#hollowshadowwolf

EXACTLYYY

Nancy Wheeler is a lot of wonderful things, especially in Robin’s eyes. What she is not, however, is invulnerable.

No matter how much she thinks she is.

“Get out of here,” Nancy grits out. She’s still standing, barely, sort of, on a technicality, that technicality being the utility pole she’s currently leaning all of her weight against.

The power lines cut a strip through the woods, creating a perfectly neat little clearing, wide enough to let the moon shine through and illuminate the blood soaking through Nancy’s shirt.

“We’re not that far from the road,” Robin says. She has no idea if it’s true—probably not, by the way Nancy’s mouth twists into a frown—but she’ll say anything, make any excuse, lie through her teeth over and over before she agrees to leave Nancy behind.

“Bullshit,” Nancy says, but she’s breathing too hard for there to be any bite in it.

“Okay, maybe not, but Hopper’s truck can get through here.” She looks around them, taking in this clear strip of land that stretches beyond her vision in both directions. The grass is trimmed short, which is an advantage when it comes to spotting the demodogs chasing after them, and a disadvantage when it comes to hiding from them, but mostly it makes her wonder who the hell is out here mowing the grass in the middle of the woods while Hawkins is in a mid-apocalypse military lockdown.

Hopper’s truck can get through here. That one’s not a lie. They could get help. The only problem is figuring out where here is so that help can actually find them.

“Not fast enough,” says Nancy. “You need to go.”

“You need to shut up.” Robin pulls her walkie from her bag. “This is Robin and Nancy, we need a pick-up. Does anyone copy? Over.”

“Robin.” Nancy’s voice strains around her name.

“I said shut up.” Then, into the walkie again, “Does anyone copy? Over.”

“You need to go.”

“Does anyone—”

“Rob—”

“For fuck’s sake, Nancy, I would rather die out here than leave you behind! So will you for once in your life take a step back and let me call for help?”

“No.” The word is firm, even though her voice is so low Robin barely hears it. “I can’t let that happen.”

“And I can’t let them hurt you.” She lowers the walkie again and steps toward Nancy.

She looks so small, half-collapsed against the pole, her arm curled around her midsection, blood seeping through her clothes to stain her skin. Her face is pale and her hair is wild and sweat drips from her forehead, but her eyes burn as steadily as ever as she juts her chin out and stares, steely, at Robin.

Robin exhales, her chest heaving around a breathless sob.

“I can’t let them hurt you,” she whispers. “I can’t let you die.”

“Robin, please—”

“No.” Robin drops the walkie, closes the distance between them, and takes Nancy’s face in her hands. “I refuse.”

“Don’t do this.” Tears fall against Robin’s fingers. She shakes her head and wipes them away.

“We either both get out of this, or we both stay here. Those are your options.”

Nancy stares up at her, her lashes wet, that steel breaking into something desperate and terrified.

“I love you too much to leave you.”

She sobs against Robin’s hands, just once, the sound so small Robin could almost believe she imagined it. Nancy brings one hand up to intertwine with Robin’s.

“Then try them again, because I’m not letting you die, either.”

Robin bends to pick up the walkie. “This is Robin and Nancy—Nance is hurt, does anyone copy?”

“We hear you,” comes Hopper’s gruff voice. “Where are you?”

“East of Mirkwood, by the power lines.” Robin presses the walkie to her forehead, praying that it’s enough.

emoji edits

Vesta took Benny to Create-A-Creature (😉); I hope you have as fun a day as they did! 😄🥳🎂

Happy Birthday @oneandahalfwolf / @hollowshadowwolf!!! I hope you have an amazing day, and get spoiled rotten! Here’s a little something for you, I hope you enjoy it.

A Fluffy Solution

Orianna sat with Niamh on the porch, nursing a cup of coffee. Lady was still with Fourteen, who was dealing with their healing process. Despite her best girl’s efforts, Orianna knew Fourteen was struggling to get out of bed. She understood what they were feeling, from her own recovery. For every step forward it felt like there would be 30 steps back. It’s a frustrating feeling, but she couldn’t let the Ex-B continue this way.

It would never get better this way, so she needed a plan.

Looking out over the fields, Orianna watched as her horse, Storm ran across the fields. He was a playful stallion, and he was quite gentle with others despite his size. Between looking after Lady, and learning to ride, and look after horses; Orianna had managed to speed up her recovery. The responsibility of looking after someone other than herself, had been a major contributor to motivating her. It had been Lady first.

She couldn’t stay in bed, Lady was relying on her.

She couldn’t slack on her therapy sessions, Lady needed someone to walk, and play with her. It should be Orianna, not Kathryn.

She had had to focus on looking after Lady, and eventually the horses she learned to rehabilitate. This led to Storm coming into and staying in her care. The big guy had wormed his way into her heart. Especially given that she’d saved him from the slaughterhouse. He’d been a year old at the time, and was allegedly aggressive. Orianna would call his behaviour at the time, rightfully defensive. Storm had been treated horrifically, and she wasn’t going to let him die over the disgusting behaviour of humans.

Hell, perhaps that was it! Perhaps what Fourteen needed was a fluffy friend to care for. Based on their interactions with the dogs, it would probably best to find them a pup. Orianna took a sip of her coffee and thought about when to ask Kathryn about it. Or perhaps, it was best to ask for forgiveness, rather than permission. In any case…it was highly unlikely Kathryn would be mad about it any way. She loved dogs of all sorts, and it was one of the few things she couldn’t really say no to.

Yeah…better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission. Orianna gave Niamh one last scratch behind the ear and got up. She made her way towards Fourteen’s bedroom and grabbed a pad on her way. She knocked on the door, grinning from ear, to ear.

“Fourteen! I have an idea that I think you might like. Can I come in?”

RED KANSAS BEAUTY QUEEN— look at us. Who would have thought? Not me!

I will not think of Cruella as the villain for them. Why would I? I will not. Forget it. 

And you know what else?