If she lived to be a hundred years old, Stray would never truly know why what happened next happened.

Because for a split second time seemed to still, to stall, to freeze solid. The Hollow Empress staring in rapture at that golden, shifting light which was draining from Mistress Gold. Tears running down her face, her lithe frame trembling, the sword she held in her hands beginning to glow with an unwholesome, darkling light. Gold too had started to shake, her body jerking about like a puppet on a string. Hissing in that strange, hex-craft language Stray had heard her use earlier, trying, it seemed to protect herself- Though it was rapidly becoming obvious that such protection was not hers to wield. Stray stumbled backwards, not knowing what else to do. The impact of the floor rachetting through her bones as she landed messily, scrambling as fast as she could away from both the Empress and her prey-

And then she felt it.

Felt sticky, thick blood pooling against her fingers. The fine wine of someone’s lifeblood draining into the ground. Somewhere, somewhere in the darkness off to her right she heard the broken, aching sound of a last breath being taken- A breath she would know anywhere, a breath she would die to defend. Stray looked down to see a pool of gore creeping inexorably towards her, lifeblood oozing from a vicious, jagged-edged cut in Logan’s side, right where- it clicked in her head- right where Illyenka’s blow at Gold had slashed into him. Right where he had been hurt trying to keep her from harm. His eyes-still lupine- rose to meet hers and she saw pain, horror. Shame that he had failed her. Other things, darker things that his heart would never say. There was a single, blindingly sharp moment of clarity wherein the girl realised what precisely happened to her Sunlight Lock and precisely who was to blame for it-

And then there was nothing but rage.

Simple, uncomplicated, chillingly blind rage.

Stray did not really feel the slip and hiss of skin leaving bone and muscle. Did not register the shivering-in-possibility newness of the wolf’s fur which erupted into life beneath her flesh. For a moment she was of two states, two bodies, watching as her shadow once again crouched and changed, became wolf-like. A voice which was both hers and her heart’s howling through the Hollow Empress’ realm. And then- New scents assaulted her, new sensations which were so sharp as to be nearly overwhelming. So heartbreakingly Not-Her that she hadn’t the words nor the thoughts to really assimilate the knowledge they brought- Though on some level she knew she should try. She felt something, something heavy and sharp beating against the air and with a start she realised it was Logan’s heart, realised that this must be how she sounded to him whenever he was transformed. Strong and fragile and precious, he sounded. Achingly, gloriously alive- Though not for long. She turned to stare at him, her face ghosting along his cheek, fur against fur now; She saw his eyes widen in disbelief, the shame within them becoming more evident-

I didn’t want this fer you, she heard his voice in her head, the pull of her Curse drawing his thoughts from him, I never wanted this fer you, cariad-

And then, with a hiss she heard Mistress Gold drag herself to her feet. Her eyes practically glowing as Illyenka’s had in the darkness, that firebird aura of hers shuddering and scratching around her, the shining feathers ragged and broken, the toll of what Illyenka had inflicted on her obvious to see. To her left Stray could see the Hollow Empress still quaking and shaking, tar-like tears rolling down her cheeks as the light which was bleeding from Gold grew ever brighter, her dust-and-brimstone halo growing to monstrous proportions. She was muttering under her breath in the same hex-craft language Gold had been using but from her the words sounded natural, appropriate. As if they were a mother-tongue which she had longed to learn.

“The Phoenix is come,” Illyenka was whispering, “The Phoenix has chosen her new host! Hail, Bringer of Pitilessness, Maker of Stars. Hail, hail…”

And then Stray saw Gold gesture with bloody hands towards the cage in which she and Logan had been trapped earlier. Felt her mate yanked over towards Illyenka’s side with a harshness that made him howl and drew another precious breath from his lungs. The sorceress raised her hands, her mouth working silently as she chanted. The cage dragged itself out of its bearings, growing in shape until it resembled nothing so much as a massive bird- Or a monstrous, all-consuming maw. Thrashing like a maddened beast, rounding relentlessly upon Illyenka. Its gates widening and preparing to swallow the Empress, Logan- And Emmalaine Frost. The woman’s look of terror was so genuine that had she been human at the time Stray might have felt a jab of pity at it. But the wolf she was now had more pressing matters, had the loss of a mate to avenge- Or to halt. The girl launched herself at Gold, teeth bared, any semblance of human gentleness or kindness lost in the roar of battle. The scent of her mate’s blood on her flesh, the only thought she could really comprehend the will to keep what was hers from harm. Perhaps her attack took Gold by surprise; Perhaps she was so weakened by her encounter with the Erlkind that her control of her Curse had waned. Perhaps all her attention was on besting the Hollow Empress, there was no way to tell. But the redheaded woman didn’t stop Stray’s approach. Couldn’t. Instead she found herself on her back, screaming as Stray’s newly strong jaws broke skin and drew blood, as gore, blood and viscera exploded wetly on the girl’s tongue.

“Stop it,” Gold was screaming, “Stop it, you must let me bind the Phoenix once more…”

“Why should I?” Stray demanded, surprised her voice still worked.

“An Erlkind must not be trusted with so powerful a being,” the sorceress panted. Her green eyes were bright with tears. “The Phoenix is Potential Made Manifest and Whole. I can bind it to me again, I can save us,” she was babbling. “The cage contains the sacrifice- Logan for quicksilver, the Empress for brimstone. The tears of a creature in love-” Emmalaine, Stray realised,- “Giving form and body through salt. I can stop this, spring maid, I can help them if you help me-”

Stray’s tone was disgusted. “You only wish to help yourself.”

