Companions (X men Fanfiction)

Looking For the Mysterious Herb and Poultice

Soon after I saw Keen I took off. Thruster and Logan offered to go with me but it wasn't their place to help me. This was all my fault, not theirs. If anything I wanted them with Keen to make sure he was comfortable and alive.

Once I convinced them I strode outside to the darkening sky and spread out my wings. I surged forward before I flapped my wings and took to the sky. I flapped them madly and flew up so I almost touched the clouds.

Boulder Run wasn't a long flight. However it was extremely dangerous and I wouldn't advise anyone traveling there. That was probably the exact reason Poultice wanted to travel there. I wanted to just reach out into his mind and urge him back but that wasn't my power. That was his and I felt dread settle in my stomach once I realized he might be able to sense me coming. I just hoped was trying to get away from me.

Once I used my super senses and thought I knew the overall area where Poultice was I landed. I folded my wings against my flank and sniffed the air. Darkness was beginning to set in around me and I could just feel the night dwellers readying for their hunt. I also knew that a young wolf pup like Poultice would be an easy snack.

"Poultice," I called as I looked around madly. "Poultice it's Starlight! Poultice please answer me."

I flicked my ears upward as I tired to take in any sounds around me. I heard nothing but the wind whispering through the leaves. I felt a shudder surpass down my spine and I let out a breath to calm myself. "It's just the wind," I assured myself as I took a few strides forward. "And the wind can't hurt me."

I heard suddenly a shuffling of leaves and I knew those could only be made by wolf pawsteps. I turned my head and saw a tuft of fur, Poultice's fur. "Poultice," I barked as I bunched my muscles, ready to spring.

I saw round eyes appear with tears still brimming. "Poultice," I chided as I drew toward him. He bristled his fur and was about to bolt so I took a step back. "No don't run. Look I'm not going to hurt you." I lifted up a paw to show him that my claws weren't extended. He tilted his head and drew toward me.

I sat down and peered at him. "Poultice I wanted to tell you why I had to kill your brother," I explained.

Some tears streamed down Poultice's face. "O-Okay," he stammered as he sat down and struggled to look into my eyes.

I felt grief wash over him again. "Poultice while you were rescuing the children Logan and I were confronted by a strange lady mutant and Mirage. He was under some strange mind control."

"I could have woken him up," Poultice yipped as he stood up and his tail lashed.

I frowned and shook my head. "It's not that simple Poultice. I tried to wake him up. Trust me I did everything. However it just wasn't going to work. He was too emerged in his own world where someone was controlling him."

"Tell me exactly how it happened," Poultice pleaded as he raised a paw and flicked a tear from rolling down his face.

I smiled a bit before I began to draw out what happened in front of me. "He attacked me and I kept dodging it and I didn't lash out at him because I knew that I couldn't kill him. I'd rather die than have him kill me."

"But you can't die," argued Poultice as he tilted his head in confusion and it looked like he was about to topple over.

"Yes I can," I corrected as my tail lashed. "If I'm decapitated I die. Anyway he threw me against a pillar and I raised my paws instinctively. Mirage leaped for them and my claws were out. I was shocked, trust me I was, and I tried to revive him but my claws pierced too deep."

I saw Poultice begin to shake a bit and I wasn't sure if it was in rage or if it was in terror. "Did he say anything before he died," he asked as he raised a paw and touched it to his crystal. I didn't realize that Poultice was still wearing it and I felt affection surge through me for him.

I shook my head. "I think he was trying to talk to me but I couldn't understand him. However I'm sure it was something about what a wonderful brother he had." I stretched out a paw and drew him close.

He suddenly lost it. He began sobbing into my chest fur and although I was uncomfortable about it I didn't show it. I know he needed support and I was the one who killed his brother.

"It's okay," I murmured as I lowered my head and pressed him closer into my chest fur. "It's going to be alright, I promise."

"How can it be if I'm losing everyone I love," he sniffed as he looked up at me and I began licking the tears away. They tasted strangely salty.

"Do you mean Mirage," I inquired as I curled my tail around him to keep him warm since now it was almost all the way dark.

He nodded before he rested his head back into my chest fur to cry some more. "And my mother, my father, Mirra, Mirage, Jean, and now Keen!"

At the mention of Keen my heart sank. "Keen isn't dead yet," I assured as I licked him between the ears. "And I won't let him die!"

"And how will you do that," asked Keen as he raised a paw and swiped it against his nose before he sniffed again.

I nudged him forward and I rose to my paws, taking in a deep breath. "There is this herb that Thruster told me about. He says that he can use it to heal Keen."

Poultice brightened and his crystal bumped against his chest and I rumbled in amusement as he rushed between my legs. "We have to find that herb Starlight!"

"Don't worry Poultice, we will," I barked as I lifted a paw and stroked his spine before I darted forward and sniffed the air. "It's a large herb with crinkly ends."

"I can find it," offered Poultice as he sniffed the ground before he looked around, his eyes scouring the dense undergrowth.

"Well at least let me help," I chided as I nudged him away from a sharp dagger bush. I didn't need to be picking out thistles from his pelt anytime soon.

"Okay but don't slow me down," he teased as he bounded forward, sniffing every bush and tree he found.

Suddenly I heard a branch snap behind me. I tensed and looked over my shoulder. Wolvys could see in the dark and so could Claw Wolves but I didn't see anything. I felt a shiver ripple through me and I knew that I should be a bit more cautious.

I strode back toward Poultice but I heard another snap, this time it was louder. I flicked my ears upward and this time I felt eyes watching me. "Poultice I-" I drew off as I heard a low rumble behind me. "Poultice I think you should come back here."

"But I think I found the herb," Poultice argued as he leaned into a bush and nipped a stem so he could pull the leaves off of the stem gingerly so he wouldn't break them.

I heard another growl and realized that we were in danger. "Poultice now!"

"But Starlight-"

A snarl sounded and when I looked over my shoulder I saw an adult male grizzly bear.