Swiftcurrent Creek pont neuf

*crashes*

Wildfire woke with a start, gasping loudly. She pushed to her feet, staring in bewilderment at her unfamiliar surroundings, her body twinging and aching horribly. She blinked and tried to get her bearings. It took a minute but everything came rushing back and she sucked in her lower lip, a sob catching in her throat. The trip here—wherever here was—was nothing more than a blur. But she recollected the confrontation with Charon all too vividly. The stinging at the back of her neck served as a reminder that she could never go back.

Fighting against a feeling of breathlessness, she began to walk mechanically alongside the creek. It was vaguely familiar, though her focus was shot and it made it difficult to orient herself. Wildfire paused, suddenly wondering if she should go in this direction or that one. Where should she go now? There was the obvious answer, yet Wildfire didn't think she should return to her childhood home. Her parents were busy with their new litter. She bit her lip. Surely they would welcome her during her time of need, yet Wildfire decided she wouldn't ask that of them.

There were other places she could go, she knew, to take refuge. She thought of Sebastian and even Dante. However, Wildfire shrank from the thought of going to any of these places. Instead, she continued meandering in a northern direction, following the creek and only stopping again when a stranger materialized in the distance. She hung back, eyes squinted. The figure was large but feminine, with wheat-colored fur that darkened to the hue of wet sand as the wolf crossed the stream.