Trash

Sometimes saving Gaia wasn’t about fighting corrupt corporations, defending against wyrm-tainted spirits, or explorations through the Umbra. Sometimes saving Gaia meant picking up trash by the side of the road. That’s how it was in Hardy Ant’s pack, alpha’d by an old man named Oilslick who forced them to spend their waking hours doing community service projects around the bad sides of town.

Kaj couldn’t really put up a fight. Was he supposed to complain about helping others and protecting the environment? That’s what his life was made for. Even if it wasn’t the most glorious work, it was still important, and better than laying around all afternoon waiting for the sun to set.

But it still wasn’t exactly fun.

Kaj leaned over to pick up a cigarette butt and throw it in his bag, making sure it was fully put out first. A few steps forward and he grabbed an old candy wrapper, its owner too lazy to dispose of properly. A bit further was a dropped napkin. Used once and then forgotten. Sometimes the humans were worthy of disgust, none of this should have been on the streets.

He stopped and wiped his brow against the summer sun. This sort of menial labor was harder than it looked, and Kaj had to stop every few minutes to stretch out his back. Oilslick in the distance had been going all afternoon without stopping. His small body and stiff joints looked like he should be taking breaks every few minutes, but apparently he was the strongest one of them all.

It would be nice if he had someone to talk to.

From across the street, two of his packmates were bantering with one another. Lockpicker, a Ragabash with an odd mix of Children of Gaia and Fianna, based on her fur coat, and World’s-Unluckiest-Furry, a funny name to Homids who were familiar with the internet. He was always being teased about “breaking the Litany by yiffing.” Kaj had no idea what that meant.

On one hand, Kaj wished he could go over and be with them. Not to talk, but just to be around someone. It felt less lonely that way. But this pack wouldn’t last. Why disappoint them? Why suffer another heartbreak himself?

Kaj returned to his abandoned trash.

After another thirty minutes of walking and bending over, he retreated to a building overhang to rest. If Oilslick caught him slacking off, he’d surely throw a fit. Say this wasn’t nearly as hard as fighting Pentex mercenaries with silver weapons. Well, he’d deal with that later. Kaj closed his eyes for what he hoped could be a quick power nap, but he sensed someone walk up next to him, and heard them sit down under the same overhang.

Rat-Speaker, Homid name Oaklyn, was the last of Kaj’s packmates. Like the others Kaj had met within the past few days, he and Oaklyn never got much of a chance to know each other.

Oaklyn let out a loud moan. “This sucks, doesn’t it?”

Kaj quickly glanced around, as if he’d find something other than the obvious. “Picking up trash on the side of the road?”

“Yeah, don’t tell me you like doing old man Oily’s work? I mean we’re Gaia’s warriors! We have better things to do than picking up other people’s litter.”

“Yeah…” Kaj trailed off. That’s how he felt, even if he knew he shouldn’t.

“So, what’s up new kid? Said your name was Soup-Stealer? How’d you get that?”

Kaj sighed. “Stole some soup. Call me Kaj.”

“Alright, that’s fine. Still not as bad as Furry over there. How’d you wind up on old Oily’s pack?”

“People get suspicious if you don’t get into a pack after some time. Think there’s something wrong with you, like the spirits don’t like you.”

“Good point. I think that’s how Ant handles Oily’s pack. Grabs poor Garou who are slacking off and puts them to work, at least until they can find something better. It suuuuucks. Wanted to tell Ant to eat some shit when he showed up in my dreams, telling me to go find Oily. Probably not a good idea though.”

Kaj chuckled. He’d never heard another Garou talk so brazenly against a spirit, much less their own Totem spirit. “I take it you’re not a Theurge then.”

“Ahroun. Check these guns.” Oaklyn held up her arms, far skinnier than Kaj’s own. Based on her smaller frame, Kaj would have never guessed she was an Ahroun like him, but to her credit, Oaklyn was able to produce two clear biceps. With some strain involved.

“I’m an Ahroun too, actually. Nice we have that in common.”

“Yeah man. We gotta stick together. If old Oily ever lets us see any action, we’ll tear it up.”

Turns out, having a friend was pretty nice. After one good conversation with her, Oaklyn couldn’t help but pair with Kaj any time the two of them were on duty for whatever socially responsible thing Oilslick wanted them to do next. Kaj was unsure at first, if their friendship would one day lead to heartbreak or betrayal. How well could he really keep his Rage under control this time? But, then again, she was an Ahroun too. She could understand, at least a little. Perhaps it wasn’t so bad opening up again.

Oilslick’s volunteer work wasn’t all as bad as picking up trash by the side of the road. Sometimes they helped out at the local soup kitchen (Kaj mostly helped out by hauling heavy packs of food for the cooks) and trail building (nice to be out in nature.) It at least kept him busy, more than he could say with his last pack of Bone Gnawers who were content to sleep around all day.

But soon enough it came time to pick up the trash again.

“Ugh,” Oaklyn complained beside him. “I’m super bored. You bored?”

“Yeah,” Kaj answered simply. “Not the most fun.”

“Maaaan, you know what I’m feeling?” She paused to give Kaj actual time to answer, like she actually wanted him to guess. Kaj just stared dumbfounded at her.

“I’m feeling kinda horny.”

