“Trouble sometimes comes to us.”
Wren stepped around in front of Cass. She grabbed his shoulder, but he tried to shrug it off.
“Let go, Mama.”
“Wren, not now–”
“Let go,” he said, jerking away from her. There was almost a growl in his voice. Cass was shocked by his tone, and she held up her hands. She watched as he squeezed between Swoop and Wick, and went to stand next to Gamble.
“Wren, what’re you doing?” Gamble asked, but he stepped past her.
“We’re looking for a man named Chapel,” he called. “Do you know what happened to him? To the people that lived here?”
The group of five reacted, exchanging glances with one another. Then the hooded woman spoke.
“Wren?” She laid back her hood. She had long brown hair and pale blue eyes. “Wren, is that you?”
“Lil!” Wren yelled, and before anyone could stop him, he took off towards her. She hopped over the low fence and went down on her knees to catch him in her arms. He nearly knocked Lil over with his tackling hug. It was strange for Cass, to see her son so happy to see someone she’d never met.
“So,” Wick said. “I’m guessing we don’t have to kill all of ’em, then?”
“Looks like,” Finn answered.
“Stay sharp,” Swoop said. “Ain’t over yet.”
The two groups started moving towards one another warily, with Lil and Wren at the center. Cass trailed a little behind the main group. Mouse and Finn were a few paces behind her, keeping their eyes on the four-man group that had come around their flank.
“Mama!” Wren called. He’d let go of the woman’s neck with one arm and turned back partially towards them. “Mama, it’s OK! It’s Lil!”
Lil was smiling now as they approached, and Wren was rapidly introducing everyone, pointing to each in turn as he spoke their names.
“That’s Gamble, and Swoop, and that’s Wick, and that’s my mom–”
Lil gasped and shot to her feet. One of the men from her group gave a little shout. Weapons flashed; swords from sheaths, rifles to shoulders. Cass noticed Lil had a grip on Wren’s arm, and had pulled him slightly behind her.
“Wait, no! No,” Wren called, pulling away. He stepped between the two groups, waving his arms. “It’s OK, it’s alright!”
Cass held up her hands, palms out, trying to look as nonthreatening as she could.
“Lil,” she said, keeping her voice calm and controlled. “Wren’s told me so much about you. About you, and Chapel, and Mister Carter.”
She could see the utter confusion on the other woman’s face, the horror mingled with incomprehension of the words Cass was speaking. Cass berated herself for not wearing her veil. A stupid and careless mistake.
“I’m sorry, I know it’s a shock,” Cass said.
The tip of Lil’s blade lowered slightly.
“What… are you?” she half-whispered, fear evident in her voice.
Cass tried to think of how to answer. How could she possibly explain it?
“She’s my mama,” Wren said.
After a long tense moment, Lil lowered her sword, though she still looked confused and a little frightened. The people behind her lowered their weapons as well, but not completely. It was clear they didn’t trust the situation.
“I don’t understand,” Lil said.
“They took her, Lil,” said Wren. “But I got her back. And my friend Painter, too.”
“Are they… human?”
“Not exactly,” Cass answered. “But we are ourselves.”
Lil shook her head, and then did it again more forcefully. The second time almost as if she were chastising herself. She sheathed her weapon and approached with her hand out.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. It’s just…”
“Please don’t apologize. It was thoughtless of me. I should’ve let Wren warn you. All of you,” Cass said as she shook Lil’s hand. “My name’s Cass.”
“Lil. It’s amazing to meet you. Really.”
Some of the others kept their distance, but one of Lil’s companions stepped boldly forward and introduced himself as well, a grim-faced man named Elan. After that, with the immediate crisis seemingly averted, the two groups carefully came together and made hesitant introductions. Gamble called Sky back in from his hidden position. Cass gave a brief account of their journey from Morningside, though she was careful to avoid mentioning any details about why they’d left. Lil dispatched several of her companions to carry out whatever business they’d come to attend to, and then with the remainder, escorted Cass and the others back to the large rectangular building.