Luna smiled, regarding the comment about her having a great time. She admitted quietly “Yup. We were lucky, we could’ve been killed just then.” Luna added quietly “You did great in speaking to them, you were confident.”
What if he hates me? She thought fearfully. For a second, she thought about lying again. Blaming someone else, in case un-like Lucas and Kara he wouldn`t understand. But she couldn`t bring herself to lie to this man, this man who had shown her so much kindness. I have to tell him. "The hunters didn`t kill Kara. I found two hunters. One had a gun, the other had throwing knives. I... stabbed and killed the one with a gun, and used his gun to kill the other. I heard foot steps behind me... I thought it was another hunter. I was so angry that I didn`t realize that the voice was calling my name name... Or that I knew the voice." She paused, and squeezed her eyes shut even harder. "I whirled around and shot before I knew who it was. Then Lucas came from the shadows..." She paused to catch her breath as tears dripped down her face. "The last thing she said was how to make it seem the hunters killed her, not me, and that she didn`t blame me... I didn`t know it was her..." She opened her eyes and raised her tear stained face to look at Xylo`s face, waiting for the anger to cross it. "I killed my own friend." She whispered hoarsely.
"Thanks," Persepolis replied. "I was actually freaking out inside. Thank you for spotting then, I had no idea they were there before you said anything." Her gratitude was immense.
Xylo held her throughout her story. Throughout her pains. Throughout her hurt. He watched as the locks that held him from knowing who she truly was unbolted and revealed her, still beautiful and pure. Xylo’s chest was stained with her tears, marks of a final war between doubt and love, marks that he cherished. But she was all that mattered. He had to respond. As he began to speak, his words coming out from his heart, not his brain, he let her rest on his chest once again, letting her bury her pain in him. He began in soft and loving words “Its ok my angel. It’s ok.” He strokes her hair softly, letting her be comforted with his presence, rather than an useless explanation of what she did. With a sigh, he assured “I have done the same. Being consumed by my rage. And I know your actions were not malign. And Kara knows that too. You didn’t mean any of your actions, and you’re braver than I ever have been. I’ve closed myself in, not telling anyone what I’ve done, but here you are.” He whispered softly, “I love you, River. And I’m sorry about what happened. But know I won’t judge you for it.”
Luna responded quickly “No problem. We both did the right thing, I think.” She slowed her flight as the cabin came into view, slowly landing at the side of it, looking over to her as she landed, before asking “Ready to cook?”
River stared up at him. He doesn`t hate me. How did he not hate her? She was a murderer. A killer.
"Ready," Persepolis replied. She led Luna to the cellar to retrieve the Cattails, which Xylo had put down there. Returning upstairs, she started over to the fireplace, making a low fire for roasting. She placed the Cattails in the fire, careful to position them so that they roasted and didn't burn.
Xylo’s eyes seemed to shine in the dim light of the cave as he looked at her tear-stained face. He gently took his hand and wiped away the last piece droplets of tears on her face, then kissed her softly. Once he pulled away, he looked at her with a gentle, yet...proud expression, making sure she was ok.
Luna followed her, setting the berries on top of the cold stone of the cellar so they didn’t turn warm and sticky. Once they returned upstairs, she sat next to Persepolis and asked conversationally “What do we do while we wait?”
River gave him a weak smile. "Do you want to go train some?" She asked quietly, not sure if she wanted to train or to stay right where she was.