And she snarled, her claws digging viciously into Gold’s flesh. The thing within her, the thing which was made of everything that was not words hissing in a mixture of fear and abhorrence. The realisation of how far outside humanity she was right now making it whimper and wail. But Stray didn’t care, she couldn’t. She didn’t give a damn about this Phoenix creature if she could just keep her Logan safe. If she could get him out of here, maybe she could help him; If she could get him out of here maybe they stood a chance. With a slash of her claws she dashed Gold to the ground, darting towards the cage even as it slammed its doors shut. She was lucky; It had widened its bars at the sides, shifting them until they almost looked like a rib-cage, the better to be able to move around. Being smaller and thinner than Logan Stray managed to dodge inside the cage, grabbing a hold of her Sunlight Lock. He was panting heavily, each breath seemingly laboured-

But at the sight of her he tried to pull himself into standing, his massive, sturdy chest shuddering as it took a deeper breath. Still-human eyes widening, pride and affection gleaming now in their depths. Despite his best efforts though he couldn’t stay upright: Stray was forced to grab him, digging her teeth into the great ruff of hair across his neck and shoulders as she tried to yank him clear of the cage, her desperation lending her strength. With a hard sweep of her tail she knocked into Illyenka, the Empress’ impact causing the cage to rock, the bars at its base widening to compensate and stay flat. This momentary transformation was all she required: Again she knocked in the Empress, forcing the cage onto its edges and all but hauling Logan out through the sudden gap in the bars, for the first time since she had transformed wishing she had human hands since she did not wish to be so rough with her mate. But there would be time for tenderness later. Time for everything else once she got them out of this realm. Her eyes went to Mephisto who, like Azazel and Belasco, was still kneeling, staring at his mistress and her plight in unrestrained loathing. The idea of helping her defeat Gold clearly the furthest thing from his mind. She and Logan shared a split-second glance and he seemed to know without being told what she wanted: The two darted towards the Erlkind, pinning him. Their teeth right in his face as though he either hadn’t the will or the ability to fight back.

“Get us out of here,” Stray snarled, since her voice was nearer to human. “Get us out of here and we might let you live-”

The tattooed sigils which roamed over Mephisto’s flesh flared brightly and he hissed in pain, the scent of fear- Stray was surprised she recognised it- dripping off him. He shook his head in panic, so far from that bullying, arrogant figure who had hurt her that she thought she might laugh. “She’ll kill me,” he hissed. “She’ll kill us all for even thinking it-”

Stray couldn’t shake the impression that Logan was smiling, for all his wolfishness. “Which one?” he asked, his voice barely more than a growl. “Which plague-bitch are you most scared off, you piece-of-piss bastard?”

And he gestured towards the cage which Illyenka and Emmalaine were now rocking, Stray and Logan’s escape apparently having given them an idea. Gold had fallen to her knees, her mouth still spitting out hex-work, fingers painting sigils and symbols into the floor with a viciousness which was painful to see. The firebird-shaped aura had grown massive, surrounding both women- Stray couldn’t help but wonder if all the magic which was being thrown about was somehow feeding it. Making it stronger than it usually was. The walls began to shake, the air vibrating with malice. Even Azazel and Belasco looked frightened now, though Shaw’s gaze was still fastened on Emmalaine Frost. The light from the firebird- Phoenix- Whatever-It-Was- grew brighter, turning blinding. There was a stench of death and fire on the air, the burn of brimstone and sacrificial wine. Without warning a pillar to the left of them came thundering down, separating Logan and Mephisto; The whoreson took this opportunity to grab a hold of Stray and dematerialise, reappearing on the other side of the room the still-lupine girl crushed against his chest. Stray snarled, biting down at his hand so hard she tore the flesh from it. Her claws reaching up to rake mercilessly at his throat and shoulders- Not just a little chatelaine now, am I? she thought- though she couldn’t be sure that these would be weak spots of a creature such as he. Her nails found their mark, tearing at Mephisto’s flesh and drawing blood from him-

And as she did so she felt metal graze her fingers. Felt a shock of recognition flood through her as her hands found a familiar object nestled beneath Mephisto’s doublet and shirt. Edges, coldness, metal. Sigils she knew by heart flaring against her skin. There was a flash of that same dull glow she’d seen in Shaw Manor when Mephisto had attacked her wearing Logan’s face, and then suddenly- Her cut-iron was in her hands, the metal glowing. The cool, calming feel of it making her heart thump joyfully in her chest. As soon as her flesh met the pendant’s surface she heard Logan give a hoarse shout, saw his form morph suddenly into that of a man- Though a man who was unhurt. Not bleeding. He was staring down at himself, fingers scraping where he’d been wounded. The remains of what had been done to him slowly fading as he looked. Stray’s eyes met Mephisto’s and she saw panic, fear- Complete and utter terror in his face as she yanked the pendant from him and crushed it in her hand. As strength and purpose and not just animal rage filled her.

“This belongs to me,” she hissed, “Whoreson-”

And then, with a sudden shock she heard the familiar sound of a bamf! followed by the stench of brimstone. A silver arrow whistling through the air to land at Mephisto’s feet even as the Erlkind dropped her and scrambled away.

“It’s about damn time,” she heard Ororo’s voice say. “I thought we’d never be able to track you-”

And with that the Company of Miracles apparently decided to join the fray.