As Lup and Kittu search the area around the camp hand in hand, illuminated by the child's brightly glowing soul, she thinks she hears a tinny, panicked burst of laughter in the distance. She can't even tell if it's another illusion but she zeroes in on it anyway, heart in her throat all over again with worry but they need to find something, someone, finally.

And then another light flickers to life in the dark, a twin of the one held aloft by Kittu, and relief washes over Lup. "Kittu, look!" she gasps and speeds up, ready for them to let go of her hand so they can run to their sibling, reassure themselves they're whole and okay.

Only, when she gets closer, they don't look okay at all. Even in the dim light they're ghastly pale, hunched, trembling like a trapped animal. They've come too late to save them from the worst, and she hates it, and the thought of Taako cowering somewhere in the woods like this, terrified and alone, is overwhelming. She's got to go, can't waste another moment, no matter how much she wants to make sure the kids are as safe as they can be now. She glances over at the others gathered, Muffet and a man she doesn't know, but Kidwun has their back to him and that's good enough for her. "You got this?" she demands, and the look she's giving them suggests they had better not fail these children.

((as always feel free to keep bracketing my dudes))