Falling Through the Rift

My name is Leonardo -- Leo to my friends -- and I'm lost. There was an accident in my home world, and I was thrown across time and space into this world. There are alternate versions of my family here, and they're good people, and I've found hundreds of other worlds since I got here.... ...the only place I can't go anymore is home. I know my brothers are working to bring me back. I just wish I knew what was taking them so long. ((Falling!Leo finds himself in a brave, new parallel RP world. Until Falling!Donnie figures out how to bring him back, anyway. He's nervous and feeling out of his depth, so you can ask him anything, but he may not respond unless he feels comfortable doing so -- please don't take it personally. He's just trying to figure out what he's doing. RP blog for Leo from "Falling" by Fantasia Wandering. Leo generally sticks to in-canon interactions owing to Fantasia's stupidly busy schedule coupled with her inability to figure out how he'd respond to non-canon characters. Also, Fantasia has something of a full plate right now and is pretty much at her limit.))

[shardsoftangshen]

Housekeeping

[I am going to set up a back-up somewhere so I don’t lose all the Shard content. I’m just not sure where yet.]

[leaderinblue]

[same with this one]

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

Lea merely nodded at Irma’s word, hauling Casey through the doorway with her thanks and helping him towards the closest place to sit. Propping his leg up, she clumsily dropped the pack from her shell and went about getting the fish. 

“Here.” She finally got her fingers to cooperate enough to open the pack, and with a shuddering sigh, handed the wrapped parcel out to Irma before she turned to check on Casey. “Sh-she didn’t have paper.”

[leaderinblue]

Wrinkling her nose, Irma took the bundle from the turtle girl and flicked the wrappings aside. Silently, she scanned over the words etched onto the dry skin, and she sighed heavily when she finished. She may not have trusted Casey as far as she could throw him, but she did trust Angel. She’d crammed her writing tinier than Irma had ever seen it, and still she felt Angel would have needed a dozen fish to say everything that needed saying. But Irma was certain that this turtle girl -- Lea -- needed help, and that she was the kind of person who deserved it.

Irma gave a stern cluck of her tongue and tossed the fish into the soup pot. “That’s all that’s good for now, anyway. Now sit down, before you catch your death.” Planting a hand on Lea’s shoulder, Irma pushed her down onto the flagstones that had been warmed by the fire. “Honestly. Jones can handle himself.” Snagging a thick fur from the bed tucked into the corner, Irma brusquely wrapped Lea in it.

“Y’know, I’m right here,” Casey said, sounding wounded. “Don’t worry about me or anything.”

“Oh, I’m not,” Irma said, eyeing Lea with a clinical glance. “Soup. Let’s get you warm.” She spared a glance for Casey. “I suppose you can have some too.”

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

Lea pulled back her hood, blinking until her eyes adjusted to not looking at the snow. Irma’s face was familiar, but she couldn’t exactly remember why. Her thoughts weren’t on that so much, however, as was it to get out of the cold, and to check on Casey’s ankle. She wasn’t about to let Irma shut the door on them.

“Wait. P-please.” Lea fumbled with the side of her pack, trying to reach the fish with the message. “I’ve got s-something from Angel…”

[leaderinblue]

Irma narrowed her eyes as the stranger dug at her pack, keeping a hand on the door. Nothing good had ever come of a visit from Casey Jones yet, and she was inclined to just slam the door, but the strange young one was clearly chilled to the bone, and she couldn’t help but pity the poor thing. Irma pursed her lips at that. Pity wasn’t an option where Casey was concerned -- it inevitably led to something getting broken and Irma wanting to beat him over the head with the nearest heavy object.

But at the mention of Angel’s name, she knew she was beaten. Heaving an exaggerated sigh, she opened the door wider. “Fine. Come in then and show me what you have.” She stepped back and folded her arms. “But be sure you keep him on a leash. And make sure he doesn’t break anything. If you can keep him from taking, that’d be even better.

“Thanks, Irma,” Casey said, much to her annoyance. “Nice to see you, too.”

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

Lea caught Casey as he fell, and pulled back her scarf to get a better look at him. Even with the boot and clothing covering his foot, she could tell something was wrong with it. With a concerned look, she nodded, straightening and moving herself to Casey’s other side.

