Feral → newt, tmr

Katherine's heart races as she sprints toward the entrance of the deadheads, dread knotting her stomach. Each step feels heavier, as if the air is thick with the weight of her fears. The moment she sees Thomas struggling beneath Ben, a surge of panic overwhelms her. “Get off him!” she screams, her voice hoarse and raw. She launches herself at Ben, her body colliding with his, adrenaline surging through her veins.

Ben’s face is a grotesque mask of rage and desperation, the boy she once knew now a haunting shell. His skin is ghostly pale, stretched tight over protruding veins that twist like dark vines, and madness dances in his bloodshot eyes. “You’re going to pay for this!” he snarls, pinning Thomas down with a ferocity that chills her to the bone.

Katherine feels the cold grip of fear as she tackles Ben, adrenaline coursing through her as she fights to free her brother. But the moment she lands a blow, he pivots, his fingers wrapping around her throat in a vice-like grip. Panic floods her, choking off her breath. “Katherine!” Thomas’s voice slices through the chaos, desperation woven into every syllable.

Then Newt arrives like a beacon of hope, brandishing a shovel. With a swift swing, he knocks Ben off Katherine, sending him sprawling to the ground. She gasps for air, relief crashing over her in waves as

Thomas scrambles to her side, concern etched into his features. “Are you okay?” he breathes, his voice thick with worry.

“Yeah,” she manages, though her heart is still racing, her mind spinning. “Are you?”

Thomas nods, but his eyes betray him, flickering with unspoken fears.

“Hold him down!” Newt commands, his voice ringing with authority. He kneels beside Ben, who is writhing on the ground. “What are you doing?”

“Calm down, Ben,” Gally interjects, his tone authoritative as he and Frypan join in to restrain Ben, whose panic is palpable.

“Calm down?” Alby’s voice booms, cutting through the chaos. He strides forward, his expression grim, scanning Ben’s contorted body. “Lift his shirt. Now!”

“No! No! Please! Please!” Ben’s pleas twist into a whimper as Alby pulls up his shirt, revealing an angry wound on his abdomen. The sight of it is horrifying—the skin around it swollen and discolored, purple veins creeping like snakes across his flesh.

“Ben’s been stung,” Gally states, glancing up at Alby, the weight of the moment settling over them all like a shroud.

“Help me, please. I can’t… I can’t think!” Ben sobs, desperation spilling from his lips, breaking Katherine’s heart.

“Put him in the pit,” Alby orders, his voice steady yet laced with sorrow. “Everybody, help. Take him to the pit.”

“Listen to me! Please!” Ben’s voice rises in pitch, a haunting echo of fear and despair. “It was them! The twins! Please, don’t leave me!”

Katherine’s stomach sinks, horror washing over her. She glances at Thomas, who sits nearby, his wrist being tended to by Jeff and Clint, the aftermath of Ben’s attack etched across his skin.

“Kat,” he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper, as he senses her anxiety. She grips his uninjured arm, seeking comfort and strength in their shared bond. Chuck stands close by, twisting a small object in his fingers, seemingly unaware of the tension crackling in the air.

“Just don’t let it get infected,” Clint urges, giving Thomas a reassuring pat before moving away with Jeff.

“Are you alright?” Alby asks Thomas, his expression softening, but the concern remains heavy in the air.