Serpent Lake he left it dead, and with its head

To say she was in bad shape would've been an understatement. Sugar didn't really know how she was alive, though she was certainly grateful for what medical knowledge she did possess, otherwise her odds of survival would've been even worse. As it was, she wasn't entirely sure she was going to make it. If she didn't find someone who could help her, offer food and shelter, and soon, winter would surely take her.

In the meantime, she sprawled beside some unfamiliar lake after cleaning her wounds, giving herself a bit of a rest before she decided what what to do next. Sugar also tried to plumb her brain for any indication as to what had happened to her, though the last thing she remembered before waking up in a world of hurt was being really, really lost. She had a feeling there was a lot of lost time in there and, obviously, something had happened to her.

She bit her lip, which made her busted nose ache. She wondered if it was like the time she'd woken from some sort of fugue to find herself standing over a bloodied, dead (or so she thought) @Yutani. She hadn't remembered attacking him, though she had remembered bumping into him while desperately trying to find her way home. Upon coming to over his body, she'd had the distinct impression that he'd done something to deserve what she'd done to him, though mostly Sugar had just felt guilt. She'd killed a man.

If she had blacked out like that again, Sugar was pretty sure the script had been flipped on her this time. Rather than mauling someone, she had been mauled. Her black eyes drifted closed as she thought on that, finding herself fighting suddenly to stay awake.

Title from "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll.

This was further south than Kiwi would usually chance to come, but so far south that she was still well away from her former pack's claim.  She was looking forward to Enkhtuya's news of them; surely she'd manage the task, they'd have no issues trusting her.

Kiwi was in recruitment mode, but Sugar Glider wasn't exactly her type.  She was small and obviously injured, even from afar as Kiwi approached the lake for a drink.  

She took it, then deliberated before closing the distance.  What happened to you? she asked, eying her wounds scornfully.  She'd been in a similar position a few times, but there was no sympathy to be found.

Although she needed help desperately, Sugar's whole body went rigid with fear when a stranger approached. For all she knew, it was her attacker coming to finish the job. There wasn't much else she could do but force her eyes open and watch warily as the russet figure came closer. The lack of concern or sympathy on her face didn't bode well and Sugar's stomach knotted with dread.

Then came a question which didn't quite make sense if this was the wolf who'd done this to her, unless she was toying with Sugar. "I—" she croaked, meaning to say she didn't know. Was it wise to admit to that? Could she possibly be any more vulnerable than she was right now? "I don't know," she finished her sentence with some effort.

She didn't know.  No wonder you ended up like this then.  That's pretty pathetic.  Kiwi came in closer, sure of the lack of threat.  If Sugar had still smelled of the Firebirds, she'd have thought twice about letting herself be noted too much... but she didn't.

It'd be easy to finish her, and a base part of Kiwi was actually tempted.  She was weak and small, everything the girl hated, and it would feel pretty good.  It would make her feel powerful.

Kiwi kept a lid on it, and huffed out a scoff instead.  Well I can't help you.  And obviously you can't help me.  So I'd suggest calling for help.  Something will come.  She smirked, a little wickedly.  Hopefully nothing too mean.

Up until today, nearly all of Sugar's less than pleasant social interactions involved males. Not only was this she-wolf horrible, she was far worse than anyone else the youngster had ever met. What kind of person stood over someone badly hurt and taunted them? If she survived this, Sugar would never forget this particular encounter.

But there was no guarantee she would live to look back on this day. Her eyes closed again and she made no reply. Sugar knew she was totally at this woman's mercy or lack thereof. Worst case scenario: she decided to attack Sugar and finish the job. Best case scenario: she grew bored with Sugar's unresponsiveness and left her here to wait for someone kinder to come along... or to die alone.

Bat hopped along merrily, her mending ankle lifted slightly off the ground. It was almost completely healed now, though she didn't want to take any chances, especially right now, when things were really starting to look up again. Tegan was almost fully recovered now too and the two of them had drifted south and spontaneously decided to take another swing at founding a pack. It was just the two of them and a handful of strangers right now, setting up shop just a little outside the Teekon Wilds, but everything was going swimmingly.

