My Own Worst Enemy

[Kureno]

"Well, Miss Newson, it's nice ta meet'cha."
Kureno stood up slowly and shook her hand. Clones? Sure, it'd explain a few questions, but there's a billion more, the first of which being "Clones?" This How do you get cloned without knowing, some hobo picking hairs off a park bench? His face dropped with a realization.
It looks -exactly- like me

There were eye witnesses at both crimes, both having seen himself at the scene. Was it possible that he had a clone, running around committing crimes in his name? Sure, he was already a thief, but not a murderer. But on top of all this, it's hunting him. Kureno was no fool, he knew something has been following him during forays into town, trying to kill him even, though unsuccessfully. I mean, if the balcony could hold the morbidly obese Mrs Barrington and her 5kg of chocolate a day, there should be no reason for it to have snapped on him. Something has been able to follow him without being seen all these years. With a smug spot of pride, turns out the only person capable of doing so was himself.

But on that note, how many people here had these "clones?" And why them? There's at least three, if you count his own possible one, Fallon's, and whatever she saw the wolf fighting. After a moment pondering this, it occurred to him he was still holding Fallon's hand. Clearly embarrassed, he withdrew his hand quickly and ran it back through his hair, setting it against the back of his neck.
"Hehe, sowwy miss, just a little lost for a second. Imma normally rather careful 'bout givin' out my name, but you are the first person I've met that hasn't tried to kill me. I be Kureno. Kureno Teraph."

Shione stepped out and directed him towards the supplies she brought before moving back inside the lab.
"Well, t'was nice talkin' ta'cha but I have a bit of work ta do."

With something of a sigh, he went back inside. Immediately, he was not happy. Quilly was out cold, (pun intended) and she'd been just left there slouched over the chair. Exhaling sharply between gritted teeth, he made his way over to his charge. Duty of care, he couldn't leave her in this condition.
Can't trust people ta do anythin' without holdin' their hand...
"Hey, what happened ta gimme a shout'f'she deteriorates?"

Kureno picked up Quilly, arms hooked under her shoulders, and put her on the bed. Going to tear off some of the robe to wrap her hands and feet in, he realized he's still been left topless all this time. Odd, that no one seems to notice. Regardless, they won't mind a little if he borrowed some fabric. Tearing strips from the blanket, he wrapped them around the coyote's extremities, then checked life signs. He had a pulse but wasn't breathing. Noone noticed she blacked out? Was she that unimportant to the rest of them?
The key...DRABC. She's safe, I guess. And warm in here. But unconscious.

Kureno rolled her onto her side into a coma position and opened her mouth. Quilly's was bleeding a little, skin torn from the extreme weather. Tearing another small section from the sheets, he dabbed the blood away to prevent choking on it. She had a pulse, but no breathing, so EAR? Coma position wasn't a big deal if her airways were clear and she wasn't exactly about to choke on her vomit. Rolling her onto her back again, he tilted her head back and blocked her nostrils with one hand before placing his mouth over hers. A beak didn't exactly give the best seal, but really CPR and EAR were designed for humans, at least her muzzle was a good shape for a beak, better than a human's mouth at least. He breathed into her at what he assumed was once every three seconds, watching her chest. She was still soaking wet, which was likely the cause of cardiac arrest. Kureno hesitated for a bit, but now wasn't the time for modesty. And leaving her to the others seemed a terrible idea if they let her get this bad. Hastily, he swiped two talons down vertically along her top, allowing it to fall off around her side. He lingered for a moment, eyes running over her chest and navel, a striking shade of snowy white-grey, before he shook his head violently and got back to business. Methodically, he tore the shirt off and pulled her trousers away, immediately sliding the blanket under her, before wrapping her in it loosely, arms cocooned inside.
"Someone, fetch me two'f de water bowls." There was a sheer amount of effort taken to avoid ending that with the word "Stat" out of drama.

Repeating the earlier procedure, he covered her mouth with his and breathed into it.
'Again, again. Thank a high carb god fer Biomed 'n' Medicine lectures...' he thought, pushing images of Quilly's body from his mind and focusing on the task. They better well be thankful. He looked over at Wolf and Shione, both patching up the giant, who was merely suffering from a few flesh wounds. Surprising after having a mountain dropped on him.
On second thought, I doubt they'ill be. Who is Dai, that they all care so much more 'bout 'im?

