#baronyofthesilverwolf

"Convince Dee I can do a Wild Hunt on a Vespa?"

Snerk. She tries not to laugh but damn it.

A cough then "Unless you get a mustang named Vespa. I don't think it will fly with her. SHe's a good teacher though so.. you'll get there yet? " A beat "Have you thought about..no... nevermind, Dee would never go for it"

"Still, you are a nocker" A thought definitely perculating "What about the saddle and harnass? If there were things you could build to help you without hurting the horse?"

"Willie's really the one that does that stuff, and she's kinda... taciturn."

"I hope she's not dead in there some days" An admission "BUT.. Dolph handles a lot of it too. Mm okay. HOw about YOU. What about a pair of 'smart glasses' that helps you stay on track while you ride? Or ear rings that alert you if your balance is off? I.. am spitballing here cauze I really don't know but I figure your strengths might be a sources of help"

"I don't think the horses like me."

"Have you tried bribing them with carrots? "

A thought "Wait...is it possible some of the stuff you work with spooks them? LIke a scent of some material?"

"Maybe?"

"Mmm if it were dogs I might say they were picking up on your nervousness, but I don't know horses and am not sure. Look, she'll pick a gentle horse for you. We have some horses wouldn't hurt a fly"

She snorts. "The smallest one weighs, like, a literal half-ton."

"THat's not so big" Says the tall stone skinned giantess

"Those big black ones the twins ride are absolutely a whole-ass ton."

"So it is the size that gets to you?"

"What? No. I mean.. I..."

"I'm not afraid of them!" Defensive!

"Who's afraid of horses?"

"Lots of folks" She says

"Well, I'm not."

"Maybe you're just nervous, not quite the samething" She says . Now Gwen would argue she isnot the smartest person here, but she has seen fear of her dogs, and it sure looks a lot like this reaction to horses. Maybe changing the term would allow some wiggle room

"I mean, there's reasonable caution around something that could break your ribs or whatever if you step wrong."

"Did you know that horses are afraid of, like, tarps? Or if you stand on the wrong side they can freak out?"

"Well, if you get kicked, we can heal you" She reminds "We have some heatherbalm and evenwithout it, balefire rest over night is like 3 nights or more at a hospital. But it sounds like you're learning the rules on how NOT to freak them out. You know what they don't like. Doesn't that make you feel more confident?"

"I don't think they like me."

"I don't think Dee would put you with a horse that actevely DIS likes you but why not share your concerns with her?"

Shrug-mumble-fidget.

"Want me to talik to her? We're both animal people. I can speak her lingo"

"There's nothing to talk about. But. I mean. If you and Dee talk about stuff. Um. That's not my business."

She nods . Making a mental note to do that

"I'll help best I can" She says. She DId offer

"Anything else?"

"....Sorry."

"For what? You were honest with me. I respect that" she says "I have lots of things that worry me too. A few even scare me"

Snort!

"Hey, remember that water fight with a selkie? Before I realized I was going to get flippers, I was worried I would drown. Stone" She taps her chest "Sinks."

"I still get nervous around large bodies of water "

"....I could make you floaties."

"Like, bright orange water wings." A teasing grin.

"Orange? I'm afraid of being drowned, not being a danger to other ships. Seriously if someone runs a speed boat over me, they'll feel like they hit a sea mine but I'm not afraid off that. It's the 'glug glug sinking gasp airbubbles dead troll' bit"

"I don't care about being easy to spot. I want to be hard to sink" She sticks her tongue out

"Well, I could do hot pink instead."

"Is green and Silver illegal in that odd country you can Thistletopia?" Mmmph

"Ohhh, now you want a custom order?"

OKAY that makes her laugh "You're the one who suggested the floaties. My point is, even being big and strong and stone skinned doesn't prevent one from having phobias, fears, or anxieties."

"Still, probably helps with a few of'm."

"Oh sure" She nods "When Briar gut punched Boggan me, I was SO glad I kept the skin. Little bitch is like a sister, but for a moment I understood Cain and Abel"

She laughs!

"Hardy har har" But she says it in a gentle tone rather than really offended "It's not you she ambushed in the gut. I'll tell you, she's growing . " Almost proud "I will not want to fight her in a handful of years"

"Fuck, I don't want to fight her now."