Everything felt wrong. The world was too loud. Too bright. Too heavy.
Voices came and went like waves crashing against her ears. They didn't make sense. Words tangled together, breaking apart before she could understand them.
Her body wouldn't listen. Her hands felt distant. Her legs felt like they belonged to someone else. Cold metal bit into her wrists.
Chains.
She knew that word. But it felt far away.
The floor beneath her knees was hard. Unforgiving. Her head swayed slightly, but she couldn't stop it. The air smelled strange—sweet, sharp, unfamiliar.
So many eyes. She felt them. Even without looking up. Eyes that weren't kind. Eyes that weren't safe.
Her ears twitched weakly. Her tail barely moved. Her thoughts were slow.
Sticky.
Like moving through deep water.
*Why am I here?*
The question formed slowly, then dissolved before it could finish.
Suddenly—
The world shook. A loud sound ripped through the air. Her ears rang. People screamed.