[Azulu]

Fallon rubbed her paw where Kureno had holded her hand, but still followed him into the room where Quilly had passed out. That moment of silence, that could've only ment one thing, she thought. She would bet ten dollars that he realized that he also had a clone, or did he already know? She wasn't sure, but still... she didn't believed in coincidence.

Strolling behind him to one of the beds where he observed Quilly's wounds and other injuries, and she turned her face of the scene when he pressed his beak on her muzzle. "Uh, I'll get those water bowls..." She mumbled, quickly leaving the room to the kitchen. She filled two bowls with water in silence. Kureno seemed like a nice guy, just as the rest. She was sure to get her answers and help here, tho she still had to really meet some of the persons in the house. The only one she didn't really knew yet was Dai, but she figured she would have plenty of time to meet if everyone was okay.

She carefully walked back to the room with the two bowls of water, she also brought a towel. "Here, Kureno." She mumbled, placing them behind him on a small table. "Is she gonna be alright?" She asked soft, looking at Quilly's uncontious body.

[Houzakimaru00]

After letting Shione and Wolf bandage up his head wound Dal got up stopping them from dealing with the multiple wounds on his body and arms "Go help Quilly. She needs it more then I do." Grabbing a few bandages, instant pain killers and perhaps more unusually a needle and some wire from the cabnits, he limped back to his room. Sitting down on his bed he looked down his chest and along his arms "Most of these will heal on their own....some will need stitching" h thought to himself.

Unclenching his left hand, his middle finger was stuck at an awkward angle. Taking the syringe he injected the pain killers he got but still knew this was goig to hurt like hell. Grabbing his finger he quickly and sharply forced it back into place causing him to groan in discomfort for a moment. Flexing his fingers to see if they all worked he started tieing the wire to the needle and moved it towards one of the deeper wounds on his chest "Might as well get this over with"

[Quilly]

The figure raised his scythe high into the air, menacingly so above her cowering frame. In one swift, fluid movement, he’d brought it careening down through the air with a single silent, deadly hiss…

Quilly’s eyes flew open – or so it felt like they had. All remained dark, but she was certain that it wasn’t the same inky blackness she’d been enveloped in mere moments ago. She was conscious – for now. The cacophony of voices had been abruptly severed, and she’d returned from that…Place. 'Tis the second time I’ve had that dream now…If ‘cha could even call it a dream. Where was I? And…Who was that?

Her stomach clenched and her eyes watered as the cruel, piercing chill returned to her limbs, but for some reason, the agony felt almost subdued this time. Twitching her tail experimentally, she found that it’s movement was restricted by a layer of warm, soft material she’d been wrapped in – a blanket? Furthermore, her movements seemed, if it were at all possible, even more sluggish than from when she-

Her eyes snapped open – for real, this time.

It wasn’t the fact that she was virtually naked, or that her clothes were lying in tattered shreds around her that froze Quilly’s blood more intensely than any frostbite could, but the dry, smooth toughness of the raven’s beak on her muzzle. Her fingers clawed the inside of the blanket as she felt piercingly warm, untainted air fill her lungs as he stood over her.

This isn’t happening…

Startled and spluttering, she pulled back from his touch – almost falling off the table she’d been set upon. The table Wolf’d been set upon, Quilly remembered with a brief shudder. Waves of nausea threatened to consume her as she forced her teeth to stop violently chattering – and that wasn’t just a result of the cold.

“Wh-wha-What the fuck are’cha doin’ to me? Wh-Why’re my clothes all-“

An abrupt bout of coughing cut her off as she fought to clear her lungs of the stale oxygen – but at least she was able to speak at all. And she was able to raise her paws now, too. Nuzzling aside a corner of the blanket, she peered inside down at where her hands were pressed awkwardly against her sides from being cocooned between the sheets – Where the FUCK’RE me pants? Quilly raised her paws slowly out from beneath the blanket, wincing at them as she did so. They looked bad – rough, cracked and with an almost monochromatic hue to the pale flesh beneath. But at least she could move them to some degree now. Someone, presumably the bird, had wrapped strips of more of that discarded canvas around her paws and feet. What was with that guy? One minute he was hurlin' rocks at my head,n' the next he's all up in there doin' GOD knows what to me while I'm unconcious?

Whipping around to meet his clear, green gaze as menacingly as she could without passing out again, Quilly submerged herself deeper into the blankets, fur bristling as she did so.

“T-Two seconds ta te’mme what’s-s goin’ on n’ wh-ho the fuck’char.”

