Noctisardor Bypass Life, Death, Religion, Survival

She screamed until she tasted blood, with the added blare of red! just the fitting cherry on top. Druid choked, spat, then flung her head heavenward again.

Witch? she shrieked now. Witch!

Her mismatched eyes darted wildly around the woods, yet she saw no sign of her sister’s pale form. But another figure leaped out of the brush, yanking a final strangled cry from the downed Den Mother before she finally went silent.

Her whole mouth throbbed in tandem with the agony in her elbow. Ignoring the confrontation between Fiona and Glaukos, Druid focused on maneuvering upright, her one good foreleg trembling as it took all of her weight. Soon enough she stood, her right foreleg bent and her weight balanced on the remaining three.

Fiona now stood alone, Glaukos a speck in the distance beyond her, headed toward the arches. Druid hoped he was leaving for good and turned her head, thinking about calling for her sister again. Something stopped her: the sudden conviction that Witch wasn’t here.

Fiona? Druid said softly instead, sinking back to her haunches.

Balancing precariously, she raised her good paw to her mouth and realized her lip had split too. With a hiss and a wince, she planted her foot back on the ground. Her other still dangled uselessly as her tongue gently swept the bloody inside of her mouth. There were several gaps.

And there was no @Etienne to come to her rescue this time. Surely he and @Anselm were long gone. Druid couldn’t remember seeing @Dinah or @Ava Amara in days. @John was still somewhere far away. Who did that leave to take care of her? And Heda? And all the pups?

Her bleeding lip trembled. Druid stiffened her spine and blinked at Fiona again. Her eyes remained dry.