in my time of need

Enyo burst into Erebros’ room, her wet fur clinging to her muscular frame as she shook herself, droplets of water scattering across the stone floor. There was no time for manners. No time for a facade of patience. The scent of the river still clung to her, mingling with the unmistakable tang of saltwater. Her breath was heavy, her chest rising and falling with quick, erratic gasps. Her eyes were uncharacteristically wide and unsettled when they locked onto Erebros.

Searching for answers in his calm, steady presence.

"Erebros!" she barked, her voice carrying an edge of urgency and raw anxiety. "I-I need you." Something she had never said with such disparity. She knew she should remain calm, that he would look down on her for her reactivity. But if she just explained, if he had seen what she did. The chaos. The blood. The smell. The wet noise.

He would understand.

She needed to make him understand.

Her gaze flickered nervously to the side, unwilling to meet his eyes for more than a fleeting moment as the disturbing image of Brian's writhing body filled her mind.

"There was a wolf," she continued, her words tumbling out faster now, the urgency mounting in her tone. "His name was... I don't know it. I don't know him. But he-he had something inside of him- worms." Her voice dropped to a whisper as if the very thought of them made her skin crawl. "They burst from his stomach, wriggling and squirming. Blood and bile-" She recoiled, her muscles tensing at the memory. "I- I had no choice. I had to end it. I had to send him off the cliff. People were panicking. I needed to get him away."

Enyo paused, taking a shaky breath, her eyes darting briefly to the ground. "But then," she muttered, her face twisting in disgust, "one of them burrowed into me. A worm. It dug into my nostril. I can feel it-" She pawed at her own face, her breath hitching. "It’s still inside me. I need you to do something, Erebros. Please."

What if she bursted? How long did she have? How fast did they multiply?

"His stomach fucking exploded. Το στομάχι του γαμημένο εξερράγη! Αίμα παντού! Ήταν ζωντανός και σκουλήκια ξεχύνονταν από κάθε στόμιο! (His stomach fucking exploded! Blood everywhere! He was alive, and worms were spilling out from every orifice! From his nose, mouth...)"

The raw vulnerability in her voice was a stark contrast to her usual commanding presence. Her mind raced, her heart thundering in her chest. This was not something she could handle alone. She could feel the worm shifting inside her, and every passing second made her more desperate. She needed him. She needed his expertise now more than ever.

Her body felt violated. Disgusting. She wanted to rip her flesh apart and carve it out. She needed to. It needed to go. Her throat was raw from sneezing and coughing. Even dunking her head underwater and remaining there till her lungs screamed for air. Anything.

"SPEECH"