Emberwood [m]Reach for light.

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I'm so glad we got to finish this! This was truly one of my favorite threads, thank you for writing it with me <3

The forest echoed with the crackle of leaves underfoot as Bonnie swayed violently, and the adder jolted forward to catch him, suddenly real once again. But he did not fall, and she did not touch him. She only hovered close, watching with wide-eyed intensity, her gaze unwavering even as she had to check her tail, which had begun to droop.

Still standing, I see, Grackle remarked, her voice a low rumble that echoed through the now-still forest. There was a wry twist to her lips, a hint of amusement laced with a touch of concern.

You know what, pretty boy? she continued, tone dripping with dark humor, I hope you do. I think you'd make a good student, her gore-stained teeth flashed in the dim light. Not many dumbasses can take beatings like the one I just handed out and keep standing afterward. You should be proud of yourself, she finished, her gaze flicking briefly to her own disgusting body.

As Bonnie began to leave, Grackle felt a tumultuous whirlwind of emotions churn within her chest. Relief mixed with disappointment, and longing brushed against resignation, which mingled with apprehension. She watched him go, his figure gradually fading into the distance until he was nothing more than a distant speck against the horizon. A small part of her wished he would turn back—to stay a little while longer, to not leave her alone again so soon. But those were the fanciful wishes of a foolish girl, and Grackle knew it.

Isolated once again, the fortress of strength she had erected around herself crumbled like ancient ruins beneath the weight of a battering ram, leaving her vulnerable and defenseless against the relentless onslaught of pain that surged through her beaten form.

With a choked moan, Grackle crumpled to the ground, her body wracked with tremors as waves of pain washed over her. Every movement sent daggers of agony shooting through her limbs, leaving her trembling and gasping for breath. Desperately, she tried to push herself to her feet, but her muscles refused to obey, leaving her sprawled on the forest floor, her vision swimming with tears.

Damn, she hissed through gritted teeth, her voice barely a whisper against the backdrop of the encroaching void. It was a futile protest, a feeble objection against the cruel hand that had been dealt by no one but herself. And as consciousness slipped away, Grackle surrendered to the abyss, a lone punk wishing desperately that the dust-coated man would have finished the job.