Precious

**This story was made by Safetyfireluv and NikkiAJ123.**

**Please do not edit.**

## Credits

**Safetyfireluv (Ellz)** for contributing and casting characters, as well as remaking and posting on various wikis; also helping create the chapters and layouts.

**My mom** for checking in on us and keeping us supplied with snacks, food, etc.

**Abbykurle** to being both an idol and a good friend

**Puggies&lions4ever** and **Mended Mooncalf** for being the first ones to comment on the orginal version.

## \*~Chapter 1~\*

The tiger sat at her desk and wiped her forehead. It felt she'd been writing for hours, just trying to find the right words. Again, she turned to Google for help. "Scintillating," she said wonderingly, staring at the computer. "To shine or sparkle brightly."

Again, she turned to her document and typed the word in. It looked false, but she shook her head. She was older now. She should know words bigger than that. She rubbed her temples. College. She tried to remember... but she couldn't... she read her work so far over again in hope her memory would be at least slightly refreshed.

*The young man stared at the scintillating window, feeling consternation. What if the temp had risen? He tried to disregard this, but it sojourned in his mind until he noticed his daughter trudging through the snow.*

She looked the words upside down and sideways. They were horrible, she decided. She deleted every word of the passage and slumped into her chair.

"It's time," A cold voice demanded behind her. The icy tone seemed to grip her faith and tear it apart. Slowly, she obediently got out of her chair, closed the Shiveer, and saluted. "Yes, sir."

Did it seem weird to her that she was getting ready for her death? Obeying the person that would surely kill her? Unless, of course, he made a new recruit do it.

The Master, Wont, was not one to finish the job himself. The eagle looked shiny and more tough than ever, as if with a swipe of his talons he could slit your throat. The thought made Lelli shiver. Maybe he would make an exception for her...

"Your consent, Soldier Dean?"

"I will let my body be a sacrifice to the soldiers of your army."

"Good, follow me."

He led the tiger through the twisting, cold halls until he made it to a work room. The inside smelled strongly of dung and pipes that were transferring the deadly liquid, Regen, through the stone and to the battlefield.

A line of animals waited patiently, it seemed, although occasionally they seemed to fidget with something. Right before Lelli's eyes, Wont tore his claws through a bunny's fur.

The bunny was the smallest animal there; the biggest was a wolf.

"Prove to me," Wont said with a tone of abeyance, "That you can fight truly with your claws while you're already damaged."

Lelli had been a worker and a fighter for Wont for too long. She knew exactly what he wanted her to do.

He wanted Lelli to kill the bunny.

## Chapter 2

Lelli wasn't strong enough to kill. Well, mentally. Otherwise, she could be a vicious beast.

In all her encounters with life threats, her instinct had always been to either talk her way out of it or flee. Proof that it worked? She was still alive.

Self-doubt creeps in and swiftly turns to plain worry. Her 'woes' were too much. So, of course, she opened her mouth, her only weapon, in this case. She couldn't claw.

The bunny was already weakening, if she wasn't bad enough already. Maybe Wont wanted her dead, for some reason. Mysteries.

"I- I- but-" Lelli stammered as the bunny fell to her knees, clutching her wound. It looked to be a pretty deep gash that was practically gushing blood. It looked horrible, and even she could tell Wont was hungry to kill with that kind of precision- and target.

"*Go for the strongest so they know you can, then use your wits and get out of it. I know you have them, Lelli... change what needs to change, break what needs to be broken, stop what needs to be stopped, and use the power of you to define who you are and what you do."*The words that Lelli heard from her father echoed at the worst time, when she had no time to appreciate them. Literally, she had to move, fast.

With newfound courage, Lelli uttered a full, long patch of defiant words- "Her? That bunny? You're being so unfair! Someone like that will bleed out in a few seconds, anyway! I've been a warrior for you for goodness knows how long, and you put me with a stupid, small BUNNY?"

` The bunny almost looked as injured as her wound. But, with a few signals that went unnoticed by everyone *not*on their side (and yes, it was that easy to sneak language past the Master), she was forgiven and the bunny looked grateful than ever as she slowly fell, the color draining from her face.

