Mount Everfall I'm gonna go stop the Big Bad Wolf.

For several moments, Towhee simply stared at Orca's empty, broken shell, deliberating the best way to convey her back to the plateau. She decided there was no graceful way to go about it. They just needed to grab on and haul. She exchanged a last, heavy look with Niamh, then paced around the crumpled body to get into position.

"I'm sorry about this, Orca," she whispered as she bent to latch onto her sister's damp, crusty scruff. She hoisted her sister's weight, ignoring the splash of thick, dark blood that washed over her paws. After holding her there a moment, she gently lowered Orca back to the ground and let go.

"Can you come here?" she asked of Niamh, waiting for her friend to come closer. "Can you scruff her like I just did? While you're holding her, I'm going to try to slip beneath her weight. I'll bear her on my back and you can walk beside me in case she needs extra support. Sound like a plan?" she asked soberly.