(Yasha nods mutely, because she does understand that feeling. The closer she gets to other people, letting them in bit by bit, the harder it is to ignore the somber line-up of ghosts out of the corner of her eye: Zuala, Mollymauk, one behind the other. Who will be next? Sometimes she pays that thought too much attention, and becomes lost in it.

Anyway. Now certainly isn't the time.)

Well, (she says eventually, thinking carefully of what she wants to say before she says it,) I... think that what you need to remember is that you're not alone this time. If someone bigger comes to smack you down the rest of us will smack them right back, and we'll kill them. For you. Because you... belong with us. And we won't let anybody take things from you again.