TW: Blood, death, abuse, Fire Ant

This story starts when Mantis is three.

Mantis and her mother were playing outside her house. The sun was shining and the sky was clear. It was a perfect afternoon.

No one could've predicted the tragedy that would occur that day.

Mantis's mother, Tangerine, pushed her daughter off of her. "It's getting late sweetheart." She said, kindly. "We should go inside."

"Okay!" Mantis said, jumping to her feet and walking to the door of the house.

Tangerine smiled as she followed the dragonet inside. 

A bit later, around dinner time, Tangerine heard a noise from the kitchen. She peaked inside and saw Mantis playing with some of the utensils. Tangerine laughed. "Mantis, dear, those aren't for playing with. Those are for eating."

"But I'm booorreeddd." Mantis wined. Tangerine walked over to her daughter, taking the utensils  out of her claws and putting them away. "Well, I was just about to make dinner. Would you like to help me?"

"Yes! Yes!" Mantis said, bouncing up and down with excitement. Tangerine smiled. "Okay then. You better go wash your talons." Mantis nodded and ran to the washroom.

Tangerine started getting the supplies to start cooking out. 

Mantis came back from the washroom and started helping her mother get everything ready. 

They started making dinner and didn't notice the faint shing of a knife being drawn until it was too late.

A throwing knife embedded itself in Tangerine's neck.

She fell to the ground, lifeless. Mantis screamed. "Mommy? Mommy? Mommy!! Wake up!" She tried shaking her mother awake as blood oozed from the wound on the SilkWing's neck. 

Mantis started crying once she realized what had happened. 

A door opened and in ran her father, Fire Ant. He pushed his daughter away, sending her stumbling backwards against the wall. He crouched down beside his wife, checking to see if she was still alive. 

When he concluded that she was actually dead, he spun around. His face was furious. 

"What happened here?" He demanded.

"I..I don't know. I..I w..was helping M..mommy cook d..dinner and then t..there suddenly w..was a knife in her t..throat." Mantis stammered, shaking with fear at the look on her father's face.

Fire Ant's looked down at Mantis's talons. They were bloody from when the little dragon tried to shake her mother awake.

Fire Ant growled. "You killed her didn't you? If you didn't, you at least caused this. The blood is on your talons."

Mantis's eyes grew wide in shock. "I didn't do anything!! I promise!!" She exclaimed. "Why would I want Mommy dead?!" 

Fire Ant shook his head. "I don't know. All I know is that your mother is dead. And it's all your fault."

The next week...

Mantis was hiding in her room, shivering. Ever since her mother had been killed, her father had been different. He'd yell at her, throw stuff, hit her, and so many other horrible things. 

He was home now, angry and looking for her. 

She started crying. She wished none of this had happened. She wished that terrible day had gone different. She wished her mother was still alive.

The door to her room swung open and Fire Ant stalked in, a knife in his talon. Mantis jumped back in alarm. 'Is he going to kill me??!!' She thought, panicked.

Fire Ant grabbed the young hybrid and threw her against the wall. Mantis yelped as she collided with the hard wood. She scrambled to her talons, trying to regain her breath.

Her father slashed the knife across her right wing and she screamed in pain. 

Fire Ant cut her a couple more times before leaving. Mantis struggled to her closet. She brought out a first aid kit and started treating her wounds.

Tears started falling again. She curled up on the hard wood floor.

That night, she fell asleep on that very floor.

Three years later...

Mantis was reading in her room. The last three years had been hell. She was now covered in scars and part of her right horn had been snapped off. 

She heard the thump of claws against wood as someone stomped upstairs. Her father barged into the room and Mantis jumped off her bed, startled. 

Fire Ant threw a letter at her and she caught it. She opened it and read it.

'Dear Mantis,

We now have a place open for you at Jade Mountain Academy and we would be delighted if you could come.

- Sunny'

'I can go!!' Mantis thought. 'I can escape all this!' A small smile crept across her face.

Fire Ant growled. "Stop smiling." He ordered. "You have no right to."

Mantis's smile dropped. Right. Her father was bound to say no. She sighed and set the letter down.

Fire Ant read it and snorted. "So, they want you to go to this school?" He asked. 

Mantis nodded.

 "And I'm assuming that you would like to go?" 

Mantis nodded again. 

Fire Ant sighed. "Fine." Mantis was surprised. He was actually letting her?

Her father smiled and Mantis's happiness vanished. "But you have to let me use the spell." 

Mantis hesitated, weighing the possibilities. At school, she'd be away from her father and would be able to start over. No one would know her there and she'd be able to learn safely. But... she'd also be forced to hurt herself because of the spell that her father had gotten from an animus. 

She sighed. "O..okay." 

Fire Ant grinned. "Perfect."

A week later on her first night...

Mantis felt herself being forced to the underground lake. She arrived and her talons pulled out a knife.

They cut a long gash on her left talon. She held back the wails of pain as her father controlled her movements.

After the cutting was done, her talons gave her a black eye and she was back in control.

She sighed and walked out, forgetting the knife.