Of course, they still intended to pay the Firebirds a visit once Bat's ankle was back to 100% but, in the meantime, she didn't wander too far afield. She certainly didn't expect to see two former Firebirds while out on today's wintry jaunt. Her eyes widened as she neared the two of them beside the lake, her pace slowing and stopping. All four feet slowly came to rest on the ground as she found herself staring at a badly injured Tegan lookalike and the sister she hadn't seen in nearly a year.

She didn't respond, and Kiwi did in fact grow bored.  It didn't take much; strangers were only fun if they were potential recruits or she could get a rise out of them.  In both accounts Sugar Glider offered her nothing.

She was going to leave when Bat appeared.  At first she almost passed over her sister altogether; she wouldn't stop the wolf from getting aid, not at her own risk.  It wasn't that fun.  But then she recognized who it was and her paranoia spiked.  Was her sister still loyal to that pack that had killed their mother? Probably.  And that meant Colt or others might be nearby.

Instantly she took another step closer, one that would bring her looming over the fallen girl.  To anyone watching it would seem like nothing, but the threat was implied.  Because when she opened her mouth, lies spilled out, smooth as caramel and with just the right amount of worry.  She was a stranger, after all.

I was just telling her that we need to get help!  I don't know how to heal, and she's in rough shape.  She looked down, hovering over Sugar's neck.  She doubted the girl had it in her to deny it... maybe she was already dead.  But if she did, Kiwi wouldn't hesitate.

Now her sister.... that, she hadn't quite decided what to do with yet.  So this was what she went with.

The weak and woozy Sugar didn't notice the sounds of another's approach, though her eyes hazily reopened at the sound of the vile woman's voice so close to her ear. Her tone had changed dramatically. Sugar felt her heartbeat spike, the adrenaline shooting through her veins giving her the energy to lift her head slightly and peer at the newcomer. She could feel the hot breath on the back of her neck and understood the danger. Saliva pooled in her mouth as her stomach rolled, black eyes silently begging the silver she-wolf for help.

Her lips parted in shock as she stared at the scene, not really sure what to make of it. Kiwi moved suddenly to stand over the wolf who was unmistakably a Blackthorn. She mentioned fetching help and when Bat looked into the youngster's eyes, she saw fear and pain.

"What happened to her?" Bat asked, hesitantly moving closer. Her eyes kept ping-ponging between the two, still utterly thrown to see either one of them here. "What happened to you?" she questioned the youth directly, bending down to put her face closer to the other's, noticing her torn nose and wincing.

She had no reason to think Kiwi was responsible for the girl's state, as Bat didn't know about that side of her sister. She didn't really know Kiwi at all, as a matter of fact. "My pack's nearby. We—I can take her there," Bat said to Kiwi. Her ankle would make the going hard but she could probably call for Tegan and the others to come meet her.

For now, though, she really wanted to know what had happened to the girl (who hadn't yet spoken) and what Kiwi was doing here. Wasn't she supposed to be at Nova Peak?

Your pack?  Kiwi's attention sharpened on that.  It was news to her that her sister had a new pack, and it didn't cross her mind she might lead it.  Nothing of Bat growing up had in any way indicated a predilection to lead, and just as Bat didn't know her sister, Kiwi did not know Bat.

She couldn't say, and I found her like this.  I was just passing by.  None of that was even a lie.  

There were two ways this could go.  She could leave with an icy abruptness and cut ties with Bat for good... it wasn't as if her sister meant anything to her anymore.  There was a time she'd have sought to mend their relationship, but that time was long past.  She just didn't care anymore.  Or she could help her, and in the process, keep up the charade that she cared.  What could she gain from that?

Absolutely nothing.

