12 Chapter 12

-UNEDITED-

Atherton sighed and began talking, "Well, as you probably could have guessed, I was born in the Lupus tribe in the settlement protected by the government." Atherton began as Ember's ears perked up as she began to wipe away her tears. "It was a risky birth and my mother barely survived. As a young pup as they called it, I was often the source of trouble. Pranking the gaurds, messing with the goats, spooking the sheep. You name it and I probably did it." Atherton admitted.

Ember smiled softly to herself as she leaned her head against the door as she listened to Athertons life, "My parents were never pleased with me when I did those pranks, at age 6 I got a baby sister an brother." Atherton continued, "I was so excited for their arrival, but I didn't realize that giving birth to twins requires giving up your life. At least thats what the elders said. They said each child drains the life from the woman but she can rebuild it until the next child. But when twins were brought into the world, the woman had to give up her entire life to let both children live." Atherton muttered.

Ember brought her knees to her chest, she held back a whimper as she rememebered her own mother and her death. The sound of her screams and the comotion it caused after. She pushed back some of her hair that had fallen in front of her face.

"As I grew, I only became more and more troublesome. I couldn't help with the raising of my siblings because it was up to the females to care for them." Atherton informed, "At age 10, I made the biggest mistake I ever made but some how the greatest I ever made. I had acidentally caused the death of an important goat."

Ember snickered, "How do you accidentally kill a goat?" She sniggered.

"Don't ask me, I have no idea on how I did it either, now hush." Atherton continued, "I was kicked out, I wasn't meant to live, I was only 10, how was I going to survive without any food and shelter? I had gifured out on how to turn into my puppy form just a week prior to the whole banishing thing." Atherton explained, "Funny, right? Well, I wandered around, house to house, seeking refuge from people. Eventaully they all figured out that I wasn't just a puppy but a shifter. They threw me out no matter how I explained or justified it." Atherton sighed.

"When I went to Magdion, I was ready to die, about to go to the river when you found me. It wasn't right of me to take advantage of you, but I was so desprate." Atherton explained.

"Doesn't mean it wasn't nice. Thats my problem about this whole situation, you seem to just justifiy it so easily for yourself but have you even thought about how its affected me? You just keep hoping that if you justify or rationlize it, I'll just forgive you." Ember said, "But its not how it works, I feel violated, like some part of me has been ripped from my soul." Ember muttered.

"I know, I shouldn't have done it, but if I had another choice I wouldn't have done it. I was 12 when you found me. What was I supposed to do? Kill myself?" Atherton accused.

"No! Go be an apprentice to someone, or fish and provide people with food. Do something then use people." Ember said exbrastly.

"I didn't think about that, but even so, no one would have accepted a Shifter into their arms, it was almost as probable as you not being..." Atherton stopped as he felt her glare through the door, "I'll stop right there." Atherton said.

"Good idea." Ember growled.

"When you took me in and fed me. You kept me safe and in turn I defended you. You took me with you nearly everywhere. I felt special, like I was needed and not just some leach. I watched you grow from a little 11 year old to a fierce Neko of 15 years. I've been with you at your lowest points and made you happy. Your happiness is mine Ember." Atherton said, "Could you please forgive me?"

"No, I mean, just not yet. I don't really know you all that well. Sure you just spilled your tragic backstory out to me but I don't know you as a person. Well, I know you as a leech and a lying piece of-" Ember took a deep breath, "poo." She said very calmly.

Atherton sighed, "Right, well, are you at least willing to give me a chance?" He asked, as the sound of the clicking of the lock filled his senstitive and the door opened he got his answer.

"One chance." Ember told him and he overjoiced.

"Thank you! You won't regret this!" Atherton assured, hugging her tightly from joy.

"Regretting it. Regretting." Ember managed out as he crushed her as she pushed away from him, "Don't touch me, okay?" She asked.

"Okay, no touching the kitty." Atherton teased.

"Yeah, you better not or else I'll rip you shreds and feed you to wolves." Ember growled and Atherton swallowed as he took a cautious step away from her.

"O-Okay." Atherton stammered out

Ember gave a sweet smile but her eyes still held the same venom it had when she had threatened him, "Good."

Atherton looked at Ember, he hadn't gotten a good look at her for a while lately because of how busy she's been, her earthy brown eyes were dimmer and where losing their shine and her hair had become knotted and her ears and tail were the only things properly groomed. She hadn't properly washed herself for a while. Atherton felt his blood boil, what kind of life was this? It wasn't the life Ember wanted, but she would have to live it if she didn't want the guilt of sending a little girl to her death.

Ember pushed past Atherton after he had gone into deep thought and just stood in the door way. She huffed, "I'm going back to training, behave yourself." She growled as she looked over at the window and Atherton gulped.

Ember hummed as she walked out and found Pele waiting for her beside the door, "Uh... hi?" She asked.

"Hi yourself." Pele snapped, "What happened woman? You just started hyperventulating and just ran inside your room." Pele explained.

"I panicked okay? Don't push me to explain myself." Ember snapped.

"No, you don't get to act like that, I know what you are." Pele said, "You're a liar, a complete fraud." Pele accused.

"Huh?" Ember asked in confusion and took a step back, "Could you repeat what you just said?"

"What? I know you had a panic attack, its okay to talk about it." Pele said.

"O-Oh, I haven't one in years, not since..." Ember trailed off as a memory flashed through her mind.

Ember was walking home, humming to herself. She couldn't wait to go home, school had been let out for the day and her mother was making her favourite dinner as celebration for the first day of school. As Ember walked the gravel path, she heard foot steps behind her. Her tail twitched as did her ears as she turned around she saw a large figure charging at her.

Ember screamed in horror as she took off. Her tiny legs pumping as fast she could as her breath quickened and the world seemed to close around her but she ignored it as the only one her mind was the footsteps getting closer to her. Tears began leak down her cheeks as something or someone grabbed her tail causing her to shriek before she was thrown against the gravel.

"Shut it you brat." A voice hissed at her as Ember whimpered, "Behave kitty and I won't have to hurt you... too bad." The deep voice said in a sadistic way.

"W-What?" Ember scammered in confusion, hurt her? Suddenly her eyes caught the glint of a knife coming from the person's pocket coming out and she pushed herself away by her feet as she scrambled to get up but was violently pulled down her hair causing her to scream out in pain. Would her mother hear her?

Ember felt the sting of a hand hitting her face, "I told you to shut up you little vermin. Now I'll have to mess you up bad to teach you a lesson."

"N-No! Please! Don't hurt me." Ember begged as the man held her hair as the cool metal touched her skin as tears rolled endlessly from her eyes.

"Lets see if you bleed like us." The voice crackled as they began to draw blood from her right arm. Just as little blood droplets began to show themselves from her skin she heard the sound of her mother and father screaming. The person let her go in shock as her mother came running with a pan and her father with a large stick.

"Don't touch her you monster!" Her mother yelled as the person began to take off, her father ran to Ember's side as her mother ran after the human man and hit him upside the head with the pan, knocking him clean out.

"You're safe now little one." Her father soothed as her mother ran over to her.

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner cupcake," Her mother said, "I wish I had." She whispered as she looked at her daughters bleeding arm, she leaned over and kissed it lightly, "I'm so sorry." She repeated.

Ember looked over at Pele, "Its been a long time since I've had one." She repeated emtoiunlessly before she walked away from the situation as Pele stared at her with confusion. 

Ember pushed the thought out of her mind as she walked down the training room, she needed to get out this frustration. She hadn't thought about that memory in years and it just showed up out of nowhere. If this was gonna happen to her, she was scared what else she might remember.