The hog was knocked back, ooze bursting out of the wound and onto Rigel’s face. Gosh gosh gosh gosh. He slammed his dagger into the thing’s neck, ooze exploding outward onto Rigel’s hand and chest. It was dead, but Rigel was panicking more than before. He threw off his face mask, which was covered in ooze, and frantically tried to wipe off his chest, but the ooze only seemed to smear. His eyes found Enlyn’s, “Water, we need to get to a river, now.” Rigel tried to halt his breathing, tried to keep that stuff, that mutation in the air, out of him. If he just knew if he was immune for sure…
"This way!" Enlyn grabbed Rigels hand and half dragged him to where she knew a small river was. The train was uneven and she mostly was trying to keep from tripping. Out of breath she pointed to the small river, "there" she huffed out. Having sensed his panic, Enlyn herself started to panic as well.
Rigel nearly plunged into the river, splashing water over his entire body. Off, just get it off. The black slowly washed off with the water, Rigel scrubbed his face so dang hard, just to assure himself that everything was off. He panted, still standing in the river with water dripping off his chest, arms, and face. His face mask had been rendered useless when the ooze dripped into it, his scars completely visible. You could even see a tan line from where the mask had been sitting over his mouth and nose.
"So that…stuff what was that?" Enlyn panted from the short burst of energy she'd had. She wasn't used to having to run like that after a night of night sleeping. She turned to look back to where that, thing had died far behind them, "is that what's after you? Things like that? Gross…things" she couldn't find a word to describe it at the moment.
Rigel still was panting for a breath, hearing the words but not ready to speak. He stared at the water, watching droplets fall from his chin. Another few heartbeats passed before he finally replied, “That’s… That’s the effect… of the mutation,” Rigel tried to take another moment to catch his breath, “They hunt you down until you become one, or they eat you. The… the ooze is highly infectious. If they bite you, your as good as dead,” Rigel’s panting slowly, and he wiped his body down with water again.
"Oh" was the only word,if you can even call it one, Enlyn could form. hunted her mind went to dark places thinking of so called, 'hunts' she'd been on years ago. "I think you're good now." She said a slight frown on her face.
“I…” Rigel wiped his face off again with water, and stood straight up. He left his hand over his mouth as he said quietly, “I need a new mask.” He slowly walked out 9f the water, the water and the cooler air making a shirt go down his spine. I almost died….
"Uh here," Enlyn pulled something from her bag, it wasn't really a mask more of a scarf of sorts, "will this work?" She wanted to ask how it happened but at the same time felt as if it'd be rude at the moment.
“Is it safe? Clean?” Rigel had been so careful ever since the disease started, if thsi was what took him down… He turned slightly red from his stupid, cowardly cautiousness, but he was too terrified of death to take chances.
"Uh…I don't know." Enlyn looked at it then stuffed it back in her bag embaresmint crossing her face. "So you really don't take chances?" She asked. Even she'd take chances. If it ment dying the same pitiful death as her brothers, she'd take it. "What happened?" She blurted out before she could stop, "uh…wait no sorry. You don't have to answer."
Rigel tossed her back the scarf, staring at the ground for a few moments. She should know, know why the mutants hunted him down. He finally opened his mouth, “I’ve seen the mutation, firsthand. Maybe I was the first to discover it, only God knows. My family got sick when I was on a trip with friends, they had sent me just before the diseases broke out. They had just wanted me to have something not to worry about, something to get my mind off the war. They were taken to a hospital, I rushed there as soon as I could, and I found them all sealed up in air tight rooms,” Rigel kept staring at the ground, “Back when people had enough room in hospitals. I think my family was one of the first to catch it. My mom and pa died, the usual. Symptoms and death, nothing much more to it. My brother-“ Rigel stopped for a second, swallowing and struggling to keep himself composed. A few heartbeats passed until he continued, “My brother mutated, probably from being kept up tight in that room. The doctors found him eating-“ A voice crack, “He was eating their bodies, ooze dripping from his eyes and mouth. He broke through the glass -glass that a navy seal can’t break through- and attacked the hospital. I tried to stop him, he almost clawed off my entire face.” Rigel turned so she couldn’t see the tear that escaped his eyes, which was quickly wiped away. He composed himself quickly, “He’s been hunting me ever since, slowly accumulating more mutants to hunt and terrorize with him,” Rigel spit out the last bit, and once he was done, he started walking away, “We need to get going, they’re close.”