Without thinking, Lelli grabbed the bunny's paw and held it close to her heart, as if someone she'd knew and loved all her life was dying. She began to speak softly, repeating her father's words:

"Change what needs to be changed," Lelli managed, "break what needs to be broken." Trying not to choke up, to stay strong for this bunny, she continued. "Stop what needs to be stopped, and use the power of you... in your heart... to define who you are and what people think of you."

At the moment, she didn't care what words she added on or skipped. She just wanted to be there for the bunny, to feel her last heartbeat.

"You... you are forgiving. You are special... I love you, Ella..." she said faintly. "My father."

"Those words... my father. I'm with you, Ella..."

Lelli realized all the animals lined up were now staring at her. But affectionately, wonderingly. Wont, however, was shooting daggers at her. She couldn't imagine what he had planned in the moments she'd spent with the bunny.

He, however, didn't interrupt. Lelli wondered if she really had the power to move the person whose smile was a lift of his chin. But she believed it, so she continued whispering in the bunny's soft ear.

"Anything I say after you," I whispered, "Will be true if it's good. Horrible if it's not and false. I only knew you for a bit, but you are missed. Loved... and special."

"My father died," Ella croaked. "2 years ago. On July 14th.."

Lelli wanted to say 'me too', but she was too late. Ella was gone, somewhere safe and away from Wont. She turned slowly, knowing the worst could happen but hoping she'd be forgiven.

"What," he declared, "WAS THAT?"

## Chapter 3

"A minor setback, sir," Wont's assistant assured him later that day, in the main room, which everyone called The Shame Room. Wont only took the worst people there, whipped or yelled at them, and sent them back to work. There were soundproof coverings so people could see in, but have to learn to lip-read if they wanted to find out what was going on.

Weird that Lelli felt proud. She felt like she literally turned Wont around, if the only other person besides the rule-breaker and Wont had to come in to smooth the subject out. In fact, she was practically swelling with pride. *I made him mad,*she kept repeating to herself, which sure enough calmed her down. She ignored Wont's assistant and stood in the corner, unmoving.

As if he didn't already know, the assistant asked carefully, "What caused this... distraction?" Lelli was right. He shot a glance her way. It wasn't angry or annoyed. It wasn't upset... it was content. She smothered a smile back at him.

"Her," Wont said in a matter-of-fact tone, as if he ruled the world... and Lelli. She didn't like that. "Yes, me, because someone was DYING," Lelli spat.

"Yeah, a worthless bunny," Wont sneered back.

"No need for the retorts, Geoz," His assistant said. "Oh- I'm sorry. I have a lot of.. patients come by, you know? Sorry. Well, uh, Wont and...? M'lady?"

It took Lelli a second to answer, since she was never called m'lady before. Only 'worker', and very rarely, when attackers struck or they practiced drills, 'warrior' and 'fighter'. Those were the only ones off the top of her head.

The factory's room made their voices echo, which surprised her even more, especially when she said it quietly but it repeated itself until it faded away.

"Lelli, or Elli," she answered, which before the repeat of the walls was inaudible.

"Ah," the assistant said. "Gef. Nice to meet you."

*Hmm,*Lelli thought. *What a strange name.*

"WELL, GEF? GET TO WORK, HMM?" Wont barked. "And quick, because I feel like bunny."

Grinning at Lelli, he got up and turned on his heel. "Comfort the kit," Wont said.

"Yes, sir," Gef said, turning back around from following Wont. "I'll finish the job, if I have to."

"What job...?" Lelli asked, though she knew quite well the answer.

Neither snow leopard or eagle answered, and Lelli got more suspicious. "You want to kill me, don´t you?" I laughed. "Have fun with that. I'm your best recruit, face it. Unless it's the time."

"Yet earlier today, you sacrificed yourself!" He shot back. Unprepared, shock crossed Lelli's face, as if she didn't know he could do that, or, in Wont's mind she was sure, that she wasn't expecting such a right snarky comment.

He stomped out of the room, leaving heavy silence with no angry words to fill it.

Lelli felt better, somehow. Better that he left, possibly. She waited until the aroma of his tight, clean uniform had left with him to let out the breath she didn't realize she´d been holding until a few seconds ago.