“Just lean on me.” She pulled his arm over her shell, waiting until he was situated before they continued up through the snow. She went carefully, enough that Casey’s ankle wouldn’t be jostled further. The house was in sight; they would get there soon. Hopefully, with Angel’s message, Irma would let them in to recuperate.

What they would do after that, was the question.

“Let’s not trip over any more wires, sh-shall we?” Lea laughed softly, shivering as she shifted Casey’s arm over her shoulders.

[leaderinblue]

Breathing a quiet thanks for Lea’s sturdiness, Casey gave a shaky laugh. “Yeah. Good plan. Thanks for that.” Glancing up at the house that seemed suddenly impossibly far away, he indulged in a quiet whimper before setting himself to match Lea’s rhythm.

“I’ll be fine,” he said. “Just gotta -- gotta walk it off.” 

The sun was setting. Fervently, Casey hoped Irma’s welcome would be a little warmer than the mountains around them. If they had to camp out at this point, he didn’t think much of their chances of waking up again. 

Before he had time to voice his concerns, the door swung open, and he groaned. “Irma. Hi. Uh.... you look good.”

“Jones,” she shot back, planting her hands on her hips. “Nice of you to stop by. Compliments are noted. You can leave now.”

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

“I’m f-fine…” Lea said with a nod, tucking her hands under her arms. “I can make it.” She moved a little faster, trying to catch up with Casey. Whether it was because of the fall from the day before, or the colder air, or both, she noticed she wasn’t moving as fast as she usually could.

And maybe it was also being a turtle that was to blame. Whatever the reason, though, Winter back at home was nothing compared to this…

It was Casey’s words that got Lea’s attention to the rumbling. Her eyes widened at the sight of the incoming logs, and after a delayed moment, she forced herself into action.

“Move!” Stumbling forward, Lea hooked her arm around Casey’s, and began to pull them towards the cover of trees. A moment later, she felt him pulling with her, enough that when the mass of logs came rushing past, they were barely out of its reach. Lea scrambled away further, pressing against the closest tree to shelter her from the spray of wood and snow. She looked to Casey from under her scarf, shouting above the noise. “…Sh-she doesn’t really like visitors, d-does she?”

[leaderinblue]

He was in her debt again. He never would have gotten out of the way in time if not for Lea, her surprising strength dragging him out of the trap’s path. Finally, he managed to get his feet under him, half-following, half towed toward the shelter of the forest. 

He almost made it, too. Lea got them to the trees right as the logs thundered past, so instead of getting crushed flat, all he had to contend with was the blistering pain as one of them clipped his ankle on its way past. 

Breathing heavily as he fought back the tears that pricked at his eyes, he favoured her with a shaky grin. “Y-yeah. She’s not what you’d call social. She’s the only one the bandits left alone, and there’s a reason for that.”

Drawing a hissing breath through his teeth, he tightened his hold on the tree that sheltered him and peeked around it. “Not far. You can see the light from here. Let’s hope she doesn’t have any more surprises for us.” 

Steeling himself, he pushed away from the tree. He was managing the nonchalance pretty well, until the weight came down on his ankle. Managing to turn the howl of agony into a strangled squawk, he staggered and caught hold of Lea to keep himself from falling. 

“Sorry, Blue,” he said sheepishly, his voice thick with pain. “I might need a bit of help in the home stretch.”

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

Lea smiled as Casey talked. She honestly didn’t think she’d ever come to love such a thing like he did, but his enthusiasm was fun to see. “You know, that’s how I feel back at home.” She mused softly. There was a brief pang in her heart as her thoughts went back to the buildings of New York City, but she shook it off quickly, smiling a little wider as she pushed off in another glide.

They reached the shore soon enough. Lea unstrapped her skates quickly and went after Casey, tripping a little as her legs were now hindered by the snow. She was more than ready to be near a fire again. As pretty as the ice looked, and the speedy travel it provided, it didn’t give any sort of relief from the elements.

[leaderinblue]

Casey moved slowly, picking his way over snow-covered rocks and cursing as he went. This was why he hated snow. Ice didn’t hide anything from you -- snow was full of all kinds of unpleasant surprises. But it wouldn’t be long now.

He glanced over his shoulder, not liking the way Lea was shivering. Maybe he’d brought her out too soon. Should he have kept her at Angel’s longer, making sure she was fully recovered? “How you holding up there, Blue?” he called.

