The moon never reformed after Quinn shattered it. The water stilled, but the countless rippled-apart pieces remained with an inexplicable void between them. She could feel her words sinking into the lake, and if she peered down into it, might have for a moment noticed something odd—that it was not black. It was just a very, very dark blue. 

[color=black]Quinnlash[/color]’s hands balled into fists, but she turned away from Quinn’s gaze, contemplative, almost ashamed. Instead, she looked out at Hovvi, and for a long time she was silent. 

“[color=black]No[/color]” she said, and her hands were squeezed so tightly her shoulders shook. “[color=black]No, she’s [i]nothing[/i] like us! Not broken! Bad![/color]”

With a sharp wince, [color=black]Quinnlash[/color] curled. A hand flew to her head, clutching at a horn that had seemed to grow ever so slightly taller in those angry blinks. In the distance, a great shape loomed over Hovvi. Not a Savior, but much greater, much grander. It was the silhouette of a mountain. 

“[color=black]Stupid Helburkan [i]mutt[/i]! Taker![/color] she shouted, and pulled her hand away. Blood like ichor dribbled down her face. “[color=black]We’re [i]good[/i]! She’s [i]evil![/i] Good [i]kills[/i] evil! Good kills evil and we’re gonna kill her! We’re gonna kill anyone who wants to take our friends away from us![/color]”

Standing as tall as she could, the girl glared hard at Quinn. [color=black]Quinnlash[/color]’s voice boomed within her, as if it rose up from the lake itself. “[color=black]Now wake up! Wake up and protect my friends![/color]” 

And she was awake. 

An alarm beeped softly somewhere far away. There was movement outside the bunk’s doors, and the sound of people. 

Dahlia was beside her, back turned with her neck-plugs exposed. She seemed to still be asleep.

The realization hit Quinn—was given to her, without request: today was the day she would kill, or she would die.