"Well then," Gef sighed, clapping his hands together. "How shall we end this chapter?"

"Huh?" Lelli was confused, but she thought it even more stupid that she said so in a manner of 'huh', which was improper and usually, with Wont, triggered him, therefore making you sent to Punishment.

I'd been to Punishment before, of course. Most times, you got whipped to the bone. Other times, they just beat you bloody. If it was minor, like I'd gotten, you had to smell the heaviness of the Regen for hours, and then they'd whip you a few times and send you on your way.

For the good warriors, that they couldn't afford to let go, they just sent guards to watch them every minute. At work, when they're using the bathroom, showering, sleeping... although most of them stayed awake at night because of the fear of phantom's eyes focused on their body.

"You know," Gef said menacingly.

"I think I don't," Lelli corrected, mocking his tone. "Explain?"

"Await further instructions, Soldier Dean." With that and a final swipe of his tail, the snow leopard exited the room grandly.

Lelli muttered a few curses under her breath, but didn't move. She stayed practically implanted in her spot, actually.

"Further instructions?" She yelled through the soundproof screen, causing all the animals watching to jump back, unsure what to do. They were probably whispering to one another- or, even thinking to themselves- that she had lost her mind.

Wont came trailing back into the room, his claws skidding across the stone. "And so we meet again?" He said in a false suspenseful voice.

"Yes, we shall..." She repeated. That was their secret greeting, even though you weren't supposed to be close with your Master. Lelli didn't care much, actually. She just hoped Wont forgave her and she wasn't sent to Punishment.

"I have a new job for you," Wont said, his usual creepiness returning, as did the shiver down Lelli's spine that often came when she saw him in his usual form.

"Yes, sir?"

"You will fight. New recruits. If they manage to get you in need of a medic, they pass. If they don't, either you kill them or I put them in Punishment."

Lelli knew that meant he'd kill them himself, just for entertainment. But that wasn't the only shock she'd received. Her mind was bawling in circles, seeming to bang against every wall. On the outside, she looked strong and prepared. The inside? She felt she might explode.

"Yes, sir," She obeyed, and hurried to follow Wont down the corridor to the room they'd been in before.

All of the animals gave silent signs of respect. Lelli shook her head and looked shamefully at the ground. The horror registered on their face even before she knew what they were going to do.

All at once, the animals attacked.

## Chapter 4

Screaming and flailing. Blood and survivors. Medics. Beeping...

Lelli lunged at one of the arctic foxes, throwing herself on him and pinning him to the ground. An imaginary force seemed to pull her to pushing her claw into his throat, ready to slit it. She did so reluctantly for her mind but willingly for her body and then fell back, panting.

Lelli remembered where she was. Herself. And leaned against the wall. Wont and his guards had chained up all but 2. The arctic fox she'd slaughtered and a cheetah, teeth bared. Right before Lelli's eyes, she turned a guard into history.

"Hmm... worth it. Soldier Dean?"

He chained up the cheetah easily, even though his guard could not do so. Maybe she was willing and proud, because she didn't seem to struggle with him.

Afterwards, Lelli followed Wont back down the confusing halls. They stopped at the cell right next to hers and he dropped the cheetah in.

"Lelli, I now grant you permission to be her guarder."

Astonished, Lelli pointed at herself for confirmation. He nodded. "You and another snow leopard called Infinite will guard her."

Lelli nodded slowly, surprised. But she still understood, so that counted.

(**From now on, it'll be in first-person)**

"Okay then. Watch her and I'll return shortly."

I wasn't sure what to do. Should I sit down? Should I talk? But she answered that question, and turned out to be pretty nice.

"Hello!" She said politely. "So, you're gonna guard me?"

"Yeah, but I'll look away when... you know."

She winced. "Okay... ma'am."

"Call me Soldier Dean," I replied kindly. "What's yours?"

"My what?"

"Last name."

"Kast."

"Okay, Soldier Kast. Nice."

"I'd like to think so."

"Why did you join?" I asked, hinting that she might be trapped here the rest of her life.

Her face fell. She must've understood my signal and realized I was right. Oops...

