S a l e t é I I

XIV - Mains - Dix

Cassia had spent a good while with the girls in the backroom before they decided to head out into the main hall of the warehouse, considering that Zisel no longer needed to actually stay at her desk, what with her work concluded.

They had their own little meeting around the fire there, much more informal than any affair overseen by Monet. There they discussed important aspects of the world, like where people in Lower Merveille got their tins or chilli from, and why Uliana was annoying. The girl in question had insisted that such an argument was entirely subjective, whilst Klavdiya - the opposition - had insisted it was indeed objective. She'd gone on to tell Cassia about a few occasions as evidence, effectively filling her in.

"She even tripped me up once."

"That was an accident! You just stopped in front of me!"

"You pushed me."

"I didn't mean to! I helped you up afterwards, didn't I?"

"I was just making my way along, literally right outside here in one of the first alleyways, and boom, she smacks right into my back."

Uliana looked as if she was unwilling to argue any further, the expression across her face one that suggested she was above such nonsense, the sight of her taking things so seriously rather amusing to Cassia.

Whilst it had been fun, sitting with them all with the flames to keep them warm, Klavdiya often poking the protruding bits of wood down with her stick, sounds from above eventually indicated that they were about to be joined by more serious company.

Monet was making her way back down, and the other girls straightened up again - just as Cassia had anticipated - prompting her to once again do the same.

Any messing around soon stopped when the girl in red approached.

Despite her presence, she didn't appear to have come down specifically to talk to any of them, as she was walking in the direction of their hidden entrance.

"Monet? Where are you going?" Uliana asked.

"Just to get some more junk for the fire, that's all."

"Do you want some help?" Cassia quickly asked, barely having to think in order for such a question to come out.

Helping was one thing, and obviously worth doing, but time alone with the older girl was something else, and always felt productive.

"You can come if you'd like."

Monet didn't wait, instead carrying on her way as she reached the side room that led to the hole, and Cassia moved to follow - though she addressed the other girls before she went.

"I'll be right back."

They saw her off with smiles, Zisel offering her good wishes once she'd been entrusted with Polina once more.

"Be careful! No Klavdiya style trips."

The new girl hurriedly set about pursuing Monet, only to find that she had eventually stopped after all - she'd merely gone ahead to open up the exit. Joining her outside, making her way out carefully, Monet closed the way in behind her, the two of them now alone together.

That transition from being with almost everyone around the fire to being with just Monet outside had felt as if it had happened awfully fast. Again, she hadn't really thought too much about it, as she'd viewed it all as an opportunity to learn a little more.

"What are looking for?" She asked the older lass.

"Any old bits of wood. There are usually some scraps up ahead and to the right, in an old yard. You'll see what I mean."