Chapter 27: All Have Our Choices to Make
December 6, 2023 7:45 AM
Sanders watched in muted despair as Isabella's head was blasted through. The shot had been a perfect shot, hitting her nearly dead center in the forehead. Her eyes were closed and her face had a serene acceptance to it as it slumped foward. Its calm, almost happy look only drove Sanders further into despair. What had he done?
Sanders let the rifle fall to Angela's palm as he followed it to his knees. He...he had killed her. It had been better than letting her be eaten, but he had killed her, he had given her to Angela, he had killed her...
Angela had heard the gunshot and stopped her sick torture. She opened her eyes and glanced down at Sanders. She brought in her tongue and looked to move it around for a second before turning her head to the side. Sanders breath caught in his throat as he watched Angela spit Isabella's corpse out like it was a just some used up gum. He watched her vanish from sight as she fell to the ground far below.
"It seems breaking the Society's laws runs in this Ranger group. I am sure you are aware guns are illegal, Sanders. And that disrupting a punishment decided on by the Matriarchs is frowned upon. I trust you have a good reason for killing that traitor," Angela said as she turned back to smile at him.
Sanders felt his depression slowly beginning to turn to rage. No...no he hadn't killed her. He had spared her a worse death, something she was thankful for. And she was no traitor. It was the Matriarchs who were the traitors. They had killed Isabella just to keep some secret hidden away. And who knew what else they had a hand in. Manchent's death, Flonne's mutating, letting Lutice off free, and who knew what else.
And Angela had the GALL to still call Isabella a traitor! To worry about the fact he had a damn gun! To suggest HE DESERVED TO BE PUNISHED!! Sanders saw red as he snatched up his rifle again and pointed it at Angela's face. Angela's smile faded as her eyebrow raised.
"You...you...MURDEROUS BITCH! YOU KILLED HER! YOU ARE THE ONE WHO FORCED ME TO KILL ISABELLA! ALL BECAUSE SHE FOUND SOMETHING THAT YOU DIDN'T WANT HER TO! IS THAT WHY YOU KILLED MANCHENT TOO?! IS THAT WHY YOU LET LUTICE OFF EASY?! YOU FUCKER, YOU AND CATHRINE! I'M...I'M GOING TO SEE YOU BOTH DEAD, YOU HEAR ME?! YOU ARE BOTH FUCKING DEAD!" Sanders yelled as he pulled the trigger on his gun. The gun roared out, but the bullet pinged off Angela's shield before hitting her.
Angela's face turned ice cold as she stared down at him. She seemed to rise up a bit higher, now looming over him like a building of woman.
"You dare to fire at ME?! Normally, I would just squash you with my thumb, but you deserve special punishment. I am going to make you BEG for death by the time I am finished with you, traitor," Angela said as she glared at him.
"Nothing you do could ever even come close to forcing me to kill, Isabella. So do your worst you MONSTER!" Sanders yelled as he aimed the rifle down at Angela's hand. He was about to pull the trigger when a sword came flying toward his rifle. The sword cut through a portion of the barrel of his rifle, making it useless, before flying back and coming straight toward his chest. Sanders barely managed to dodge back as the sword cut some of the fabric from his chest armor off, but missed hitting the flak part.
Sanders looked on in stunned silence as Aviel glared at him, sword drawn and ready to attack. She didn't give him a second to recover as she came forward again, feinting right before bringing her sword to the left. Sanders managed to see through the feint and used his rifle to block the attack, but the sword nearly cut through the jury-rigged weapon. Sanders reacted on pure instinct as he batted Aviel's sword away. Aviel keep her balance, but was forced back as Sanders tossed the, now fully ruined, weapon at her.
Aviel dodged the thrown rifle, but was unable to take back the initiative quick enough to stop Sanders from taking out his own weapons. He snatched up his shield and mace and got into a combat position as he stared at her, still stunned by what was happening.