"Oh... I needed training. I really like fighting," She quickly explained. I remembered the guard. "Yeah, I know."

"Really?"

"You can kill one of the strongest people in this whole prison. And the guards in the factory, I bet."

"Oh. That was a guard?"

"You didn't know?"

"Uh... I guess not." she confessed. "I wasn't sure."

We stood in silence for a while until Wont and 'Infinite' arrived.

"Hello, Soldier Dean," Infinite said. Wont swept out of the room as I asked, "What's your soldier ID?"

"Soldier Geo, if you may," He answered.

"Well, of course."

Soldier Kast. Soldier Geo/Infinite. Easy enough, right?

We tried to turn away as Soldier Kast used the bathroom, but the guards saw this and pulled her to the front of the cells in the area. Then, he made her do it.

*Punishment because we denied?*I thought. *Maybe I don't like being a guard.*

We watched her get put to work, carrying heavy loads to and from. One time, she stopped, panting, and Infinite had to whip her. I looked helplessly at her. She understood better punishment for her than either punishment for us, bigger punishment for her, or both.

By the end of the day, I felt worn out. Infinite went back to his cell in a different quarter, and I was left laying awake all night thinking of what tomorrow might bring.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"WAKE UP!" A voice barked in my ear. Startled, I jumped to see it was Wont. He didn't usually come to soldiers personally, so it was a surprise I was seeing him so often. Maybe after the incident with the bunny, he wanted me to be watched at all times... by himself.

Unlike him.

Confused, I stepped out of my cage and let them put chains on pretty much everywhere exposed.

Wont pulled on the chain connected to my neck and I was tugged forward to follow him. Usually, I got to run free. Did the rules change somehow and I didn't know it?

Or maybe, I needed to earn back his trust. My mind did a bit of a scoff. How was that meant to happen? It was hard enough the first time, and in 35 years I'd be 75. I couldn't work another 35 years. With this kind of abuse, I'd be dead in 20. That was the most I could hope for, at least.

He brought me outside of the prison and through another set of passageways until we got to a huge room, bigger than almost anything else in the factory which Wont had switched me into. There was a rough sandy floor and a door leading to the armory off to the side.

The same line of animals that Wont managed *not*to kill were stood against the wall in awkward positions, wearing none of their usual clothes, but cloth protecting their sensitive parts and the rest exposed. More target, I assumed. Better chance of winning. Wont did the same to me and announced my new job.

"You must fight in the arena. As your job before, do you remember? Before we killed one of the animals that went crazy."

*WE?!?!?*I wanted to scream. *I*killed that artic fox. By accident, but I still deserved the credit, not that creepy eagle or whatever the heck he was.

I remembered. But what if the medic wasn't good enough? Would he let me die that easily?

I noticed the wolf. The other animals were bigger, actually. My eyes had been focused on the bunny, so I guessed I didn't really process thoughts at that short period.

"Your first... opponent," Wont said, "Will be that koala."

I stared at the lavender and pale koala climb over to me. The shackles allowed her to move fairly far, about 3 feet away from the doorway which, if you asked me, seemed stupid.

Ignoring the koala's cuteness, I got ready to kill. If the medics were good, couldn't I just fake a wound or get a minor one? I wouldn't have to kill. But again, I felt a force pulling me towards the koala like I was about to pounce on prey. And I understood.

Wont was training me to kill.

After all, I'd fought in wars for Wont many times. It was easy to kill. A shot of a cannon, a swipe of a sword or claw. I found bad courage. It made me move forward more.

The koala's face almost jolted me back to painful reality. I stopped for a moment. Wont looked deep into my eyes and I moved forward more.

*Just a swipe,*I repeated in my head. *Complete the job or Punishment.*

Punishment... Gef replying, before Wont left how he'd finish the job if he had to...

I lunged forward, no longer feeling like a tiger but a powerful cheetah. One move...

But the koala hadn't given up, as the artic fox did. She slashed back, leaving a gushing cut on my face. I urged myself on, knowing that wasn't enough. I'd gotten plenty of minor wounds. I just had to make a major one on this koala...

She tried to swipe, but I ducked. Her hand flailed for a moment and she fell to the ground.

