For inwhichwar, the AU of the Volchok 'verse.

[werewolf_hacker]

Kati is very tolerant of Ben's penchant for wolfing when the moon's not full. She comes along, usually, although she can't keep up, not with the crutch. Ben gallops through the woods and the fields and checks in with her every few minutes, making sure she's okay, keeping tabs

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[inwhichwar]

[Kati hears the gun go off, and her heart sinks and her gut goes cold, even as she hurries (as much as she can hurry, damn her useless leg . . .) in the direction where she last saw Ben . . .

And she's too late. Again, still, always; whenever he needs her to protect him, damn her, she is always, always too late.]

Volchok!

[werewolf_hacker]

[Ben coughs wetly and tastes blood. He's having trouble breathing, but he has to hang on for her.

Has to.]

Ka. Kati. [He's cold. And someone with dark wings stands over him, somberly.] Don't. You wait, Azrael. I've earned that much.

[inwhichwar]

[Kati catches sight of Ben, finally -- and her heart sinks even more as she crosses the distance between them with more haste than she imagined herself capable of, dropping to her knees at his side with no regard for the shot of anguish it sends through her ruined knee.]

Bozhe moi, no . . .

[She doesn't even know where to start applying pressure . . .]

[werewolf_hacker]

Kati. Be careful. They were. Upwind. Silver buckshot. Won't do. You any favors. Either. [Blood is running in far more than a trickle from the corner of his mouth, and he's shivering violently, even though he's burning up. A heave and a grunt, and he rests his head on her knees.]

Got things. To tell you...