"Aviel...you can't... Tell me you are not actually siding with them?" Sanders said, his mind racing for an explanation. There had to be a reason for this, had to be something she was going for.
"Of course I am. I am a loyal soldier of the Society and you just admitted to being a traitor. Angela, please allow me to dispatch my ex-partner. I do not wish his...disloyalty to color your perceptions of me," Aviel said as she glared at him in pure hate. Fucking hell...was...was she serious?! No, no she couldn't be, there had to be- Of course, Angela.
As much as he hated to admit it, there wasn't much he could do to stop her from killing him. Oh sure he had talked big just a second ago, but now that his anger had simmered down he realized just what kind of situation he was in. Standing on her hand, no less, there wasn't much he could to stop her from doing whatever she wanted to him. But, if she thought Sanders and Aviel were fighting it might buy them time to think of a way out of here. He needed to play along if he wanted to survive.
"Oh? Interesting...Very well, Ranger Aviel. Prove your loyalty and execute your former partner in the most painful way you can. I might even let you join the Swords like you have wanted for so long," Angela said as her smile returned. Her hand opened up completely to give them more room to fight as she looked down on them like a giant Empress about to watch her gladiators. Damn bitch, he was going to make her pay for this...just wait.
"If you are going to spit on Isabella's memory just to work with these killers, then I will gladly put you down too!" Sanders said trying to sound convincing as he took the offensive. He needed to make this look good to keep Angela from figuring out this was fake or else she would kill them both. Sander swung a blow for Aviel's head, making sure to go just a bit slower than usual. Aviel, like he had hoped, easily dodged and brought her sword up to try and cut into his arm. Sanders was ready , though, and moved his hand just enough to have the sword glance off his flak armor.
Sanders was about to counter-attack, when Aviel spun with her attack and brought her leg up to kick at his face. Sanders just managed to get his shield in the way and grunted as the impact rang off his shield. Aviel had always been bad with holding back, but this was a bit much. Sanders swiped his mace at her head, aiming a bit too high. Aviel ducked under it before bringing her sword straight up to try and cut into his groin, like had had guessed. He got his shield up to protect his critical area only to be taking completely off-guard as he saw it was a feint. Holy shit she was going for his legs! His unarmored legs!
Sanders cursed as he barely managed to dodge back and avoid having his leg cut off. The quick dodge threw him completely off balance and Aviel gave him no chance to regain it. She leap after him and brought her sword down straight toward his head. Sanders blocked with his shield, grunting from the effort of stopping the double-handed swing. Aviel glared at him before kicking out his right leg and sending him tumbling to his knees. Sanders cursed under his breath as Aviel began to push his shield back and took a wild swing at her with his mace. Aviel dodged back to avoid the heavy weapon, but ran back into the fight, coming on Sanders right side to avoid his shield on his left arm.
Sanders cried out as he let himself fall to avoid her horizonal cut that was aimed right at his neck and rolled to avoid her down cut. Her sword passed by his head and sunk into Angela's palm, drawing blood.
"OWW! AVIEL, REMEMBER WHAT YOU ARE FIGHTING ON!" Angela roared out, causing both Sanders and Aviel to cringe in pain. He wanted to yell at her to, also, remember this was supposed to be fake, but keep quite as he got back his feet. Angela's roar of anger had bought Sanders some time, but fuck he still didn't see any hints of what Aviel was planning on her face. He had expected an eye twitch, a half smile, SOMETHING. But she just glared at him with that same look of hate and anger. She was really selling this.
"Sorry, Matriarch. He is not fighting me seriously and it is beginning to make me very angry. You had best start fighting for real, Sanders. I will not let your delusions about me still being on your side jeopardize my proof of loyalty," Aviel said as she got back into fighting stance. Sanders didn't see a hint of her lying about that. Fuck there really was nothing to show she was lying, but...but she HAD to be. How could she not see what had happened?
