Meadowlark Prairie the transit from a doomed universe

He was hurting. Blood soaked his shoulder and would continue to seep from the wound for a while, and he almost fell victim to the urge of sleep. Instead, when a shape materialized nearby, he swung his head to glare towards it; they shouted at him. Or, maybe not at him - he was not sure, too dizzy from the whirlwind of fight-or-flight still filling his veins. 

There came a question perched on his shoulder like a songbird; light and quick and young, this one. Reyes continued to glare, wondering if he was imagining her or -- maybe not, maybe fate had given him what he needed for once.

Stay back, he warned. Whoever this was, they looked wet behind the ears. Too soft. Couldn't have been a yearling yet, if that. And stay away from the caldera — the mountains thataway, he tried to motion with his chin but it made him want to vomit, and he stalked off a few steps, swaying as he went. Assholes live there. One'of'um bit me.