I quickly peeled off the comforter and jumped out of bed, Daniel following closely. Grabbing the door I swung it open to see Kuri holding one of the nightstaff against the wall, their face concealed by a hood. Just to the side I could see Riv's door was open.

My eyes widened and I rushed to my child's room, reaching for the open doorway and skidding in place. Riv was sitting upright, confused and disoriented. I ran in and threw my arms around him, holding him tight and rubbing his back. Somehow he was even more confused and terrified than I was.

I pulled back from the little boy to put my hands around his cheeks, checking over his nervous face for anything amiss. Fortunately everything seemed normal, as did the bed.

"Riv?" I asked, trembling. "Are you alright? Did anyone hurt you?"

"I'm okay, I just heard a loud noise," he replied, hugging onto me. "What was it? What's happening?"

"I-I'm not sure yet, but I'm about to find out," I said, looking back toward the door. "Just...hold on right here, okay?"

I rubbed my snout atop his head and my thumb through the fur on his cheek in some effort to reassure him before standing up to return to the hall.

Stepping out of the room Kuri still held them in place against the wall, his large hand around their throat. Down the hall the other nightstaff just watched, unsure of what to do with this situation. Daniel put himself between us and them, his arms spread and his back hunched in an aggressive stance the likes of which I'd never seen him display. In one of his hands was a narrow tube containing a small amount of foggy, slightly-yellow fluid.

"Daniel, what is that in your hand?" I asked.

"Seems my suspicions may've been more than just that," he bellowed, staring down the staff on the west wing. "I got a hunch that this here's a bacterial culture, and prob'ly even the same one we just dealt with."

"H-How did--"

"After you ran in I frisked him as Kuri kept him there against the wall," he said, looking back to me just slightly. "With this was an eyedropper and I've got just this funny little feeling he dropped some of this in the kid's mouth at night. People swallow often in their sleep and it wouldn't be too hard to get it in him with just a culture sample on its own."

"You think he was directly poisoned?" I said, my ears slowly raking back.

"It's possible he put it in something small that Riv wouldn't easily notice in his sleep, like a bit of water," he continued as I turned toward the small man pinned to the wall. "This would definitely explain the isolation-- he wanted to get to Riv, specifically, and I've no doubt they were hopin' it'd go septic and cause much bigger, much more painful complications."

I looked up to the struggling staffmember, his hands tightly gripping around Kuri's unwavering wrist. His eyes shone an unnerving, familiar redness and assaulted me with a gaze of contempt.

"Is this true?" I asked the restrained man against my wall.

No response, only resuming that nasty stare from the comfort of his hood.

"I asked you a question," I said, taking a step forward. "I repeat: Is this true?"

Again, no response. With each small step I took I felt an odd fire in my chest and my ears flattening further and further.

"I will ask you one more time, sir: Is this true?" I repeated, stifling a strange growl. "You are doing yourself no favors by staying silent."

"...What's it matter to you?" he choked from Kuri's grip, an eerily familiar voice. "It's a dilute. A weapon. I'm...doin' you all a favor."

"How...could you say that?" I whispered, my back stiffening. "How could you say that about anyone, especially a child?"

"That thing won't be a child forever, 'Reverend'," he sneered. "When that monster'a yours grows up he'll be comin' for ya...for all of us."

"Don't you dare call him that," I snapped, even Daniel turning around from the noise. "You would try to harm a child, harm MY child over your own misguided insecurity?"

"Is it so misguided, Reverend?" he coughed through a nasty grin. "Sources tell me you know full well their...capabilities."

I gasped, my small hands clutching the front of my shirt. How...could anyone have known about that? I never told a soul.

"...And we all know it ain't yours," he snickered. "Surely it does, too, just waiting to weaponize that along with its genes."

"...Who are you?" I asked through my own steady glare. "Kuri, would you please pull back their hood?"

Without a word Kuri did as I requested, pulling back the man's hood to bring to my tired eyes a horribly familiar sight. My breathing slowed while my heart began to race, rocking hard against my ribs with each beat. Behind me my tail laid low and rigid as my shoulders stiffened.

"...Father," I uttered.

He looked to me and returned only with a chuckle.

"'Reverend', don't you understand?" he coughed. "I'm only doin' you a favor. We both know what these...things are capable of. I'm only lookin' out for you...like a father should."

"And what would you know about any of that?" I growled.

"More than you ever could," his eyes narrowed in mocking. "After all, you gotta be a man first to be a father."

My vision flashed red and my body moved on its own, springing forward to glom onto the older man against the wall in an animalistic rage. I growled and tore into his aging flesh with my sharp nails, one small hand around his throat and the other around his groin, squeezing as hard as my thin muscles could manage. He returned with his own strikes against my narrow ribcage, his long finger and toenails tearing into my clothes and ripping holes in my shirt.