"Fine, let's fight for real then," Sanders said still debating whether she was serious or not. He came forward and made to shield bash her, but only hard enough to knock her back a bit. Aviel's glare hardened as she, easily, dodged the bash, spun around him, and sliced into his right thigh. Sanders cried out in pain as he staggered back and spun to stare at her. Aviel was already moving, though, and made to cut at his leg again. He jumped back, falling for her feint, and she leap after him before plunging her sword into his left shoulder. Sanders grunted in pain before swiping his mace at her, this time for real, and forcing her to dance backwards.
"What...what the hell are you doing, Aviel?" Sanders demanded.
"My job. You are a traitor and I am going to be assumed guilty by association unless I sever ties with you. Which is what I am going to do," she said as she glared at him. Shit...she wasn't lying...she was serious...
"You...How the hell can you side with them? They killed Isabella for fucks sake?!" Sanders yelled, desperate for her to see what she was doing. She couldn't side with them?! They had just murdered Isabella!!
Aviel didn't answer as she went back on the offensive. Sanders gritted his teeth as he brought his shield up, the wound in his shoulder making it painful to move his arm. Aviel's sword glanced past him and Sanders brought his mace up to try and smash it out of her hand. Aviel was quicker, though, and managed to pull it back.
"Think about it Aviel. Why would Isabella have been so depressed AFTER Cathrine came? Because she was counting on her!" Sanders said trying to get Aviel to see. Still, she said nothing as she attacked again. Sanders managed to fend her off as he keep trying to reason with her, he had to get through to her!
"I know you are smart enough to see it Aviel. Its obvious Isabella found something they didn't want found. Same as how they didn't want Manchent to escape! I beat they are the ones who put that collar on him in the first place. It all makes sense then!," Sanders said and again Aviel ignored him. Dammit, was she really that blinded?!
"Dammit, Aviel why?! Why the hell are you siding with them against me?! Why are you fighting against your friend and siding with fucking monsters?!" Sanders demanded of her, furious that she was not even answering him. Aviel stopped her assault as she looked down and gripped her sword tighter.
"Because I am sick of it... I am sick of meeting people, sick of getting to know them, sick of them becoming important, sick of them leaving me, and sick of being hurt over and over and over again BECAUSE EVERYONE I CARE FOR DIES!! I AM SICK OF IT ALL!" Aviel yelled out, tears starting to appear on her face. She quickly wiped them away as she went back to glaring at him.
"I am tired of caring only to get hurt. So I won't care anymore. The only thing I want now is revenge. THAT doesn't bring me pain. And the best way to get it is with power. The Society has the power I need to get my revenge and will praise me for getting and reward me with more power. What do you have to offer, death? What do you think you can do, Sanders. Look around, all it would take is Angela to tip her head to the side and we would both be dead. Against that much power, what do you think you can do? Actually, don't answer that. I don't care. I don't care what you think, what you plan, or about you. All I want, is for you to die and to be the last person I feel ANY sort of pain for. Now," Aviel stopped as she took out her dagger from her belt and took up her double-blade stance, "go tell Isabella that her damn conscious broke me and I hope she enjoys HELL."
Sanders stood there in silence as Aviel gave her short speech. His breath caught in his throat as she took out her dagger. Fuck, she had NEVER fought him in practice with both her weapons. She...she was really serious...she...Aviel had... No...not her too...He...he had lost them both now. And all because she had lost too many people...no...
Sanders barely snapped out of his despair in time to block Aviel's lunge forward. Her sword glanced off his shield, but her dagger came flying in, barely missing puncturing his neck. Sanders moved back only for Aviel to follow him step for step. Her sword and dagger flew at him from every direction. Sanders tried to hold them back, but his wounded left shoulder was slowing his shield and his hurt leg was slowing all of him down. He managed to stop all her sword attacks, but her dagger was nigh impossible to stop, stabbing him practically everywhere. Thankfully, the blade was having trouble getting through his flak and he managed to keep her away from his legs. Dammit he had to get on the offensive!
