Pony only blinked in surprise as Cassie hurried off, leaving her with the boy. Hoping the boy might open up to her, she gave a friendly grin and cocked her head to one side. She was now hoping for a child of her own, and perhaps sitting with Jake would be good practice. Whether she had a boy or girl, that child was going to need a friend, and what better friend that Cassie's nephew?! "I'll stay with you, Jake. How about I read you some stories while we wait for your mom, okay?" From the haversack she carried everywhere with her, she pulled a much loved and heavily worn book; the battered leather cover was in such poor shape from age and use that both title and author were scoured away. Pony leafed lovingly through its pages to find a story the boy might like. "My mom gave this to me when I was about your age, Jake. I wasn't ever able to read too good, and there's no pictures. Well, a few, but only here and there. And I don't understand some of the stories. But it's my most favorite thing in the world. Oh, here we go!"

In a faltering, hesitant voice, Pony began to read aloud. It was clear she was having trouble with many of the larger words, but she continued onwards in hopes of entertaining the boy and maybe... just maybe... becoming friends with him. "In the beginning of years, when the world was so new and all, and the Animals were just beginning to work for Man, there was a Camel, and he lived in the middle of a Howling Desert because he did not want to work..."

***

Lucien stood there, a frozen tableau with knife raised and eyes staring right through Cassie to where Toni stood just beyond. Her words took time to register in his mind through the thick cloud of fury and guilt that had so enraged him, longer still for his fingers to slowly release from the hilt one at a time until Cassie could pry it out of his hands. When the weapon was taken from him and his rage ebbed away, Lucien was left to stand in agitated confusion. His eyes were wide and wild, his breath panting as he recovered from the sudden surge of adrenaline that had overtaken his body and senses at Toni's sneering. Those grey-blue eyes locked on Cassie's as though seeking some answers before the realization struck as to what had just happened. Closing his eyes, he lowered his head wearily. He hadn't meant to threaten with the knife, not really. It had simply been in his hand at the time of the confrontation, as was the whetstone which his left hand still clutched. It didn't matter. Lucien knew what it must have looked like, and perhaps unconsciously he did want to attack his former best friend; he had more than enough cause to want to.

Then there was Uncle, shouldering his way through the crowd and glaring at everyone from beneath shaggy eyebrows. His jaw was near clenched. The news that [i]something[/i] was going down had obviously reached him, and he looked less than pleased. Lucien and Toni both shame faced and red, Cassie standing there with Lucien's knife in her hand... He would be a fool not to know that some near tragedy had almost occurred. Running a hand over his face, he paused to rub at the bridge of his nose. "Right. Who's the first to tell me a really big lie about what's going on here?"