Miaren had seen death before.  She had seen blood before.  She had been elbow-deep in the stuff and not felt the same sickness that this thing inspired in her.  Numbly, she took stock of their little band - bloody, but none of it their own, chests heaving from the effort and the adrenaline.  One arrow broken, but she could remake it later - once they had the other two girls and they were safe.<br/><br/>The girl!<br/><br/>She turned in the flickering light, forcing herself to look away from the misshapen carcass to seek out the unfortunate victim of the creature.  Light willing, that thing's seed wouldn't bear fruit - and if it did, there were ways to spare the girl from having a reminder of it for the next three seasons.