Blackfeather Woods i didn't sign up for this--but emily did

set just outside the southwest border of BFW, near the weeping meadow

The sunlight was what woke her up. It came down in rays much thicker than the beams that reached the depths of the Woods, shimmering like a fine heat on her pelt, blending neatly into the snow around her. With a groggy groan, Maegi peeled her eyelids open with some effort, blinking in puzzlement, her mind a muddled fog.

Where was she? A momentary flash of panic gripped her, followed by instant relief as she caught sight of the dark trees just a couple minutes' walk away. So she hadn't gone too far, then. But what had happened? She had been lingering around the edges of the willow tree; had she gotten too close? Had she, in her poisoned stupor, wandered outside Blackfeather's borders?

But it didn't feel like the poison. That made her sick, retching and nauseous. Maegi was simply tired, her limbs feeling like stone, exhaustion tugging at her every move. Rising to her feet was a monumental challenge, but she eventually did so, though not with some stumbling around. And her head. . .oof! Her neck slipped down suddenly, as if anchored by some weight. . .wait. . .

Her neck itched something fierce, and she went to scratch it with a hind leg--and her paw hit something hard and cold.

The girl shrieked, backing away in instinctive terror. She shook her head, over and over and over and over and over and over--

"G-get off me! Get off me!" Maegi cried out, thinking some enemy had its jaws around her neck. But there was no wolf to be found, nor other creature, only the icy steel of this. . .thing. . .attached to her. Eyes flashing with fear, she stumbled clumsily forward, falling down with a muffled oomph. Her head swam, and her neck felt so heavy.

Trembling violently, Maegi dragged herself to the edge of the forest, hoping Kove or Vaati and not one of their enemies had heard her cries.