[Azulu]

Fallon exclaimed a sigh of relieve when she saw that Quilly was back on earth, just turning around from the table. "It's alright, Kureno here just saved your live. I think you could be a little more gratefull to him. You weren't breathing, ya know." She said with a grin. She hadn't been there when she'd been hit with the stone, she was just telling what she saw and thought. She dipped the towel she'd brought in one of the bowls, walking over to the table. She brought her hand behind Quilly's head, carefully dipping around the wound on her forehead. A couple of minutes later, the stained blood was cleaned and the wound didn't looked that bad. "There, that looks better." She said, turning around to wash the blood off the towel.

[Light_the_Wolf14]

Stop being stubborn" Wolf said "I'm tired of it..." he sighed "Get it through your head already Dai..." he chuckled "I'm gonna be here for you...." he spoke "Just like you're there for me... right?" he said "I'm the only one in here now" he nodded "You aren't gonna hurt on your own...I won't let you..." he said a bit of pink blush showing on his face "Got it memorized?"

(I'm sorry I had to XD it fits so perfect)

[Houzakimaru00]

"Wolf...I've got a painful task I want to get done before I lose anymore blood and I'd rather not have anyone around. So I'll rephrase what I just said....get the hell out my room, deal with your own problems and get yourself some rest before I break you in two." Showing that he wasn't kidding around he grabbed Wolf by he scruff of his neck and led him out before shutting the door "Damn kid is blinded by his own desires now" he said to himself before sitting down on his bed again, ready to stitch himself up.

[Kureno]

“Wh-wha-What the fuck are’cha doin’ to me? Wh-Why’re my clothes all-T-Two seconds ta te’mme what’s-s goin’ on n’ wh-ho the fuck’char.”

"Hehe, yeah, methinks she'll be fine." Kureno chuckled humorously aside to Fallon. He turned to Quilly with a playful smirk.
" 'What the fuck was happenin' ' was 'cha had frostbite. 'cha fall asleep out'n the snow'r somethin'? Then'cha followed up by falling unconscious and not breathin'. Aren't exactly the paragon of health t'would seem. Or at least'cha weren't."
After gesturing to her paws, Kureno took a step back and bowed, holding back a giggle, raising again and tilting his head to the side with a soft smile. He couldn't exactly blame her for being a little peeved at the rape-esque situation. Not that he had much of a choice short of letting her freeze to death in a few different ways.
"I be Kureno Teraph, at 'cher service miss. And you are? Ooh, thanks Fallon, couldya get the bowls? She should prob'ly soak her paws in them for a bit in case anythin' still frozen in there"

Kureno took a moment to glance about. Apparently the other two had disappeared. Ah well, the big guy likely needed a nap after being buried alive. It was still unbelievable that he survived at all with what seemed to be no sign of a broken bone. Not trying to fight back was a great idea, even if the giant didn't have a gun. After this, he turned back to Quilly.
"Whelp, for a third time, apologies for all this, but I didn't havah choice unless I wanted ta let'cha die over here while ev'ryone else was busy panderin' ta the big guy, Dai."
"An' even if I was a callous asshole, knowin' first aid an' such sticks me with 'duty 'f care'. Ain't legally allowed ta let'cha suffer like that even if I wanted ta." He added with a mock sigh.

"And as for your pants, they're at your feet on the blanket. I can't say the same for your shirt though. Fallon, any idea if there's anythin' she could wear here? I could use a t shirt or somethin' while'cher at it."
Kureno turned and chuckled politely.
"Whelp, I better let'cha get dressed, unless you wanna go nearly die again?"

