The following day, Parker and Violet went back on their way on foot back to their allies. After traveling for an hour, all they saw was a blasted house, everyone inside was annihilated!
Violet fell on her knees as Parker consoled her, "What on earth-" then all of a sudden, a soldier drenched in his own blood appeared out of nowhere and called for help behind them. Both of them felt a cold high voltage of chill run from their toes, climbed their spines, to their brains. Violet was so scared the she nearly fainted, "Soldier, what happened?!"
"Black...
"Black... what?"
"Tiger... attacked us... last night... "
Parker glanced at Violet, who had just recovered from her shock, her face turned dark, "Lieutenant... " the helpless soldier spat a mouthful of blood, gasping for breath, "... run" then he fell dead in Parker's arms.
He then covered him with a piece of cloth and said, "I'm going to kill him" he turned towards Violet, who's face had been no better, "No matter what... "
After burying the bodies of the remains of his men, Parker and Violet headed back to where Dog company is stationed.
"Ah, my brother, you have returned!" Ryker said as welcomed the two back to his camp, "You still hanging' out with that little girl with you aren't you?" He teased
"One more word outta you, you're dead meat... " Parker growled at his younger brother, Anyways, do you got an extra tent?"
"Huh? What do you mean? Where's your camp? Shouldn't you with your company?"
"Annihilated..." He simply said. Then he threw his satchel at Ryker's hands. When Ryker opened it, his strength nearly left his knees. It was nearly all the tags of Parker's men. Charlie company was indeed, annihilated.
"What on earth happened?" Ryker asked
"There was this black Tiger... " then he told Ryker about how that "thing" massacred his entire company, "You better be careful brother, he prioritizes tanks and vehicles as targets. You're holding an armor company must I remind you... "
Ryker's face became dead serious, "Black Tiger, huh? I know that unit very well." Ryker said, "We've been hunting that beast for months. It once nearly destroyed my company, and haven't seen any sight of it ever since. I'm glad you mentioned it. Now I can claim revenge for half my company's deaths." Even Ryker, was also holding a grudge against Peter.
"He wasn't easy to deal with... " Violet said, who has been quiet all the time, "In a battle with him, we'll always be the hunted, and he's the hunter." Violet showed a face like she was certain of what she was saying.
"Sergeant Violet, this is my company we're talking about. No one messes with the big dogs. Yes, we were weak before, but were talking 'bout the present."
Parker kept quiet. He never doubted his younger brother's abilities, but the ferocious "Black Tiger" was different from all the rest.
"Both of you get some rest... " Ryker told the two, "There's two more beds in my tent. They used to be my sergeant's and my second lieutenant's beds. Though, they were killed in action just yesterday. There should be extra blankets in there as well."
"Then we should be going." Parker said
Again as usual, Violet couldn't get herself to sleep and wandered outside the tent, while Parker was fast asleep. She strolled along the tank depots and motorpools. Indeed, Dog company was very powerful. They even have tanks that can go toe to toe against a Tiger tank.
Then she notices a lit bonfire a few yards away from the camp. She went, and finds Ryker sitting beside it, looking dispirited. She saw a picture of a family, consisting of a eight to nine month old child, a mother, and a father similar to Ryker, in his hands, "They used to be my family... " Violet, naturally was surprised that Ryker sensed her presence, despite trying to hide, "But because of the war, my only reason for existence... Gone... "
"Oh, I'm sorry... " Violet replied
"To avenge them... " Ryker said suddenly
"Huh?"
"That's my reason to fight. May I ask you? What's your reason, why'd you fire a bullet against our enemies?" Ryker asked
"Well... Uhm... I-" Violet wasn't so sure
"Is it my brother?" Ryker teased
"What?! N-No! I-I... I-It's not it!" she squealed as her face burned red
"Pfft, AHAHAHAHAHA! You're reaction already told me!" Ryker laughed
"It's not! Though, he gave me a purpose... Before I met him, I can't even hold a rifle, so what am I to this war?"
"Why'd you have to be a part of this war?"
"That is because of my reason to fight. I fight to avenge my family's deaths, and for everything I lost. I couldn't been able to fight without Parker so now, every bullet I fire is also for him."
"I'm glad he's got someone like you alongside. Now, he got more reason to fight." At first, Violet thought he's teasing her again, but no, "I mean it. He would've been long dead without you. He easily loses motivation, and accepts defeat immediately. But with you beside him, he lives!"
"Oh... " she somehow felt warmth with those words, and thought of Parker. He was indeed, always looking troubled and dispirited when alone.
"I thank you for that... " Ryker said, "He may be a badass soldier, but he's still my brother. None of us wants anyone to die right?"
Violet was silent for a while, "Yeah... Right... "
The next morning on the German camp. Stalvormund finally returned after an absence of three days, "Ah, lieutenant. You've returned!" Stefan's commander greeted
"Has anything happened while I'm gone?" Peter asked
"Not much, except that reconnaissance vehicles kept appearing everyday. They must've been monitoring this place. Not to mention we never leave this position, meaning they expect us to be stationed here on the frozen hills. Haha, none of them returned alive though... " he replied pointing at the pile of knocked out greyhounds
"Make sure none of them returns alive, not a soul... " Peter ordered. A while later, Peter halted. He sensed something a few yards away from them.
"Peter, something the matter?" Otto asked
"Stefan, move to point B... " he said
"Huh? Why-"
"Now!"
Tiger tank Stefan did as told, but the commander saw nothing out of the ordinary, "Uh, all is fine lieutenant, what's up?"
Peter walked passed the Stefan, and kept on looking for something. His actions confused the other men. Then he stopped by a tree, and his expression became murderous. It frightened the others, till they cringed like crazy. Peter glanced at a bush beside the tree, and kicked as hard as he could. From it, an American soldier came flying from Peter's kick. He rolled down the hill, to Otto's and Kurfürst's feet.
"Hiding, are you?" Peter became even more scary, and threw a radio box at the poor man, restrained in Bismarck's hands, "Since when you are here?" he questioned
"S-Since three d-days ago... " the man answered
Peter turned towards Gustav, who wasn't paying attention and is burying something with a shovel in the snow. He snatched the shovel and returned in front of the man they just caught. He signalled Bismarck to put the man on his knees, and with one strong blow, he tore the man's neck open with the shovel.
All the others watched in horror, and felt like their souls left their bodies, as Peter licked some blood off the shovel, "Hang that body on the tree." he said pointing at the tree where he found the man
Otto puked his guts out, Bismarck turned as white as the snow, Kurfürst fainted, and all the rest drained of color, "He's mad... " they thought
Late at night, Otto finds Peter sitting outside the tent. He covered him with a blanket and said, "Hey, I wouldn't mind you, eating our enemies literally, but I would mind you abusing yourself. Its so damn cold outta here!" He scolded
Peter remained quiet, "Like I said, I wouldn't mind you going insane on the battlefield, but don't you think Patricia won't be happy if she sees you like that...?"
"Why'd she sided with the enemy? She's supposed to be fighting alongside us. Don't she think she's like stabbing her own mother's heart?"
"Peter, she saw the other side of us. Its not like that I say, were fighting for what is right, but... "
"So are you saying we're fighting blind here?"
"No, I'm not. But I think you are. If you ask why am I beside you right now, It's because you are my brother... May you be awakened someday... " he said
Peter thought of Otto's words, "Am I blind...?"