This is exactly why I shouldn't make friends...
Hatia delivered the fatal blow with a brutality uncommon in adolescent panthers. She stood, hollow eyed, panting. She fought to keep in the tears that were welling up inside her.
She couldn't take her eyes off Kifo, the panther she just killed, remorseless. No, not remorseless. Not at all. Her eyes welled up with tears involuntarily.
This isn't my first battle to the death, nor will it be my last. But this is different...
Hatia was an unfortunate cat. Kidnapped as a cub, she grew up under the tyranny of the single and most vile lion pride in Africa. The lions prided themselves in their superior strength and ability to control. They kidnapped cubs of all species solely for entertainment.
They loved blood. The smell of it. They felt indescribably good watching fights, the bloodier the better. In ordinary fights, cats were awarded meat according to how much blood spilled of their opponent. In death fights, meat goes to the survivor according to how intense the fight was.
Many cubs refused to fight when they first arrived. Some of them starved after some time. Some of them decided to fight. They eventually let go of their parents' teachings and embraced fighting as the only key to survival. As a matter of fact, it was. Escape was tantamount to suicide as each cell was guarded by bloodthirsty lionesses, always ready and willing to kill.
Hatia and Kifo were cellmates. The former was kidnapped as a very young cub, therefore embraced fighting almost immediately as a lifestyle. Her heart became as hard as steel. She fought remorselessly. Kifo, on the other hand, joined her in her cell when he was almost an adolescent. He was utterly disgusted at the lions' lack of goodness in their souls.
Hatia, I understand you've been through a lot. But you shouldn't let practice and necessity define your heart. Look at me, can you honestly tell me you have truly forgotten your parents, being in a warm and loving family before you ended here?
Kifo's words rang in her head. She couldn't let it go even after countless shakes of her head. Kifo was the first being to see some good in her, the only being to see good in her. Yet she killed him. The panther who brought back her long-buried memories.
What good does it do me now? I can't escape. They won't even remember me.
Hatia still had her eyes on Kifo. She couldn't take them off. Deep down in her heart, she held a secret...
She loved Kifo.
He taught her how to love despite living under the same cruelty.
Now that Hatia thought back to the fight, she realised Kifo had barely lifted a claw to defend himself. He only did the bare minimum to avoid suspicions.
You gave your life to me. And I took it with such brutality.
His body was being carried away now. Hatia kept her eyes on him until he was out of sight.
"I'm sorry." She whispered.
This is exactly why I shouldn't make friends...
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