She kept quiet and pretended to go back to sleep. In reality however, Murdar was aware something bad had happened and that it had something to do with Shylah. The others were still getting to sleep, though she could hear them murmuring to each other about the night's events. From what she could tell, they were all back together but had lost someone along the way. She continued listening, hearing people shuffling about occasionally, until the whispering and movement died out.

After waiting a little longer she opened her eyes and began to stir. Owen was sleeping soundly on the floor next to her while on her other side she could see a low burning fire in a fireplace. It gave off enough light to easily see the room but wasn't bright enough to hinder getting some rest. She was sure it was keeping the place nice and warm too but all Murdar could do was shiver with cold.

"Don't know how long I can keep going like this..." Her body trembled as she stood, weakened from the lack of nutrition. It wasn't that she didn't want to or didn't have anything to eat, it was just the memory of what she'd eaten to survive in that ice world that made her want to retch whenever food was offered.

Murdar slowly made her way around the building, quietly searching for Shylah. The house was small but it took a surprising amount of time to find the other woman. Her friend was wide awake and looked over at her as Murdar entered the cramped entryway.

"You're awake..." Shylah backed away, closer to the door. "You weren't supposed to catch me."

If she wasn't concerned about her friend before she was now. Murdar hesitantly moved closer, stopping when Shylah only took another step back. "What... what do you mean? Were you leaving?"

"I have to... I can't stay with you guys, it's too dangerous."

"Out there is dangerous." She whispered harshly. "What's gotten into you? We're finally back together and now you're running away?"

Relief seemed to flash across Shylah's face before it was quickly shadowed by guilt. "I didn't want you to know..."

"Know what?" Murdar didn't have time to voice her question aloud before her friend spoke up again.

"When the wolves attacked our group, one... one of them bit me." She couldn't meet Murdar's gaze. "I have to go..."

Silence fell on them. All Murdar could do at the moment was stare at the other woman. She couldn't believe this was happening. They'd managed to regroup; things were supposed to be getting better. So why was this happening? Why was she about to lose someone she cared about? This wasn't even their universe, which meant once they left there really wouldn't be getting her back. Fate was a cruel construct... wasn't it?

Finally, she broke the silence. "Surely The Doctor could do something? He's travelled around, he has to know what to do to fix this."

"No... there isn't." Shylah shook her head, her hair falling into her face. "The species here is more advanced. I can already feel it changing me... It's too late."

"Don't say that!" She snapped, her voice louder than before, especially in the otherwise quiet building.

"Please don't come after me. I don't want to hurt any of you."

She didn't give Murdar a chance to respond before turning away and rushing out into the night. Murdar stared blankly at the door before sinking to her knees. She felt exhausted but it was the pain and shock of what just occurred that made her legs feel like they were about to give out.

"She'll still die... When it fully takes hold... when... When the villagers hunt those creatures down." She stared at the wooden floorboards. Murdar knew Shylah was smart- hell, she was leaving because she knew she'd be killed otherwise- but would that change when the werewolf side consumed her? Would she know to stay far away from the villages? "...Will she forget us?"

Murdar didn't know if being forgotten about would be better or not. It could ease the suffering of losing everyone and her home but... What if Shylah lost who she was without anything to cling to? "I wish I could help her... If we were in our own universe The Doctor could use his TARDIS, go back and prevent her from being bitten... Mine... mine are too unstable right now... who knows what could happen if I tried using them."

She became faintly aware that someone was walking down the hallway, their footsteps barely making a sound. Murdar had a sneaking suspicion they'd been watching and listening in from down the hall for several minutes.

"She left, didn't she." It wasn't a question; Jack knew what had happened. He leaned against a wall and stared down at her, something in his gaze that she couldn't read. It wasn't pity exactly but it irritated her. "It was the best thing for everyone. If she'd stayed I would've had to shoot her."

Anger burned through her mind, tossing up snide retorts and plans of how to best attack him- how dare he say that so calmly, like they hadn't just lost a member of the team or her a friend. Murdar stayed where she was, just staring up at him. She couldn't act on those thoughts.

"I know." Her tone was choked, barely containing the bitterness she was feeling. Jack had seen death, known loss, far too long and it showed in his eyes. The sympathy he was trying to show held a suggestion he'd experienced something similar in his past.

He didn't say anything else. Murdar turned away, barely hearing him leave again. Moments later a different person's footsteps were coming towards her, still light but making a more obvious sound of approach. She didn't have to look back to know Jack had sent Owen to fetch her- probably worried she'd run off. The Torchwood doctor gave a defeated sigh and offered a hand, pulling her to her feet in one swift movement.

"Would you have felt better not knowing she left?"

She let him lead her back towards the room with the fireplace. "...Worse."

"At least you know she's alive. The last memory you have is her leaving, alive and well, to go somewhere safe." He helped her sit down on the fur rug before joining her. "So, that's how you can always picture her. Somewhere safe and alive."

"...And alone." Murdar shivered, he feeling of cold getting to her again. She swayed before lying down completely, her eyes half closing. There was a strange voice lulling her into the darkness of sleep despite the stress and grief running through her.

She faintly registered the fact Owen was shaking her, his voice fading as the other one seemed to engulf the area around her, before giving into the dark completely.

People were screaming, fleeing from her. No... fleeing from something behind her. Murdar turned her head, staring into the darkness looming behind her. It engulfed the buildings and streets like a giant shadow, though she couldn't see the figure that caused it. The unnerving sensation that it was keeping just out of her line of vision made her shudder. She swore there was a flash of a skeletal hand in her peripheral vision as she looked forward again.

Shock stabbed through her like a knife. Those that had been fleeing were now lying lifelessly in the streets. Most looked like mummified skeletons of their former selves and her face twisted into one of disgust. What had done this? Surely... it hadn't been her right? Murdar took a step back, shivering as the darkness behind her seemed to reach out, lacing around her arms, legs, and neck. A familiar voice seemed to whisper in her ear. Unlike in the past, it seemed to be speaking in a language unlike any she'd ever heard.

Faintly she recalled that cannibal's words. How she'd destroyed their world. How it had been her fault everyone had died and the few survivors were left behind to suffer, forced to become monsters to survive. Would she really? Was this sight before her because of her? Surely not. She'd never!

The tendrils continued to coil around her, not causing harm but still giving her the sensation of being embraced... and not entirely in a comforting way. The voice in her ear faded as a lone figure stepped into the street, grinning madly as he approached. He seemed to take no notice of the darkness surrounding her or the shadows slithering across the ground towards him.

His white hair looked vaguely familiar and she was sure she'd seen it somewhere- that look wasn't exactly common. However, she couldn't be certain. The man grinned and came to a stop. "Sorry I missed all the fun but hey, you did great. I'd love to see The Doctor try to fix this, well, assuming he isn't dead somewhere. Whoops, small oversight there. I did want to see the look on his face when his precious Earth was reduced to this."

"Who are you? What did I do?"

"Right, of course, no... I should've remember you wouldn't recognize me. New face and all. It's been years... we'll give or take how you want to work out the timeline. I saw you recently but that was years ago for you... Isn't time travel great?" He offered a hand, glancing behind her now. "You look like you might need a lift."

"Wha-" She didn't get the chance to finish. A sharp blade was driven into her back, multiple blades cutting into her. Blood began running from her mouth, choking her as she collapsed to the ground.

Hazily, she watched the man leave her behind. Her vision was getting foggier, the strange shadow seeming to seep into her, dragging her down into the ground with it. Murdar gasped, struggling against it only to find her body wouldn't move. She was lost in the darkness.