Everburning Fires.

[Ari]

When Arriana awoke, she first noticed that she wasn't in pain. The next thing she noticed was the IV unit standing above her head. 

"You... You're still alive. I thought you were about to vanish on us."

The Chimera groaned and turned towards the voice, blinking to clear her vision. 

"We gave you a pretty high dose of morphine, take it easy. Professor Mitchell said you were a prime so a fall like that meant you were on your last legs. She took a blood sample for testing, but she's still working on it. She also told me to stall you for as long as possible so that you wouldn't interrupt her work."

Arriana attempted a laugh, wincing at the tense feeling that came with bruised exterior ribs.

"I think mentioning I have two rib cages may have been helpful before collapsing on your floor. I didn't break anything did I? All I remember is blacking out, I don't remember where."

"You're uh. Actually still there. We're scientists, not body guards. We couldn't lift you."

Well it was good to know gravity still had it's limits. Muscle mass was great and all, but she did miss the weightlessness exiting the water for the first time. 

"I can't call that a surprise." Ari grinned and lifted one arm, flexing it for the assistant. "I work hard to be indestructible. Other than the squishy inside parts that as you clearly noticed, are not so resilient."

Arriana lay still on the floor, attempting to run through a full self-diagnosis. The fuzzy feeling in her brain and her vision remained. 

"Maybe instead I should continue napping until the drugs wear off. Just. give me ten more minutes.."





Waking up the second time in the lab, Arriana felt as much pain as she walked in with, if not more. the stiffness in her chest had subsided to a dull ache, just like the rest of her body. The assistant had disappeared, along with the iv drip. The light outside the lab was dim, but Ari couldn't tell if she was waking up at the start of the night or the end of it. Pushing stray hairs out of her face, Ari dragged herself up to her feet. Her head was still groggy from the medication, but even with the cloud hovering over it, she felt the difference - the bond she had with her pack was officially broken. There was no returning, not now, and everything her proteges had contributed from confidence to sanity, was going to disappear. Her blood boiled hot, claws extending from her fingertips and fangs piercing the skin of her gums. The Chimera tasted blood, the stinging pain failing to control the involuntary anger. Instincts were often a help, but now they obstructed logic and reason. They brought out a bloodlust, eager to tear out the throat of that smiling specter. 

Arriana growled, a resounding sound deep in her throat. It reverberated against her bones, increasing with intensity as the desire to slaughter the nearest living things grew. The Chimera wasted no time in bolting out the way she came in, leaving only the scratches on the door as an explanation of where she had gone in the assistant's absence.