up? She isn't hurt that badly. She can't be... no, she's fine, right."
At this moment, what the others wanted to hear was that she was still alive. That this was some prank, that she'd be awake and fine in a couple of moments. But Tam's voice was hard when she spoke, bringing the reality down on top of Stan. "No, Stan. She's dead."
Umad, bro?
lololololololololol
/shot
So. Faith died. Stan having a mental breakdown. Brian being... erm... Brian.
WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE.
Remember the fanart contest! Give me a link in the description to your picture, or email it to me on GMX!
Reviewerzzz: GlimmerIcewood, Sparkheart of ThunderClan, Queen Of The Pens, Spottedwind19, Stargazer2000, Leo, winterthaw of thunderclan, Ivypool Luva, Nightkill, littlemisslibrarian, and Sunfeather15666.
I'm climbin' in yo windows, snatchin' yo doggies up, trynna kill 'em so chu betta hide yur dogs, hide yur pups, hide yur dogs, hide yur pups, hide yur dogs, hide yur pups, and hide yur poodles 'cause they're killin' everybody out here.
THAT'S FAITH'S THEME SONG.
Review? X3