Rust and Dirt
the backstory of Rusty. If yall are interested in more let me know!
I struggle in my restraints as a sharp pain shoots through me. Opening my eyes, I see my unbreakable team, four of my members sat there shackled and chained down. All had their eyes closed while breathing heavily as their blood dripped into puddles below them.
"Ahhhh!" I yell as I witness them in their pain.
"Good evening, agent Rusty," someone behind me said. My breath was heavy in my chest as I turn my head to look at the smiling tabaxi. "Glad to see you awake," his light voice cut through the room. The tabaxi pulled up a stool and sat in front of me. His suit was impeccable. Slipping his hands into black leather gloves, he says, "say goodbye to your team. You will see them again, but they will reak of death. Their putrid smell will drive you to madness".
"Why not just kill me?" I ask struggling not to show fear, but the worry of losing them made my voice tremble.
"Well, Rusty, we have a new experiment that we would like to try. We thought it best, for the test subject to have nothing to live for, and the most militarily experience."
Taking out an injector, the Tabaxi stepped toward me.
"You know this chemical changes people?" he smiled, I tried to stop him, but there was no use, I was chained, unable to move. So I yell as he plunges the needle deep into my neck.
I jolted awake panting and short of breath from the dissipating memory. I used the building as support as I slowly got up to my feet. I looked at a clawed hand covered in fur, the dream flooded back into my head.
"Ahhhh!" I boomed and punched the wall with my other fist, breaking away some of the bricks. The pain was right and kept me sane for the past four years of my life. But those years were full of guilt and sadness and anger, but mostly revenge. Revenge twisted and rotted my insides, It got overwhelming at times, I didn't remember those times, but they happened.
I threw my bag over my shoulder, wiped myself off from the filthy ally way, and headed to the closest tavern. I pulled up my large hood to cover my head and most of my face before entering. Taking a whiff, the building smelled of alcohol, and the air felt dull. Walking over, I held up a monstrous gloved paw with a finger up. The bartender made his way over with an oversized mug. When he put it on the table, I slid him three bronze coins.
"Do you mind? Everywhere else is taken," a man said, mug in hand. I was going to say no, but I froze after glancing up at him.
They're all dead... and it's my fault. I shouldn't have put us on this mission.
I lie, in the middle of a street, and move my head to look at my team scattered around me. They weren't moving and were covered in blood. Their lifeless eyes pointed in my direction. The smell of them was so strong. I couldn't turn or shut my eyes because I will find the tabaxis that did this, and I will make them suffer for everything that they did to my team.
While the darkness filled me, a man knelt in front of me and was saying something that I couldn't hear. He lifted me with the help of someone I could not see and put me in what looked to be a wagon.
"This is the only way Rusty," he said before covering me with a rug.
I got up and hugged the man, for I haven't seen him since that day. He tried to push me away, but I wasn't going to let him.
"It's Rusty," I said hoarsely, the man froze.
"I never thought I would see you again," his voice was hoarse, "what was life like for you the past four years?" We both get another round of alcohol.
"After my life was over in the city, I was hollow, an empty husk, but I found my way to Lycan.".
"Ah... two arrows left," I mutter, watching deer grazing on grass in an opening. Taking in a breath, I draw back an arrow. Releasing my breath, I do the same with the arrows and wait till I hear two thuds almost simultaneously.
As soon as I release the second, claws threatened to rip my throat out. I drop my bow.
"Paws behind your back," the monster instructed. I did without question though something inside of me was telling me to fight. "now, calm your wolf."
"That is impossible," I say calmly. The monster growled at this.
"Don't make me force you," his growling in my ear, and just when I was going to say something else, he struck me in the head with a force that would have killed me if I were still human.
"So you are telling me that you can do magic on top of your supernatural abilities?" he asked, taking a sip of his beer.
"Yes, but it was costly. You see, I can't be away from my pack for blue moons. So my time anywhere is only temporary. I leave at midnight," I say with a small smile.
"You're leaving..." I couldn't help but whimper at the sorrow in his voice, "when will you be back?".
"I don't know... could be anywhere from a month to a year; all depends on the pack.".
"Then take me with you," he pled.
"We both know you can't do that, you are far too important to the city" I took a swig of my beer, "and even if you weren't, I can't bring you there." I put a gloved paw on his shoulder. "Becoming a blood hunter is no simple task."
"Sir, look at what I found hunting in our territory." A naked man pushed me into the dirt as I regained consciousness. He offers my military shirt to the man in front of me. "He didn't shift back when I knocked him out."
"Are you sure he is like us and not just a monster?" He took the shirt to examine it.
"According to his shirt there, he was a part of a military group. It says agent Rusty, also matched his identity plate I found in his pocket." The man secured a loincloth around his waist as he spoke. The man examining my shirt knelt in front of me.
"Start the ceremony Newt, I'm going to see what agent Rusty here is capable of."
"Yes, Myers." Newt ran off into the forest, and Myers helped me to my feet. Myers gets into a battle stance and waits.
"Can I have some arrows, at least?" I ask, rounding my shoulders. He shook his head with a sigh and tossed me two arrows. "Thank you, Sir." I knocked one and held the other in the same paw.
"Shoot when you are ready," I cocked my head at him. Did he forget about my military experience? I have a bad feeling about this.
I let my arrow fly and shoot the other immediately after. Myers knocked the first out of the way like it was nothing and caught the other. Well shit... he closed the difference between us in no time and tackled me. We hit the ground hard, and I use my knee to launch him over me. He quickly batted a clawed paw at my face. It tore chunks of fur and flesh from my maw.
FUCK! So it's like that? Myers goes for another swipe, but I block it and use his momentum to flip him over my shoulder. Before he hits the ground, I plunge my claws into his stomach.
I stand over a lifeless corpse in a bar. The smell of blood masked the smell of alcohol, slowly and carefully, I take my claw out from the stomach of an old friend. I watch as the life seeps out of his eyes.