His eyes on Lea, he had no way of seeing the wire buried under the snow until he tripped over it and landed face-down in a drift. He pushed himself to his knees quickly, spitting snow out of his mouth, as a low rumbling filled the air. Glancing up, he inhaled sharply at the sight of an enormous pile of logs barreling down the hill straight at him. 

“Aw crud. This is why I hate Irma.”

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

“I’ll take your word for it.” Lea held on tight as Casey spun them around, grinning until they slowed down enough to let go. She laughed and glided ahead, looking out at the sea of ice thoughtfully.

“Aside from the possibility of falling through, and the freezing cold, I can see why you like this.”

[leaderinblue]

Casey grinned, kicking off until he caught up with her, and looked out over the shining expanse. In this light, it looked like the entire world had been carved into the surface of a diamond.

“Ahh, Blue. When you learn to listen to her, there’s nothing else like it. Just you, and the ice, and nothing to stand in your way. Makes you feel like there’s nothing in the world you can’t do.”

It was a shame, really. He’d loved the ice long before the queen had come, and she had to go and ruin it for everyone. Glancing over his shoulder at his travelling companion, he smiled. Unless he missed his guess, that wouldn’t be the case much longer. 

“Right. That’s the start of the pass up there. Irma’s house is in the lee of the cliffs.” He spun, striking out toward the shore. “Follow me. The ice is singing loud and clear. She’ll hold, don’t you worry.” 

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

Breathing deeply, Lea buckled on her skates and followed Casey out, giving him a small smile as the glided after him. “Then let’s get moving.”

She fell into her stride slower than the day before, but she was more cautious, paying better attention to the kinds of ice Casey avoided, and following in his lead. It was when the ice was a good and solid white again, did she let herself relax. Somewhat.

“I have to ask, before we actually get there,” she said, pulling out some food from Casey’s pack for the both of them as they moved, “why does Irma hate you?”

[leaderinblue]

Casey snagged the food Lea offered and crammed it into his mouth as he moved, gliding backward as he contemplated just how to answer that question. “I don’t know if I have an answer for that,” he said at last, indulging in a few small spins on the good ice. “You ever meet someone you just... never gel with? And every time you say something, it comes out wrong and makes the other person mad? That’s me and Irma.”

He let out a long breath and skated close to Lea’s side, his hand dipping into the pack for some dried fruit. “She’s okay, I guess. And I’ll deny I ever said this, but she’s smarter than me when it comes to figures and such” He snorted. “But she’ll never, ever let me forget it, either.”

Laughing, he drifted closer and again and took Lea’s hands. “But she’ll also never be as smart as me when it comes to ice.” He twirled, tugging Lea with him. “Nobody knows ice like I do.”

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

“Oh.” Lea huffed a soft laugh as she tucked the fish away where she could reach easily, “Well, that’s different.” She took Angel’s hand and nodded, pulling her into a quick hug and lowering her voice in turn. “I’ll make sure he comes back. I promise.”

Pulling up her hood, Lea indulged in the warmth of the hut for a few more moments, until Casey was actually ready to go. With a smile to Angel before she pulled up her scarf, she went out first. Back out into the snow and ice.

Her eyes fell to the frozen shore at the bottom of the hill, and her smile faltered some as she turned to Casey. “So, which way?”

[leaderinblue]

Casey gave Lea’s shoulder a reassuring pat before starting down the hill. “We’ll use the shore a-ways before--whoa--” He cursed quietly, kicking the rock that had slipped under his feet. This was why he hated walking in the mountains. “--before we hit the ice again.” He glanced over his shoulder. “It’s only thin near the shore ‘cause of all the stuff Angel has to dump when she’s brewing potions. We’ll be fine a little farther out. Trust me, Blue. I got your back.” 

He walked slowly along the shore, carefully evaluating the colour of the ice, until he found what he was looking for. He ventured out, taking a few steps and listening to how the surface echoed underfoot, before he smiled in satisfaction. “Here we go. Strap your blades on, Blue. We got a long way to go before dark.”

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

Lea woke slowly to the new fire burning, and gave Angel a groggy smile when she saw her. Quickly, she reached for her now-dry clothes and set them in front of the fire, waiting for them to warm up before she pulled them back on. She had to smirk at herself; she understood at least one practical reason why people wore clothing, now.

