#baronyofthesilverwolf

"It sounds dead on, Artie. We need to learn if the weaknesses translated to.. and the sleep pattern"

"Ugh." He says eloquently, closing the book. "Are you sure it wasn't just a single one of these? You vanquished one already, did you not?"

Thistle frowns again.

"They may hunt singularly, butthee's been more than one. The area I camped in was not close to the area the squirrel got hit"

"Maybe they just travel a wide range?" Hopeful.

"No" Gladiola says "They have a nesst or lair or something"

"A girl who is smarter than me is sure of it" Gladiola adds

The nocker folds her arms around her torso, frown settling into a vague scowl.

"Thistle?" Art asks, curiously. "They haven't come after you, have they?"

"Huh?" She blinks, then shakes her head. "No. Haven't seen them."

"Well if you hear a buzzing, watch out"

"I've barely seen you these past couple weeks." Art says. "Is work with Miss Zelda going well?"

"Yeah, sure. Got it."

"Yeah, it's fine."

Art frowns. "Something is bothering you. Is it about Ted?"

Her mouth twitches, and she shrugs.

Art shakes his head and stands. "Well, let's go then!"

"Go where?" Gwen blinks

"To speak to Ted." Art says, logically. "He lives in the same village square as Trina's mother. We can check directly to see how he is doing."

"That won't fix it." She lays back on the creeper, to disappear back under the car.

"Can't hurt" Gladiola says. Then admits "I thought you'd be happier than Blaine was removed so he wouldn't poison any future artists?"

"Yeah, great." The clicking of a socket wrench.

Gladiola looks at Arthur

"From what it sounded like from Gladiola's recitation, was that the grown man started the altercation. We should at least make sure that Ted isn't hurt, no?"

Art sounds a bit confused by Thistle's behavior.

No response, save noises of whatever she is doing to the undercarriage.

"Thistle, the guy was a major source of tramau for you and you STILL worked against him, helped take him down. It's brave"

A pair of Nevers that were playing "Fireman's Pole" sliding down the antennae on the car chime in little giggles. One of them starts sliding UP, provoking tinkles of argument over whether that is a correct way to play.

"STOP it!"

A baffled look, then "Oookay"

ratchet-ratchet-ratchet-CLANG.

Gwen ponders what to say or do, and is still unsure what she did wrong, then finally she resolves her features, and says "Well, I have have had a great week. And.. I'm happy. I'm going to keep that going as best I can "A smile "Camping was wonderful, Blaine is gone, and.. oh" Realization "Hey, is this new Piskie guy alright? I hear he's been helping flo help mom but is he... uhm.. picking up a lot of stuff he shouldn't? Do I need to shake him to get mom's silverware back?"

Art considers, and checks his pockets. "I don't think I've noticed anything of note going astray, but he also hasn't spent much time in the library. I've also been working a part time summer job." He sounds proud of this fact.

"Yeah? Where at Art?" Gwen says

"They had a sign up over at the Stewart's on Broad street." Naming a small family-owned chain of combination convenience store/gas stations.

Mechanical noises, but no work-muttering.

"Solid start" She nods "We should drop by sometime and see how you're doing, if it won't get you in trouble. "

"You needn't do that." He offers quickly. "That is, I'm sure to be busy, and there's nothing much to see."

"It's got coffee there" as if this explains all

"Not as such, it comes from a machine. Better coffee would be had from one of the local shops, they actually brew from beans and not plastic pods."

"Sometimes we rough it" She says with a shrug "And you're a friend." A smile

"Uh, ehm. Sure." He says, and offers the book back over to Gwen. "Do you want to keep hold of this for now?"

It has gotten quiet under the car.

"Sure" She says and takes it and looks at it,, but she casts a worried glance at the car

Then realizes she's not gonna be helpful on this one, Arty might, he mouths 'check on her' then says out loud "I'm gonna study this a bit more.. thanks, Art. See you around, Thistle" And leaves the two be

There's a stretch of silence, but for the tinkles and giggles of the Neverlanders as background.

Eventually, Art asks, quietly, "Are you wroth with me, Thistle?"

A moment of silence still, and then. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"I'm not certain." He admits, "But you are upset, and I do not understand. Oft when that is the case with others, it is due to something I have done, in haste, ineptitude, or belligerence."

She slides out from under the Checker. Her spirals are an awful muddy color, blue-ish-green-ish-brown. "I'm not mad at you. You didn't do anything wrong."

"You are upset. I knew it." Art says, frowning in concern. "Why do you hide it, and not permit me to help? I know I'm not always helpful in a helpful! way, but I would do my best."

"It's fine."