Kuri let go as we both crashed to the floor. I flailed, barely thinking and letting my small body and unadulterated fury think for me-- biting, clawing, raking, kicking, anything that I could possibly do as he returned with plenty of his own. By now our clothes were destroyed, both of us torn up and bloody, but I refused to let this go.

I refused.

With his age his exhaustion was catching up with him. I took advantage and finally wrapped both of my hands around his throat, pushing down with all of my feeble weight.

"I'm more of a father than you have ever been--" I hissed.

Even through his heaving and coughing his eyes mocked me.

"--I'm more of a man than you could ever be..." I growled.

Taking a shallow breath he softly, quietly laughed from below, his orange-stained teeth peeking past his lips.

"...and don't you ever, EVER DARE--" I snarled, my grip tightening and my claws needling their way into the soft flesh of his neck.

"--TO TRY TO HURT MY SON AGAIN!"

I opened my mouth wide and clamped down upon the top of his snout, biting with all the force I could muster. With my shin pressed hard against his groin the older man hoarsely cried out in pain, coughing through the blood that leaked into his mouth and throat. Before I could finalize the strangulation I was pulled back by two large arms wrapped around my arms and ribs.

My father continued to cough, more blood spatter on the wood floor with every contraction. I struggled from the grip that surrounded me, defiant and eager to ensure that the old man could no longer move. So many years of neglect, so many years of callousness...and he had the utter audacity to refer to those times.

Those times of fear, those times of abuse, and the most he'd do was push me away.

Those times when I wasn't sure if the next day might be my last, when seemingly every day was a new scar or burn to carry on my person for the rest of my time.

...When I'd come home missing parts of my body, and he'd just laugh.

...Those times when love and care was something I only dreamed of, from the few books I ever read. It took months...years to overcome this, and even in my thirties these shadows haunted me.

Kuri rolled the bloodied mess of a man over to bind his hands firm with a thick cut of rope, followed by his ankles. He then roughly apprehended him, tossing him up and over his shoulder.

"I'm gonna go lock up this bastard in my room so I know where he is," he said, looking back to me. "I'll keep watching them and bring him in to authorities when I go in for work. I've got my eye on the upstairs, so please rest easy for tomorrow."

"IF YOU EVER COME BACK HERE, MARK MY WORDS, I WILL END YOU!" I cried, struggling hard against my restraints. "IF YOU EVER COME NEAR MY SON AGAIN I WILL TAKE YOU TO HELL, MYSELF!"

Kuri hauled the battered, barely-conscious man to his room, tying him around the leg of his wardrobe before slowly closing the door until the latch touched the strike plate. I wanted to tear after him and finish what I started, pushing and pulling hard against what held me back and digging my sharp little nails into whatever it might be.

Through my rage I felt the soft touch of a hand against my sore cheek. It slowly brushed through the matted, sweaty fur, each stroke calming me further. My breathing began to regulate.

"Reverend, shh...it's okay," came a familiar deep voice. "He won't hurt Riv anymore. He won't hurt you anymore."

My body struggled less and less, my mind finally catching up to my movements. The big arms around me began to loosen their grip, my looking down to see that I caused my friend to bleed from my panicked flailing. I gasped and released my hands, bringing them up to my mouth in shock as tears started to fall from my weary eyes.

"D-Daniel, I'm so sor--" I whispered.

"Shh, I'm okay," he softly said from behind me. "Riv is okay, too."

From behind Daniel toddled Riv. The little boy slowly walked around both of us on the floor.

"Father?" he quietly called, face stricken with worry.

My friend slowly released me once I stopped struggling, my popping forward to grab and hold my scared child. Riv tightly hugged me back around my sore ribs, with Daniel's arms coming gently around both of us. I couldn't hold back my sobs, distraught over the gentle, affectionate child of mine I nearly could have lost and the patient, understanding nurse who wouldn't let that happen.

"Father, are you okay?" the little boy asked. "You're all bloody and your clothes are torn up."

I just rocked my child back and forth.

"I'm just fine, Riv," I answered, rubbing my sore snout on his head. "As long as you're safe, I will be okay."

"...But you're--"

"Shh...these things will heal with time and care, honey," I quietly assured him. "I'll recover just fine from this, but I would never be the same if I lost you. You mean the world to me."

The three of us sat there for a moment just holding each other and trying to swallow what all just happened. In a matter of a few minutes it became clear to us that, even in our own house, we may not be so safe.

Daniel watched the night staff as I escorted Riv to his room to grab his stuffed bear before bringing him to our room. If something like this were still possible I would take no risks and have him sleep in our room from now on. After getting Riv situated in bed I asked Kuri to keep further watch, thanking him profusely.

Daniel wanted to take me to the infirmary for my injuries. Spare sleepwear in hand the nurse accompanied me to the small building, locking the door tight behind us.

"Y-You really don't need to do this, Daniel," I stuttered, trying to choke back my fear. "I'll be fine, I just need to change my clothes."

