LaF R1 - Sar vs Rin 7 END

The next floor was similar to the last, but with bandages and what Umbra recognized to be disinfectants lining the tables. The thought of how they'd gotten there boggled her mind, but over the last twenty-four hours she'd gotten used to the feeling.
"Here, stay still. I think I can get this thing on myself..." Umbra pawed at a roll of white gauze and a tube of medication laid neatly on one of the nearby tables. She managed to squeeze the stuff out onto Sar's wound with her teeth, then the same kind bipedal Sar had seen earlier helped her tie the bandage across Sar's midsection.
Sar hardly noticed the pain. Her brain was occupied on Rin, guilt and contrition snuffing out the excitement of victory.
"Excellent, I see we're all patched up! You've all deserved a good rest, and I've seen to it that you'll all receive a snack for your valiant efforts." The Thief chirped. "Pick a room, my friends, any room! I've an assortment of delights just waiting to be devoured."
Sar shook her head. "What about the losers? Don't they get anythin' for going through with this bullshit?"
The Thief sighed, leisurely fluttering down from his perch before morphing back into his usual form. Umbra snarled on impulse, taking a step back. His mildly amused expression was present as always, causing Sar's lip to curl. "Oh yes, there's plenty of food just outside my dear hotel. Plump, slow and stupid animals for carnivores, tons of scrumptious fruit and other edible plants for my dear herbivores. My domain is always plentiful and well stocked, dear."
Sar raised an eyebrow. "Did ya see some of them? They're in no goddamn condition to catch prey, no matter how slow and dumb you call 'em!"
"Ahah, but there's also an abundance of fresh meat right below their noses, ripe for the picking! Didn't you notice? You see, nothing goes to waste in my dear abode."
Sar realized what he meant and felt her stomach lurch. Umbra gaped.
The Thief just smirked, and with that started padding away.
Sar let out a snarl of frustration. "Wait!"
The Thief turned his head with a raised eyebrow.
"Ya got a few more things to explain, mate." Sar huffed, stepping forward. "Why'd you take Rin's memory, too? Ya had to take away every fuckin' important thing she ever had?"
"Oh, that was not my intention. She brought it onto herself, trust me." He said cooly. "Besides, it may have been to her advantage in this round - remembering her mother drowning in a mud bog couldn't have helped with the conditions currently outside, I presume."
"Hmph." Sar wanted more, but she had the feeling the Thief would not delve further into the subject, at least for now. And at least Rin's irrational fear of mud had been explained. "Well...why can't me and Umbra join with her to tee up our own lil' team, and get our stolen things back together -
"No! Your opponent would never stand a chance, my sweet. Besides, you already have your darling friend Umbra here to support you." He shook his head, as if she was a small child suggesting something silly.
"But she...she's got fuckin' nothing!" Sar screeched. "I can't let...I want to..." The words rested on the edge of her tongue. Umbra stiffened behind her, sensing what she was about to say. "No, Sar! You can't! We can't! We have too many who're depending on us."  
The Thief chuckled yet again. "I'm afraid it's a bit too late for that, my flower."
Sar dug her claws into the carpet, her eyes smoldering. She would not acquiesce. "Fine, you stinkin' fucker. How about if I win, I get Rin's emotions back too."
The Thief sighed over-dramatically and casually scratched his neck with a back paw. The bell on his collar shook but made no sound. "Don't be silly, you know that would be breaking the rules."
"Then I quit."
"Rules, dear, rules! You'd have to wait until next round for that, and only till I've seen you <lose>, fair and square."
"You can't make me try. I could just sit there while my arse gets kicked and you'd have to deem me loser."
The Thief looked exasperated, but still amused. "You've got quite the spirit, my darling Sar. I'll admit, you're one of my most endearing subjects." He hesitated. "Your Tigris seems to be simply wallowing around outside, the poor dear's got nothing to go back to. I suppose I can make a slight rule adjustment, just this once - only once, you understand."
Sar could have shouted; she'd won! But she nodded instead and snorted, "Glad you've come to yer senes."
The Thief ignored her and began circling her slowly. "I can't have my dears losing motivation, after all. Alright, if you win - if - I'll give that miserable mutt back her emotions, being the generous soul that I am."
"And tell her about it."
The thylacine chuckled.
"Don't push it," Umbra breathed, her eyes glued to the Thief.
"I'm sure it won't be too much of a problem for one of my colleagues to deliver the good news." He paused behind her. She whipped around, the sharp movement causing a flare of pain up her spine. "But tell anyone about this little arrangement, you can consider the deal terminated. Now, off to your room." And he flew back up to his clock without another word.
"I c-can't believe it." Umbra stammered, lowering herself to the ground so the devil could climb back on. "He actually agreed." She shook her head, padding off into one of the hallways. The other creatures had already long dispersed. They turned into a vacant room, a glistening plate on the bedstand. It was adorned with fruit and some sort of human food Sar recognized to be 'muffins'. They didn't smell at all appetizing to Sar, but it didn't matter - she didn't have much of an appetite.
"I just don't understand this whole situation." Umbra shook her head. "He seemed to give in too easily just now; I don't trust him. And I really, really hope the losers were actually..." She trailed off.
Sar looked up sharply. "What?"
Umbra shook her head again. "Never mind. I have so much to tell you."
As the two animals retold their experiences, an inky black shape interrupted them by sailing into the room. The disheveled raven landed on the bedpost, his wings not quite folding in case he needed to make a hasty retreat.
"I have news, news! Stripey wolf-wolf wanted me to say thank you. Says she has some of memory back now."
Sar blinked. "What?"
"What I said, what I said."
"Ya mean...I did that?!" Sar's eyebrows raised. "Me hittin' the sheila on the head with a rock helped her?"
"Guess so, guess so. Anywaaay, she's grateful you're fighting for her. Says you're her last hope, yes yes." He nodded, and  fluttered away without waiting for a response.
Sar blinked, then sank into the cushiony comforter, unable to stand upright much longer. "I'm knackered." She grumbled, but she had the feeling she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon. The day's events flashed relentlessly behind her closed eyelids, all the pain and fear and guilt  coming back in an overwhelming wave. "I can't handle this much FUCKIN' responsibility!" She burst out, sinking her teeth into the pillowcase with a sudden burst of angry energy. She tore her head back and an explosion of downy feathers showered the room.
Umbra watched her obliterate the pillow with a worried expression, feeling trying to stop the marsupial was a bad idea. She let out a long sigh and curled up on the bed.
"Goodnight, Sar."
The marsupial grunted a half-hearted response, then promptly burrowed under the comforter.
Even under the layers of blankets she could almost sense the Thief's beady eyes keeping an observant watch over her, felt his presence - although she was sure he was not in the room. It was almost as if he was somehow completely and utterly aware of every little thing that went on inside the bowls of the odd and prodigious building she now found herself nestled in.
Here, he was omnipresent.
Her hatred for him was almost unbearable, a writhing execration that made her feel ill. She was unable to tolerate the fact that she was completely under his power, so she ordered herself to not think about it, squeezing her eyes shut. The fact was unavoidable, though - they were all his lab rats.
She eventually managed to clear her mind, figuring at least she'd get a moment's relief in her dreams.
If she was lucky, he wouldn't be watching them too.