Companions (X men Fanfiction)

I Can't Lose Keen Like I Lost Mirage

I had agreed to seeing Keen but I didn't realize how bad he could have looked. We all exited Cerebro and strode toward a medical room where Keen was being held.

"Now you might be a little shocked at what you see but don't let him see how surprised or horrified you are, okay," Thruster asked the Professor, Logan, and I.

I dipped my head while Logan and the Professor nodded in understanding. Thruster sighed and pushed himself in. I followed and I had to blink my eyes rapidly to adjust to the lack of light around me. I knew it was for Keen so he could be relaxed in the darkness but that didn't mean that it made for easy maneuvering.

I collided head first with a cabinet. I grumbled under my breath and I felt my nose begin to throb. Thruster turned and nudged me away from the objects. "Just stay close to me," he urged as he licked my ear tip.

"I will now," I muttered as I felt my eyes begin to water. I kinked my tail over my back and felt Logan behind me.

"We all need to be careful in here," warned Thruster as he looked over his shoulder. "It won't be good if anything in here breaks. It's all medical."

"Don't worry," assured Logan as he looked around madly. "I have senses like a wolverine."

I rolled my eyes before we strode up to a bed. I blinked my eyes before Thruster turned on a small light that illuminated Keen's face. I also saw an IV in his paw with a clear liquid pumping itself into Keen. I felt a sob rising in my throat as Keen opened his eyes and I saw his blue eyes clouded and glazed.

He turned his head which looked like it had been a major effort on Keen's part. "Starlight," he mumbled as he smiled a bit. I beamed and my tail wagged against Logan's leg. Logan stood behind me and I saw him looking over his shoulder at Keen.

Keen suddenly turned his head and let out a groan. He took in a ragged breath and I wondered if I had made him worse. I whimpered a bit and rested my head on my paws. I leaned forward and touched my nose to Keen's boney cheek. I realized that I could see everyone of Keen's ribs prodding out from his pelt. He looked like a living skeleton.

I whimpered longingly. "Keen please," I begged as tears began to stream down my face.

I saw the Professor out of the corner of my eyes stretched out a hand and rest it on the top of Keen's head. He closed his eyes before he turned to me. "He doesn't have much time yet. His immune system is failing."

"No," I cried before I sat up and leaped away from the bed. I stomped away, not caring how loud I was. Thruster could scold me all he wanted but it wasn't going to make me any quieter.

"Starlight you can't do anything," Thruster argued as he leaped down and strode toward me, trying to calm me down.

"Yes I can," I argued before I bristled my fur and bunched my muscles. "Maybe I can find something in the forest that can heal him when I'm bringing back Poultice."

Thruster looked at me with gentleness in his large green eyes. "There is this one herb that might be able to save him but it's very rare. It is a large leaf with crinkled edges and it tastes bitter. It is the only thing I know that can heal water poisoning."

"That doesn't sound so hard," I pointed out as I lashed my tail.

"It doesn't usually grow here at this time of year but it's worth a shot," Thruster murmured before he turned to look at Keen over his shoulder. His eyes immediately darkened. "It's the only chance he's got."