Enlyn couldn't fathom what he'd just said, his brother was hunting him. simple. Should have been easy to understand. But she couldn't. She couldn't grasp the concept of letting his brother- no it wasn't his brother anymore. She couldn't grasp the concept as to why he let it live. "Why didn't you kill him then?" She asked, screw trying not to be rude, she just couldn't understand why he'd let that thing take over his brothers mind like that.
It was like a little click went off in Rigel. He blantantly ignored her question, and kept on walking, “We need to get going.” He clenched and unclenched his fist, stopping himself from lashing out. She doesn’t know, it’s not her fault. Rigel reminded himself.
"Right." Somehow Enlyn felt slightly afraid now. Its not like she hadn't been hunted herself, but being hunted by your own brother. It bothered her. "Will…will he hunt me too?" A slight shake in her voice. "Will he catch my sent and hunt me too?" She followed after wanting to pick up the pace and get as far away as fast as possible.
“He won’t… He won’t hunt you specifically,” Rigel said shortly, “But since you’re traveling with me…” Rigel trailed off, walking at an even faster pace. He couldn’t handle an encounter right now, just- just no. Not now.
The fear that should have set in didn't. Of course Enlyn felt a twing of fear. But nothing like she should have. An arrow wizzed past her face, hunters. "Run!" She shouted. She knew the arrows all to well. jacks group. she knew this. Most people wouldn't kill and steal arrows. Most would kill and steal clothing or food or even knifes. But no. She had to go and steal his arrows. It was pretty much a given that she'd be involved in his death some how. After all, jack was the one hunting her.
Rigel dipped behind a tree out of instincts and snarled, “What the f-ck?!” He finger his knife out, taking a moment to collect himself. Rigel peaked his head around a branch, only to pull it back as an arrow was launched at his face. The water still shined on his bare chest and back, he was just like a target. Rigel’s eyes locked onto his pack, knowing the one thing in there that would save him. He ripped through his pack, looking… Where the f-ck is it?
Before Enlyn could duck around something an arrow grazed her shoulder and left leg leaving nasty gash's. She fell to the ground with a yelp, and those shooting hooted with excitement. She struggled to pull her bow out from under her in the tall grass hoping they didn't have a clear shot at her. The words echoing in her head, do you know how most die? On their back. Pitifully. she pushed her thoughts aside and made herself as small as possible. Hoping, she would die like this. Not to jacks group. Not yet.
(So sorry I haven’t been on much, I’ve had a lot of golf match’s and AP class homework and even in the little times I do get on, I can only answer like half of my rps. Thankfully, tonight isn’t SUPER busy)
Rigel ripped open the case when he found it, unzipped in and pulled out his weapon. A few quick motions and he was ready. BAM! He shout the pistol at where the arrows came from, more meaning to scare them rather than kill them. It was so rare to get a pistol or a gun, barely anyone has them… How on earth did I get so lucky a few months ago? Rigel had found a small bunker at one point, equipped with a pistol and loads of ammunition. Rigel had just assumed the owner had died.
(Totally chill dude. I have times where I get freakishly busy too.)
Enlyn jumped at the gun shots and covered her head. Not that, that would have stopped it, but in a way it felt like the right thing to do at the moment. She heard a scream from their attackers and after sitting there for a solid five minutes called out, "Rigel?" Her heart hammed in her chest it'd been so long since she'd seen, let alone heard a gun.
Rigel paused, making sure there weren’t anymore attackers. He looked at Enlyn, keeping one eyes in case of more arrows, “Mmm?” His heart was pounded slightly. They really needed to get moving now. He finally did scanned Enlyn and looked at the blood, “Can you walk?” He slowly came over, yet didn’t turn his back yet on where the attackers had been. Paranoid, you dork, Rigel innerly chided himself.
Enlyn shook her head yes and stood putting more weight on her good leg, "not the first time I've been shot at, Or hit by an arrow for that matter." and sertenly not the last. she shifted her bag and grabbed her bow. "We need to get going if we want to find some where by night fall. The next town is at least a two day walk." She looked down at her bleeding leg, "if we're lucky."
“We don’t need to go into another city,” At least one that was heavily populated (in their standards, considering most people are dead lol) area… Rigel packed up his gun, slipping it into his pack and slinging it over his shoulders. He then took Enlyn’s arm supported her, not caring whether she wanted it or not. They’d moved slower, too slow, if she injured herself even more from walking by herself.
(Oh my gosh lol)
"We're just as slow as we'd be with me walking on my own." why is he even trying? with her last group if someone got hurt they'd leave them or…. She shook her thoughts and excepted Rigels help. "So a gun…where'd you get it?"