As this resolve washed over her, the warmth drained from her eyes, and she took a step back.  You can.  she responded, with a switch as abrupt as a hawk shattering the water.  See ya, sis.  There was no affection to the farewell... in fact, there might have been an undercurrent of something else.  To Kiwi, Bat had become nothing more than a spectre... someone who had taken the attention of Wildfire away from her undeservedly a good many times, but nothing more. She flipped up her tail and began to jog away.  She'd take the long way around... no use leaving a trail back to the peak.  She didn't need any Firebirds coming calling.

Her breaths came fast and shallow as the two she-wolves spoke to one another. Sugar kept shooting pleading glances at the newer arrival, though she didn't dare speak. She could still feel that hot breath gusting over the nape of her neck, undeniably threatening.

Then it was gone quite suddenly and the cold swept in just as rapidly. Sugar began to shiver uncontrollably then, even as the russet woman took her leave. Tears budded in her eyes and slipped down her cheeks. She blinked, eyes lifting once more to the other, kinder stranger.

"Sis"? she wondered, though the errant thought fluttered away just as quickly. It didn't matter. The brown she-wolf was gone. Sugar was far from safe, though hopefully she was safer now. And hopefully the caring in the gray stranger's face and voice was genuine, as was her offer.

"I don't know what happened to me," Sugar finally answered, voice barely more than a whisper. "Will you really help me?" She called me pathetic and left me to die, she thought, though she let that one flit away too.

"Yeah—" Bat replied but her voice cut off because not only did Kiwi have more to say, it wasn't exactly the right time to go spouting off about how she and Tegan had decided to settle down and build a life together.

Then, abruptly, Kiwi left. Bat's mouth formed a moue as she watched her sister go. Her body gave a little jerk, though she didn't go after her, nor call her back. Even if it weren't for the poor girl lying on the ground, she probably wouldn't have done anything but stand there. She had the distinct feeling that Kiwi had just walked out of her life for good.

The youth spoke and Bat jerked again, scooting nearer to hear her better. Her brows raised at the girl's explanation. How couldn't she know? But, "Yeah, of course. Do you think you can walk? My ankle's kinda busted but you can lean on my good side if you need to." She took a breath. "I'm Bat, by the way."

More tears slipped free when the stranger backed up her kind words. "Aye, maybe," Sugar replied honestly, struggling to hoist herself onto all fours. She was certainly weak and everything hurt, though she managed to stay upright. She even took a few steps unaided, though she dearly hoped Bat's pack wasn't far.

"I'm Sugar," she offered. "Thank you, Bat."

"Sugar," Bat repeated, a metaphorical light bulb appearing over her head. "You are a Blackthorn! Well, I have good news. Your older brother is the other leader of the pack we're going to. Have you met Tegan?" she asked, positioning herself so that her good side faced Sugar. She picked up her broken foot again and began to hobble, hovering close in case the youth needed her support.

Her wet eyes widened at Bat's exclamation. "Aye," she said, her mouth opening in surprise when she mentioned Tegan. "No, I've never met him but El and Fin—Elwood and Finley, my parents, I mean—they told me all about him and the rest of my older siblings." She remembered not being quite sure what to make of Tegan's description. In any case, she would get to find out for herself if they would get along.

Her heart thrummed in her chest as she leaned gently into Bat and let herself be led in a generally southern drift. "You just saved my life, you know," Sugar said, peering at the side of the older woman's face, wondering if she was looking at her sister-in-law but suddenly too tired to say anything more.

"He's great," Bat said. "I mean, he's a total fuckstick, but you can't help but love him." She grinned at Sugar, shrugging easily as she brushed off the girl's statement. "Anyway, we'll get you fixed up. We're a small pack, kinda informal for now, but we're getting there pretty quickly. You'll fit right in at Triquetra."

She could see that Sugar was really flagging, so she nudged against her, providing more support, and launched into a long spiel about where they were headed, what Sugar could look forward to (once she was back on her feet) and how the three of them could eventually figure out a way to get word to Firebirds, if not go there in person to let them know of their whereabouts.