Yrsa felt like she was part of some sort of espionage mission rather than conservation work. First, the group was instructed to leave at different times. In the event the others managed to catch up to one another they were to act like they didn’t know each other. So even though Yrsa could see her truck hauling the horse trailer she could not interact with it.

It was weird seeing her truck being driven by someone else. Her blue truck was confiscated so the rest of the Preservers (she was not going by that and you can’t make her) could look less conspicuous on their trek. Screwing back on the gas cap a cold stiff wind whipped up around her. It felt nice but she knew what that meant, the rain was coming. As she thought that the sky let out a rumble as the clouds rolled in. The roads were going to be dark, wet, and full of impatient idiots.

The fuel pump made a noise signaling she was full. Giving the nozzle a good shake she then replaced it back into its cradle. Over the white noise of the freeway, she could hear the booming cry of a thunderbird. Entering the RV Yrsa saw Sylvia curled up in her normal seat. She was rummaging around her bag to pull out a well-loved sketch pad. She flipped to a blank page where she began to sketch. Muttering under her breath Sylvia recounted all the details on the kirin now under her control.

“How does autumn sound?” The selkie asked tapping the pencil eraser on the paper.

“Crunching leaves?” Yrsa offered not certain what her friend was alluding to.

“I meant for the kirin. He needs a good name. One that suits him.” Sylvia was now bent over her drawing as far her seatbelt would allow staring at the sketch. As if the name would reveal itself in lines. Focusing on the road Yrsa didn’t feel the need to add anything to the conversation.

As she had predicted the roads were as awful as she predicted. For some reason, Sylvia chose to speak once the rain turned the roads into creeks.

“I don’t know.” She said looking out at the other vehicles speeding far too fast by. “What do you think?”

“I have literally no idea,” Yrsa said. She was far to focus on the road to focus on anything else.

“Well, what did you name your kelpie?” Pressed the other girl.

“I really do names.” Yrsa could feel Sylvia's incredulous look in the gloom. “No point in giving names to an animal you don't plan on keeping.” Normally that statement was true on the ranch, however, there was always an exception to those sorts of rules. Decades ago she was gifted with the caribou that was meant to be her emergence gift. She was to name it as a way to deepen their connection before Yrsa claimed it.

To this day she remembers how much attention and affection the young caribou received. Her father even went so far as to have a brass nameplate made for it. It would forever remain blank. Before her official emergence day, Yrsa hunted and killed her antelope in the waning moonlight. As she knelt in the sand before she feasted she gifted the creature the name ‘Rolling Thunder’. There was no ceremony. No engraved nameplate. Just a lone Wendigo whispering a name no one else could hear.

“Well, we’re keeping these ones. And they're gonna need names.” Sylvia insisted looking out the window at the cars. Thankfully the further they got from the towns the less traffic there was. Despite this traffic was slowing down to a crawl. Sylvia took this as an opportunity to head to the back to rummage through her bag. Ignoring Yrsa’s protests the selkie continued to put away her sketchbook.

“Why is this in here?” Sylvia’s voice came from behind Yrsa.

“Can’t see what you’re doing. TOO BUSY DRIVING.” Yrsa shouted that last part hoping the smaller girl would get the hint. The bridge they had stopped on was now a river. Debris must’ve clogged the drains grinding traffic to a halt. Looking around Yrsa prayed that Beings won't start abandoning their vehicles. Her vision was obscured a second later by a stuffed rabbit wearing a plaid green ribbon. It took a second for Yrsa to fully process the implications of what she was seeing.

“Why is that here?” Yrsa asked knowing full well that item was supposed to be flying over their heads as they spoke.

“Not sure,” Sylvia said, pulling the stuffed rabbit closer to herself. “Is that even the same one?” Sylvia turned the stuffed animal over to examine the back. When she was able to pull out the fleece hidden inside both Beings groaned.

“Dad must’ve grabbed the wrong bag by accident.”

“It's official, that thing is cursed.” Yrsa nodded noticing traffic was moving slightly. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a pair of headlights encroach into her line of vision.

“What's this idiot doing?” Was all Yrsa managed to say before the other vehicle struck them. An eruption of sounds assaulted Yrsa to the point of causing her to freeze up with the sheer volume. When the noise faded slightly Yrsa opened her eyes to see she was staring down over the side of the bridge. The RV was still mostly on the bridge for the moment. Breathing as calmly as she could she unbuckled herself to put as much space between the edge and her. Stepping carefully backwards the Wendigo almost tripped over the Selkie.

“What happened?” Asked the smaller girl trying to sit up. Not answering Yrsa grabbed the back of Sylvia’s grey hoodie. The RV gave a groan shifting slightly further off the cliff. There was the distinct sound of rushing water just outside the side door. Water would flood the RV but they would have an escape. One solid pull of the handle proved to be useless. The handle would give but the door refused to budget. The frame must’ve been warped in the crash. Thinking over her options several items shifted from their places. Sylvia’s suitcase was the first item to slide towards the front of the RV. Between the suitcase, gravity, and the relentless water the RV began to tip further.

Given no other alternative, Yrsa began to pull Sylvia towards the back of the RV towards the bedroom. It was the same several feet she’d traveled countless times before. Between Sylvia half hanging off her and the ever-increasing incline, the trip was looking more hopeless. More items began shifting causing the RV to tilt faster. By the time she managed to literally claw her way to the back window, the RV was almost vertical with the ground. All around her items clattered to an almost deafening level making her wish to just close her eyes until it stops. She was just past her bed when she heard the sound of the windshield finally giving under the weight of all the items being thrown against it.

The sound of the storm joined in to complete the apocalyptic symphony around them. Ripping away the solid room darkening curtains she squinted against the flashing skyline. The storm was still in full effect outside. Even as she closed her claws into a fist she knew what she was doing was beyond idiotic.

“Close your eyes!” Ordered Yrsa before ramming her fist through the window. Sylvia buried her face into Yrsa’s button up as the glass shards cascaded around her. Now with the structural integrity gone Yrsa managed to work the rest of the window off allowing a safe hole to exit out of. There were Beings shouting but the words were lost over the rest of the chaos. Hanging on with one claw she forced Sylvia through the opening first.

It took some effort but Yrsa managed to get her skull through the window opening just as the RV shifted again. Now that they were outside she could fully see the extent of the danger they were in.

The water was still mercilessly pushing the RV off the bridge. From what she could tell they were down to only two wheels still on the bridge by the twisted metal of the guardrail. Sylvia had been whisked away into the crowd that had formed around them. Yrsa was still pulling her long body out when the guardrail began groaning. Her claws dug into the siding as she pulled herself up. Reaching out she felt a tire give out underneath her causing her to almost fall back into the RV. Her left claw came loose from the aluminum siding as she tried to balance herself.

Her claws came down on the RV they were met with warmth instead. Blinking against the rain Yrsa saw that a centaur had braved the torrent waters to grasp her firmly by the arms. Later she would feel bad about her claws digging into his dark ropey arms, but at the moment neither of them cared.

“I got her!” He called out. Walking backward she pulled Yrsa clear from the falling RV. His thick legs managing to stand firm in the running waters. Despite being taller than the centaur he managed to half carry the Wendigo like she was nothing. Once their feet hit dry land Sylvia rushed up to Yrsa. Whether she was seeking comfort or trying to give it was unclear.

Both of them stood there in the rain as Yrsa’s home landed twenty feet below them with a sickening crunch.