[This takes place in a setting where the city of Ashcroft has been separated from the rest of the world in an event called The Cataclysm. It has been a few weeks later. cw: blood, injury, childhood trauma and abuse, violence, gun violence, nudity]

Colleen was paranoid about the note. Of course, she was paranoid about everything, that’s why she was still alive.

World ended and you don't say hi to your big sis?

Meet me at the park 3pm. it'll be safe.

There was a stylized picture of an owl. The symbol of the Aves Minerva. Big Mama used that symbol. Colleen’s family was dead, but there was still someone who might call her a sister. The dog.

A note slipped into her safehouse mail slot didn't seem safe. It meant Levi could find her. Who else knew? It had to be a trap. But that symbol. That stupid bird compelled her. Mama's bird. Stupid, sentimental.

Levi “Free Dog” Birmingham waited in the park, casually eating a hot dog. The guy making them was just giving them away for free. Said there wasn't really a point when the world ended. Levi didn't really mind. The world was always ending. She'd never really expected it to happen like this, but her training prepared her. Not that there was really much to do. The Verges were weird. But the Flesh was strangely quiet, for now.

She took the last bites and sauntered around the park. Levi was a six foot tall trans woman, and owned it. Well muscled and lean as barbed wire, she cut an imposing figure. Even when she wasn't wearing a top that looked like a massive bandana stretched over her breasts and wranglers so low cut the fur on her stomach was visible. She was one of the taller people in the park, and not many folks in Ashcroft wore Stetsons. Colleen would have plenty of time to scope her out.

But as she walked around, chatting with the people who seemed much more inclined to spend the end of the world having a day at the park, even she was starting to wonder if little sis would make a show. It wasn't until around five fifteen and two more hotdogs later that she got a whiff of Colleen's scent. About time. Free Dog knew how skittish Leen could be, so she didn't make any moves or show she noticed. She just slipped her hands into her belt loops and headed to a rose garden. Line followed, Levi tracking her by scent.

Levi leaned against the railing of a bunch of flowers. She should take the kids here some time. The pack could use some time to stop and smell the flowers. But Line, much as Levi hated to say it, was dangerous. She didn't want the younger Wolves around her. Family is complicated…

A minute later, Levi felt a gun at her back. She knew it was coming, and anything less than silver would just be a nuisance, but years of Big Mama's training still had to be suppressed. The best way to get Colleen to start shooting was to make sudden moves.

“Hey, sis.” Levi didn't move, voice calm. She wasn't really worried about the firearm. Caliber felt too small. And Colleen wouldn't use silver again.

The woman behind her had a voice that was reedy and thin, a loud whisper. “Don't call me that, we're not sisters.”

Levi gave a shrug. “We could be. Big Mama raised us both. That isn't silver, is it?”

The gun pressed into her back, making Levi wince. She jumped as if it was just a branch or something equally awkward and inoffensively safe.

“Hey, ow, that's really uncomfortable.” She held her arms out slowly, keeping her head down. “Gonna turn around, Line. I'd really appreciate if you didn't shoot me on such a beautiful day.”

The gun moved away from Levi's back, and she turned around, still showing her hands. When she was all the way turned, she just leaned back against the railing, hands at her sides, holding onto the wrought iron. She gave Colleen what she hoped was a friendly smile, but you can never tell how the herd will react to a strong primal urge.

Colleen Line did not look like a killer, but fifteen years ago, neither did Levi. She was kind of short, with mousy brown hair that hadn't seen a comb, pulled back out of her eyes. She looked nervous, and wore cargo pants, a faded grey shirt, and a decades old military jacket that had several poorly patched bullet holes. Some of them were even from before Colleen. The pocket had the name Line on it, but it wasn't Colleen's.

“What do you want? Are the others watching me? How'd you find out where I'm living?” Her voice was a hushed whisper, the gun now down at her side, still pointed at Levi.