*One swipe,*I told myself again. Feeling stronger than ever, I gathered every bit of willpower I had and swiped my claw through the koala.

I closed my eyes, imagining drowning in the river. Cold water stopping my senses. Trapping my breath, my mind...

I imagined letting myself fall. Letting myself slowly drift into sleep, into nothingness. I opened my eyes and heard the roar of the audience I didn't realize was there.

The animal's hatred was inaudible through the approval.

The animals that loved me were...

The phantoms and the guards.

## Chapter 5

"Whoa," I said, backing away. "This arena is..."

Wont pulled my chains and I was forced out of the arena. The concrete felt like heaven on my talons after the horrible, pricky sand.

"Did you entertain them?" A guard asked, coming from his place on the wall to join Wont. 4 others covered him, too.

"Oh, I didn't fight. This young apprentice did." He threw back his head and laughed.

The guards looked puzzled. Apparently, Wont didn't know the definition of 'apprentice', because our low wages were all the way down to nothing.

"C'mon, I have a new cell partner for you," Wont guided me back outside of the factory and I felt the hot sun beating on me. I hated it and hated the fact how Wont seemed to be going slower.

Once we got inside the prison, Wont led me to my cell again. This time, Soldier Kast was gone. This startled me.

"Where did Soldier Kast go..." I asked.

"Oh, she's dead."

Before I could go out bawling, Wont put a strong claw over my muzzle. "Shh, now."

I practically flipped out just from that gesture, but I stayed calm and removed his paw with effort I hoped didn't show.

"Well, meet your new one! This guard wasn't suited for me anymore, so you take him!"

There was a loud gnawing sound and the earth rumbled below us.

Shrieks. A bit of the ceiling collapsed on four of the cells.

"GET BELOW!" He called to everyone in A1, the location my cells were placed.

He rushed every.single.prisoner. down the long chute, the old slide for Regen. But after that was pretty much forgotten, we'd never noticed it except for the occasional fall. Then a meeting with the guards, then a talk with Wont, then usually Punishment. So, it didn't end well.

I helped escort the prisoners down, but Wont insisted he go last. This was strange behavior of him. I climbed in and held out my hand.

"If we go down, we go down together," I said firmly, not expecting him to close the chute. Right before he did, though, he said, "Free them. It's time for me to go." And threw a tape at me. I caught it, noticed it was playing, and realized it would be more useful if I left it running.

I felt myself falling down the long, curvy slide. I stepped nervously out and got attacked by questions from waiting prisoners.

"Where's Wont?"

"What happened?"

"Is he busy?"

"Did he not know?"

"Did he lock himself in by accident?"

I shook them off best I could and stomped over to the guards. Well, I didn't stomp exactly, but boy stone floors are hard.

"I have proof that we should all be free," I said defiantly and held up the tape for them to see. "It's playing you right now." I stopped it and watched it with them and the prisoners that were tall enough.

The guards approved, strangely. "We want to be free, too-"

His sentence was interrupted by a cannon hitting the floor above.

"DOWN ONE MORE!" I screamed, ushering everyone down. They kinda did it themselves, but I wanted to know the trapdoor was secure.

A guard pushed me down as the third to last person. One more guard jumped down and the other one closed it.

Then I realized.

The trapdoor only locked from the outside. There needed to be sacrifices... what's a few lives for about 4,000 that the army had in their clutches? That's why he pushed me down...

I didn't like it. Not even in the slightest. I hurried everyone down more levels and dodged the guard's hands that I knew were coming. In return, they fell down the chute.

Many prisoners looked up at me. They gave me signs of respect that I nodded to before the roof came crashing down and I quickly locked the trapdoor.

## Chapter 6

I was scared.

The walls were destructed... everything was rubble. I hoped the prisoners made it out.

I laid on burning coals, wondering what had happened. I tried to get up. Lucky placing, there was a door... they didn't need to waste money on locks, I realized through my bleeding. I was feeling kind of woozy... I stepped out into the bright sunlight and almost fell again.

*I'll bleed out anyway,*I decided, trying to walk but realizing one of my paws was burned, one of my paws was broken, one of my back paws was sprained, and the other paw had thorns and rocks implanted in it.

