Ashsib and the Cat Beast

Chapter Seven

The black blade clattered again to the ground, knocked from Ashsib's hand. The heat abated, the screaming cut away.

Blinking back tears, Ashsib found Namere crouched over him, a claw protruding from her shoulder to touch at his shirt.

"Don't-" She gave a breathy groan, "Touch Karihyou. No matter what."

Ashsib managed a small nod.

"Foolish, foolish." The cat-beast leered over Namere's shoulder.

She removed the claw with a savage smile and turned. Flicking a thick black tail that had wrapped around Namere's torso, she sent the Peace Officer across the room.

"You take me too lightly sister!" Already much larger than a normal person, Emishere flexed one hand wide and trapped Namere under a set of sharpened fingertips. "Mother and Father, they always claimed you to be best, didn't they? Why can't you be like Namere?" She said in a mocking voice, "Your sister is so mature, Emi, why do you embarrass us so?" A wide and toothy smile split her beautiful face, "Twins should be the same."

Her claw tugged at Namere's ruined shirt and corset, the layered fabric like butter to the razor edge.

"But no one can call us identical anymore, can they, sister?" The monstrous cat woman asked, revealing the other woman's true body underneath her binding, "Not with so much of you missing."

Namere glared. Ashsib stared agog at the revealed flesh. Her right side was carved into a narrow shape, the illusion of her womanhood used earlier but a flesh colored pad that fell out of her undergarment Just a flat surface remained. Her side and stomach were carved in an exaggerated hourglass with her hip and the skin was all crests like a painting of a stormy sea.

"Ooo, I remember it so fondly," The cat woman licked her lips, "My first taste of human flesh. It. Was. So. Delicious!"

Namere heaved to release herself, but the claws pinning her flexed, drawing more blood.

"You wouldn't even be in this position if you hadn't tried to save some unrelated party." The long haired twin tsked.

"That curse is mine and mine alone to bear!" Namere shouted, twisting free and scrambling until her hand closed around the black sword's hilt.

"H-how can you touch that thing." Ashsib, thoroughly traumatized, said at the sight.

She met his eyes, "Suffocating, isn't it?"

Ashsib shuddered, "I don't even know what to say about it. It was frightening." He gulped, "As if the sword itself was screaming."

"It was. It has been for sixteen years as I chased you, sister." Namere pointed with the naked blade, "I never dared draw it until now. Karihyou is crying, can you hear it?"

"As if I could!" Emishere scoffed, licking the blood from her claws, "Its just a hunk of metal."

"You know that is a lie. Karihyou protected our family for generations, sister, and you turned it against us. If you cannot hear it's wailing I will let you feel it. It is your blood it craves, after all, love twisted into hatred."

"The sword's sentiment, or your own, Namere?" The cat woman asked.

Namere took a deep breath and dove in an attack. This slash was true, cutting a deep trench along her sister's flank and side. The beast gave a yowl.

"At this point, it matters not." Namere answered, "I cry, too, for the same reasons."

"You've never cried!" Emishere's tail lashed, but Namere evaded it and Karihyou met flesh again. This time across the face. "Keee! How dare you attack my face! It's your own, isn't it?"