#anywhere

Zane frowns "I'm not just talking out of my ass here. It's healthy to have hopes and dreams"

"It's stupid. All you do is set yourself up."

Zane looks testy "Maybe you have a right to be scared because of a past history, butthat doesn't mean it's stupid to have dreams. you are part dream. Kind of self defeating, doncha think, to spit on yourself?"

"Easy, "Bert says to Zane, "Zane... satyr blood running a bit hot."

Jaw jutting. "I'm not scared."

"Well, it sure SOUNDS like..." And he gets pulled back a bit by Bert

"Cn't believe the nockers' the peacemaker here" He mutters "Okay okay. We can take this up another time. So... maybe sometime a zepplin ride, bunch of us could go. I know a guy."

"Yeah?" A step forward, chest puffed out - looming probably far more than she realizes.

Zane's eyes narrow again, "Is she trying to intimidate me?"

Madder and more offended than he is scared.

Bert steps forward, "Easy alfurking ready guys. Geez."

Her lips curl, eyes narrowing.

"No. Make him own it. You think I'm scared?"

"I can show you scared. See who's laughing."

"Not of me, no," Zane says, then looks her over, "I think you're scared of trusting. I think you're scared that I'm right, because if I am, it means you're so scared of bad things happening that it's keeping you from good things. So yeah, YOU, are in denial."

"Shut UP. You don't know anything." Her grip tightens on the halberd, and her other hand curls into a fist.

....followed by the sound of wood cracking.

glamour flickers in Zane's eyes.Bert gets between them again. Then the sound of wood cracking..distracts both boys.

"I think you broke something" Zane says, his ire passing at this new development

The fist loosens, but doesn't open - a look of utter devastation crossing her face before it is wiped flat and sullen.

"Shut UP."

"You know what ? You're not my baron, you're not my boss... and I didn't do anything. So fuck off..." Zane turns and stomps off, "I've been nothing but nice to you. And whatever you just broke, I hope it was VALAUBLE and yours."

Bert winces

"I HATE YOU!" She bellows after him.

Bertwinces.

"Sit and spin" Zane flips her off and moves off in ..damn, he's fast.

She screams expletives in his wake - not nockerish variants, not creative - cruel and ugly and angry vulgarity.

Bert sighs and mutters something. Those keen eared might hear him say "It behooves both the jews and the arabs to settle their differences in a Christian manner."

No doubt, a screaming troll is not likely to hear that.

Finally, with Zane long out of range, she stops for breath - purple faced, panting, eyes red.

A pause, and Bert says "Uhm... I guess asking if you were 'okay' would be a fool question. Maybe whatever broke can be fixed?"

A look at the nocker - rage spent, she seems to shrink. Round shouldered, slouching, defeated. She brings up her hand, and cautiously uncurls her fingers.

The nocker looks

The little wooden badger is broken, split cleanly along the grainline.

"We can fix that... at least, I think it can be. Heck, the chief might be able to. If she can heather balm art." he muses

"You want me to see if I can find someone to fix it?"

She stands stock still and silent.

"No. I gotta go home."

"Okay.. look, satyrs are.. they're emotional. He'll apologize tomorrow. Just you see

"

"Whatever."

Bertrand ponders saying something else, but instead says "goodbye." And lets her go

She stays still, holding the pieces of the carving - face struggling to stay in its stoic glare.

Bert looks confused, she's not leaving. Does this... "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I gotta go." She mumbles, dropping the broken pieces,

The troll stomps off in the opposite direction from Zane - away from the nocker, away from the satyr, away from the lodge.

He watches her go and once she's gone, he bends down and picks them up. "Mmm. " A look towards the lodge. He winces "No they are not hapy with me there. If I go, I'm gonna get glareed at like I'm some sort of perv and Gerd will attack me again

""

A sigh, he squares his hat, "Why can't people be easy" But he heads towards the lodge

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