It hurt. 

Dawn’s brain was screaming, a jumbled mess of static and sound and blinding, unbearable pain. She couldn’t move, or even think. It hurt too bad. She didn’t know how long it had gone for, her curled up in the dust like that, but it eventually just...stopped. Like if someone had snapped off a light switch. She gave a shuddering, choking gasp, back spasming for a moment as she regained some measure of control of herself. Her thoughts were still frazzled, and her blood was pounding heavy in her ears, but she had a dim realization of just how dangerous the situation had become. 

They were facing three people, one of them with the power to put her out of commission even with miles between them. Dawn was in no shape to fight, and from what she could sense, Vivian was quickly getting worn down. Something needed to be done, or else they would both die.

Animal instinct had her digging into Toby’s mind, rooting into his thoughts. With a clumsiness brought on by the attack, Dawn yanked control of his arms, and pressed him to throw the knife as far as he could into the ash. The other hand she bent down, trying to make Toby squeeze out all the ammo into the ground. If she was lucky, that would keep him busy enough for a few minutes. Dawn moved on, attempting to do the same to Montana- although by now, her control was shaky enough that the most she could do was push for him to release his grip on the knife. 

Taking in deep lungfuls of ash, Dawn pushed herself up, trembling like a leaf. “We…” She coughed, wiping her face and smearing it with blood.. “We have...we have to go. Now.”

At most, she would have given them some time, but angered their attackers in the process. And the one who had taken her down was still on his way over.