So I got down. Through the pain, I ripped off some of my clothing to bandage my wounds. I teared off the remains of my suit and used the last of it.

Now, most of my clothes were in different places. I looked crazy, part of a shirt on a leg, part of pants on my shoulder. My muzzle seemed fine, luckily.

I knew I didn't have a concussion or anything, but if I survived, could that guard and Wont have? I was too distracted to care, at the moment. I listened for cries of freedom, unsure where the passageways went once you were about 500 feet down.

That was a long way to slide. I would've got sick through that, and then walking to who knows where. I studied the surrounding desert, the hot sun, the rubble. I fixed out a map for myself and started walking towards the forest. Proper moss, shady trees, stable branches. It had everything I needed so far.

Once I made it there, I felt searing pain in my whole body. It hurt like ()

I got to the forest successfully and removed my clothes from the wounds. Then, I covered myself in moss as clothes and bandages.

I foraged the forest floor and found a few berries. I was eager to eat the meal I'd set up by the time night fell: Nuts, berries, water, and katniss. I ate the tubers of the arrowhead with pleasure.

Once I'd finished, I knit a basket out of some materials from the floor and stuffed it high with berries and nuts for my journey. I was so thirsty. My throat burned from the bombing, my eyes were bloodshot, and I could barely move for an hour before having to rest again.

*In bad condition, always push through. Never hold back. You'll only get worse mentally.*

I was surprised at what I'd scolded myself for. No, that wasn't me. That was my father. Again.

I stomped my paw and pain flared through me. I wiped more moss on my paws and arms, then examined my facials.

I felt around. My muzzle had a bit of dried blood sticking to it, but that was fine. I readjusted my scraper. Within a minute, it was gone.

My head had stopped bleeding, thanks to the cool moss soothing it. It was kind of peaceful, really. My dewclaw was practically dancing, though.

The crickets chirped. The moss grew. The predators hunted, silently creeping through the cool afternoon air.

*Afternoon?*I thought. *Where has this day gone?*

I looked up at the sun to confirm it. I got a glimpse before I pulled away, the sun hurting my eye. So I moved closer to the tree and leaned against it.

I felt weak. I couldn't speak yet, or it would probably take all my effort, when I already used it to walk and, majority, to get up.

I sank farther to the ground, daring myself to close my heavy eyelids. It would all be resolved in the morning...

"WAKE UP!" Someone roused me. I opened my eyes to see a bunny. She was pearly white with pink fake butterfly wings and a pink butterfly clip in her hair.

My throat felt a bit better. I couldn't shove moss down it, so I managed: "Why.."

"They're coming," She said. "You saved us, come on!"

She had no injuries. I studied her. Was she from the war training grounds? If she was that healed, were they all? We all had been abused. She wouldn't look so... perfect.

"Who?"

She didn't say anything, just lifted my languish hand to signal *get up.*I did with much effort, and limped around. It took a great deal of power not to fall back down on my rump.

"Come, quick! We split up, and we're supposed to be there now or they'll assume we're dead!"

I realized what she was talking about when we left the forest to a plain grassland. Luckily, I'd brought my basket with me. I just had to make sure it stayed tucked under my fur or someone would steal it, and I needed it more than them anyway.

There seemed to be less prisoners this time. I couldn't stress what that meant.

Everyone got 'sorted' into groups. The bunny and a guard stood at the front. The bunny called me up.

"This," She said, gesturing at me with her paws, "Is going to be our leader. So let's get this war started!"

```
**The end of book 1**

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## Acknowledgements

Thank you to everyone that has helped this story grow as Lelli takes you on a wild ride of her struggle being captured and forcing to prepare for war under the gaze of Wont, the entire guarder of the prison.

Endless days of work capture the concept of the struggle that she feels, especially when fitted with the worst job- to kill.

As she knows she can do it and definitely has the power, she's unsure whether she's capable mentally or not. You never know when war and unexpected turn of events may break out.

After the dangerous escape, she's narrowly made it to safe ground... for now.

She learns that she's being crowned to lead their war to victory. But can she do it? We'll have to find out in the next story, Broken... coming soon.

~