Revenge of the Leopardess

Chapter 1

I eyed my childhood home with disgust. Today was the start of my revenge. I had suffered and sorrowed all I could. All that was left in me now was my desire for justice for the wrongs I had been dealt with. My beast turned the edges of my vision red as I saw my father walk past his window. My leopard knew he was never my father. The man had been my first abuser. Him and my mother. She was gone now though. I saw to that. She had personally drowned my two younger siblings so it was only right that I returned the favour.

Her body would probably be found in the morning after it floated up to the top of the lake. The bark of the tree I was sitting against dug into my skin through my fur as my tail swished. I felt an urgency now. I swallowed. My tongue itched to taste blood. To rend flesh from bone and eviscerate him as he had done to me several times when I was young. I counted. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. The memories came after the final number and my claws flexed into the bark. The wood splintering under the pressure.

Clawed hands grabbed my legs raking long lines of blood in their wake. White hot pain lashed through me as I screamed. The sound small, broken and hoarse.

"Please, stop it hurts" I cried meekly at him in my child's voice.

Wet tears streamed down my face as his grip on my leg tightened. Looking up at the cruel sneer of my father I knew no amount of begging or pleading would dissuade him. He was angry and he was drunk and he only seemed to enjoy inflicting pain.

"Useless, stupid, ugly child" my father snarled before throwing me away.

I slammed into a wall, and a photo dropped, smashing on the floor shards of glass pierced my skin. I cried again pain webbed into my thoughts like a disease as I was then beaten unconscious.

"I'm sorry" I whispered to my leopard as I awoke hours later.

My beast didn't deserve the pain and the suffering. I never felt safe with them. Mother and father were evil people. They hurt us, they abuse us. And we couldn't escape. It was too late for my brothers and sisters. I feared I would be dead next but as each day rose I still lived and I still suffered.

The memory faded after that. A nightmare of times past. A low rumble in my chest reminded me I was still a leopard. My right ear flicked as I breathed in and out. Calm of mind and calm of heart. I was going to do what I needed to. When the sounds of the house finally quieted I jumped from the tree to the roof. My paws padded quietly barely disturbing the silence of the night as several leaves fell from the tree.

The attic window was open. It was my way in. A circle window that I just had to push as my leopard. No human fingers for this part. I couldn't leave evidence. I would be the first suspect they came looking for when I completed my work. Pushing the window I slipped in soundless. And so the hunt had begun. I stalked the attic carefully sniffing for the latched door. It was unlocked. The Foolish man thought he was safe. I pushed the door with my front paws. It creaked slightly but I wasn't worried as I dropped to all fours. Lithe and sleek as a cat I descended the attic and then I was fully in my family home.

I heard the TV in the living room. My ears swivelled in that direction as I heard my father shout angrily at whatever was on. With a swish of my tail, I began another stalk. Taking my time as I crept forward inch by inch. My heart was hammering as I got closer. It was a wonder my father who was also a leopard didn't hear me. But It didn't take my superior smell to figure out he had been drinking.

I waited then. I waited until he had undone himself. I pounced claws out and mouth open. The curdled scream he let out was like music to my ears. I was quiet and organized as I tore at his face hands and throat. I didn't kill him yet though. He needed to feel the terror that I felt when I was small. His legs were my next target. Always when I was small he would take away my ability to walk like it was a gift he could give and take away at will.

I shredded and shredded as he whimpered in pain his breaths coming out in laboured pants. I shifted then the thundering of my heart was so loud I could barely think.

"Hello father" I spoke my voice hard and full of emotions.

"Ruth" He groaned as he finally recognised me.

"Why are you attacking me, I am your father. Help me" he tried to scream but choked as blood bubbled up from an open wound in his throat.

"Never again father, your nothing, I despise you, I hate you and I'm going to kill you" I stated coolly.

As if a switch had finally been flicked, true terror entered his eyes and I found myself growling in joy as my clawed hands flexed. I revelled in his fear. It was cloying and thick a satisfying blend that filled me with triumph. I used my clawed hands to further slash at his destroyed face. Blood bubbled to the surface and I laughed. I laughed madly. The same way he did when I was small.

"Please Ruth, please daughter" he begged again as he let out a pained sound.

"No" I refused, grinning in satisfaction as large fresh tears fell from his eyes.

"What will you tell your mother when you kill me," he asked as if his mate and wife were an afterthought.

"I won't have to tell her anything. I drowned her in the lake" I cackled my laugh dry and hollow.

"Why" he begged again trying to reach for me but I batted his hand away and clawed down his arm.

"Karma father, did you think you and mother would get away with killing us, abusing us? Better to end you here now that I have nothing to hold me back" I growled in his face. My mouth grew uncomfortable as my leopard forced my large four-inch canines to grow.

I stayed hours that night inflicting as much pain as I could on him. I let him recover from unconsciousness three times before I again attacked. I finally grew bored as night turned to dawn. Through the curtains, I noticed that time was short. Shifting to my leopard I let her finish him. She ripped him apart with teeth and claws before finally ripping out his throat.

When it was done I felt lighter though my vision still remained red around the edges as I padded out of the house the way I came in. My parents were only the start. My next victim would be the man who stole my innocence when I was barely an adult. And all those leading up to the person who took my children from me. They destroyed me and my world and I would have my revenge.

Authors note: This story is going to be darker than any of my other material, I hope you all enjoy it. Leave your thoughts in the comments and don't forget to vote.