Kaj’s pulse didn’t just quicken, it took off in a sprint. He should have known that’s where this friendship was headed.

“Uh… oh.”

“So? You wanna? I mean, no pressure. I can just go take care of this myself. But I mean, would love the company if you want to join.”

“That’s…!” Kaj hurriedly glanced around to make sure no one else in the pack was nearby. “That’s against the Litany!”

“That was written by old wolves who didn’t know how to have fun without making babies. It’ll be fine. You don’t have to put it in if you’re worried about it.”

Kaj defensively shied away. This was a terrible idea. Breaking the Litany and… where was she even going to take them anyway? But… He really enjoyed his time with Oaklyn. Really enjoyed being with her. And apparently, she REALLY enjoyed being with him.

“I… guess it’ll be fine…” Kaj muttered. “Just, you know, somewhere alone?”

Oaklyn grinned and jabbed him in the stomach. “Yeah man, obviously. We’re not exibitionists out here. Come on, I got the place.”

Oaklyn grabbed Kaj by the hand and pulled him along the street. For a moment he nearly regretted his decision, but the touch of her palm in his was nice.

*

The two returned to their spot under the overpass where the pack made their home for the night just before sunset. Oilslick, named such presumably because his skin seemed to produce twice the normal amount of oil and always giving the old man a shiny look with hair sticking to this scalp and neck, was sitting with Lockpicker and Furry. Each Garou had a hotdog in hand, Furry devouring his like he hadn’t eaten all day.

“There you two are,” Lockpicker said as they approached. “We were worried we’d have to come find you. Got you two hotdogs, but Oilslick wants to give a speech first.”

Kaj sat crosslegged in front of his hotdog and picked it up. He held it up to his chest as Oaklyn sat beside him, not bothering to wait before biting into her hotdog.

“It’s been one week since Soup-Stealer joined our pack. I know that we’re not one for seeking out glory or honor, and that many young Garou would rather risk their lives in battle than clean litter from the streets. But by giving back to our community, we give back to Gaia herself, for all of us are Gaia’s children. My hands these days starting to ache, I know not how much longer I’ll be able to serve her in this life. So seeing a young Garou take up my duty without so much as a complaint means the world to me. I hope when my time comes and I move to serve Gaia once again in the next life, that you take my teachings with you.”

Kaj started to sweat. Oilslick hadn’t heard him complain because Kaj rarely spoke without being spoken to. If any spirits nearby wanted to really screw things up for him…

“Thank you,” he said, ignoring the voice in his head that was moaning about how undeserved this was. He silenced it with a mouthful of hot dog.

Oilslick nodded, satisfied. “The rest of you could learn a thing or two,” he grumbled.

*

The next day was the soup kitchen again. Kaj once again helped with carrying instead of serving, but halfway through the day he noticed Oaklyn had strangely disappeared. As much as he hated to admit it, he only noticed because he found a large storage closet in the back of the building that no one other than Kaj had visited all day. Perfect for… well.

“Hey,” Kaj tapped Lockpicker on her shoulder after the initial lunch rush died down. “You seen Oaklyn recently? Can’t find her.”

“No, haven’t seen her since we arrived actually.”

Pressing the others members of the pack, as well as the staff, came up surprisingly empty. Oaklyn had disappeared. She’s just not feeling well, Kaj thought. Maybe she went back to camp.

Camp was empty when he got back after dinner. He made the rounds, now more concerned for her safety than his own private feelings. The sun had nearly set when he found her standing in front of a car parked on the side of the road, talking with another man.

“Hey!” Kaj called, not minding any interruption in their conversation. He ran up to the two. “Where were you all day? We got worried.”

“Oh, Kaj,” Oaklyn wouldn’t look him in the eye. “This is my friend, Tom. His sister is in a pack close to Calgary so I’m going to go stay with them for a bit.”

Kaj looked to her, then to this Tom, who was satisfied just leaning against his car and watching him.

“...Leave?”

“Yeah man, like, Oily’s pack blows. Tom’s sis sounds pretty cool and they said they have room for another member. Besides like, Tom’s kinfolk so…”

It came back. Like a wave he didn’t even know was building, Kaj felt the Rage hit him like a truck and constrict around his neck like a snake. The muscles in his arms and hands clenched as his heart audibly raced in his chest. He almost let it go. Had it not been for pedestrians in his peripheral vision, complete strangers unaware how close they were to an out of control monster, he would have let it take over.

But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t let it control him. Not again. He pushed the Rage back, stomped its flames into the ground.

“Come on, time to go,” Tom said, quickly returning to the driver side of the car. Oaklyn didn’t so much as wave goodbye. Paralyzed by his desperate attempt to control his own Rage, Kaj watched the car disappear into the distance. It rounded a turn, and was gone forever.

He slipped. The Rage boiled back up inside him, threatening to run and destroy and kill. He barely grabbed hold of himself before making a terrible mistake and ran into a nearby dark alley where he could be alone, away from the judgment of others. He held his head and pressed himself against a wall, fighting desperately against the Rage. Holding on through sheer willpower to not become that horrible killing machine and ruining everything again.

Slowly but surely, Kaj began to come down from his fit. And as the fires of Rage died, only an empty void leaving him exhausted was left behind. Kaj sat himself on the ground, too numb to move. Just another piece of trash, used once and left by the side of the road.