Starving and half-mad, a lone figure staggered to an all-too sudden halt in the trees. The head moved heavily, questioning the air for something.

hunting... almost... there, a scent! the prey is just a few feet further. careful, his senses are almost as good as mine. wait until he separates from the other. go! attack now!

Wolverine thumped to the ground, a tense body crouched on top of his unconscious form.

what did I just do? where am I? The body, a woman, stood uncertainly.

"Wolverine? Where are ya' sugah? Wolverine?" Rogue moved towards the disturbance slowly. Anything that could take down Wolverine deserves caution.

run! fight! hide! The impulses were too much. She turned to flee as Rogue stepped into the clearing.

"Who are ya' darlin'? And what happened to Wolverine?" Rogue stepped closer to the confused woman.

She started to explain when the decision was taken from her. A harsh ZAP sounded from the collar and bracelets the stranger wore and she jerked suddenly. She had to fight or be killed, no witnesses were allowed.

Rogue stared at the stranger as she slinked towards her, head low to the ground. "Ya' don't wanna attack ol' Rogue, now do ya'?" All she got in response was a low growl. "I guess there's my answer. Ya' related to the grouch over there, what with that growl and all?" While talking, Rogue moved her body between the strange woman and Wolverine. As she stepped, her foot momentarily hit a large stone and she lost her balance. Before she could blink, the stranger was leaping for her.

she's off balance, go now! Faster than that thought, the woman was airborne. Right at Rogue's throat.

Caught off balance, Rogue crashed to the ground with 150 pounds of crazed fury on top of her. A hand, complete with shining cat's claws, streaked at her vulnerable throat while she tried to recover.

can't kill again! go ahead, kill me, please The woman thought as she flipped back off of her prone target. A second later, the electricity was back. This time she knew it wouldn't stop, she had run away and disobeyed too many times. As she writhed on the forest floor in pain, Rogue sat up and stared.

"What in hell's name is that? Rogue, what's happening?" Wolverine woke to the most macabre sight: Rogue sitting on the ground watching his attacker whimper in agony.

"Ya' ok sugah? Nasty bump to the head ya' got. I don't know what happened, I heard a noise and came to check it out. You were on the ground and this woman attacked me. She jumped off me fastern' greased lightnin' and that's it."

Before either of them could speak more, the woman moaned and quit moving. Her body unrolled enough to reveal a collar and bracelets of 2 inch steel. Razor-sharp, judging by the shredded skin around them.

"Don't touch her Rogue! I know those collars, and the voltage that runs through them. I'll get them off, you get ready to fly her to the mansion for help." *Snikt* He popped one of his claws in preparation.

She held an arm in front of him. "Wolverine, if I can't touch 'em, what about you?"

"Don't matter darlin'. I don't get em' off her, she don't live. I'll heal, now get ready. Spent too much time talkin' already." As he was talking, Logan moved closer to the woman's side. He took in her rigid muscles and pale skin and waved Rogue in closer. "When I cut 'em, you fly. Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

Wolverine delicately slid a claw between the metal and skin, ignoring the painful jolts that ran through his skeleton. He slashed up, through the collar like a hot knife through butter. The woman's body slightly relaxed, one source of pain gone. He moved to the bracelets, one claw for each. Again, the almost surgical delicacy to his movements. A quick pull, and she was free. Rogue grabbed her and streaked for the mansion, tapping her comm unit.

"Guys, clear the infirmary, I'm bringin' someone in."

"Go ahead Rogue, I'll be waiting with a gurney." The professor replied.

Wolverine lay on the ground, letting the last of the pain seep away before pushing to his feet and running to the mansion with the sliced collar and bracelets. They had trouble, and judging by the half-obliterated markings he recognized on them, it was going to be big. What other kind is there? he wondered.