# WRATH AND PATIENCE

Author: LiveIron
Tags: Anger, Angst, Anthrostate, Blood and Injury, Dark past, Gun, Horror, Human, Interspecies, Interspecies Awkwardness, Large Breasts, Magic, Old Friends, Pain, Paranormal, Possession, Resurrection, Size Difference, Spies & Secret Agents, Tiger, Tigress, Transformation, fights, firearm, healing, monsters

'Dumbass'  
  
(Art by

[@theCoatl034](/u/theCoatl034)
)

![](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1162432825363009649/1162432895785369690/Wrath.png?ex=653beaff&is=652975ff&hm=782140ac8801298e35ea58f88f60ec48260f012d5dfca59dab7fe039339b93a8&=&width=915&height=488)

\>Rebecca is roaring long before you get to her.

 

\>You pound faster through the halls, sparing only a few disabling shots on the occasional thrall.

 

\>"Patrick!" she yells, her voice shaking the timbers. "Come out!"

 

\>The stairway up is full of holes. The growing crowd of claws and teeth behind you helps you jump.

 

\>"You wanted a monster? You have one now!"

 

\>You drop a charge at the top of the stairs, blowing the brittle wood to bits.

 

\>You know there's more stairwells, but at least the monsters will have one less.

 

\>Rebecca is knee-deep in the creatures when you find her in an old study.

 

\>A fire burns in the hearth, casting a flickering glow.

 

\>You tense.

 

\>Fire.

 

\>Blood.

 

\>Machineguns and shotgun-blasts.

 

\>The report of the Kolibri brings you back to the present, out of that alleyway.

 

\>You fire at the anthro thralls, Talia's hand guiding you.

 

\>Rebecca doesn't seem to notice.

 

\>She whirls in the center of the room, swinging the enormous blade as if it were aluminum.

 

\>What it doesn't slice, it cracks.

 

\>An occasional monster slips beneath her guard; the tigress barely notices when her hips send them flying.

 

\>Others are trampled.

 

\>You lose track of how long you're shooting for, how many arcs of blood you see fly.

 

\>Then all at once, the flow of twisted fur stops.

 

\>Rebecca growls, gripping her sword tight.

 

\>"Patrick!" she screams once more.

 

\>Your neck tingles, and you flip down the PsyScope.

 

\>"You did it! I _am_ a monster!"

 

\>Your eyes dart around the room, trying to make anything out through the background noise.

 

\>"Now come out so I can show you how right you were!"

 

\>Then you see it.

 

\>You throw the disruption charge just as the wall bursts into a hail of splinters.

 

\>Your vision flashes as the PsyScope takes a hit, your hands and face lighting up in pinpricks. You curse and flip it out of the way.

 

\>The figure standing in the breached wall is hunched over, one hand clutching his head.

 

\>The other holds a staff of twisted metal, the jagged, broken tip glowing red.

 

\>His tattered cloak flutters as he looks at you. You can taste the hatred.

 

\>"Traitor," he spits.

 

\>He whirls the staff into a ready position and faces Rebecca. The mansion shudders with a jerk of his head.

 

\>The scraping of claws and pounding of paws filters through the walls as another wave of thralls approach.

 

\>Your gun darts from head to head, but they just keep coming.

 

\>The center of the room is clear as Patrick walks easily, almost blissfully, towards Rebecca.

 

\>The tigress' huffing growls fill the room before she roars, running to meet him.

 

\>Their weapons meet with sounds louder than your gunshots.

 

\>Their sparks add to the flickering lightshow of the flames and muzzleflash.

 

\>Every strobe is filled with teeth. Claws. Blood.

 

\>But Talia's hands guide yours.

 

\>Her arms keep you centered.

 

\>You don't fear the monsters; you fear slipping back again.

 

\>You stand your ground and take the incoming horde while the former couple clash.

 

\>There's no words between them. Only cries of rage.

 

\>Anguish.

 

\>Wrath.

 

\>You lose track of them as you whirl, slowly beating back the shambling bodies.

 

\>You only look when a steady sound rings out in the chaos.

 

\>Rebecca is down on one knee, sheltering behind her sword while Patrick hammers it with staff-blows.

 

\>"It wouldn't end any other way! It wouldn't end any other way! You've got knives for hands! You would've --"

 

\>The divine bullet doesn't shatter his skull, but it certainly stuns him.

 

\>You fire more as he turns to face you, slower than before.

 

\>Still fast enough you didn't see the swing coming.

 

\>His metal staff reflects your slug with a thunderclap. Your armor stops it, but you still get knocked off your feet.

 

\>The wall behind you cracks when you bang into it.

 

\>"Why would you help them?" Patrick asks.

 

\>You're vaguely aware of his footsteps drawing closer.

 

\>Rebecca snarls and screams as the thralls swarm her.

 

\>"You've seen what they do -- you must have. They auction us off like lottery prizes."

 

\>Ribs might be cracked. Or you're just out of air.

 

\>"Why? _Why_ would you help them? Work with them?"

 

\>"I'm not -- State --" you spit.

 

\>The monster chuckles.

 

\>He lifts your head with the cool end of his staff. His face is thin and twisted, his skull pushing at his skin.

 

\>"Then tell me; why help her?"

 

\>You feel the ground shudder; a red light pierces through the holes of Patrick's tattered cloak

 

\>You see a glow through the holes in his body.

 

\>You shift the Kolibri in your hand.

 

\>"Because -- she's not -- either."

 

\>Talia fires. Patrick still swings, but your shot threw him off.

 

\>The staff misses your head by inches.

 

\>Another roar shakes the room you both recover.

 

\>It's Rebecca's -- but not quite.

 

\>The thing that cuts Patrick's arm off isn't quite her, either.

 

\>The tigress is wreathed in red flame, her stripes burning a bright white.

 

\>Her orange form is bare, but you don't think she's nude.

 

\>She's wearing a new mantle now.

 

\>Patrick cackles even when the tigress slashes again, flinging him into the stones above the hearth.

 

\>"I told you! You see now, housecat?"

 

\>Rebecca snarls; a barb tips her flicking tail as she walks.

 

\>"No matter how good you act, no matter how hard you try, you're beast!"

 

\>Rebecca cuts the staff in twain when he tries to stand.

 

\>"You're built to kill, and to kill, and to fuck. And deep down you enjoy it."

 

\>He looks up at her. His smile is malicious. Deranged.

 

\>Deadly.

 

\>"Go on. Do --"

 

\>The tigress stomps on his legs and kicks him into the fire.

 

\>The whole building shakes.

 

\>Smoke bursts from the hearth as Patrick screams, and Rebecca staggers back. The few thralls left do as well.

 

\>You're glad you're wearing earpro.

 

\>The tigress' flames die, the red glow giving way to tattered red sweater.

 

\>You amble towards her and ready yourself to hold her again.

 

\>Then the flames creep out from around the stone of the hearth.

 

\>The smoke rushes faster and billows about the room.

 

\>The screaming turns to laughter.

 

\>"...fuck."

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/ZmM4xZQe
Part of the series Negligent Discharge: Repent
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