#anywhere

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Dika-Hannah as friend has been interesting. Even now, Sylvi finds she has a hard time looking at her. And she might feel guilty, or even irritated. Trolls have steel strong wills. She should be able to make herself do it more easily, right?

But it's the revelation today that has her stunned "...you can see their bodies under the chimerical ice...the shine of the axe" Dika-Hannah had explained

The Hatchet of Bury the Hatchet? Dika knows where it is!

Sylvi gives her a startled look. "But...if you know where it is...why hasn't anybody retrieved it?!"

"I..." a blush "I haven't told them"

Dika-Hanna explains "when..when folks look, they come nearby. They...pay attention. If I tell them, it'll stop. You'll stop"

She thinks about that. "You've left it there to fight the loneliness." Kindly. "I guess I understand. But...Dika-Hannah, you're telling me, now. You've got to know that I'm going to tell the Baron, that I'm going to try."

"I know" she says touching her stomach "It's ...this is like the third time you've had me over. And the guilt is... it's just horrible. It's like something is flopping inside my belly"

"Guilt? Dika-Hannah, you don't owe me anything, just because I invite you over."

"Yes, but you're wanting it so bad and I kept it secret, and you were NICE so... ' a bit of her ugly twisted lip, her corpse like face wincing "I don't want you to fail."

"Well...I don't want me to fail, either." A joke to defuse, but then she's serious again. "You know that, whether I go looking for it or not, and whether I find it or not...I'm going home soon." An apologetic look. "I won't be here. And...I don't want you to be lonely again."

"I know.. I.. did you mean it when I said I could visit?" Dika-Hannah asks "I don't think I could stay away from Alaska forever, but..a visit?"

"A visit, absolutely! Not right away...I'll have to get settled in school, and I'll have to arrange it with the Chieftain and my folks...but as soon as I can manage that, definitely." A firm nod.

A hesitation before she adds, "We can shake on it, if you like. To make it a solid promise."

"Thanks" Dika-Hannah says, then looks at her "Really? I..no, your word is good enough. We're friends. I believe you."

"Okay." Sylvi nods, hopefully hiding the trace of relief. "Now...can you show me where it is?"

"Surely..." A deep breath, "But bring a weapon. Sometimes nightmares and monsters roam nearby it. I think they don't want anyone to find it"

She pats the bowie knife on her belt. "But maybe I should bring something bigger, too? Like a spear?"

"Spears re very good anytime you're near bodies of water around here" She approves "But keep your knife too. That's a beauty by the way"

She smiles. "Thanks. My dad gave it to me, for my Togail. Come on." She leads Dika-Hannah to the hold's armory, and asks the quartermaster for the loan of a spear. "I should have it back to you by sundown."

The spear is granted. They play fast and loose iwth arms in Alaska it seems . 😉

Thanks to the quartermaster, and the girls are off in search of the fabled axe.

...hatchet.

...thing.

(To be continued another day)