GAR
He considered walking her back to the Treehouse, but he was partly afraid if he was that close Elreth might call him back to the meeting. And he wasn't sure how Rika was going to cope with being out in the WildWood. What if they ran into someone she didn't know? He wasn't sure what would trigger her fear and he didn't want to risk it.
So he approached slowly, watching her to see if she'd recoil. But when she didn't, he took his mother's seat, settling himself right next to her, though not touching, his back to the wall so they could both stare forward.
Rika sighed heavily. "I hate this," she said, shaking her head. "Every time it happens I feel like I just screw up everything. It ruins me."
