Survival Of the Fittest (Hawkeye Fanfiction)

Chapter 18: Unforgivable (Black Widow)

The wind sliced through the tree above Meda's head. She was on her first solo patrol without Natasha. She had been chosen since she was the fiercest when fighting and she was a lion. Years had passed and Meda was excited for their true first mission. They had gone on small ones as a group but never anything really important. They had done some things to get on the radar but then again others had done worse.

She scented the air, trying to detect the scent of Enthrear. She had scented him before on earlier patrols but she could never spot him. His scent reeked everywhere and she just wanted to claw her nose so she wouldn't have to smell him. However, Meda knew that Enthear was clever. He wouldn't attack without a solid plan in action.

She began to stalk around the trees, her knife inserted firmly in her shock collar in case she needed it. She sniffed every tree and clump of bracken. Still, she didn't scent his urine. Perhaps we had left, or he was just keeping his distance. Meda didn't know which one it was but she suspected the later.

She suddenly heard a snap of twigs behind her and she turned to see that it was just a fox, a sneaky fox. She let a low growl roll in her throat. The fox was reddish but had gray streaks going from it's underbelly to puffy tail. It was a male, and a cocky one at that.

"Get out of here," she snarled as saliva dripped from her jaws and pooled on the ground next to her paws. "Before I make you!"

The fox just tilted an ear as if he didn't believe her. She let out a yowl and leaped into the air. She brought herself down on the fox hard and the fox crumpled under her. She looked at him but the fox wasn't even struggling. That made no sense to Meda. Every piece of prey fought for their life.

She took a step back and realized that this must be a diversion, or rather a trap. She heard the thunder of paws and she turned madly. She couldn't see anything but the sound of paws kept moving around her, cornering her closer and closer into a smaller area.

Beside her the fox bolted, blood dripping from his haunch and his neck positioned at a strange angle. He would be fine but it was take a while to heal. Meda didn't know why she had let him go but she knew that she would probably need the energy to fight whatever was around.

She felt something come down hard on her tail and she jumped into the air, turning with claws extended.

"Is that one way to greet an old friend," wondered a familiar voice. It was powerful, silky, and cocky all in one. It certainly could only be one lion, Enthear.

Once Meda caught sight of him and hatred flared in her eyes. "You're not an old friend," snapped Meda as her head shook madly. On the outside she showed rage but inside fear was everywhere. "You murdered my mother and then you've wanted to come after me ever since."

Enthrear sat down and licked a paw before he drew it over his ears. "Oh, I did kill your mother but I certainly don't want to kill you, not now anyway."

Meda didn't understand. That had been all Enthrear had talked about. "Why don't you want to kill me," she inquired, not very interested.

Enthrear dipped his head. "You're older now and you're actually useful for me," he meowed smoothly as he rose to his paws and lowered his head into his shoulders.

Meda braced her own shoulders and her hackles rose. "I'm not doing anything to you except kill you," she threatened as she bared her teeth.

Enthrear's eyes glowed in something that Meda couldn't read. "Are you sure about that? Do you really think you're strong enough to stop me for getting what I want?"

Meda gulped, realizing that maybe she couldn't take on Enthrear but she could at least try. She should at least show fake confidence to him. "I do!"

Enthrear lunged and Meda sidestepped. "Then prove it," he roared with his teeth showed and sunlight made them look even whiter and even more fierce.

Enthrear reared on his hind legs and thrust his paw over Meda's ear, nearly ripping it clean off. Meda felt the pain but the adrenaline made her able not to focus on it. She went for his throat but he was ready. He pushed her away, one paw on her throat and another on her shoulder.

She rolled to the ground and she didn't fight Enthrear. He had her now and he could kill her if he wanted.

To her surprise he didn't. She blinked her eyes as he grasped her scruff and pushed her to the ground. Her muzzle tasted dirt and she had no idea what Enthrear was doing. It wasn't until he grasped her scruff with his teeth that terror shot though Meda like a burst of electricity. She tried to grasp her knife but Enthrear made it nearly impossible. She was just going to have to go with it.

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Meda strode into the school, her body feeling numb and tired. Her eyes were hollow and transparent. She hated what had happened between her and Enthrear and she wasn't about to tell anyone, not even Natasha. This was something she was going to keep to herself. No one needed to know so she didn't have to tell.

She turned into Natasha's room and saw that Fern wasn't there. Natasha was and she sat on the bed, doing what Meda thought was homework but she didn't know what kind.

"You're back," exclaimed Natasha as she smiled brightly. "You were gone forever! That seemed to be a long patrol. What happened?"

Meda looked away, embarrassment flashing in her eyes. She never wanted to tell Natasha but she was afraid that Natasha would keep pushing. "Er nothing."

Natasha shook her head, her teenage smile playing on her lips. "It couldn't have been nothing. You were gone for a few hours. It's nearly dark out."

Meda hadn't realized how late it had gotten. She just realized how awful she truly felt. "I had to make sure that the perimeter was safe," she pointed out as she shook her head to clear it as she stumbled forward.

Natasha knew that there had to be more of a story than that. "Okay, so what did you find?" When Meda didn't answer she forced herself closer to Meda, causing Meda to break out into a sweat.

"Nothing," lied Meda as she shook her head madly. "I didn't see anything." At least not anything I want to mention.

"Are you sure? You seem a bit worked up," Natasha commented as she stretched out and arm and wrapped it around Meda's shoulders. "And you're shaking like a leaf."

Meda bit her tongue and shook her head. "I'm sorry. It's just cold in here," she lied, hoping that Natasha would believe her. The air conditioning was on but it had been colder before.

"Then I'll turn it off," offered Natasha as she rose to her feet. "All you had to do is say so."

Meda hated lying to Natasha but she had to. She was too ashamed about what happened. "Thanks, Natasha," she murmured as she closed her eyes, her limbs longing for sleep.

Once Natasha came back she sat right in front of Meda. "You look tired. Are you sure something didn't happen to you out there," she pressed.

Meda almost told her but she held back. "No, nothing happened. It was just a longer patrol then what I'm used to. I wanted to make sure everything was safe." That was true but she couldn't have counted on one thing, Enthrear.

Natasha motioned toward the bed. "Fern has the night watch so how about you have the bed to yourself and I'll take hers. I'm sure she won't mind."

Meda greatly accepted the offer and she leaped on Natasha's bed. She felt drained and she plopped down, her tail flicking behind her. Natasha tried once more to get close to Meda. "Are you sure that nothing happened that you want to talk about?"

Meda shook her head. "I'm fine. I'll be better after a good nights sleep."

Natasha still didn't see convinced but she just shrugged and strode over to Fern's bed. She turned out the lights and Meda was glad so that Natasha didn't see tears streaming down her face. Meda flicked a few of the tears away with a claw but it didn't make her feel any better.

"Why did you have to do that, Enthrear," she whispered as she gazed at a window at the darkened forest around her. "I wish you would have killed me."