Blend the Light

Surrender!

I'm not sure where this confidence came from. Usually Hawk is the one to do this- to drive his opponents to snap, or to just make the first move on his own. That kill first ask questions later type of attitude. The unknown factor is what sometimes drives me crazy. I don't know much about these Wasteland guards. I only agreed to go to the Wasteland since I'd seen the Gladiators countless times in the videos we watched. Well, that and that Adrien asked Hawk and me to go. If he asks me to do something, I'll do it. Having to go to him and say I didn't do what he asked me to do is one of my biggest fears.

One of the Wasteland guards lunges, drawing his sword as he runs at me. Aw, shucks. I should've gotten my armor fixed... A little late now, I guess. As soon as he's right in front of me, I dart to the side. He swings his sword, and I manage to move enough so he shaves off some fur on my tail rather than cutting half of it off. "Why didn't that work?" He cries.

"I moved," I murmur.

"What do you think happened, Mr. Wasteland guard? Jay's faster than you." Vladimir howls with laughter. The Wasteland guard holding him presses the dagger harder against his throat, and he immediately silences as the stream of red thickens.

I dodge several more attacks, but don't make any of my own. I just take a few steps to one side or the other. It would be wonderful to be able to send the Wasteland guard into Vladimir and the one holding him, but I don't want to risk Vladimir's head being chopped off. "Come on! Attack me! Or are you just too afraid? You could surrender yourself and save yourself the energy. My offer of asking Guthrie Harper to go easy on you still stands."

"I don't want to attack you. Well, yet, that is. The time's not right," I murmur slowly as I study the Wasteland guard's movements.

"Let me know when the time's right." I nod once he's finished speaking.

He lunges again, and I jump clean over him. I clench my teeth in a hiss of pain as his sword slices a shallow wound on my foreleg. Blood runs down my fur. "Come on, Jay! You're not even trying! Attack!" Vladimir cries, though the sound quickly turns into a whimper when the Wasteland guard digs his dagger deeper into his neck. It's far too easy to picture the stream of scarlet soaking into his shirt.

"Yeah, Jay, attack me," The Wasteland guard taunts. His sword glances off my armour, leaving a dent behind. It's small though, clearly not what he intended. I curl around his next attack, then duck under the next one. It's only another minute or two before his moves become a little more sloppy.

"Alright, I'm ready," I state.

"'Bout time." The Wasteland guard's panting. I tense my muscles, crouching slightly, then leap towards him. He takes a few steps, and meets me head on. My teeth graze his ear, ever so slightly off their intended target. His hands curl into the fur on my shoulders, holding me back. As I make another attempt to sink my teeth into his ear, the Wasteland guard shoves the heel of his palm into my jaw. I groan as I tumble to the ground, landing on my back. He's over me in a second, one hand outstretched towards me and the other drawn back, gripping the hilt of the sword. The blade is violently swung. I throw myself to the side, stretching my neck away from the attack, and all I feel is the bite across my cheek and the sting as blood pools. My claws dig into his stomach. "You little-." His words are cut off as I bat him across the mouth with a forepaw.

"Hey... Be nice!" I squeal like a little kid.

"Shut it, dog. Surrender and tell us what T-LOOT-D is, and who Adrien is. You'll never win."

"Then I'll go down trying. I won't surrender." I grapple with the Wasteland guard.

When he throws a punch at my face, I grab his wrist in my mouth and bite down. He bellows in pain a few seconds after I hear the crack of shattering bone. I let him go, and jump back. Fingers grab for me, one hand clamping my muzzle shut, and the other going for the wound on my neck. Nails dig into my flesh, then blood freely flows, spreading like branches over the Wasteland guard's skin. I groan at the stinging pain. My hind paws claw at his stomach, catching hold on the straps holding armor in place. When they snap in two, the armour loosens. "What the-?" The Wasteland guard takes a few steps back, freezing and looking down. One of his hands hangs limp at his side, the wrist bent at an odd angle.