#anywhere

"A child of the invaders seeks to grant us succor?" a surprised whisper very much like a sluagh though it could have more to do with distance than anything "what is this good work you speak of? For many times a white banner was raised and lies soon painted it red"

"I..." Sylvi hesitates. She hadn't quite thought that far in advance. "Well...there's lots of groups that are enemies. Sometimes that's for good reasons...but sometimes people have forgotten the reasons, and are just enemies because they're enemies. Maybe, in those cases, the hatchet would be useful...?" She can't help her voice from sounding a bit hesitant at the end, as if a teacher is quizzing her on a question and she's guessing at the answer.

A dead woman's mouth seems to move despite her being frozen in the water "This girl may have no malice in her own heart, but how do we know that others do not use her as a puppet? Her reasons are vague. I do not think we should help her"

Dika-Hanna frowns at this.

"I'm no puppet!"

"Are you not?" a nother voice, not taunting, but not convinced "how would a puppet know if she was such?"

"I...okay, specifically? There are Nunnehi in the southern lands of the Autumn World, and they fight viciously against the fae who live there. If I could use the Hatchet to help both sides find a way to live in peace, that...that would be amazing. That would save so many people's lives, on both sides!"

"The girl values life , that is something" a consideration. //"Perhaps her side is losing? and that is why she wishes peace?"

Dika-Hannah looks at Sylvi and whispers "May I speak ?"

She is clearly asking Sylvi, not the elders

Sylvi nods. "Of course."

Dika-Hannah speaks, "I am Dika-Hannah, of the Pug'Wi. My people are cursed, even the dead recoil. This I know, but we are also Nunehi. if there is to be a wheel, we must be a part of it. Yet there are tribes of other Nunehi who live here, different tribes- but I am not often welcome among them, and not one of them befriended me. Sylvi of the Vale and River, of the Giants and Ogres, traveled far, and not knowing I could lead her here- did befriend me. A child of the invasion befriended me while my own cousins abandoned me. What proof do you need? She means peace, and her heart is like all, flawed, but there is kindness in her. And death has closed your eyes if you cannot see the good in her."

There is a sudden silence from the dead.

Then a voice "A test. Sylvi of the Vale and River... gaze at your friend's open face. A good, long, look. And do not flinch"

A blink at that...that's all? She's known Dika-Hannah for weeks, and sure, her face isn't pleasant, but.... She turns to her friend and looks at her. "If I flinch, I'm sorry. I really don't mean to. And even if you don't think so, you're plenty beautiful inside, and that's where we're friends...in our hearts. Right?"

"It's not a fair test to you, even I don't look in a mirror for long, but okay" Dika-Hannah says trying to be oddly brave

Direct eye contact can be awkward over a prolonged period, even for beautiful people. So Sylvi tries to turn it into a game. "Don't blink," she says with a half-grin.

Dika-Hannah can't help it, she gives an ugly smile, but..it's more funny than horrifying, that it's a game now. They stare at each other, and yes, Dika-Hannah is uUUUUUGLY.... but Sylvi remembers how folks treat her father with his slightly blighted face. How some treated him. No. She won't be one of those people. So she makes a game of it, and does not flinch.

And a voice goes "Impressive. Perhaps we should indeed be shamed, when the foreign elm and the native pine befriend, who are we to say there is not even forest for both? We will aid you. You will need to melt the ice. And swim down fast. The ice here is a living thing, and it is rigid because it is angry and has seen cruelty. Speak to it warmly."

"Thanks," Sylvi murmurs to Dika-Hannah with a smile, then she turns back to the dead. "Thank you. I will." She hands the Pu'Gwi her spear. "I don't think I can swim well with it."

"there is one more request. You need not do it, the hatchet is more important" another whisper

"Yes?" Cautious, but listening.

_"Free our bodies from the ice. _"

Her jaw drops. "All of you? I...will do my best." She frowns, thinking... "Is there a way to do it that you know?"

"Hard work. ANd the hatchet can use as a tool. As long as it is not used for war"

"Okay, that helps. Thank you." Then a wry look to Dika-Hannah. "You'll help get me out if...?"

"Yes, if you get trapped," She says , "Here, I brought something... rub it on yourself. " SHe offers a bowl or some kind of goo. "It will keep you warm. And.. speaking of warm, better say something kind to the ice. The walrus had the same clue"

"Yeah. I'd Willow Whisper it, but...but it's not just ice, it's living. If it were just ice, I could speak to it and get it to speak back to me, whether it wanted to or not...but if it's living, I don't know it well enough to make sure it will reply. So...I hope I can convince it to play nice." A pause. "I really don't want to take off this coat...."

But she does, and quickly spreads the goo on any flesh exposed by the clothing underneath. "Unless you think I need to strip down more?" Hoping not.

"It'll have to do" she says "I can help"

Sylvi nods, trusting that Dika-Hannah will know what to do. She hands back the bowl, and tries not to shudder in the cold as she goes to the edge of the ice. Again a pause as she forms her words....

"Great Ice, I ask you to hear me. I seek to free you from a burden you hold, from a weight you carry. I must do this...but I do not wish to hurt you. Please tell me how I can help you to release those you have held so long." Good, her teeth didn't chatter.

The ice starts to shimmer and speaks to her "A little flattery never hoit. A touch of human or troll kindness goes a long way. Maybe ask me how my day has been? act like you care a little mmmm?"

Sylvi grins a bit. "I've never spoken with living ice before. I don't want to insult you, so forgive me if I ask something stupid, okay? So...um...do you like the weather here? I know this cold air is really unpleasant for me...but I'm guessing it feels nice to you. Is that right?"

"It can, but really, I'm also water so somtimes..." As they chat and talk, Sylvi keeps up the kindness...a nd the ice...melts! It would appear that the walrus and others were being quite literal when they said 'warm words' would work. While still cold, it isn't as cold as it was, and she now has a large hole to dive through that' spsreading. Oh the ice may returned, but for now it seems content

"Ice...do you mind if I just dive in for a bit? I'll be back to talk soon." Not that she really wants to dive into that, but...maybe it's warmer now? A little?

"sure......" The icy water seems drifting a sleep

Dika-Hannah whispers 'Better go now"

Sylvi nods and dives in quickly, trying not to think about it too much, and aiming for where she last saw the Hatchet.

COLLLLD! that stuff she put on is very veryh handy and keeps what is still way way too cold from being numbing. Plunging down ,she sees the hatchet, and goes to get it. She also sees the bones? She'll get the hatchet first, but does she try to get them?

How are they arranged? She grabs the Hatchet first, but without pausing continues on to the bones, seeking an arm to grab.

They're scattered in a 20 foot area

she goes from one, to another...then goes down to get another... and starts to tire. she can't... air bubbles

Oh no... She kicks again, then tries to corkscrew upwards, the bones in one hand, holding the Hatchet above her head in the other, an attempt to bunk to Hopscotch back to the surface.

She feels the Glamour fizzle like a wet sparkler. No....

She can't...concentrate, she can't...

And she passes out as the last of her air seems to leave her.

She has the weirdest dreams. She smokes from a pipe, just once, then hands it over to someone. Her mother takes a drag "I'm going to kill her" Olgar takes one "I Know." "This is a PEACE Pipe" Dika fusses and takes her own

"I didn't mean to...." Looking miserably among the three of them. "I'm sorry."