The alley where Ruby found herself was cloaked in shadow, which was probably a good thing because she couldn't see the filth in which she sat bleeding.
One of those damned goons had gotten off a lucky shot to her leg and, while not life threatening, the pain was an issue, as was the blood trail she was leaving was like a path to her location if the two idiots following her had any brains. She was out of ammo and needed to evade and escape. While she had successfully evaded, for the moment, she knew she needed to rest and stop the bleeding from her wound, escape was by no means ensured. Though she had passed many places to hide as she attempted to evade her hunters something had drawn her to this place.
It seemed like the best place to rest and hide for a few minutes, the alley entrance was defensible, the problem is there were two hunters and one throwing knife and she was hurt. Ruby proceeded to bandage her wound and try to devise a plan when...
From the darkness a soft low growl emanated, not menacing just well powerful and present. As her heartbeat began to increase she frantically looked around. The shadows were dark and darker with only a small spot of light in front of her and she couldn't place the direction of the sound. She felt as though her mind was distracted and her senses were confused (maybe blood loss?), this wasn't looking, or sounding, very good.
Suddenly she heard the growl again but it sounded like it was coming from all directions at the same time and her confusion increased tenfold. The sound however sounded oddly comforting, until...
Suddenly, like the snap of a pencil breaking, her mind instantly cleared and she could hear the sound directly in front of her coming from an especially dark pool of shadows, just past the small pool of light the moon cast in front of her. She snapped her head around and saw the blink of two glowing eyes seeming to float in the darkness. The eyes were the deepest blood color of her "agent" namesake and seemed endless. Then, into the dim light walked a large panther the color of midnight. The strength and grace of this animal was magnificent and, for the first time, Ruby felt helpless fear settle into her heart. She reached for the single throwing knife in her boot realizing as she did that her chance of even slowing this beast down were slim to nothing, and even if she succeeded she would lose her only weapon with two hunters hot on her trail, then it happened, the cat sat down and...
A slight pressure, as gentle as a puff of wind, right between her eyes and a great feeling of peace and clarity suddenly filled her mind. She saw herself through the great cat's eyes and HIS eyes gazing back at her and she heard the soft and low voice that sang of hidden power whisper to her "My name is The Night, and fear not for we are bound". her senses were boosted to new heights and that's when she heard...
The hunters had found her, suddenly she was back in "her mind" and reaching for her knife, how to take out two? The first goon saw her and raised his weapon, in a flash she was ready to throw then a soft voice in her mind said "trust". The goon aimed directly for a head shot then a look of, more than normal confusion, crossed his face. As the second hunter closed in for the kill the first turned and shot him between the eyes, one down. Ruby realized now that Night was doing this and "trust" was just what she would do.
The first hunter was fighting the control and turned his weapon to Ruby when a midnight flash came from nowhere and disemboweled him where he stood. As the cat gracefully walked back to Ruby she, once again, heard the soft voice in her mind say "trust, for we are bound". Ruby's thoughts now were "how do we work salary?
Points:
Look: Large Black Panther with deep red eyes, muscular and "ripped"
Special Powers: Mind "bound" with Ruby (think "Beastmaster"). Has the ability to mind control and confuse enemies perceptions and thoughts as well as extend Ruby's senses. Also I wouldn't want to face a large cat as an enemy!
Missions: Many missions, especially jungle, forest, and urban missions.
Pros:
- People love animals
- Nicely augments Ruby without challenging her character.
Cons:
- I may just be an idiot