With this, he sauntered out before resuming his place next to the lab door, curled up sitting at the end. Wasn't any use running, if they were hiding this place they'd shoot him for trying to leave. So long as it doesn't go against his beliefs and loose morals, it didn't hurt to stay. Hell, he didn't really have a choice what with his camp a burning wreck under the debris of the pile of rock. Along with his life savings and possessions. He hugged his arms to his chest, depressed. He really didn't have anything now...ouch, apparently he had a scratch too. Nothing big, just a little skin break.
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It dropped from the tree and slowly floated to the ground.The moment its razor talons hit snow, it dashed forwards, crazed by the sense of blood. All this time it had restrained itself, hidden in shadows and trying to discreetly incapacitate its prey. Its master would not appreciate it making a scene or being captured. But now it had it. Diving forth, it opened its wings and stopped sharply in shock. The prey's camp was gone, buried. Digging ravenously with its hands, the smell wasn't there. It missed. Snarling with anger, it stood up suddenly, but then froze. The smell was there. Faint, but the prey isn't far. It looked up at the mountain. The smell, the delicious blood seemed to be coming from inside. Pushing against the ground, it jumped and flew straight up before stopping at the top, making a spin mid air. There was another scent. A strong one. Caution was needed but it was not a threat. Its master assured it that it was powerful enough to kill anything that got in its way. It could deal with the other if the need came. But first priority was its prey. Its master demanded it, wanted to savor the prey almost as much as it did its flesh. Rolling forwards and creeping along the ground, invisible to the eye with its slender head, lithe body and wings covered in a snowlike camoflage. Master said it was the most intelligent. It found a reinforced metal door leading into the mountain itself. But not yet, it wouldn't go straight in. It would wait till the prey didn't expect it, till the prey slept or did not expect. Then it would tear open its throat and bathe in its entrails.

[Azulu]

Fallon shrugged after moving the bowls from the table behind her to the table Quilly was on. "I don't know, I have only been here for a few hours. I'll ask Shione, she'll know where I could find one." She said, and walked out of the room to the living room.

She found her alone in the living room, Dai and Wolf probably had headed to one of the bedrooms. "Shione? Could you tell me if you have a spare T-shirt for Quilly? Hers is ready for the trashcan." She asked her, waiting for her to reply.

-----------

Outside, something was gritting it's teeth into a big grin. A tail was swaying from left to right, a normal looking tongue licked the fox's lips. But the pose, the movement, and above all the hungry look in the eyes, were everything but those of a fox. She'd noticed the others that were with her in the forest. Behind her were two bunnies hiding in their holes from the cold, a single deer trying to reach the lower leaves from a tree. She smelled up the scents by throwing her head back, shoulderlong green hair falling in a waterfall of locks down her back. More scents were making their way into her nose as she closed her blue eyes... She smelled the sweet scent of blood, tho it was not the one she was looking for.
She took a torn off piece of cloth from her pocket, identical to Fallon's coat, ripped out of the back. She burried her nose in it, inhaling deep. "I almost got ya." She mumbled, as she looked up again at what she'd been staring at, picking up the scent of the one she'd been chasing. Her master would be pleased to hear she'd found her... but it would be even better if she'd just kill her right now.
The building inside the mountain. It had been hard to find at first, but now she saw it, she could keep the contrasts from the rock and the metal out of each other.

[Quilly]

"Whelp, I better let'cha get dressed, unless you wanna go nearly die again?"

Oh, I can think offa’ few others who might wind up dyin’ early too, pal.

Remembering with a flush of white-hot embarrassment that she was still naked for the most part, Quilly’s hands hastily struggled to hoist the blanket up to her chin, which proved difficult when her paws felt as brittle as pretzel sticks. Groggily shifting to lie on her side, her paws bunched together as she tried to feebly rub them against each other in an attempt to get her blood going. She then proceeded to lie silently fuming as the sheets brushed uncomfortably against her pelt. What was with that guy? And...Why’s he still even here? S’not like he’s got one of them psycho clones or whatever paddin’ after ‘im, as far I know. Hell...What am I still doin’ here, more like...If he’s anythin’ like what I was – no – am, then we’re not so different, him and I...Doesn’t stop me from likin’ him as much as I enjoy havin’ my fur torn out with kitchen shears.

“Dammit, Fal, did someone leave the freezer open in this joi-“ Quilly broke off. The young fox’s scent was stale, as though she’d left the room minutes ago. She’d completely forgotten she’d left the room in her internal fit of rage. Groaning outwardly at her obliviousness, she burrowed further into the blanket. What are ‘cha, a cub again? Get‘cher shit straight,woman!

Her head throbbed rhythmically. It still stung slightly, and it’d no doubt started to bruise up unflatteringly by now, but at least it was septic.

A faint, almost inaudible brushing noise emitted from just outside the lab. Quilly’s ears swivelled towards the source of the sound, shedding miniscule shards of frost from their black lengths as they perked. The scent of the bird boy was strong – but so was something else.

