*TW: Non-con aftermath

Pure exhaustion threatened to overwhelm even the searing sting at her center, overpowering the twinge in her bare back from where the bark had chafed the flesh uncovered by her tunic.

When she eventually managed to shift, she released a hiss at the ache that surged from between her legs up into her belly. The warmth trickling down her inner thighs and water on her face had at some point dried amidst the coolness of the surrounding forest.

Rolling over from her side onto her back provoked another surge of fire in the worst of places – yet, by now, she knew what to expect. She refused to glance directly at the tree trunk, scarlet markings obvious enough from the corner of her eye.