Tufer Origins Chapter 3: Painful Memories

Sorrowful screams. Horrifying howls. Those sounds are permanently implanted into my memory. Sounds I never want to hear again.

It was the middle of the night, I was startled awake by a nightmare I had. Funny enough I can't remember the actual dream, because what I had awoken to was a worse nightmare. I heard a scream just as I snapped to. That was Ony! I burst out of our shelter to see a conflagration before me where the farmhouse should be. Wicked shadows danced all around, both inside and outside the smoke and flames. Laughing. Howling. I quickly spotted Ony clenching something. A body. No. It can't be.

"Tufer, they....they killed Pop..." Ony cried as she clenched me tight. I held her, staring at the lifeless body that had once saved me from death, that took me in, took us both, the kindest, gentlest human ever to walk this Earth. I couldn't repay my debt now. I couldn't save him. I tried to comfort Ony, but nothing could come out of my mouth. My teeth clenched, my ears stuck straight up...Something inside of me snapped.

That was the first time I felt the shadow of death and destruction inside of me.

I released Ony and looked her square in the eyes, "Hide. Now. I am going to fix this." "No Tufer, I...I can't lose you too," she said with tear filled eyes. A wave of confidence and strength I had not felt before rushed over me, "I will be ok, Ony, trust me on this one." I turned to go face Pop's killers when I felt something hard smash me across the face. My body flew the air, but came to an instant halt as it connected with the shelter's outside wall. My body should have been broken by that assault, and it sure as hell hurt, but a forgotten survival instinct kept me alive. My spirit wasn't broken. I slowly stood up, focusing on my attackers. There were five of them. Werewolves. Savage beasts that should not exist. Shit! My focus shifted to one thing I feared more than werewolves. Ony was taking them all on by herself with just a burning stick! I told her to hide dammit! I can't...I won't let her be hurt!

I used all of my energy to push through the pain and get to her. I tried to get the wolves attention, but they were too busy taunting Ony.
"Aww look at the cute wabbit trying to protect her DEAD LOVED ONES!"
"HAHA! Such a tragic, yet funny, sight don't you think, Master Garou?"
The biggest one stepped in front of the other four, "Yes it is, my friends. And I declare there will be a feast tonight in our and our Lord's honor....after we have some fun with the love one that is." Ony was swinging the flaming stick like a champ. Who knew she had it in her? At that moment, she threw the weapon Garou. However, he calmly shifted his head and it missed, hitting one of the wolves behind him. "Shit! She got me!" he yelped, "I will rip out your throat, bitch! And after that I'm gonna skull fu..."

"SHUT UP!" Garou yelled to his comrade in pain. He sniffed the air. "She smells familiar," he looked down. "I know this one." I have to move faster. Dammit body move faster! Get out of there Ony! "Boys! Gather 'round for a story," Garou started, "before most of you were born, and before I was Alpha, I had raided this spot before." I saw Ony glance in my direction, good she saw that I was still alive, keep their attention for just a little bit longer. Garou knelt down to get on Ony's level as she backed away, always facing them, smart girl. "Ya see lads, I had orders to come here...but I also came for the hell of it. I stumbled upon a burrow close to where we stand now. To my surprise, I saw a whole happy family...of little bunnies inside." The wolves behind him started to howl and laugh. I am sick of this. I see a broken stick with a nice, sharp edge on the end. "I am not particularly proud of what happened next, lads, but you see, I was famished," the most evil grin spread across his face, the fire reflecting off of his evil eyes, "So, I killed them all and ate them, except one." My bones froze, Ony slunk back in fear and sorrow. The only sound I could here from her were, "No...no...it can't...I'm not..." repeating over and over. Garou started to continue his story. Sorry Garou, you aren't going to get to finish.

Everything went red, strength came from deep within, a dark strength. I grabbed the sharp stick I found, hoisted it up, and threw with everything I had. "Hey asshole! You forget about me?!" I screamed running behind the flying weapon. The shock on Garou's face at the sight of me was almost as satisfying as the sound of his eye getting impaled by my weapon. I raced to Ony to get her to run. She was almost catatonic, just repeating the same thing. "Dammit Ony! We have to go now!" She looked at me and nodded as we heard pain filled grunts and howls behind us. We ran. We ran as far as we could. Behind us we could still hear them, "Find those motherfuckers! If none of you do, I swear by our Lord that I will rip out your own asshole and force feed it to you!" Garou was angry. Good. But I had to get us out of here now.