Aviel raised her sword up for a downward cut and Sanders saw his chance to get off the defensive. Her gritted as he thrust his shield forward, smashing it into Aviel's chest. Aviel stumbled back from the hit and barely managed to deflect Sanders mace from hitting her shoulder. A head hit would kill her, but Sanders just couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he was aiming to disable her. She could heal from a broken shoulder, given enough time.
Aviel lashed out at Sanders with her dagger, trying to get back the offensive, but Sanders deflected it away with his shield before swinging his mace straight at her arm. Aviel danced back, but Sanders followed, going for a back-swing. This time, Aviel brought both her sword and dagger up and blocked the hit with a grunt of effort. Sanders didn't let them stay weapon locked as he smashed his shield into her again, forcing her back a step. He had a perfect chance to hit her, one good hit to the chest would finish this and he brought his mace back to strike.
But his hand seemed to freeze. It...It was still Aviel. They had been friends, partners. All the good times, all the adventures, all the...the...
"Does the kid need big sis to help?"
"You sure you just wanted to patch me up,"
"In fact, I would miss all of them. Once I got back my size I could never come back here. Never be able to take part of these nights again or get these kinds of drinks again,"
"It-...Its just I don't want to get too attached, alright?"
He...he couldn't, he wouldn't do this. He just wouldn't. Sanders was about to lower his mace when Aviel got her footing back and sprang forward, a look of pure murder in her eyes. Sanders cursed as he tried to shield himself, but too late as her dagger came up to his left hand and sliced into the back of his forearm. Sanders cried out in pain as blood came shooting out from the wound. He watched in horror as his shield came tumbling down, its straps cut as well. Sanders swung his mace forward, but Aviel parried the blow as her dagger went back and came forward again. She stabbed him in the side of his stomach, where two of the flak plates meet, and Sanders felt hot pain lace up his entire body.
Aviel stood there, staring at him as he barely keep a grip on his mace. Her sword was keeping it pinned down as she began to twist the knife.
"You always were an idiot, Sanders. Even after all this you STILL can't fight me? Its a wonder you survived this long. I'll be doing a lot of people a favor getting rid of you. Maybe then they won't be contaminated by your stupidity," Aviel said as she leaned a bit closer to him. Sanders might have enjoyed being this close to her under any other circumstances.
"I'll make double sure Flonne and your siblings are made into good Society-loving citizens. So don't worry about them as you go to the afterlife," Aviel said with a vicious smile. Sanders eyes opened wide at that and he felt a rage like he had never felt before hit him. This bitch was NOT going to do ANYTHING to Flonne or HIS siblings! And she sure as HELL WAS NOT GOING TO TURN THEM INTO SLAVES LIKE SHE WAS!!! He didn't care about the memories anymore, he didn't care about the good times, he didn't care about any of it. He only had one thing he wanted now, for Aviel to be dead! She was no longer his ex-partner, no that woman was dead. All she was, was just another monster wearing human skin that was not going anywhere near his family or adapted family!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjjWCCYcUZc
Sanders roared out as he slammed his head into Aviel's. Aviel reeled back giving Sanders an opening to rip his mace free of her sword. He grabbed her left arm with the dagger and held it as he brought his mace up.
"YOU ARE NOT TOUCHING MY SIBLINGS!" Sanders yelled as he slammed the mace down onto her arm, the crunch of bone and a yell of agony from Aviel making him smile. Aviel's arm had caved in from the blow and tears were streaming from her eyes from the pain. Even so, she brought her sword up and tried to slice into Sanders arm. Sanders let the sword cut into the flak on his arm, drawing a bit of blood, before pulling Aviel's dagger out of his side and throwing it back at her. Aviel cried in pain as the dagger slammed into her shoulder. Sanders raised his mace up again and with a yell brought it down toward Aviel. Aviel danced away, her arm flopping uselessly on her side.