"He tore you up pretty bad and I don't feel comfortable with not intervening," he replied. "This is as private as it'll get and I'm not gonna do anything weird or untoward, I just wanna clean your cuts and make sure everything is disinfected so it don't get worse."

"I-I'm fine, I'm fine, you don't--"

He sat me on a cot and ran his fingers slowly through the fur on my cheeks, lifting my chin so I hadn't a choice but to look at him.

"You're not fine," he said bluntly, touching his snout to my sweaty crown. "Everything that goes on in here is strictly confidential. Whatever it is you're hiding will not be shared nor spoken of. I need to do this. Please, let me help ya."

"I-I...I c...can't," I whispered, stifling my urge to run.

"Reverend, please, I need you to trust me with this," he refused to relent, that familiar pain in his tone. "...Please trust me."

His eyes displayed that characteristic moisture and white bottom line of a person trying their hardest to hold back tears. I couldn't stand seeing anyone like this, especially he or Riv. With my ears appressed to my skull I finally conceded, gritting my teeth and bracing for the worst.

Daniel carefully removed my shirt, now tattered and ribboned and bringing to light the history I tried so hard to hide away. Gloves on hands and grabbing a small box of supplies he sat facing me, washing my open wounds with saline and cotton. My frail, useless frame and maimed pelt finally exposed to another I couldn't help but cry as he proceeded, trying my hardest not to break down and ruin his concentration. All the while he stayed silent, focused on his work and keeping me from moving around too much.

As much as I dreaded it there were also gashes and nail-digs in my back he needed to clean, so I was asked to turn around to face the wall. Gently he continued to dab away the blood and dirt, washing my lesions. Many of these new marks were over top of the scars and burns I already carried, and feeling another person touch that bare twisted, fibrous skin was a special, distinct kind of pain.

When he was finished he quickly tended to his own cuts, the ones I gave him on his arms in my panic. Still facing the wall I finally broke down sobbing, folded up into a ball and having never wanted to be seen like this by another, no matter how private. Behind me was the snap of gloves releasing one's hands and the plop of those gloves in a wastebin.

From each side of me those hands came forward, palms up in invitation. Reluctantly I placed my hands within his, his fingers weaving between mine and holding on firmly. Even with my bare, disgusting back facing him he came closer, rubbing his snout softly atop my head. I tensed up and squeezed his hands, afraid of what he might say.

"Thank you so much, Reverend, for trusting me," he quietly said. "I assure you all of this is confidential, just between you and me."

"...I'm sorry I'm disgusting," was all I could say. "I'm sorry you...had to see any of this, the ugliness I hide."

"You're not disgusting," he reassured me, squeezing my hands back. "Our histories, our hardships, the things we go through don't make us ugly or disgusting."

"It...looks horrible, Daniel. I know you see it, too."

"I do see it, yes, but it doesn't change how I see you. That's just not how I'm put together."

"It...doesn't?"

He returned his snout to the top of my head.

"You're adorable, Reverend. It'd take a lot more than this to make me think otherwise. I'm sorry if that's been your experience in the past, but I promise ya it won't be like that here. I like ya just the way you are-- soft voice, damaged back, big doe eyes and all."

Daniel parted from me to set the spare clothes on the cot.

"I'd like ya to take a shower in here, wash out all that sweat and dried blood," he said. "Take it easy with the soap as it can make those worse. If they continue to bleed I'll try to wrap them up, but hopefully they won't. The shower is small and cramped, but it'll do-- it's the door to your right."

I awkwardly turned to slide off the cot and head to the shower. He looked back to me, his face tender and with a little smile as he nodded to let me proceed.

When I returned from the shower I was finally fully clothed. He did ask to check everything over just once, very quickly, to ensure that everything was still alright. With great hesitation I allowed this, his glancing over everything and finding no issue. Before he dropped the hem of my shirt he pressed his snout gently against one of my worst burn scars on my back, holding me carefully around my torso. I froze and my mind was simultaneously everywhere and nowhere, unable to parse such a gesture. He then released the hem of my shirt, covering me back up.

"W...What was that about?" I asked, slightly cowering.

He just opened his arms and gently hugged me, petting my head.

"I know you're worried about how I see ya now, and I want to show you that it makes no difference to me," he said. "Sorry if it was weird or uncomfortable, I just care about ya and want you to see that for yourself."

"Did...that dis...disgust you to do?" I asked, tugging at his sleeve.

"Not at all," he answered. "I really do like ya just the way you are, this included. If you ever wanna talk about what led to all this, you just gotta say the word. For now, let's get back inside."

We left and locked up the infirmary, heading back into the house and up to our room. The remaining night staff eyed us, but their looks were more of intimidation and confusion than their usual dismay. I could live with that. I felt horrible about the sleepwear, though Daniel said he'd pick up a replacement pair despite my protest.

By now Riv had fallen back asleep. Daniel and I took our usual places in the bed, with Riv snug up to my sore front. With my arm over him and Daniel's arm over both of us, we finally drifted off, exhausted from this whole ordeal.

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