Hopeless Rebels

Bittersweet

Should I give trigger warnings? Seems like most of you would just ignore 'em.

* * *

Starlin rolled his shoulders, feeling an aching pain in his back. He was used to it, ever since his wings were ripped off. Starlin grimaced, pressing his hand to his head as the memory of that night played over and over in his mind. He had been chatting with Hillaysi, as he usually did. He had spoken of his worries for Findonesil and Hululanu, seeing what happened when Tigereon came. He remembered seeing Findonesli's look of pain as he was pressed to the bars by his own father. Starlin had been scared, terrified, and he acted impulsively. However he would go back to do it over and over. He remembered closing his eyes and focusing as he connected with a small thorn vine trying to grow through a crack in the floor. Starlin felt his eyes burn slightly as the thorn vine had grown upwards and stabbed into Tigereon's leg. Starlin opened his eyes, hoping his attempt at getting Tigereon to let Findonesli go had worked. Tigereon had grabbed the thorn vine and ripped it up from the ground. He glared at Starlin before shoving the thorn vine into Findonesli's wrist. Findonesli let out a cry of pain that shattered Starlin's heart. He remembered later that night Tigereon coming with a long sharp blade in his hand. Starlin had been held to the ground by two humans as Tigereon wasted no time in smashing the blade into his wing.

"Starlin?"

Starlin jerked, blinking as he was pulled from his thoughts. "Hm?"

"You okay?" Hillaysi was staring at him intently from her cell.

Findonesli was curled in the corner, his breathing unsteady and his legs twitching ever so often. Starlin's gaze softened in sympathy as he sighed.

"Yeah."

Hillaysi tilted her head. "There's something on your mind."

Starlin blinked. She always had a way of knowing things like that. Hillaysi glanced over at Findonesli and then looked back at Starlin.

"Why does this have to be our life?" Starlin asked quietly.

"Greed. Countries like Tigereon are just greedy. They just take and take and take." Hillaysi answered quietly.

"We were so young when it happened." Starlin steadied his gaze on Findonesli.

"When it happened our paths were already set." Hillaysi pointed out. "Your dad made a mistake- no offense."

"None taken." Starlin dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "Tigereon's has been so much worse to Findonesli lately."

"Tch, it's because he wants to teach Findonesli a life lasting lesson or something idiotic like that." Hillaysi sounded irritated but her eyes glittered uneasily.

Starlin fiddled with a small pebble, his mind beginning to wander. Findonesli was 2 years younger than Starlin and Hillaysi, being only 14. Starlin sat down and leaned against the wall. The two sat in silence for a few moments as Starlin closed his eyes contently.

"Remember when we first met?"

Hillaysi's voice was quiet, as if not to break the quietness. Starlin looked over at her with a small smile.

"Yeah... we shared a cell back then right?"

Hillaysi chuckled sadly. "Yup. Until five days later when Tigereon decided we were to old to have cellmates. Guess we aged that quick."

Starlin snickered, then his expression changed to something more of mock solemnity. "Tigereon has been in my life so long it seems he's my new dad."

Hillaysi grinned before her voice went high pitched as she spoke. "Tigereon is the best dad ever! He starves me and even yells at me! Everything you would want in a father!"

Hillaysi and Starlin laughed bitterly. As they slowly grew quiet again, Starlin inhaled deeply.

"Yup, best life to ever live."

"Huh?"

Hillaysi and Starlin looked over to see Findonesli blinking at them with his blue eyes, which had gone dull.

"Nothin' Findo."

* * *

"Findo."

Hululanu stared at the wall, before looking down at the photo in her hands. It was one that she found from a long time ago when the Virlandese Empire took their picture. It was her, Virland, and Findonesli. She trailed her hand across Findonesli's smiling face, showing off the sharp jagged teeth that stood in place of the normal dull ones countries like her had. Hululanu felt something tighten in her chest as her grip on the photo strengthened. Tears started to drip silently down her cheeks and splash onto the photo. She let out a scream of frustration and flung the photo away. Her chest heaved as she breathed heavily, her brown eyes flashing. Hululanu just hung her head and walked away.