Aviel snarled as she glared at Sanders with pure hate on her face. Sanders returned the look full force before charging her. He swung his mace for her head and cursed as she ducked under it. Aviel brought the sword up, trying to bisect him, but Sanders dodged back before throwing a punch straight for her face. Aviel staggered back from the blow and Sanders brought his mace around in a full force horizontal swing. Aviel raised her sword to block the hit, but the blow was too strong and sent her spinning to the ground and her sword flying off Angela's hand to the floor far below.
Sanders didn't even smile in satisfaction as he raised his mace to finish it. He brought it down, but Aviel snatched up his fallen shield and cowered under it to stop the blow. Sanders cursed out loud as he yelled in rage as he brought the mace down again and again and again and again and again. The shield began to dent, buckle, and looked about to give as he slammed it over and over again.
"Now go and beg Isabella for forgiveness, cause you are not getting it from me, Aviel!" Sanders said as he brought the mace up to finish it. Suddenly, the shield was sent flying up and smashed into Sander's face causing him to stagger back and his vision to fill with stars. Aviel sprang up onto his chest, the dagger he had thrown into her shoulder in her still working hand. She used her weight to force Sanders to the ground and slammed her dagger right into the fleshy part of his right elbow. Sanders cried out in pain as he tried to bring his arm up to smash his mace into her, but the arm refused to move with the dagger inside it. Aviel snatched the mace away from him and slammed her foot down onto his left arm to keep it pinned. Sanders tried to move, but Aviel smacked him upside the head with the hilt of his mace and sent his world spinning and bursting with stars.
As the world started to swim back into focus, Sanders could hear booming laughter coming from up above.
"HAHAHA, well done, Aviel. Very well done. I never thought to have tinies fight in my hand before, but I think it might be a new hobby of mine. Very entertaining. Now, kill him," Angela said as Sander's vision stopped swimming. He looked up to see Aviel still straddling him and looking down on him in disgust. Sanders returned the look.
"Do it, you bitch. At least I'll die happy knowing I stood by my friends and principals," Sanders growled out. He was trying not to show any fear, though it was certainly there. Once he was dead who was going to know what happened here? How would anyone discover the truth? There...was no real time to worry about that, though. All he could do was face his death bravely and not give Angela or Aviel the satisfaction of hearing him beg.
Aviel stared at him a moment before giving him an odd looking smile. Sanders raised an eyebrow at it as Aviel turned to look at Angela.
"Matriarch, might I make a suggestion?" she asked getting a slightly annoyed look from Angela.
"And what might that be? Do you think we should spare him?" she asked in a cold tone.
"Of course not. He is a traitor and deserves death. However, you ordered me to kill him in the most painful manner possible. I know of a particularity cruel way to do such. However, I would like something for this information," Aviel said with a cocky smile. This got Angela's attention as she studied Aviel.
"And what would you like in return for this information?" Angela said looking rather curious.
"To be accepted into the Swords and my natural size returned to me," Aviel said with a triumphant smile. She glanced down at Sanders and seemed to lord over him about what she was about to do. Dammit, was that all she ever cared about? About getting her damn size back and her revenge?! Angela gave a short laugh at that and her old smile returned to her face.
"Very well, Aviel. Consider yourself the newest member of the Swords of Atlanta. I can already tell I will greatly enjoy your services. Now, what is this secret?" Angela said looking eager to know. Aviel turned back to Sanders and smiled at him as she answered.
"Sanders here, is terrified of being eaten by catgirls," Aviel said with a smile that frozen Sanders blood. No...she...she didn't just...No..no nononononononoNONONONONO!
"NO, please no! Anything but that, please please PLEASE! Aviel you know how horrid that was for me, please just kill me, please not that please!" Sander heard himself say, fear overriding his thoughts. Angela only laughed at his pleading and nodded to Aviel. Aviel gave him one last smile before slamming the butt of his mace into his head.