Breakfast was porridge, and Lea made sure to have a little extra to compensate for the energy lost from her fall in the ice. She was well enough to keep going, though, she insisted. After everything, not much was going to stop her.

It also helped that she had a little of Shard’s potions left. Lea drank down what was left in one of the bottles and breathed a sigh when she felt her strength returning. Thank you, Karai, for stealing them back for her.

“Ready?” Lea asked Casey, throwing her pack over her shoulders and glancing at the door. She looked to Angel, smiling broadly. “Thank you again.”

[leaderinblue]

Angel was up with the dawn, not surprised that her two houseguests were still asleep, given what they’d gone through. She busied herself with quietly making a porridge, tossing in a variety of nuts and berries for additional sustenance before setting about packing some dried meat, bread, and cheese for their journey.

She wasn’t surprised that Lea was up first. She smiled in approval as Lea set her clothes in front of the fire to warm -- there was a sound head on those shoulders, no mistake, which would provide a good counter to the thickhead travelling with her. Quietly, she tiptoed over to drop the sack of rations on Casey’s stomach.

“Bwuh!” Casey jolted awake, rubbing his eyes. “Whazzat? Whozzat?” 

“Get up, you,” Angel said, not unkindly. “Get your things together. You’ve got a long day ahead.”

While Casey pulled himself together, Angel straightened Lea’s outer garments, ensuring that they’d keep out the wind. With a glance at Casey, who’d answered Lea’s question with an affirmative while struggling into his boots, Angel smiled and said quietly, “no, thank you. He’ll see you safe, but make sure he comes back the same.”

Raising her voice a little, she handed Lea a package wrapped in rough cloth. “Here’s the note for Irma. I’m sorry it smells a bit -- I didn’t have any paper, so I had to write it on a dried fish.”

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

“Sounds good enough to me.” Lea nodded, handing the bowl to Angel and pulling her arms back inside the warmth of the blankets. “Thank you,” she smiled to both of them, and then she added to Angel sheepishly, “and sorry about crashing.”

She told Casey that so long as he didn’t kick in his sleep, she would be fine with his company, but only if he wanted to. Her eyes soon closed after that, finally letting the fatigue from the day drag her under. 

Even with Angel’s hospitality, she didn’t want to stay long. There was still some distance to cross, and she was anxious to get back on the road. A sleepy thought occurred to her, and she reached out, seeing if she could find her twin beyond the mountains. 

But all she could feel in their bond was the cold, and she shivered just before she drifted off to sleep, the concern in her face not completely going away.

[leaderinblue]

They waited until Lea fell asleep, though neither one missed the worry on her face, and they exchanged a worried glance of their own. Settling their charge carefully and ensuring she was well tucked-in, they moved a short distance away and sat together, their proximity making up for the warmth lost from the fire. 

“She seems sad,” Angel ventured at last, her voice hushed.

“Can’t blame her, given all she’s been through,” Casey sighed. “But don’t worry. I’m gonna make sure it goes away. I owe her that much.”

“About that,” Angel ventured, toying with the edge of the blanket that covered them.

Casey shook his head. “You don’t want to know, kiddo.”

“But I do.” She turned to him, her eyes wide. They were such a peculiar shade, he’d always found, but pretty, and they’d never hid much. They told him without words when she was frightened, or angry, or amused, or, as now, when she was greatly upset. Angel grabbed hold of his arm, but he couldn’t look away from her. “It’s been so long, Casey. I thought that you’d... you’d...”

Clucking his tongue, he placed an arm around her and hugged her against his side. “Nah, Angel. I’d miss pestering you too much. I’d never just up and leave you.”

“Then what happened?” she whispered.

It was her eyes that did it. He told her everything... except why he’d gone after the bandits in the first place. By the end of it, her arms were around his waist and her head pressed against him, and he smoothed down her hair so that he could kiss the top of her head.

“So you see why I’m sticking with Lea?” 

Angel nodded. “If I was any good out there, I’d go with you myself.”

Casey smiled fondly, and hugged her again. “Nah, you stick with your poultices and such. You’re good at that. And people like Lea need you.”

She turned her tear-streaked face up to him, her lip pouting defiantly. “People need you too.” 

Laughing softly, Casey lifted a corner of the blanket and dried her face. “Careful. Someone might think you’re going soft.” He shook off her muttered complaint at that, and looked over at the turtle sleeping by the fire. “You mind if I stay down here tonight? I want to stay close and make sure she’s... you know.”

