Whitefish River rude awakening

Blood was seeping from the gouge across his snout, but he paid it little mind. It hurt - of course it hurt! - but with the effects of his adrenaline coursing his system, Firefly managed to ignore the sensation. It took him a few seconds to catch his breath. The badger wasn't entirely dead yet either; he'd managed to break its clavicle and do some serious damage, and it was going to eventually die, but there was still movement and a desperation to the dimming light in its sad eyes. Ragged breathing from the both of them - then - that-you're awesome!

The girl's voice is full of adulation as she praises him, and he wheels around to face her almost like she's another target for his rage. She's young, and familiar, sort of. It takes a few beats of his heart before Firefly recalls what Vercingetorix had threatened hours before, remembering that there were children of Kaistleoki he is meant to avoid. As his breathing returns to a state of normalcy he lets out a grunt but doesn't engage the girl - rather, he tries to sweep towards the brambles where the badger had originated, eager to get away from her.

The adrenaline starts to ebb though, and the pain in his face sharpens. For a split second he is so hypervigilant of the burning in his snout that he forgets she is even there, and sputters to himself: Motherfucker, that hurt.