The door slams behind them, and Pearl can barely hear a word. Her mind is suddenly knifepoint-sharp, her sniveling self-pity buried beneath a predator's instinct. This is it, this is her chance, she has to act now now now--

The upsurge of adrenaline floods her muscles with new strength, and before the woman can take her third step inside, Pearl jolts upright, bared fangs charging towards her throat.