Instinctively, almost as if she’d been commanded to do so, Quilly sucked in a deep, ragged breathe. Shutting her eyes, darkness slammed down upon her vision. She allowed herself to drift, gently encouraging her mind to fall into the same, tranquil state of eerie calm she’d so often practised achieving before – while at least they were still there for me, Quilly thought miserably. Her heart rate drastically plummeted, and her breathing became more estranged. I know what I’m trying to do, I’ve done it enough times in the past to recognize when I’m...Out of it, but the question is, why...?
Reaching out, she willed her essence to touch that of the lanky raven’s nestled just around the corner.

It’s just as well he’s so nearby...Or else, whatever the fuck I’m try’na do might not work the way I hoped it would...

Quilly’d located him easily enough – his emotions were all over the place, like someone’d just knocked over a cup of beads. She shivered. His thoughts were tainted with the viscous rank of depression, loneliness and...Confusion? What’s to be confused ‘bout? He’s just another wanderer like me, ain’t nothin’ much to be confused ‘bout other than why even the 7/11s seem to frown upon people wanderin’ in off the streets lackin’ a shoe or two here n’ there. Intrigued, Quilly forced herself further into his being, wanting to absorb every scrap of feeling from the bird before Fallon returned to check on her.

Fire. Smouldering, smoking fragments of construction materials littered around an icy clearing. Why did it look so familiar to her? Loss, mingled with a deep sense of foreboding towards strangers. One that hadn’t been there to start with. I can relate to that, Quilly sympathized. C’mon, gimme a flash of somethin’ more than that. A memory, a face...Anythin’!

A stream of clouded, heavily blurred and distorted images flooded her vision – family. A girl. Old friends. A school. And, Quilly’s heart lurched, police officers.

And then, just like that, she was back in the lab – teetering on the edge of the bed, the blanket chafing her tail painfully as she gasped for breathe, perspiring. So it’s as I thought...I can’t put it into words, but it’s what I’ve suspected all along. I can read people's innermost emotions, delve into the depths of their feelings and experiences. But...What's the point of that if all I can do is tell if someone's feelin' angsty or not? But then, is it possible my...Abilities...Were simply directed into another form of energy? I don't wanna lose them voices, but nor do I wanna lose whatever I'm discoverin' within meself...I hope I don't end up havin' to choose between the two.

Aren’t I normal?

Pressing the backs of her paws to her eyes, Quilly mused mildly flustered as to what in the world classed as normal anymore. If there was a normal. She was too exhausted to wonder if the man had felt anything while she was invading his innermost memories – it was shame she’d only just scratched the surface of them. But at least she’d discovered one thing that’d prove useful to know.

Just like her, he was on the run.

[Light_the_Wolf14]

Wolf sighed "I find you in worse condition I swear Dai" he called through the door before walking towards his room "Blinded by desires feh..." he muttered "I wasn't even thinking about anything like that..." he shut his door behind him "I don't want him to be hurting is all..." he shook his head

[Houzakimaru00]

Ignoring Wolf call him Dal took the needle in one hand and placed his other one around one of the deeper and larger wounds on his chest and carefully if reluctently putting it through his skin. Grunting at the sudden prick he slowly pulled the wire through and repeated the process groaning each time the wire passed through his skin until it was completely closed.

Thankfully only a few needed this treatment as the others had either stopped bleeding or would just require bandages. Taking a deep breathe he begain to move on to the next one that needed stitching up.

[Azulu]

Fallon sighed deep, she turned around, as Shione appeared to be too deep in thought to notice her. "Nevermind, I'll find one myself..." She mumbled soft, walking out of the living room. She opend the nearest door, which seemed empty. The bedsheets were folded and stuffed on the end of the bed on a pile. Two simple chairs, a talbe and on the other side of the room, a big closet. "Let's see what we have in here..." She mumbled, marching over and opening it. A few simple shirts and pants were laying there, it looked like they haven't had been used in quite a while. She pulled a shirt out, unfolding it and dusting it off. "This should work."

After walking back to the room Kureno and Quilly were still in, she tossed the shirt on to the bed. She grabbed a chair, turning the back to Quilly and sat backwards on it, so she could rest her arms on the wood. "Feeling a bit better?" She asked with a big grin, her tail brushing from left to right.

-----------

The clone slided down the bark of the three, jumping down from the last part. Her feet touching the ground echoed through the woods, and her sharp hearing could notice that the deer from a few yards back had ran off. Damn, there would go her potential meal. Meh, she had more important things to do. She turned her head up to look at the mountain raising before her. It was sure quite some walk up, it was impossible for them to notice her from this distance.

