Severance

As Cortman’s fist connected with Dr. Solsen, and the elderly man crumbled to the floor, Arnold bounded forward — claws ready. Cortman turned as the cat toppled the large man and the two fell onto the desk grappling.  

The man grunted as he tried to throw the cat off of him as they fought, pushing and punching the small feline, but the cat dug his claws into him and blood stained his shirt as Arnold tore through his flesh and a deep wound appeared on his chest near his shoulder.  

The man was over six and a half feet tall and over two hundred and fifty pounds, while the cat was less than eighty pounds and just over four and a half.  Cortman grit his teeth and grunted as he reached out with his left arm and went for the cats throat, his bleeding shoulder protesting, while his other hand grappled with one of his claws.

The cat bit at his arm and his teeth sank into Cortman’s flesh as easily as the claws.  Cortman snarled in pain as he fought to get his hand back and the cat clawed him more.  It was like fighting a panther.

Someone cried, “Cap’n?!”

Arnold stopped, surprised as he turned to see the other orderlies.  They had been too busy to note the sounds of the other men rushing towards the room, but Cortman took the chance to knee the cat between the legs.

The feline’s eyes widened in shock, and the man sat up quickly and gripped the cats neck and squeezed.  Arnold gasped as Cortman started to push him away, and scratched the man’s face.  

It was Cortman’s turn to be shocked as a crimson river flowed down his face.  He turned back to the cat ready to wring its neck when a calm, cold voice brought them both back to reality, “What is going on here?”

Canergak stood in the office staring at them, his eyes judging them.  The dwarf was staring at the cat, it was obvious that he thought that he had gone out of control and was reaching for that stone.  Cortman threw the cat off of him, who landed against the wall paper, ruining it with Cortman’s blood on his paws, where Arnold started to massage his neck.

“Cortman assaulted me!” Dr. Solsen said, crawling out from behind the desk, his lip and his nose were both bleeding and his eye was starting to darken already.  

The dwarf turned his gaze from Arnold to Cortman.  The man sneered as he gripped his bleeding shoulder and put the hat back on his head as he stood up, “You can consider this our resignation.” He stood up, and had to grip the desk.  “The cat can do the job on his own if he wants, I’m pulling my men.  And I’m going to be expecting payment for what it did to me.” He turned to Dr. Solsen, who was cradling his eye and leaning against the desk, and then at Arnold who was crouching and watching him, massaging right under his muzzle still.  Cortman added, “This isn’t over.”