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9:12 AM
Sanders groaned as consciousness began to slowly trickle back into him. A dull throbbing brought his hand up to his head and he felt a large knot where one had not been. Or he thought it hadn't been there. Wait...what had happened? He...ugh his head, where?
Sanders groaned again as he pushed down on the ground to sit up. Only it wasn't ground he was pushing against. He had been in enough massive females hands to know one by touching it. The soft skin and warmth were rather welcome and he wondered if he had taken a blow to the head and Isabella was worrying over him right now. He rubbed his head again before opening his eyes. Ahead of him was what he expected, four massive yet dainty fingers stretching up like strange curved trees. Oddly, though, they didn't look like Isabella's fingers...and he had a feeling like he was forgetting something.
"Ahh, good. You decided to wake up just in time," a familiar, but not Isabella's, voice said behind and above him. Sanders thought for a second before he recognized it as Matriach-
It all came back in a massive rush. All of it. Sanders leap up onto his feet and went to grab his mace, but found it missing. His gun...was gone and ruined anyway. All he had on were his now torn and badly damaged flak chest and arms armor, his combat pants, and his radio headset. The rest of his gear was gone leaving Sanders with nothing to fight with save his bare hands. And using those against Angela would be like trying to punch out a skyscraper. Oddly, though, all his wounds looked to have been bandaged up and at least tended too, though they still hurt like hell.
Angela smiled at his obvious distress and chuckled a bit.
"I am afraid all your gear has been taken from you. They are Society property, though, so its only right. We did let you keep that armor, though, and your radio. I would hate for you not to be able to speak your mind or be without your late commander's gift. We even patched up your wounds. Be a shame to have you bleed out before your execution," Angela said her smile spreading a bit. The damn bitch had left him the radio AND healed him just hoping he would beg for mercy or something else. And fuck him he had given it to her just before Avie-...Aviel....
He looked around, but didn't see his old partner anywhere. In fact, this wasn't the same room as before. It looked to be some kind of security room with large security doors baring both exits. A large one-way window looked into the room, but Sanders could not see what was on the other side.
"Looking for your partner, or should I say ex-partner. Don't worry, she should be along any second now," Angela said with a sadistic smile. Sanders cursed his lack of a weapon and size. He would have liked nothing more than to wipe that smug look off her face.
"Must be easy to talk down to people when you have a hundred times their size on them. I would love to see you try to act so superior if we were at the same size," Sanders said glaring back at Angela. Angela's smirk didn't move an inch as she chuckled.
"I am sure you would. And I would enjoy stripping you of those delusions, but I am afraid I have no wish to return to your pathetic size simply to educate you. Far easier to just," she stopped as her middle finger curled up and came down toward him. Sanders cursed as ran out from under the finger and stopped a few scale feet from it. Angela chuckled and looked about to lower one of her other fingers when a loud hiss came from one of the security doors.
"Ahh, and here is Aviel now," Angela said as she opened her palm back up. Sanders turned to the door and watched in a mixture of horror and awe as Aviel stepped out into the security room, only this Aviel was far, far bigger. Aviel had been returned to her normal height and moved over to stand in front of Angela, now nearly a half a foot taller than the Matriarch. Sanders gulped down a bit of fear as he found himself staring up at a suddenly massive Aviel. Her left arm was in a large cast and she glared down at him. That glare had been scary when she was the same size of him. Now...now it was terrifying.
Sanders took a few steps backwards, shaking his head in disbelief. Some part of him had always wanted to see what Aviel would look like super-sized. Her toned arms and shoulders showed through her medical gown and her average breasts were now bigger than most houses. He would beat if she flexed, her bicep would dwarf most cars... Damn he would have like- STOP IT! Sanders tried to remember that she was evil, vile, and spit on him AND Isabella, but all he really could think of was a mixture of fear and arousal. Dammit, she was just so...huge. Seeing giantesses was one thing. Seeing someone who had been your size suddenly now a giantess was something else entirely.
