saving myself from the ruin

Anger still twisted at her gut -- and disgust -- but she did her best to force her feelings down, a heavy knot weighing down her stomach. She hunted in silence, following Deteste's most recent trail with lengthy strides, her tail lashing against her thighs in an indication of her irritation. The nerve! She growled again to herself, lurching forth in a graceless gallop as she searched fervently for her mate before finally letting out a series of disgruntled barks, hoping it would draw him to her sooner. She needed him, needed to remind herself that he was hers, but also to talk to him before Medusa did; to make him understand her decisions -- and her ultimate trust of him. "speech"