Waking up, he finds Torch has already left the tent. Not unusual, Torch likes waking up early sometimes, but he can’t help but feel the loss of his body warmth as soon as he notices it's gone.
Before he can even think of doing anything, Clancy looks for Torch. There's a pull inside him that is telling him that there is something Wrong.
He makes his out outside the tent, still wearing his sleep clothes. He heads to the place they all gather for breakfast, but Clancy doesn't see him anywhere. His heart pulses in his ears as he looks around frantically for any sign of him.
"Has anyone seen Torch?" Clancy asks, words frayed by distress.
"Yeah, he went that way," a Bandito points to the right as he leaves hurriedly, ignoring the jolting pain in his leg as he puts too much weight on it. He needs to find Torch.
Suddenly, he's in the forest outside camp. How did he get here so quickly?
He hears rustling to his left. He knows it's Torch, somehow.
"Torch?" He calls out, voice cracking in the middle. He feels the pull to start crying. Why is he crying? He walks to the noise when he doesn't hear an answer.
As he makes his way closer, he sees the familiar mass of various greens and the yellow of tape.
"Torch," he sighs in relief, "you're okay. Why didn't you answer me when I called out for you? What are you doing out here?" Despite his relief, his senses pick up something he doesn't, his feathers puff up, and his yellow eyes sharpen.
Torch, he's almost too stiff. Too still. Torch turns around slowly, with a precision he usually lacks.
"Clancy, my dear. I'm so glad you made it. It's been so long since we've talked."
Okay, there's definitely something wrong. He sounds like Torch, but Torch doesn't talk like…that. As Torch turns around and faces him, the horror of the situation finally sets in.
Torch is covered in crimson blood, and a knife impales him right at the cross of his tape. He smiles unnaturally, and his eyes.
"What's wrong…dear?" His lips curl at the last word, "Aren't you excited to see me?" Torch cocks his head, and he swears he can hear bones cracking.
"TORCH!" Clancy's feet carry him towards Torch as thick tears escape his eyelids in a solid stream of pain. "Torch, no," he rushes to hold him. "What did they do to you?" he asks him without thinking.
That eerie smile is still plastered on his face, "Whatever do you mean, dear? I'm completely fine. I'm happier than ever." Torch stares into his eyes, but they are just—so hollow.
Torch is gone. He knows it.
"How could you do this?" He asks Nico, knowing it's completely in character for him. "It's supposed to be me, not him," he mumbled through tears, thick in his throat as he tries and fails to breathe.
"I had to punish you somehow. For abandoning me, Clancy. You betrayed us, betrayed the city. You should know better than that there are consequences for that," Torch is sounding more and more like Nico as he continues to talk. He just sobs against Torch's bloody chest.
"I—I know." his programming kicks in. Gone for so long, years of progress backsliding in one moment.
"I needed to see your reaction to taking the one thing you care about, the thing that caused your treason. Now that you're here, the real punishment is in store."
"What?" Clancy's tears stop in their tracks as he searches Torch's face for answers. Before he can process anything, Nico takes the knife out of Torch's chest and stabs it into Clancy. He screams as the knife plunges into his heart and—
He sits up in his bed, screaming, tears running down his face as he is drenched in sweat.
