swing low

For @Kaskara and @Scimitar and anyone else that's nearby.

Bazi made it as far as Hogbelly Hills before she collapsed into a sobbing, bloody heap.

After vomiting no less than three times, she had deluded herself into thinking that Danica wasn't that hurt - despite knowing full well that it was impossible to survive without 80% of your innards. She had nudged the sightless wolf's face and ears, touching the parts of her that weren't broken, curled up in a tight ball next to her friend's broken ruff and cried until her lungs burned.

Above them, the sun blazed on and birds went about their business as if nothing had happened. For the majority of creatures, nothing had.

There was no use carting the body back to Nova Peak. Bazi didn't even try. If she moved the body, what remained of its innards would spill out, and she would defile Danica more than her killers already had.

So she kissed her, quaking with grief, and went home.

The journey home was slow. By the time she reached the hills, Bazi was ravenous and thirsty, but the very idea of sipping water when Danica never would again made her sick. The Nova Peak Alpha took a few stumbling steps before she had to sit, leaning forward with her head between her legs. It wasn't fair. They had been doing so well. They were friends again - good friends, despite everything that had happened.

Bazi gathered her wits as best she could and threw a short, broken howl into the air. There weren't many left who could answer.