"Would you like to see your old partner before we send him off?" Angela asked as she offered Sanders to Aviel. Aviel extended her working hand to take him and Sanders found himself sliding onto Aviel's hand as Angela tipped her hand up. Sanders grunted as he landed onto her hand and found Aviel's hand to be anything but dainty and soft. It was rough and callused from her sword use and looked a good bit larger than Angela's. Sanders gulped as he looked up to see the massive face of Aviel staring down at him.
"So this is what it is like to be the giantess," Aviel said before a slight smile crossed her face, "I think I could get used to this." Her fingers began to curl up and Sanders got to his feet as he tried to find someplace to go to avoid her closing hand. There was nowhere TO go, though, as her hand closed in around him, just barely stopping from closing completely and crushing him. Sanders cursed as he tried to force Aviel's hand to open, but it was like trying to move a cement wall. Only this wall was made of flesh and had once been his friend. And now...now it was his worst nightmare.
"I can barely even feel him in there... I could kill him just by squeezing a little harder. But that would be too quick," Aviel said as her hand opened and the welcome light flooded back in. Sanders cursed Aviel, cursed Angela, cursed the Society, and cursed the world for letting this happen. Now what the hell was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to stop them now?!
"If you are done marveling at your new found power, let us head to the catgirls' holding pens," Angela said bringing a freezing chill of terror to Sanders. He looked up at Aviel, pleading and begging her to stop this with his eyes. She couldn't have fallen so far to let this happen, she couldn't have! Please, at least kill him herself or SOMETHING!!!
But Aviel didn't even look at him as she nodded to Angela and began to walk. Sanders was thrown from his feet by her heavy footfalls and his panic was exchanged for sickness. Aviel had no sense of how to walk without causing tinies problems and Sanders found himself being thrown about her palm like clothes in a dryer. As he rolled and tumbled, Aviel deigned to look down at him.
"Throw up in my hand and I am breaking your leg," she said before turning back forward. Damn her...DAMN HER TO HELL! Sanders didn't care if she did break his leg, he was barfing in her hand if for nothing else than to spite her.
By the time the trip had ended, Sanders had thrown up twice in Aviel's hand. The first time had been on purpose, but the second came from her inability to not shake her hand like crazy. Sanders gasped in relief as they finally stopped and laid in Aviel's palm to rest. Meows and hissing filled the air and Sanders would have been panicking if he was not exhausted. He had just closed his eyes when pain shot through his leg. He looked up just in tme to see Aviel's finger pushing into his leg.
"I warned you, bastard," Aviel said before pushing down on his leg. Sanders cried out in pain as his leg snapped under the weight of her finger. He covered his mouth after the first cry and tried to hold in the cries of pain, knowing the two monsters wanted to hear him scream. He was not going to give them the satisfaction.
"How very cruel. And just before you feed him to a catgirl too. Oh well," Angela said with the same damn smile as she motioned for Aviel to move along. Sanders wanted to look, but he was in the middle of her palm and couldn't see past it. And moving was, now, out of the question. Aviel walked a few steps, the movement causing Sanders broken leg to scream in agony, and nearly causing him to. Finally, she stopped and bent down to one of the cages. The cage had a large hole with a chute in it that looked to be where they poured food in. They were just going to shove him down a food chute...
Aviel looked about to say something, but reconsidered as she moved her hand up to the chute. Sanders braced himself and tried to grab Aviel's hand as it began to tip. He tried to bury his fingers into the lines of her hands, but he couldn't get a good enough grip. With a cry of shook and anger, Sanders slipped off Aviel's hand and down the chute. Sanders tried to keep his leg from hitting the chute, but failed utterly. His leg hit the chute and pain shot through his body.
