Warped

Chapter 12: Lukas

My bitter disgust dies under the pure surprise when Olivia only tightens her grasp on me, sobbing softly again. The purring still continues, and I hesitantly grab back onto Olivia. Kinda wishing I could cry too right now.

"Lukass? Ar- are-" Her voice degrades into a quivering sob and ignoring my own fears I start rubbing her back again. "We're still human right?"

My purrs get stronger, louder, rising up along with my heart clenching fears. "Animals can't talk to each like this, animals can't even comprehend all the emotions we have rrrrright now."

I get no relief from my words, the purring has dropped my voice into this deep guttural that clearly isn't mine. Besides, my new ears can detect every quiver of my words. It's so painfully obvious to me how unsure I am, how conflicted I am.

"It's just that..." Olivia stops to take in big shuddering breaths, and I rub her back harder again. "In the hallway, you were so unlike you. Thrashing and snarling... ee-even breaking that man's arm... you're, at least were, never one to do that."

Her every word is another jab to my heart, and thankfully she can't see my face tightening up to keep in the despair. Olivia is completely right, that was so clearly not me but I was actually fighting that behavior as hard as I could. That was actually the most human I could have been at that point.

"I know, I know..." I trail off, trying to find some words to prove both her and myself wrong. "But I'll get better, once I get some food maybe. Or perhaps that'll only happen when I'm around people who've kidnapped us?"

I'm clearly so doubtful of myself, not even remotely convinced by my own words. My hands loosely grip her shirt as I let my head droop down away from her. Every second I keep hearing those infernal purrs my breaths get that much heavier.

"Well, at the very least I suppose," Olivia stifles a sob, sniffling. "The purrs are kinda nice... better that than yakking up fur balls right?"

A pathetic dry chuckle escapes my lips along with the purrs. "Agrrrreed, much less... disturbing."

My ears flicker, the distinct sound of multiple footsteps coming this way. Digging my fingers into Olivia, my heart starts to pound wildly. Partly because I'm quite honestly scared of what they'll do next and the other much bigger part due to the rage heating up my blood.

I squeeze Olivia as hard as I can, as if I won't be able to see again. I can't really see her that well to begin with, but I still don't want to let her go. I want to be able to just be with my friends and not always ripped apart by these demons.

The next moment, a soft growl comes from Petra. "They're coming..."

Her sullen silence is filled with her enraged growl, good to know that the real her was still in there. But she heard it soon after me, and I'll have to think about that later when I have the time.

Olivia pulls away from me, but I felt her muscles shake as she did so. My fully alert ears picking up the hiss leaking through her lips. I can't exactly say anything though when my purrs have become a growl.

I get up, crouching in front of the doorway, my fur bristling as my claws slip out from my fingers. They're not hurting my friends anymore, I refuse to let them! They've tortured us long enough! I'm not going to let them just walk all over us as if we're grass!

"Huh?" I don't even glance at Axel, my tail thrashing in the air as blood pounds all over. I am ready to take down however many people they send through those doors.

"They're coming!" Besides, I have Petra on my side for the fight. She sounds ready to rain chaos upon these men with me. These monsters will regret ever doing any of this to us.