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Fox gave him a half-hearted smile. She wasn't convinced that she would make it through this, no matter what words of comfort he gave. The minutes between the last echoes of Perry's call and Bazi's arrival were long, dragging on for hours and hours until the end of time. Fox wondered if she would die of old age before Bazi finally heeded Perry's call. In reality, of course, Bazi was quick. She always had been. Fox stepped in front of Peregrine when the white girl arrived.

We filled in your den. Fox gave Bazi a silent, sad, thank-you, but said nothing aloud. The next statement was not unexpected. The word "free agent" stung her heart, but Fox knew that it must have seemed as such to her Beta. But it was the final, screeching demand that hurt the most. Bazi had not heard Fox's side of the story, and considering Fox had no clue that Danica had been there at all, she didn't even know that Bazi had gleaned some of the information from their pack-mate.

“Nobody was meant to get hurt, let alone captured,” Fox replied, her tone taking on guilt at the last word. “I told both Leaf and Magpie to run, but… but I didn't realize they hadn't gotten away until I was back in the creek.” A piss-poor excuse, sure, but Fox wasn't telling lies. “I intended to find them the next morning, but Haunter, he—” she choked, unable to say the words. “I lost myself.”

Quickly, Fox ran through the options, presenting them to Bazi plainly. “I can give myself to Ferdie, but I only want to do as much as a last option. We can fight them, Bazi. I’m more… more myself, and I know we have more than a fighting chance. Or I can leave, and you may continue to tell Ferdie that you've no idea where I am.”

“Or…” Fox trailed off, furrowing her brow. “You can tell Ferdie you don’t know where I am, we can get them back, and then we go to war.” It was an option she had not considered before, but it was somewhat feasible.