As Ahmose pushed her against the fence, Arcana found herself unable to retaliate. Her body wouldn't respond to any of her frantic thoughts to fight back, or even to run. She couldn't conjure up her voice, not even to cry out in pain after Ahmose's finders dug in hard to the flesh of her shoulders while he gripped them tightly. His golden eyes shone with malice as they drilled into her own, and the memories rushed back in on Arcana.

---
[b]-Memories-[/b]

[i]Pain exploded over her torso, her vision flashing white as her body crumpled to the ground. Beyond the loud thrum in her ears, she could hear their voices as three of them squatted next to her. 

"Awww, look, you broke her. Now we have to wait." A high pitched voice whined, something sharp was prodded against her cheek to accompany the words.

"Maybe you shouldn't use the metal one until later on next time, Kierfa." A decidedly male voice advised nonchalantly.

Another one of them laughed haughtily. "Just starting the day off right with a good deed, Nimbus." The laughing one, Kierfa, said between his own laughter. Her face was gripped tightly by a pair of clawed hands, talons digging painfully into her cheeks. She was forced to look up into the amber-colored eyes of Kierfa, who had a wicked grin on his face. "Right, Arcana? We'll play with you all day. Don't take your time to heal though, otherwise Bian will get reaaaaallyyy impatient." To emphasize Kierfa's words, something sliced across her exposed calves, drawing blood.

She let out a shrill scream as the onslaught continued.[/i]
---

The next thing she knew, somebody had their arms over her sore shoulders. Arcana jerked in Fiona's grip, barely stopping herself in time from roughly shoving the dryad away. Her teal eyes were wide as she swiveled her head around to take in her surroundings: Ajala, standing nearby with the injured plant in her arms and a concerned look on her face, an unfamiliar humanoid boy sitting atop a frighteningly large giant, and Fiona who looked distraught as she held Arcana.

Every part of Arcana began to shiver all at once, her teeth chattered in her mouth. [b]"N-n-n-n-"[/b] She couldn't stop herself from shivering, even as she hugged her arms across her torso. [b]"N-no! No, I-I'm fi-fine... Everyth-thi-thing is fi-fi-fi-"[/b] Arcana took a shallow breath, glancing about anxiously. [b]"Nnn-no in-infirmary. No, no, no. No infirmary. I'm fi-fi-fine!"[/b] She half-shouted, half eeped the last part so that Jack and Dagr could hear. [b]"Ti-time to g-g-g-go f-feed the little ones."[/b] She mumbled, pulling all the way out of Fiona's grip and wobbling away to the greenhouse, her legs shaking.

Once inside, she leaned against one of the glass chambers, fighting back tears for the second time today.