Redhawk Caldera Hooooo, giiiirl

The answer was obvious, though Meerkat couldn't understand why. What had she done to Alyx? Her sister did not leave her to wonder long. She remained rigid through the younger girl's soliloquy, some of the words piercing her already thin skin and prompting tears to prick her eyes, though she did her best to blink them away and listen, hard as it was to stomach this totally unexpected virulence right now.

What hurt worst of all wasn't being called a "whore" but the implicit accusation that she was only here for attention, namely to steal it from the wounded. A huge lump had formed in Meerkat's throat and she felt a prickling flush sweeping from her cheeks down the back of her neck to her spine. Perhaps if she'd been in a better state of mind, she could've sussed out the deeper meaning of Alyx's rant, realized there was some projection going on here, and not taken it all so personally.

But she was already an exposed nerve, utterly vulnerable and easily taken down by Alyx's unprecedented onslaught. Despite her efforts, those tears spilled down her cheeks as her lip quivered. A lot of words flew through her head but none made it past her trembling lips other than a tremulous, uncertain, "I'm sorry."