We ran till we saw daylight. We didn't stop to rest until then. The five seconds we had taken to stop, Ony passed out. We still weren't complete safe here, even though I am positive we lost them. As savage as werewolves are, they aren't very quiet. No, they like their presence known, for the thrill of the hunt I guess. I could feel every bone in my body scream in pain as I picked up and carried Ony. Luckily I didn't have to go far till I found and abandoned burrow. I carefully crawled into the hole, still carrying Ony. I called out to see if anyone may have been squatting inside like I intend to do for now. Completely empty. Lucky I guess. I found a bed that just so happened to be big enough for the both of us. I laid her down on one side, still out of it. I sat on the other side. It hit me. Everything we had gone through together, nothing had prepared us for this. Everything we known...gone....gone just because some assholes decided to 'have some fun.' I couldn't help but still feel that all of this was somehow my fault. Ony. She didn't deserve this. To know the truth. Pop. He definitely didn't deserve to be brutally killed for no reason. Hate filled my soul.

That was the second time I felt that now familiar shadow inside of me. A shadow that would remain with me until the day I died....and after.

Tufer Origins Chapter 2: Six Years Ago

 The first memory I have of my old life took place six years ago. All I remember was being cold, wet, and in pain. That's when he found me, The Farmer. I called him Pop. Next thing I can recall is waking up on a makeshift bed made of straw, a fire providing comfort, and the most beautiful girl bunny I had ever seen in my life. I tried to introduce myself to her, but the only thing I managed to utter was, "AAAARRRGGHHH!!!" My ribs were definitely broken. She immediately told me to lay still as she ran to the door of the shelter. Ok, I won't argue.

 I hear her call out, "Pop! He's awake!" "Good," I hear an older man reply. I glanced over to see a human figure enter the shelter, followed by the bunny. For reasons unknown to me, when the man crouched beside me, I immediately reacted by throwing my hands up into a defensive stance. "Calm down, friend. Everything is ok. You are safe here." I glared at the man, unwavering in my focus despite the excruciating pain.

 Then she spoke.

"Really you are ok now. We found you clinging to life on the Market Road. He saved you."

Something in her voice completely disarmed me. I dropped my guard. "I'm...I'm Tufer," I managed to grunt. The Farmer stood up and smiled, "Call me Pop, my friend. Iffin' ya give me a moment, I'll be back with some medicine." "Thank you, Pop," I replied nervously. As soon as Pop slipped out, the girl bunny approached me, I couldn't help but stare at her. Something about her, she was special. "I'm Ony, I'm so glad you are still with us Tufer. Let me get you something to eat," I could only nod as she smiled and went to grab a bowl of something. "I made some carrot stew, yeah, I know its stereotypical for us rabbits to eat carrots. But they are just so damn good dontcha think?" I laughed a little, it hurt, but I didn't care. I grabbed the bowl and started chowing down on what would become my favorite dish for the rest of my, well, life.

"Do you remember anything?"

"No....nothing....only that my name is Tufer. This stew is amazing by the way."

"Thank you," she grinned. I was caught in a trance, the stew started to dribble out of my mouth. "Umm Tufer," she pointed. "Oh shit! I'm sorry....I was just trying to remember...remember anything," yeah real smooth there Tufer, you old suave SOB.

"Haha! Its totally ok! Well, I guess you would like to know where we are right? I have to go back into my own past a little," she got really serious and looked away from me, "I was abandoned in a burrow close to Pop's garden. He found me alone, crying because I hadn't eaten in a long time. That's what he had told me at least," she paused for a minute with a grim expression, deep in though. I felt so bad for her. She looked back up at me smiled, "Anyway, I have lived here my whole life repaying Pop for saving me by helping him out with the garden. Sadly, time hasn't been kind to him and the harvests have been getting smaller." "I...I am so sorry to hear all of that...seriously though, thank you for all you have done to help me. As soon as daylight hits, I will be on my way. I'll find some way to pay you and Pop back for the kindness."

"Well you can stay here and help me n' Ony out with the garden if you want to pay us back that much," we both turned to see the kind old man standing in the doorway holding medicine, "You just rest now and get back yer strength alright?" "Thank you, sir. I will. And I promise that you won't be disappointed," I replied.

This was the beginning of my old life. Ony and I developed a rather unique bond over the course of the next five years. She was my best friend, my confidant, the only being I trusted and loved...well besides Pop. I guessed this is what a family felt like. I still don't remember anything before meeting Ony for the first time and I don't know if I ever truly want to. I was happy. Life was good.




Then, a year ago, those bastards came.