R U N N E R — Daughter This is a bonus chapter for my comic, Runner! It’s not a comic, as that would have delayed the main chapter for a g e s - Anyways, scroll down and enjoy! This explains the events of chapter 7 and 8, and reveals the blurred out words. Also, this chapter will contain death, so if you don’t want to read that’s fine :D Flickering candlelight reflected in the chipped china plates- With the little money they had, it was the best they could afford to eat on. Celeste balanced them precariously on one paw, and wobbled into the dining room, where her mother, Andromeda, was arranging the table with various flower bouquets. She glanced up as Celeste came through the door. “Give me those.” she snapped, taking them from her paws. “I’m not trusting you with our plates again, after last time.” Celeste flinched, and looked away in shame. It felt like nothing she did would ever make her mother happy. As a matter of fact, she couldn’t recall her mother ever smiling at her. “I want tonight to be perfect.” continued Andromeda, gathering a pile of old rags in her arms and sweeping the mahogany table surface with them. Her paws moved in deft circles, polishing it until it shone. “It’s the first time in a while that your father’s had enough time off to come back home. No mistakes. NO messing tonight up.” She whipped around, narrowing her stormy blue eyes at Celeste. “Do you understand?” Swallowing back the fear that rose in her throat, Celeste answered, “Yes… Mother.” Beyond them, the door rattled as someone knocked firmly on it. Leaving Andromeda to hurriedly add some finishing touches, Celeste scurried to the front door. It had been so long since she had last seen her father she scarcely remembered what he looked like. All she remembered was his cruelty; He always sided with her mother, and seemed to take any opportunity to scold her. With shaking paws, she opened the door. The first thing she noticed was how similar they looked to each other. They both had identical snowy white wings and pale fur, but his eyes were a pale, sickly yellow instead of sky blue like hers. As he moved forward, she lurched away from him, afraid he was going to hit her (which was his usual way of greeting her). But instead, he just threw her his herb pack and grunted, “Put on the shelf.” He was a healer down on the lower tiers, mostly tending wounded guards. The demand for healers was high down there and the money he brought in, along with the payments of her mother’s flower shop’s customers, paid for their reasonable sized house on Tier Three. But Celeste would have given up her bedroom, her food, even her job- To have parents that loved her. “Blizzard!” Andromeda nuzzled her mate briefly on the cheek. “It’s good to see you.” “You too.” he purred, flicking her with his tail. /Not glad to see ME, then?/ Celeste noticed bitterly. Her mother nudged her in the direction of the kitchen. “The ingredients are all set out.” “What? Oh…” She should have expected being made to cook tonight. Without doubt, her mother wanted to sit with her father and tell all about how terrible Celeste’s behaviour had been. She padded into the kitchen, to see the components of the meal laid out on the countertop. If she didn’t get the recipe right, there would be consequences— Then again there’d be consequences even if she got the recipe /right/. As she moved to start cooking, she heard her name mentioned in her parents’ conversation. It wasn’t unusual for them to be talking about her, but she still wanted to listen. “What’s the name of that young guard Celeste always hangs out with?” her father’s voice drifted through into the kitchen as Celeste’s eyes widened. “Saltwater?” her mother said. Through the crack in the door hinge, she saw Blizzard nod. “That’s it. I saw him today, come down from tier one to help with a skirmish at the gates. Wouldn’t let me near the injured- Said I’d do more harm then help! Sometimes pain is necessary for a cure, and I told him so, that big-headed-“ “Don’t talk about him like that!” Celeste burst through into the dining room, her spine fur bristling. Her mother tsked. “You shouldn’t get too obsessive over a tom like him. All them royal guards are stuck up.” “I’m NOT obsessed-“ Celeste broke off, unsure of what to say. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. “He’s a bad influence on you.” Blizzard told her. “Isn’t it obvious he’s only pretending to like you? Why would anyone like you anyway? You’re stupid- But then, again, he is too.” Before Celeste could stop herself, she wailed,“If he told you you’d hurt the wounded, then he was probably right! All you ever do is hurt everyone, like you hurt me! Saltwater is the only one who cares about me- I wish we weren’t family!” She bolted out of the house, and away into the night. All she knew was that she hated her parents more than anything else in the world. (Cont in notes + credits)
