When the Council meeting ended, the young adults went to find their homes and relate their experiences.  For them, it had been a long two days with no little excitement and emotional upheaval.  Marissa glanced around, concern on her features.  They had all been affected by the fight on the Ridge, some more outwardly and profoundly than others.  She spotted the slight figure she looked for and let her long legs carry her to catch up with him.

"Hey, Lucas!  Wait up a sec, okay?" she asked.

The lad, who was headed with slumped shoulders back towards the Onomang house, paused and perked up slightly at the unexpected mention of his name.  He turned, noticed Marissa, and brightened three shades.  He waited for her to catch up.  "You're... not going home?"

"I will in a bit," she answered with her own smile.  She gestured off to the side where they could stand without being in the way of others.  "I wanted to make sure you were okay.  I know that fight hit you kind of hard and all and the trip itself kind of wore you down.  The fight hit us all kind of hard, in different ways.  Even Ash, I think.  So... are you okay?" she finished, shuffling a little.  Her gaze also asked "Are you okay with me?  Can you still be my friend after what I did?"  Her smile turned a bit tremulous as she waited his answer.

Lucas' expression turned from hopeful to confused and finally settled on awkward discomfort.  His eyes flicked down to his toes, then back up and finally he shrugged.  Reliving last evening's nightmares wasn't something he was interested in doing, especially not so soon.  He swallowed back a wince.  "Yeah," he managed, then tried to smile. "Okay, I guess."

"You?" he blurted as an abrupt afterthought.  "You're, uh... okay too?"

"I dunno," she answered with blunt honesty.  A small frown creased her forehead.  "Things changed, you know?  I don't feel the same but I don't know if that's good or bad."  She sighed and leaned her long frame against the fence.  "I'm a little scared to go home and tell my Pa what happened, really.  I mean, he kind of looked at me like I was a little crazy for taking my sword, just to go up to the Widow's.  Now I have to go back and tell him it was a good thing I did... and what I did."

 

Lucas slouched a little and chewed his lip, staring worriedly down at his feet.  "They ate the dog, Marissa," he said finally, almost a whisper.  "They might have eaten Risos if we hadn't..." The youth choked on the words.  Then, forcing a smile as resolute as he could muster, he shared with her the conclusion he had been struggling with all day.  "There comes a time when every creature must fight for its life.  This time, we helped Risos fight for his."

 

He blinked, his eyes wet and stinging.  He looked up at his friend.  "Maybe one day, we will need help in our own fight."

Marissa's warm brown eyes regarded her friend for a moment before she nodded.  "Yeah, probably.  No one gets by in this world without a little help here and there, so my Pa's always saying, anyway.  And, we all helped each other up there," she continued with a firm nod.  Impulsively, she stood straighter and pressed a hug on the slighter young man.  "Thank you, for your help."  Her smile, when she pulled back transformed her face, easing the usual serious lines she wore.  "Listen," she said still with a hand on his shoulder.  "Do you want me to go back with you and help tell your family what happened?  I can go home after that.  It'll still be light enough."

The offer was as devoid of pity or charity as any other she ever made him.  Marissa might have felt he could use some shielding from time to time, but she never coddled or smothered him with that shield.  She just knew that his family might not believe him, so she thought to go along to provide credence to the story.

Lucas gave a wan smile in consideration.  It was a suggestion he didn't take lightly and she could see him grappling with it.  "No," he said at last in defeat.  Despite the promise of supports, who could know what subjecting her to them would bring.  "Thanks anyway."  Another smile.  It hurt.

"I don't..." he started, then cleared his throat.  "I mean, I don't have to go... right away." He shrugged.

Her smile faded, replaced by confusion, then resignation.  It was clear to her that he needed help in this area, like he had with Amos.  But as far as his family went, he wasn't going to accept it.  Bullying a brother or sister was a little okay, when you were all kids.  It happened, but no one in his family -- except maybe his mother -- respected Lucas. They only saw what he couldn't bring to the table instead of what he could.  That's what made her angry about his situation, really.  Angry enough that she really, really wanted to force herself into the issue.  She was smart enough, however to stay out of it.  She sighed and nodded.

"Okay, Lucas."  Her expression warmed as she smiled again, squeezing his shoulder slightly, then removing it quickly when she realized she'd left it there.  Her cheeks colored a little but it faded so quickly, he might have missed it.  "Look, if things get too bad, come out to the farm, okay?" she asked quietly.