A Star Among Planets (Star Wars Rebels Fanfiction)

Chapter 1: Loss

"Run Mietro! Run Kanan!"

A large light brown colored puma stopped dead in his tracks as he swiveled his head while his black tipped ears twitched. His bright green eyes widened in absolute terror and his mouth gaped open to reveal pearly white fangs. "Master!"
  
A man stopped beside the puma and gave him a harsh kick to the ribs. It didn't hurt the puma, more startled him, but he refused to listen. "Master, please!"

"Mietro, we have to go," snapped the man with blood running down his arm where a deep wound from a blaster had nearly severed his arm.

A once powerful dark brown and black spotted jaguar laid on the ground, with blood spilling from his mouth, looked up painfully. "Listen to Kanan, Mietro. You have to go. I can't be with you anymore."

Mietro had experienced more death than he could count but this one stung the most. "But I can't just leave you to die," he argued with tears shinning in his eyes.

"There they are," announced a few clone troopers as they rounded on them. Mietro recognized the commander and his closest friend, besides Kanan, Commander Hawk. He had been at Mietro and his Master's side for years and now he was trying to kill them.

Kanan pushed Mietro away from his Master. "We have to go, now!" Mietro looked up at his friend, but Kanan wasn't about to let him finish. "Listen to Master Brist. We have to leave!"

Master Brist raised a paw and placed something into Mietro's paw. It was two holocrons. "Take these and go," he panted as blood began to pulse from his neck and shoulder. "Go, and don't look back, promise me."
                
Mietro gasped as tears streamed down his face. "I promise," he croaked.

"I will always be with you. We will be connected by the force. I love you, as my son, now please, go," he coughed as blood began to bubble from his lips and Mietro took a terrified step back.
       
Kanan grasped Mietro by the scruff and threw him off his paws. He landed a few pawsteps away and Kanan lowered to take the holocrons. "Go, now!"

Mietro didn't argue this time. He looked back once more to his dying Master before he turned and sprinted forward. Kanan followed, slower but still quick. Mietro was able to travel at a place that Kanan just couldn't get to, which made it easier for Mietro to grieve for a few heartbeats before he exploded back into view.

"There are the two Padawans," announced a clone trooper named Pine as he pointed a finger at Mietro and Kanan.

They began firing and a blaster sliced through Mietro's ear. Blood spurted out and pain flooded his eyes. Kanan kept him on track as they managed to find their Masters' ship. Mietro stumbled aboard with Kanan slightly dragging him the rest of the way, despite his wounded arm.

The clones continued to fire but Kanan closed the ship's door in a hurry before he turned to the controls. He started it up easily and quickly exited the atmosphere. Luckily, they hadn't had a whole fleet with them this time, so jumping to hyperspace was relatively easy.
 
Kanan then turned and saw Mietro crumpled at the ground, tears dropping onto his large paws. He frowned as he came over and rested a hand on Mietro's shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss," he empathized.

Mietro raised his head. "And for yours. You lost your Master as well," he pointed out before he looked at Kanan's arm. "You might want to have that checked out."

Kanan pointed to Mietro's tail. "How about that? That wasn't a clean shot."

Mietro hadn't even looked at it. He turned his head and the smell of rotting flesh nearly made his vomit. He took his tail gingerly in his teeth and saw how the blaster had struck his bone and made it through most of his flesh. He sighed heavily and shook his head. "There's no saving it."

Kanan lowered down and went to touch it but Mietro scooted away. "Maybe I could-"

"I need you to cut it off," interrupted Mietro as he turned his tail toward Kanan. "With your lightsaber. Just slice right through it."