For a brief second everything went dark, but came back as he found himself laying on a fluffy carpet. He stopped as he worried he had landed right on the catgirl, but was relieved to find this carpet wasn't heated. Sanders rolled over and looked up into the rather dark cage and saw the chute he had come down on high above, too high for him to reach.
Sanders turned back forward and froze as he saw the massive form of a catgirl, with black hair, a few scale feet ahead of him. The catgirl was curled up into a ball and its side was slowly rising and falling. It was asleep, thank whoever, and Sanders let a sigh of relief escape him.
"Should we stay and watch? It can be rather entertaining to watch their last few moments," Angela suggested from outside the cage. Sanders could see their legs outside the cage door behind him, but nothing else.
"No. With a broken leg, it wouldn't be very interesting. Besides, Sanders would like nothing better than to put on a brave show so we can say how well he died. Let us leave the catgirls to be his only witnesses," Aviel suggested. Damn you, Aviel. DAMN YOU TO HELL! Next time...Next time he would NOT let her escape. Next time he WOULD kill her! And he was NOT going to die in here!!
Angela chuckled at that suggestion and agreed. Sanders heard the door open and shut leaving him to his fate. Sanders could hear other catgirls in other cages; meowing and hissing and scratching and moving around. His earlier confidence was being worn down as he rolled onto his back and looked around for something to use as a crutch. He needed to get moving and find a way out of here before the catgirl in this cage woke up.
He looked around, but nothing looked useful for a crutch. Cursing his luck, Sanders was about to try and crawl around for a better look when the catgirl suddenly stirred. She stretched out a bit and gave a soft yawn as she rolled over to face him. Sanders held his breath as he watched her eyes, praying they did not open.
They opened.
Sanders felt terror grip him as the catgirl began to focus on him. She rolled onto her hands and knees and smiled as she began to inch closer and closer to him. Sanders pushed himself back, but quickly realized it was pointless. There was nowhere to go and he was not going to out run the catgirl like this. He stared at his approaching death before hanging his head in defeat.
No..No he wouldn't let it end like this. He wasn't going to just lay down and die. Sanders looked back up at the catgirl, now nearly on top of him and glared up at it.
"Come on, then. Come and get me! But I sure as hell am not going without a fight!" Sanders said as he pushed himself up onto his unbroken leg. He balanced on his one good leg as he raised his fists up. He stared the catgirl down as she licked her lips in anticipation, her head looming over him.
"COME AND GET ME SO I CAN GIVE YOU THE WORST INDIGESTION OF YOUR LIFE!!!"
Ranger Report 87-1214-995
Report on Patrol 5
Ranger Commander Isabella "Captain" Raim:
Status=KIA
Cause of death: Resistance attack on Base. Killed attempting to save Scout Sanders Cutter. Cut down by Resistance missile barrage. Body too badly damage for burial, was incinerated.
Family status: Immediate Family: Lost in Shrink Disaster, presumed Dead.
Husband: Jeremy Raim: Dead.
Ranger Scout Sanders Cutter:
Status=KIA
Cause of death: Resistance attack on Base. Moved too far forward of position and was cut off. Body was no recovered, presumed to have been crushed during fighting.
Family status: Immediate Family: All alive. Family has been notified of death and commendations for his bravery sent to them.
Ranger Scount Aviel Wolff:
Status= Active, promoted to Swords Search and Destroy squad
Promotion due to exemplary performance in the line of duty. Height returned to normal.
Family Status: N/A (Family status for active members are only viewable by authorized personnal)
End Notes: Patrol 5 is hereby disbanded and the number retired in honor of Isabella Raim and Sanders Cutter. Memorial service for both are to be held on 12/15/2023 at the memorial plaza. Both are to receive commendations for their valor in protecting the Atlanta base from Resistance forces.
One of the catgirls seems to have escaped her cage. Security is currently on the look out for the escaped feline and all Ranger patrols are to remain on the look out. Catgirl is to be assumed dangerous.