Many months later… “A new kit in the family!” “The heir to the throne!” “Long live Princess Rowan!” Last dawn, Queen Sycamore had given birth to her first litter- A russet she-kit named Rowan. The citizens of Elementia were parading in the streets, celebrating the special occasion. Celeste clung to the shadows at the edges of busy streets, never venturing into the crowd. I hope you have a better life than me, Rowan. she thought. You have no idea how lucky you are. She frowned at her mother’s retreating back as she hurried up a staircase to a rooftop. After a moment’s pause, Celeste retraced her steps up. Andromeda was sitting near the edge of the building, gazing up at the canopy of distant stars above their heads. She stood up, and Celeste darted swiftly behind a plant pot, unluckily rustling a branch with her tail. Her mother tensed. “Who’s there?” she padded tentatively towards the stairs, and peered down them. Hoping to startle her mother, Celeste emerged from the safety of the plant behind her mother. “Hello, Mother.” she murmured, as her mother turned to face her, her eyes alarmed. “It’s just me. Your daughter.” The spiked fur on Andromeda’s back lay flat again. “Celeste! What are you doing up here?” But Celeste didn’t answer— All she could think about was how close her mother was to the edge. How close she was to falling. “Didn’t you hear me? Answer me!” her mother demanded, and as she did so, one paw slipped and she toppled backwards. Instinctively, Celeste rushed towards her. Andromeda was clinging desperately on with just two claws, her expression twisted with terror. “Celeste!” she screamed. “Help me, I’m going to fall-“ Celeste’s heart pounded in her chest. “I… I’m not sure you deserve my help.” she whispered, hesitating. This was the kind of chance she’d wanted all her life; and now that it had come, she was torn in two. “No! My daughter!” Andromeda’s voice diminished into nothing as she fell away from the rooftop- Away from life. Celeste stared down, feeling sick at the sight of her mother’s broken body lying on the cobblestones far below. I’ll be suspected of murder! she thought irrationally, her stomach lurching. I have to hide her! She flew down the flight of stairs into the side street where her mother had landed. All she could hear was the cheering of the crowds, and half of her felt like cheering with them, but for a completely different reason. The other half felt like crying. Three days? Had it really only been three days? It felt like a lifetime ago. Celeste pelted through the streets of Tier Four, feigning panic. At last she could see her father talking with some other Elementals under the shelter of a striped canopy. “Father! Father!” she cried, running up to him. She still felt a little guilty lying to him like this, but tried to console herself in the fact that she had already killed one Elemental- Another one would hardly make a difference. He glared at her. “What are you doing here, Celeste?” “Mother’s missing!” Instantly she had his attention. “Where did you last see her? How long has she been gone?” She tried her best to sound as upset as possible. “She said she was off to gather some rare herbs in the Racelands for you.” She pretended to choke back a sob. “She disappeared three days ago, and I haven’t seen her since!” Gazing up with wide, tear stained eyes at him, she begged, “Will you go and find her? The shop isn’t the same without her… and she might have found the rare herbs for you!” She knew adding in a lie about rare herbs would catch his interest, as a healer. And the loss of his mate would be devastating for him- In fact, he’d probably be happier dead. “Which direction did she head in?” he asked, concerned. “West.” Celeste told him. She’d made sure to scatter chunks of meat, which would attract Raceland creatures to the trail. With luck, her father would get lost and then be taken care of by the monsters. He gathered up his herbs. “I’ll leave right now.” he told her. “Take care of the shop. Why couldn’t you have taken better care of your mother? She wouldn’t have left if you’d kept an eye on her.” Before giving her a chance to reply, he pushed past her and vanished down the street. That was the last Celeste ever saw of him.
