Tufer Origins Chapter 5: Live By The Sword....

Rage. Hate. Unfulfillment. Those were the only things I could focus on. I failed. I failed to protect them. I couldn't even make things right. Its been six months since we started living in this abandoned burrow and I only feel the shadow grow stronger.

"Tufer..."
SLAM!
"Tufer."
SLAM!
"TUFER!"

My eyes burned, "Dammit! WHAT!?" I realized at that moment what I had been doing. "Tufer! You can't cut that log any smaller !" I heard Ony reply, somewhat agitated now. I looked at the ax in my hand, then at the log-turned-twig in front of me. "Ony, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean---" She cut me off, "Its fine, Tufer. I completely understand. Its fine." As she had started to walk away, I decided I should start gathering the wood that was salvageable for a fire tonight. Just as she thought she was out of earshot, I could hear her say, "Tufer...I worry about you just as much as you worry about me. I'm afraid you are losing yourself....and I'm losing you too..."

Those words stabbed into my soul. Dammit Tufer, you are supposed to be protecting her. Helping her. Not freaking her out and getting her upset. "Don't worry, Ony, soon I'll fix everything, and you can be happy."

Sleep wasn't happening that night. I couldn't tell if it was from the storm raging outside, or if it was from the one inside my head. Neither storm seemed to bother Ony at all she was completely out on the bed. I was glad that at least one of us was at peace tonight.

I paced back and forth wrapped up in my own thoughts. Looking over at her asleep, I felt guilty for hiding so much from her. I had ulterior motives for training every day alone. I used that time to hunt for the location of that demon, Garou. Earlier that day, before the "log splitting" incident, I had found him at last. I was tired of hiding, tired of feeling beaten and hopeless. Tonight I would avenge Pop and Ony's family. Tonight I end this. Most importantly, after tonight, Ony would be safe.

A flash of lightning, crackle of thunder, and I headed for the door.

"Tufer? What are you doing?" Ony said, half asleep, "Go to bed, Tufer."
"I'm just going out for a night time walk...err...in the rain, I'll be right back. Everything is fine, just go back to sleep."
"Stop, Tufer." I froze and turned around, the tone in her voice had shifted. "I know what you are doing. I'm begging you, Tufer, do not go through with this. Think clearly for a moment...There is no point to doing any of this!"

"No Point?! Dammit, Ony, I'm tired of running away from this! I have to find them and finish what they started! I swore an oath to you and Pop that I would protect you! I failed! Now the only way to fix that is to kill them for what they have done!"

"And what will that do, Tufer? Bring Pop back? Bring my family back? No! It won't! Screw your oath, Tufer! Do you only care about me because it is your made up duty? What good does your oath do if you go out there and die tonight?"

"No, Ony, you don't understand. I have to do this....I have to protect you."

"And killing those werewolves is protecting me, right? Shit, Tufer, listen to yourself! I don't and never have needed you to protect me! You know that is true. Cut the bullshit with me, you and I both know that you feel doing this resolves you of your guilt. And I get that, I really do. The fact is, though, you aren't guilty of anything. Is resolving your imaginary guilt more important than staying here and moving on with our lives?"

We stared at each other for what seemed like forever. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. "I'm sorry, Ony. One day I hope you can forgive me. I have to do this," I calmly spoke as I walked out of the burrow. The rain drenched my fur, my ears flopped to the sides. Lightning streaked all across the sky. I couldn't understand what Ony was yelling at me because the thunder covered her screams. I walked and never looked back. The shadow had gripped my soul enough that I only cared about one thing, fulfilling my goal. Killing Garou. Ending this. Ending my suffering.

That was the biggest mistake of my short life.

Tufer Origins Chapter 4: Round One. Fight!

At that time, I still didn't know how I had the knowledge to survive or where my fighting capabilities had come from. It all seemed to come just from the most basic of instincts within me. Any downtime I had from making sure Ony and I survived another night in our abandoned burrow was spent on honing my combat abilities. After a long while of this, Ony joined me in training. It was a good thing we trained as much as we did. She would need the skill more than ever now. In all honesty, she really didn't need much, she was naturally fierce and scrappy all on her own. I walked away several times after our 'bouts' with more cuts and bruises than she. Hell, I still remember the first time we fought for real.

"Charge me!"
"I won't hold back on you!"
"Good! Now shut up and charge me!"
She growled and started to sprint as fast as she could at me. I calmly stared at her, with a slight smirk on my face. This, I learned, was a bad idea. Never antagonize a girl bunny...especially if she is your best friend, she will make you regret it. I thought I had picked apart every flaw in her form, turns out, I hadn't. She had no form. She was completely unpredictable, she also played my hubris against me. She was in complete control the whole time.

When she got within a few feet of me, I noticed her right paw was up. I prepared to block that high punch and counter with a throw. That is when I felt intense pain in my lower jaw. I had totally forgotten she was left handed. She took advantage of that as she uppercutted me. I saw stars, couldn't focus at all. Ok, I am going to have to be serious about this. "Shit! That hurt!" I whined as I tried to regain my composure.

"Aww, wanna stop? Want me to go fix you an ice pack and some tea?" she smirked," Oooh! I have a better idea! How about you stop being a little bitch and fight me!" God I love her attitude. I chuckled as I started my relentless counter attack. Right hook, left jab, left hook, right uppercut, leg sweep. I didn't hold anything back, problem was, she blocked and dodged everything I threw at her. Then I saw my opening. She tried to feint a right hook again and catch me with her left. "Not this time," I muttered as I grabbed her left paw and flipped her over. Still holding on, I put my foot on her chest, as well as pressure on her wrist, fully expecting her to tap out. It was tough, but I beat her. It was a good fight.

The huge grin on my face quickly faded when I felt something sharp tap my inner thigh. I looked down in horror to see Ony wielding a small knife, resting it right below every guy's weak spot. "You crafty...You sneaky bit---"

"Hey now, choose your next words carefully. Don't want me to ruin your, ahem, ego any more do ya?" "Fine," I grunted as I let her go, "Where the hell did that even come from?" "I have to keep some secrets don't I, best bud?" She said as she hopped up, I just looked at her, arms crossed. "Aww don't be a grumpy bunny," she said playfully as she shook me, "I tell you what, for being such the perfect badass you are and best trainer ever, one so amazing that I could never surpass, I will make you something to eat tonight. I will even let you decide what it is, k?" "Okay....fair enough," I replied, managing the best smile my hurt pride would allow. I knew she was joking around with me, but no matter what, it always made me feel better.

Until the shadow took over again.