The last thing Mat remembers is being on the trails with Hornet. They'd just been walking the woods, him showing her some of the nicer spots to spend time when the walls of the castle felt like too much. Then the...whatever they were had come. A whole group of them, somehow protected from view and well prepared. They hadn't stood a chance, unarmed and caught by surprise.

How he'd gotten from there to this fresh new hell, he has no idea. It's too dark, it smells all wrong, it feels all wrong. Something stings horribly. Something's dripping on him...or he's sitting in something? It's difficult to tell, his senses aren't fully awake. Panic is already rearing in him and he moves, trying to figure out just what's happened.

"Blood and fucking ashes..."

At least he doesn't appear to be alone. He can feel a smaller someone with him, and he assumes it's Hornet as they were taken together. Fuck. He'd hoped she'd gotten away. He may not know her as well as some others, but something about her speaks to his brotherly instincts.

"Hey. Hey, you awake?"

And unhurt, but he'll settle for awake right now.