#bergen_county

He pockets the snack with a whisper of thanks.

"I leave you two to your walk" SHe makes sure Dagmar has her lunch as well, and enough layers for potential cold

Symon looks positively chubby in all of the layers he has on topped with a windbreaker. Soon to all be shoved in a locker, luckily. "Haven't seen you for more than a few minutes between class lately. How's it going?"

"Mmph.." ("It's complicated.")

He can translate some troll, it's not too far of a linguistic shift from sluagh, in some ways. A jerk of a nod, and companionable silence for a bit. He understands that gaps in conversation don't always need to be filled.

Sigh. ("You're a good friend.")

They continue on. Her footsteps crunching on the ground, his nearly inaudible. "How'd your quest go? Heard you found some treasure and some horses."

"The quest was really good, yeah."

"Thyle... dunno. Mixed feelings about that place."

"I see why Tove doesn't wanna go back."

"Plenty of Dreaming to explore. Don't see any reason to go back to a place you don't like." Sensible.

"Yeah, fair."

"The horse island is great."

"You might not like it - pretty sunny - but... dunno. Peaceful, you know? Green grass and open water and soft sand..."

"Worse ways to spend time. You ever hear of the Nucklavee? Some folk think it's like a mix between a Kelpie and a creature imported to Scotland from Norsemen. A horse-like sea demon that would wander onto the land to cause plagues and wither crops... and the only thing that can contain them is a being called the Mither of the Sea. Though, sounds like something Siv would have to worry about more than us land-locked folk."

"A very Siv kind of thing." She agrees.

"Imagine if you could harness that, though... it's said to have no redeeming features, but if you were to turn it on your enemies..."

A bit later, he adds, "There's another horse creature... it's called a nuegle or shoepultie. Supposed to be a more gentle cousin of the nucklavee. Those you're not likely to see unless you go visit the Shetlands. They're found in lochs and near watermills, and have a wheel-shaped tail, that's how you recognize them. Always male horses, unlike Kelpies which sometimes look like mares. These are more pooka-ish, known for mischief rather than malevolence."

Step, step. "I thought the name origin was interesting. Nuegle comes from old Norse 'nykr', or shoepultie from the Norse sjó and piltr meaning "sea lad"." A small frown. "Not sure I have those pronunciations right, though. Maybe Tove would know."

"I figured you might be interested, as you like horses and all." A shrug.

"They sound cool, too."

"Did you hear about the.... thing, with Ann Marie?" His expression darkens a bit.

"I heard something happened? Someone took her?"

"Some fucks...." He spits this out, "Were trying to shake her down for info about the fae in the area. They knocked Jonas out and were trying to beat the info out of her." Blunt.

A glower.

"We got 'em though. And they.. the ones left breathing.. are at the mercy of the court now." Mentioning where they had been dumped for judgment. "Dirk did for a couple of them. Jonas turned into a Rhino and trampled one. And I gutted the one that touched my mom." A bit of vindictive glee at this last. "But didn't finish him. Because she asked me not to."

"Yeah, her call... but... fuck those guys."

A nod, and a few more thoughtful moments of silence. "I think I had underestimated Zane. He's the one who figured out where they had gone, and lead us to her. I'd written him off as just, y'know, a playboy. That was dumb of me."

"Zane's alright. For a boy."

A nod. "...Jonas didn't do too badly, either." A touch reluctant to admit, but honest. "I guess if he hadn't been around, it would've gone harder on her..."

GLOWER.

"Sorry I wasn't there to help."

He shrugs. "You had questing to do. And you couldn't've known. Next time someone tries some shit, I'll let you get a piece of 'em with your pig-sticker."

"Cool."

"Nice to have something I can do right reliably, y'know?"

A bit of an amused snort at the joke. Then he gives her a glance, peering from under his greasy bangs. "What do you mean? You're like... River Vale's golden child. A hero practically over again every month."

"Yeah, I fight good."

"You're also good at sports. And Tove never shuts up about you. I bet Jaymes wouldn't either if he every had 3 words to put together." A hint of a wry grin. "And you put up with me. So you get some points there. Either in tolerance, or stupidity."

"Neither. You're my friend."

"And I'm proud that you're a good fighter. And a valkyrie - don't think I didn't hear about your hanging Star up in the sky. Plus you befriended a werewolf - THAT could count for major points down the road if the lodge needs allies. And the thing is, you're not like me. I'd've done it for the political advantage. If I could at all. You did it because... she's your friend. You've got a good heart, Ann Marie would say. A bleedin' heart, judging by all your adopted critters, but there are worse things."

He gives his head a shake. "I don't like hearing anyone putting down my friends. And you're no exception. Just because it's yourself doesn't give you an excuse to rag on my best friend."

She frowns.

"It.. dunno. It's hard."

He nods. "Yeah. I know. Sometimes... it's easier to see the shit that's wrong. Like... if I'd have been stronger, I could have saved Ann Marie myself. If I was quicker - or smarter. Or that if I'd driven Jonas away like I wanted to, she might not even..."

A scowl, and he trails off, then picks up a different thread. "...you remind me that I'm not just a weak useless slug. I figure, the least I can do is remind you that you're more than a muscle-jock."

"See? Good friend."

"Just, dunno. You ever know something, know it down to your bones?"

He casts a glance over to her, and then back forward again, on the path ahead. "Yeah, I think I do."

"So, like... when you know something.. it's hard to believe the opposite, even when people just tell you it."

"I'm.. trying. I guess. And sometimes I believe it, I can buy into it. And sometimes... dunno... I can't. Because I know."

He nods a bit. "I'm sure you're sick of people telling you it will be ok. Even well meaning. Because I get it. You don't know that, and all the wanting in the world won't prove shit. I'm a pessimist, y'know. And that means I'm generally always either proven right when shit goes wrong, or I'm wrong and it's a lucky break. So either way, it's like a win. But... whether things work out the way you want to, or the way you worry it might, there's one thing you CAN control. And that's your own damn self. And I know you're strong. So whatever happens, I know you'll get through it. And I'll be here. And so will your other friends that are worth a damn."

Pause for a wheezed breath, he doesn't normally talk so much while also walking, and the air is sharp and cold.

"So, yeah, no, I won't try to tell you it'll be okay. But I think YOU will be ok." He stops and puffs his inhaler, embarrassed.

"...I'm real glad to know you, yeah?"

A thumbs up and small, closed lip smile, before he puffs again, and resumes the walk.

"I really want it to be okay."