“Yeah.” Angel pushed herself to her feet and lobbed a pillow at him. “Try not to wake her up with your snoring.”

When Angel had taken her leave, Casey gathered the pillow and the blanket and curled himself on the other side of the fire, close enough that he could let the even sound of her breathing chase him into sleep.

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

Irma? Lea raised a brow as the two talked. The name didn’t ring a bell with her, like Angel’s hadn’t, so she watched the exchange to figure out what she should to do.

“If she’s the best person to help, I want see her.” Lea decided, ignoring Casey’s groans as she used her bread to soak up the last of the stew. She paused and glanced up at Angel. ”How far away is she?”

[leaderinblue]

“The better part of a day,” Angel said, pausing to jab Casey in the ribs. “You’re not going anywhere tonight, at least. We can make you comfortable here, and I’ll just be up in the loft. Himself here can either stay down here with you or find a spot in a corner of the loft. That’s up to you and how much annoyance you want to put up with.” 

Casey sighed dramatically, placing a hand on his head. “I tell you, I’m cursed. Never to be appreciated in my own lifetime.”

“That’s not true!” Angel protested. “I appreciate the thickness of your head.” In demonstration, she threw a piece of bread at it. Casey ducked with a yelp and threw a piece back at her, with slightly less vigor than he might have given that he was trying not to jostle Lea.

Shaking her head, Angel crammed the rest of her bread in her mouth. “Seriously, though,” she said around the mouthful, “she really doesn’t like him, but she and I get on well enough. I’ll send you with a note so that she doesn’t slam the door in your face. Irma knows snow as well as Casey knows ice, and you’re going to need her help getting through the pass. She’s got a good heart, though. She’ll help.”

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

Lea snapped out of her dozing to a gentle shake on her shoulder, and she dragged a hand over her face as Casey helped her sit up again. From what she could tell, everything was okay between the two again. She smiled at Angel, accepting the bowl from her and blowing on the soup before took a bite. She had to regain her strength. Needed to be back on her feet as soon as possible.

It was over her second helping that she had to ask, “What’s the best way over the mountains?” She looked between the two for an answer, “How long do you think it’ll take?”

[leaderinblue]

Casey lounged next to Lea, happy to be her back rest as he watched her eat. This close to the mountains, a trip through the ice was almost fatal, even one as quick as Lea’s. The fact that she was on her second helping made him happier than he’d have thought possible given his state only a few days ago.

Angel had been busying herself making buttered bread to go with Lea’s stew, but at Lea’s question, Angel handed off the bread with an awkward cough. “About that....” 

Casey’s eyes widened. “Nooo. No, no, no, no....”

“Snowslides happen, Casey, you know that.”

He groaned, throwing back his head. “There has to be another way.”

Angel rolled her eyes. “Quit being such a big baby. She’s clever and she has tricks to get through the passes when they’re blocked. She’s not that bad.”

“That’s because she likes you,” Casey said. “She hates me.”

“Sorry, Case,” Angel said, and the grin she gave him as she handed him his own piece of bread was positively feral.  “You two are going to have to go see Irma.”

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

Lea watched Angel go to the corner before she gently elbowed Casey from beneath the blankets. “Go talk to her.” She whispered back, then added, “I’ll be okay. Just wake me up if I’m asleep.”

Casey carefully laid her down, and Lea listened to his footsteps cross the room. She shifted a little in the blankets, pillowing her head as she gazed at the fire again, steadily falling into a light doze in its warmth. If he had been gone that long, they really needed to have a talk, and probably without a stranger appearing to be listening in on them.

[leaderinblue]

Casey took an uncertain step toward Angel, watching warily as she attacked the fabric with the needle. “Angel?” he asked quietly. “I...” The hunching of her shoulders told him she’d heard, but she said nothing. Just jabbed the fabric even harder, and let out a cry as the needle struck her fingers. Tossing the sewing to the ground, she rose to her feet and turned away from him, her arms folded. 

Helplessly, he held up his hands, and attempted to make a joke. “Hey, I’d have thought you’d be glad to get a break from me.”

“That’s because you’re an idiot!” Angel cried. Rounding on him, she punched him hard enough to make him stagger, but before he could react, she was on him, her arms tight around his waist. He coudn’t see her face, it was pressed too tightly against his chest, but he could feel damp through the fabric. 

