#baronyofthesilverwolf

"I can't go there without everyone riding my ass about how I should be doing stuff."

They put their heads together in a little huddle. Tinkling arguments commence. One gets distracted and starts kicking an acorn, but the others all zip off in different directions, leaving her... mostly... alone.

She frowns a touch at that, spirals fading. "Right. I asked for that."

But then, they return! Carrying even MORE bright leaves. They've found several that are the most vibrant orange they could find... and are all trying to fashion them into hats, to match Thistle's own flaming top.

Ope, the one who was playing off to one side with a snail now realizes she missed out, and tries to steal a leaf hat.

a BATTLE! Sparkles fly!

A snort-laugh escapes.

Apparently even the silly little ones are too loyal to abandon her. And too absent-minded to be sent away!

"Okay, fine, you can stay."

"You don't care if I make stuff."

Fussing. Angry-frustrated bell chimes as the 'hats' (which are really just leaves, twisted into a roundish shape) fail to stay on their heads.

One of the sillies pats at some tree sap experimentally.

Sticky....

Luckily, there are no trap-o-lanterns here for the Nevers to peek into.

"Oh, no. Oh, no no no..."

A gob of sap gathered, and it pauses. Chime?

Then, looking over at ANOTHER Never. Chime!!

"That's sticky. It'll get in your fuzz."

"Just... c'mere..." She plucks a longish blade of grass.

The gob is dropped.... or rather, wiped off onto some leaves. And now that Never had red leaves stuck to it's hands, but doesn't seem to mind, waving them like flags.

Several others gather curiously, one to laugh at the leaf-handed Never, others to curiously watch what Thistle is doing.

She takes the leaf-hat off the closest Never. After piercing the leaf twice with her thumbnail, she threads the grass through the holes an ties the ends together to make an impromptu strap. "There, see?"

Wide eyes from all around.... silence

Then, a CHORUS of imperious bell chimes!

Me!
ME!
meeee!

She can just about make out words, sometimes!

"C'mon, you silly little things. One at a time."

this causes another huddle to decide, and eventually they line up, more or less, in order of height - the smallest little silly first.

Thistle carefully fits the tiny hats. To enchanted eyes, her hands are knobby, wiry things - not beautiful, but capable of great delicacy in craft.

The Nevers don't care, they are tiny childish flits of light and fairy dust and wings, clever hands and running feet, laughter of bells and dandelion fluff for brains - but it is clear, they dote on Thistle.

Tinkling cheers go up for every new hat acquired!

And the nocker smiles. The hats aren't perfect, but right now she doesn't care.

And soon the be-hattered Nevers are flitting about catching rides on leaves that drift off the trees,

wheeeeeeeeeeeee!

.....weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

One particularly enterprising Never, a bright magenta glowing spot, is mimicking Thistle's work to string leaves on long blades of grass, and hanging them over the Nocker's pointed ears.

A soft laugh. "Okay, thank you."

Sometimes, this fairy deal ain't so bad. The afternoon slides by quickly, but Thistle enjoys the simple wonder of autumn sun, cheerful nevers, soft grass and musical laughter.

She does manage to make it to Art's place in time to meet him.

Art is waiting on the porch, sitting on the step and paging through some papers. When Gerty's distinct grumbling makes it's way onto his street, he looks up, brightening! "Trina! I thought the day would never end." He rolls his eyes.

"Mr. Casso somehow made ignoring me the most obvious thing in the world. I don't even understand how, it was honestly impressive."

She parks Gertie and scuffs over to the sidhe. "I don't get why he doesn't like you. But how was the rest of the day?" The nocker plunks down to sit next to him.

"Boring. Mrs. White wanted to teach us from the next chapter, but half the class was still trying to memorize the Noble side of the table..." He hands over the science homework printouts.

"Yeah, but YOU got'm, right?"

"Of course. They're NOBLES." He grins.

"Ha!"

"Are you feeling okay?" He peers over at her. "Mortals get sick all the time, but I thought your fae half would keep you pretty hearty."

"I... I dunno. I'm not sick."

"If you just didn't want to go, that's fine too." He nods.

"We all have some things that we want to get away from now and again, right?"

She nods. "Yeah."

"It was a nice day. Next time, we'll skip together." She extends a crooked pinky finger.

He looks at her finger curiously.

A Never lands on it and giggles, sitting in the crook like a swing.