Blackfeather Woods i.i : you gotta be crazy; gotta have a real need

It wasn't long before Flicker was spouting some nonsense at her, and now Maegi drew close enough to see that something really wasn't right. She laughed nervously, taking a couple of steps back. It's okay, she responded. I'm not going to be gone for very long--just a week or so. Just to visit the island for a little while.

She started to walk again, looking over her shoulder at Flicker. If you could let Kove and Relmyna know for me, that would be great-- Her voice died abruptly as the woman aimed her jaws at the Melonii; they came together with a sinister clack on empty air. Affronted--and quite alarmed, now--Maegi stumbled away from her, shaking her head slowly.

Hey, what the fuck? the girl asked, a deep frown painting her maw. What's wrong with you? Something was not right--Flicker shouldn't be acting like this. What had she eaten, what had she taken? Maegi looked around, trying to figure out where her nearest cache was. She needed to get some yarrow, get this toxin out of her friend's system. . .