"We believe he had help."
The Elders all looked at each other, alarmed at this statement. "What are you saying?" Mrs. Clack exclaimed. "Are you suggesting one of us-?"
"Surely you cannot believe someone in this village would assist in such a thing?" Someone else called.
Mr. Walker held up a hand, his civilized air never failing. "We must take into account the amount of animals contained in the room." He explained carefully. "One man, in the amount of time given, could not have skinned and placed those animals about the village alone." The Elders fell silent, the pure logic of this statement settling in. "He must have been assisted in some way. I am not suggesting anyone in this room was the helper, but we must speak with the others and try to discover whom it was."
The room had fallen deathly silent. Finally Mrs. Clack spoke up. "I cannot believe anyone in this village would do such a thing. Surely, Noah was the only one not present at the wedding, was he not?" There was murmured agreement here. "And if what you say is true..." She hesitated. "Can we rule out outside help? Perhaps he somehow made contact with the towns..."
"I pray that is not the case." Edward Walker replied solemnly.
Ivy Walker looked down at, but did not see Lucius Hunt lying motionless on the bed. Her hand had not left his for the whole duration of her watch, and she sighed, shaking her head, wishing something... anything... would happen.
"Ivy?"
The young woman looked around as her father's voice called her name. "Ivy the meeting is over. I need to speak with you." He sounded tense, weary. She turned back to Lucius, biting her lip. "Alice is here, she will watch over him." Edward said gently.
Ivy nodded, tearing herself from her love's side and following her father back to their own house.
"Ivy... the creature that... attacked you in the woods..." Edward hesitated, looking down at his daughter, the expression on her face curious, yet otherwise unreadable. "That... was not a creature."
"Then what was it?" Ivy asked softly, as if she had been expecting his words, and now her face was filled with dread.
"It was Noah."
She gasped, her hands covering her mouth, shaking her head mutely. Edward kneeled beside her, gathering her in his arms. "Oh Ivy I am sorry." He said as the tears rolled off her face. "He... found one of our spare suits and escaped with it. I am sorry."
Ivy clung to him, crying into his shoulder, feeling the bitter tears stinging her eyes. She felt sick, riddled with guilt and shame. Oh Noah... my friend Noah... She thought she hated him for what he had done to Lucius, but in fact she had pitied him. She sympathized with the man, his inability to understand what was going on between them. And now he was dead.
And it was her fault.