Slowly, his arms came up around her, and he rested his hand against her hair. “Hey, it’s okay now. I’m back. I’ll be around to bug you as long as you want.”

“Jerk,” Angel muttered against him. But she didn’t let go. So Casey held her, gently stroking her hair, until the pot by the fire began to bubble and Angel pushed away, scrubbing her face with the back of her hand. “Come on, let’s go get some food into your friend before she fades away.”

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

“Yup.” Lea stretched a little under the blankets and felt her forehead herself. “Just talking.” She took a peek at the thawing lump of stew before she set her head back again, slowly pulling a blanket back around.

“So… how long have you been gone, anyway?” Lea asked Casey, fighting the urge to glance at Angel. Whether or not he wanted her to know just yet wasn’t Lea’s decision to make. But, she was curious.

[leaderinblue]

“Uhhh....”  With the hand that wasn’t occupied in holding Lea, Casey scratched his head. “I don’t really...”

“Three months, two weeks, five days,” Angel said tersely, and pushed herself to her feet. “But who’s counting?” Turning on her heel, she marched toward the door. 

Casey blinked at the outburst, staring as Angel stormed over to the corner, yanked out a pile of sewing, and dropped down with her back to him, stabbing the fabric with a needle as though it had personally offended her and refusing to acknowledge its existence. He glanced down at Lea, his brows furrowing in confusion. “I have no idea what that was about,” he whispered. 

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

Lea hummed and nodded, savoring the warmth that chased away the chill before she opened her eyes again with a small smirk. “Well, she seems all right to me, too. And I trust you.”

She sighed and looked to the fire, watching the flames dance before she glanced at Casey out of the corner of her eye. “How did you meet her, anyway?” She asked.

[leaderinblue]

A grin caught him off guard, and he patted her cheek lightly. “Awww. Don’t go getting mushy on me now, Blue. You’ll make me soft.” But though he jested, her words meant a lot to him. It surprised him, just how much. He’d been called a lot of things in his life, but trustworthy usually wasn’t one of them.

He sobered a little at Lea’s question, pulling the blanket up around her head at the reminder. “She’s five years younger’n me. Her people were travellers, and they were out on the ice when a blizzard hit. I’d always made a point of checking the ice after a storm, but by the time I made it out there...” He sighed softly. “I was too late for most of her family. But Angel... even at ten, she was a fighter. I carried her back, warmed her up, and took care of her ‘till she decided she didn’t need me anymore. To be honest, I’m not sure she ever forgave me for not getting there in time to save the others. Never really stopped looking out for her, though.” He snorted softly. “To be honest, I went up against the bandits ‘cause they were getting too close--” 

The door swung open and Casey clammed up fast, hoping Angel hadn’t heard anything. Her face didn’t give a clue, but then, it rarely did. She brushed past him to set the frozen stew on the fire with a thump. “There. Not long now.” She sat on Lea’s other side, pressing a hand against Lea’s head and nodding in satisfaction. “He treating you okay?”

[leaderinblue]

Frozen Heart

[lea-nardo]

“Lea.” She introduced herself in turn, smiling tiredly back at Angel. While the girl was someone she had never seen before, nor had she heard about her (or maybe, him, where she was from) back at home, Lea could tell she was all right. Casey seemed to trust her, and by the way they spoke to each other, they had been friends for a while. At the moment, it was enough.

She huffed a small laugh at Casey’s outburst, then closed her eyes as she shifted her feet against the warm stone. “I wouldn’t mind something, if that’s all right…”

[leaderinblue]

“Of course it’s all right.” Angel patted Lea’s shoulder. “I’ve got some venison stew out in the cold shed. It won’t take long to thaw out and warm up.” Rising to her feet, she took a playful swipe at the back of Casey’s head. “There’s even enough to fill this one’s hollow leg. I’ll be back soon.” She glared at Casey. “Don’t burn my house down.”

“Will you just go already?” Casey snapped. Angel stuck her tongue out at him before wrapping a shawl around her shoulders and ducking out into the cold.

“Don’t you worry about her,” he said to Lea, adjusting the blankets to make sure she was covered. “She talks big, but she’s all right. I can count the people I trust one one hand, but she’s on it.”