S a l e t é I V

XXXVII - Plumes - Quatorze

"Don't worry about it. We don't know what the arrangements are going to look like, so we can't effectively plan in advance."

After getting back to the warehouse and sitting everybody down, Monet had done an admirable job of explaining the day's events to the others, her encouragement in particular applying to Klavdiya as Cassia stoked the fire at the centre of their space. 

Keeping herself busy as she left the girl in red to do the talking, she positioned the small candles that Spears had remembered to collect for them, the boy ensuring that they received them before they left for home.

Each one was in a tiny, rounded silver dish of sorts. They were wide instead of tall, and she only had to use one match - once one was lit, she lit the wicks on the others using that first candle's little flame. Stepping back to get a look at her handiwork, they made Uliana's space look just as pretty as the taller ones. 

They may have even been sweeter. 

"I'll try not to." Klavdiya replied, all of the thoughtfulness that Cassia had expected coming to her now that she had the full picture, Monet quelling her with a softer voice.

"I understand that it will be difficult not to dwell upon it. Try and think of tomorrow instead. I'll need you in good form for when we head out together." The older girl said, the sentiment one that returned some of her companion's confidence.

"Mmh. I will be."

Cassia had already retrieved the key to the storeroom for Monet, going in her place earlier so that she could share their story with the other girls without interruption. Now, she rose to actually use it, Monet heading for the door just as Cassie was returning to the fireside, the younger miss giving Zisel a gentle cuddle from behind once she was there. The act took her by surprise only for a couple of seconds before she accepted it freely, reaching up to hold her arms whilst they were around her.

"Don't you worry either. I know what you're like." Cassie said to her quietly, a spark of something less serious in her tone in a bid to make light of it all, her efforts to calm her working only partly as she moved to sit nearby.

"Have you got your pass with you? Make sure you don't go anywhere without it. Promise me you'll remember it." The tailor said, her own attempts to sound less flustered, similarly, only partly working. 

There had been no denying that the story of their encounter at the old street had rattled her, bringing up all of the anxieties that Cassie knew full well she could harbour.

"We've already been given a talking to, don't worry. Got mine right here with my book, it's not going anywhere." Cassie replied, patting at her shirt pocket loudly for her to hear, Zisel nodding gently before she looked in the direction of Klavdiya's voice too.

"Monet gave me mine, so don't start fussing."

"What about Taya? She never got one, did she?" Zisel asked.

"We'll have to be careful, that's all. I don't think that anyone from the depot is gonna be able to sneak up on us after today, because we know that they can come out this far. Right?" Cassia asked her in return, quite confident in the point that she was making.

They'd been fooled once, but now they could prepare. She would have to be extra vigilant when she was helping Spears from now on.

"It didn't sound like he was doing anything for the investigation, if there really is one." Klavdiya said at that stage, her earlier reaction as she'd heard their tale making a resurgence. 

Whilst Zisel had slipped back into fearing for the group, Klavdiya had experienced nothing of the sort. Instead, a near identical frustration to the one that had tried to get its claws into Cassie had gripped her, and it was one that she really wouldn't fault her for.