#anywhere

Poor Willy is getting an earful "So if you see a spriggan, or whatever that guy was, you tell me," Gladiola insists. "I owe him pain, so much pain. But becareful because he's got weather medicine.. err skycraft."

"Got it."

CLANG CLANG, CLANG CLANG, CLANG CLANG, CLANG CLANG, CLANG CLANG, CLANG CLANG.....

"The nerve, the ever loving Nerve of that assholee, coming into our place, bespelling our dogs, and trying to steal the puppies from a new mother before they even had their first taste of mother's milk. I am going to WRECK that guy" Pacing

"Yep." CLANG CLANG, CLANG CLANG, CLANG CLANG, CLANG CLANG, CLANG CLANG, CLANG CLANG.....

Between clangs, so some words are drowned OUt "Spiirt... Witness... Sever .... hands.... Head... Pike.. .warning... pain... sign... exhibit... fucking parade!"

SSSSssssssssss..... metal hisses as Willy cools it in water.

"And his favorie sports team"

"Anyway, Willy, thanks for hearing me out"

"Wasn't nothin'."

A nod and she walks off, muttering under her breath

Willy examines the work critically, lips pursed.

Then, back to the anvil.

CLANG CLANG knock-knock CLANG CLANG CLANG

Something interrupts her rhythm and the hammer skips on the anvil... she scowls, and thrusts it back in the fire.

knock?

"WHAT!?!"

"Heard you working. Thought I'd ask if you needed a hand?"

Willy jostles the metal in the fire, silent for a moment. "Don't -need- a hand but you kin learn somethin' if you want."

"Ok, well, guess that's fair."

Thistle enters the rest of the way. A never is perched in her hair, another on her shoulder, and a few more zip about Willy's shop. CHIME

"Oh sweet Telsa's 'taint....." on observing the silly invasion.

"Can I do something useful? Polish shit, sand something?"

A glowing green Never orbits WIlly's head before zipping off to light on one of the hooks set on the wall.

Willy seems distracted, but after a moment nods. "Yeah. See that pile of horseshoes?" Must be a couple dozen there on the table.

"Uh-huh."

"Yeah, guess they would look better if they were polished up a bit."

"Ain't they just gonna go in the mud?"

That being said, she picks up a metal file.

"So?"

"Does polishing do anythin'? Make'm last longer?"

The little sillies cluster curiously as the rasp makes rhythmic sounds against the metal.

"What do -you- think?"

She takes the metal out and judges the heat by sight.

"Ain't sure. Might be busy work to keep the fledge out of the way. Might be hazing."

"You ain't kicking me out, so that's something." Filing away.

"Mmm. Collateral benefits." she admits "Still, at least you're working. Interested in somethin'. How's the pots?"

"Well... the kiln works okay. I made some stuff to test it out."

"Yeah?" She picks up the hammer, taps the anvil, puts it down, and goes to sort through ingots.

"Marigold seemed to like it. Used it."

"Glad it's useful."

"Yeah. That's the thrill, right? When it works, and used?"

She bobs her head. "Ain't a waste then."

"Hey, any of your family nockers? That ever happen?"

"Mine ain't. Sometimes it'll happen. Rare to be, like, two generations in a row. More like someone's crazy uncle, or a second cousin that's a little tetched."

"...Grandma?"

"Yeah. Or some relative'll have Fae blood but not BE Fae; no Fae soul. Call 'em Kinain. An' they can sometimes have Fae kids."

"Yeah? Huh."

"My Nan, she's kinda... she's my coolest relative, y'know."

"Swears like a sailor, even though she's an old lady."