Fire Emblem X Reader One Shots

Memories (Keaton)

A Keaton Request for NeokChan! This took me way too long... And I'm sorry ;-; Your Libra request will, hopefully, be here soon... And instead of putting in a 500-word story on why I've been gone, if you're a follower of mine (or not, I mean, I don't control what you are or aren't), then I'll post something on my "Conversations" Portion of my Profile if you're interested in taking a peek.

Now, here's the story.

========================================================

Memories of Keaton's home and family were always something that he was exceptionally fond of.

Sure, he couldn't really remember how to get back there, but he was fond of his time there all the same.

Keaton always remembered loving to spend his free time exploring and hunting back then. Gods, he even liked doing that now, as childish as it sounded. But it was beneficial in a way, giving him his own little bit of training to give him at least a little purpose in this war. He would always find the best treasures whenever he went into caves, finding piles of bones everywhere and sometimes if he was lucky, a whole bat corpse that had yet to decompose! It was wonderous!

He always wondered how everyone back there was doing. How everyone was doing without him. Wolfskin were a rather independent and self-reliant breed, so he was never too concerned, but he couldn't help but wonder, at least every now and then.

He let out a heavy sigh as his tail swayed in boredom. It wasn't as fun now that the bandits had learned to lay low and try not to attract the attention of Xander and his siblings.

Gods, he couldn't take just sitting here and WAITING for an order to be given to him by Lord Corrin or Lord Xander. He needed to walk and stretch his legs.

So, with a sigh, he got to his feet and casually began walking away from the hustle and bustle that was the camp he called his temporary home, humming to himself as he walked.

Birds chirped as he walked. A gentle breeze caused the leaves to dance and rattle quietly. He heard something scampering through the woods all around him, but it was nothing that concerned him.

His mind wandered to the other Wolfskin he used to live with, the ones that looked up to him as Chief. Gods, how were they doing? Like he thought earlier, he was absolutely positive that they were fine without him, but he worried. Those WERE his friends and family, after all.

The loud sound of a breaking tree branch and a thud that followed shortly afterward caused Keaton to flinch and his ears to twitch. Whatever made that noise... It certainly wasn't a squirrel or songbird.

His instincts kicked in. He immediately dove for some form of camouflage, which was a nearby bush, and he crouched low to the forest floor, his eyes narrowing as a low, aggressive growl emerged from deep within his throat, his ears flattening against his head.

He could practically smell the malicious intent in the air as he heard screams and laughter come from a few yards away.

Diving immediately into action would've been suicide. Even Keaton with his snarky and sarcastic attitude knew that. This was a forest, littered with millions of hiding spots if one knew where to look. His eyes, their dusty oak colored brown, darted back and forth, scanning the overgrown bushes and heavy oaks for anything out of the ordinary before he went to work, diving from one bush to the other. He wasn't as quiet or nimble as the Foxskin were over in Hoshido, but he was good enough to not be noticed by even the most cautious of Wildlife. Which was an achievement all on its own.

He could smell hunters. Their dirty, bloody scent was unique and unmistakable, so they were after an animal of some kind, which he knew by hearing the quick, panicked heartbeat of whatever they were hunting. It was a heavier sounding heartbeat, meaning they were hunting something bigger than a rabbit. It wasn't exactly the heart of a bear or wildcat, but it was something big enough to fend for itself... Something like a large dog or something around that size.