Defeated

XXIV- Claws

The pack were silent the whole run home. No one knew what to say.

Should they have been surprised? It was Rogue after all.

Indianna came to a halt outside their pack house and whined quietly. She couldn't wait to shift back, she felt even emptier as a wolf. Indianna let out a deep breath when she felt cool air hitting her bare skin and she stood up, but as she stood she couldn't help the shout that escaped her lips.

Indianna's hand flew to her neck and she gasped in pain. She felt blood and something sharp.

"Indie!" Kal rushed over to Indianna who took deep breaths and groaned in pain. "What is it?"

"I'm fine!" Indianna panted and she yelled out again when she moved her head. "Shit!" She shouted.

"I thought your neck wasn't a problem," Harry said accusingly, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow.

"I'll get Doc," Ace said.

"Harry," Indianna groaned and looked at all the blood on her hands. The pain in her neck grew.

*Get the Luna downstairs, now!* Doc's voice was loud and clear through the pack link.

"Come on," Kal said and wrapped his arm around Indianna. He helped her to the pack house.

Indianna hissed in pain when she moved her head and gripped onto Ace's arms. "I can't move my head," Indianna whispered. "Shit, it hurts."

"Ace, lead the way," Harry ordered. He came up behind Indianna and placed his hands on her head, keeping it still. "It looks like there's something coming out of the back of your neck."

Indianna groaned and they slowly made their way into the pack house, and downstairs to Doc.

"Bed please, Luna," Doc called when they walked in.

Kal and Harry helped Indianna to lie face down on the bed and she yelped in pain. "Looks like there's no need for that X-ray now, Doc," Indianna said as Doc examined her neck and frowned.

"I think you may be right," Doc murmured. "Your shift must have dislodged it, and caused it to break your skin."

"What is it?"

Doc furrowed his eyebrows and cleared more hair from the back of Indianna's neck. "It... it looks like-"

"A claw?" Kal said, screwing his face up in disgust.

"A claw?" Indianna repeated.

"Who's?" Kal wondered.

Indianna stiffened. "Rogue's."

A silence washed over the room.

"Let's get it out, shall we?" Doc said and walked over to one of the cabinets. He came back a few minutes later with his equipment set out on a trolley. After putting a pair of gloves on he wiped a cold liquid over Indianna's neck. She winced when it went into the open wound.

"Sorry," Doc apologised. "I'm just sterilising the area."

He then picked up a needle, making sure to keep it out of Indianna's eyesight. After drawing up the right amount into the syringe, he quickly injected it into the back of Indianna's neck.

"Did you just inject me?" Indianna asked with a wince.

"Local anaesthetic," Doc explained. "It will numb your neck. Sorry, I thought it best not to tell you."

"It's fine," Indianna mumbled.

"I'm going to have to make a small incision," Doc said, "to make sure I get the claw out cleanly."