[Kureno]

Who knows? It may be worth running, while the armed giant is incapacitated and the elderly woman is-that's a tad harsh. She was only in her mid 30s? But either way, she was too busy to even find a shirt for the naked coyote lady he left on the table, let alone stop him. Surely he could rebuild and start over, he did so once before. Even that would beat being a prisoner. Unless they fed him, that'd be kinda nice. Jails feed people, so this would be the same thing without the violent buttsex. Wolf's obvious flirting with the older male came to mind. At least not violent buttsex. That was an improvement, eh?

In his train of thought, Kureno suddenly felt...cold. Not like snow cold, but numb, he couldn't move. After a moment of this, suddenly thoughts, emotions, and memories came unbidden into his head. His former life, his successes, times when he didn't have to worry about dying slowly of hunger. What was more infuriating is he couldn't make them stop, it felt like someone was pulling at them, tugging them loose. Gripping his head in his hands, he scrunched his eyes tight, willing them go.
Lily, my friends and family, my lavish university life, my...gift with people. Why'mi thinking'f the police chasing me?

Before whatever force could pry any further into his head, the effort of trying to resist caused him to black out. The last thing he could feel is an...essence? Something left him, therefore something was there, in his head. Or maybe those rainbow vampire ducks hanging off the moon had something to do with it...
In a fit of coughing, unable to breathe, Kureno dropped unconscious, still curled sitting against the wall with his head between his knees, his sharp talons still pierced into his thighs as part of a last ditch effort to hold on to thought.

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It hissed under its breath. The masters copied fox was trying to get its own prey too, it could smell the master's lesser pet. So close the prey's base, with an obvious camera in plain sight, it was being so uncareful, it didn't even mask its scent like it had. It couldn't turn to see the fox, lest it give itself away. But it knew the fox was there. Not close, but coming.

This is why its master said it liked it the best. It was smarter than the others. It was better. It was going to bring him a delicious prey shredded to ribbons with its bare hands. But now with the fox going to draw attention, it would be seen if it moves. But nothing else can smell it, or see it. If it doesn't talk, nothing would hear it either. It was safe, but master would not be happy if the fox was taken. Oh, master would be [i]very displeased.

But it couldn't do anything now without giving itself away. No, it would hide and catch its prey. Even if fox was taken, it would be rewarded for catching its prey, the master would like him and treat him better than the others. Only it would be skillful and sneaky enough to catch its prey. It was smarter than the others, it would succeed and catch its prey. It would devour its prey and drink straight from his still pumping heart. It stayed stock still, not moving from its building camouflage. The prey could stand on top of it and not realize it was there. And then it would snap like a bear trap, and it would have his prey. Yes...it would have him...it would take him, and tear him asunder, then bring the scraps to its master like the obedient servant it is. The master would be happy, else none of them would be.[/i]

[Quilly]

Quilly raised herself up one battered arm to meet Fallon’s fantastic blue gaze.

Yep, I’mma brilliant – did I mention the new curtains inside Kureno’s mind? Really brings some colour into the place. You should see it for 'cherself some time.

“Uff…’Lil sore, but nothin’ I can’t handle,” Quilly lied effortlessly, setting back her ears slightly for added effect, “ That’s ‘fer me? Thanks’a bunch, I’m frozen as a fuck in ‘ere after my supposed raping left me virtually naked. How’re Dal n’ Wolf?” Quilly added with a twinge of anxiety in her voice. Guilt washed over her, setting her pelt on end. She’d totally forgotten about them, and now they could be lying immobile on a table just like this in another room maimed and crippled for life, or worse…

Quilly allowed herself to be distracted by Fallon’s gently waving tail, reminiscing on just how death defying her first day in the mountain had been. Well, if I can survive black outs, fallin’ off cliffs, frostbite and…The bird, I can do survive just ‘bout anythin’, I guess. The shirt lay crumpled at her feet atop the blanket – it was a blood red hue of maroon, the shirt itself had probably never seen the light of day in some time judging by the clumps of dust that clung to it and the canyons of crinkles and frays that littered its surface. Still, anything beat staggering around with nothing but a blanket to cover her indecency.

“Fal…What’re we doin’ here? In this place, I mean. We both know we’re gonna get kicked out on’our asses eventually, why’re we stickin’ ‘round, playin' house with these strangers? Don'tcha think...There's more to it all than just that?”

A soft thud sounded from just outside the room, and a new smell hit Quilly’s noise. It emanated from the raven in waves, and it wasn’t a good one.