Teige woke very slowly, finding himself slumped against the back of a cheap cushioned bench that he did not recognize. Carefully, quietly, he raised his head and looked around.

It was morning, probably--a muted and cold grey light filled the caravan. Across from him a spindly table was piled with empty pizza and takeout boxes; on the bench next to it slept a fat, furry animal with its back to Teige. There was another, much larger, animal curled up with its face buried in the sheets in a bed nook at the front of the caravan. Teige did not recognize either of them, but he did recognize Hawk, who was sprawled against the bench behind Teige with his chin on his chest and his wings splayed out as far as they could in the tight space.

Teige had lost his shirt somehow, but someone had draped Hawk's red-and-black windbreaker over one of his shoulders. He became, then, aware of a deep and throbbing pain in his covered shoulder that made him cringe.

The caravan was moving--he did not realize that until the mist outside the window had parted some. They were on an empty highway. A sign whooshed past, indicating that they were about to get onto Highway 300 Northbound.

"...Color me surprised to be alive," he whispered after a long moment, and looked down at Hawk, who was obviously in the deep sleep of exhaustion, "What devil did you deal with to make that happen, Sunshine?"

 

[Chapter end, everyone! Stay tuned for some news regarding the next chapter. Thank you for reading! <3]