#bergen_county

After May is gone home, Tove sits Dagmar down, "Whew...okay, May is.. the most powerful dreamer I've ever seen."

"Told you she was special."

"You did," She nods "And you weren't kidding, that flying whale will probably last an hour or two then fade.. or pop like a soap bubble but.. there's a chance it will find a sky trod and hit the dreaming or surprise us and stick around... and we mused it out of her after a mere...oh what was it? 3 hours tops? I think, she won't be creating any more for a day or two, and that's fine. YOu don't ever force it.... I think now and then though, you may want to burn off her energy..." SHe gestures about the room "Oh and collect that." There is glamour, not freehold glamour, but glamour that tastes of wonder.

"Right..."

"But, like, will she be in trouble?" She stretches out a hand, the gesture seeming to help her 'grab' the lingering glamour.

Ohooo that's nice, it makes Dagmar warm inside.

"I think , " A breath, "She's going to be a target for some. A prize, like someone discovering water in a desert."

"So how do I protect her?"

"you already are. Before you knew this, would you let anyone ravage her, or hurt her?" She says

"No!" Vehemntly.

"There you go," she says "You've been guarding her for friendship sake even before you knew. If I were you, I wouldn't spread nrews of her being such a powerful dreamer, not that other wilders are out to get her, most are great around here, but if the wrong stranger hears about it, you might find yourself forced to take steps. I think we can trust the elders of the lodge to keep quiet about it. Now, I think if we tell them we're going to muse her with positive ways now and then.. they'll be much relieved. Less chance of nightmare chimera and so on. Though some sluagh would say even those have their place."

"Not near the horses... but yeah?"

"We'll work it out, adapt. So on." She squeezes her daughter's hand, "I'm proud of you for handling this so well...and I hoped I help show you how to muse and coax?"

"I've done stuff like that, sort of... but not so. " shrug, gesture.

"It comes easier to some than others," she admits "And folks have their methods. I understand the Chief sometimes takes scouts and the like into the wilderness and uses nature's own beauty to muse. And remember that Liam Ranch in Willows you liked? Mortal dreamers caught up in horse dreams"

"I liked that place a lot..."

"I've noticed a preference for certain tall galloping animals at vacation spots with you." She considers with a smile "Mmm" Thoughtful, "But yes, that one did a lot of good. Maybe you should write letters or emails to them and stay in contact now and then? They might know about horse situations nearby we missed"

"Write letters?" Eyebrow.

"OR emails" She says shaking her head and mmph ("But letters are more classy")

"Letters are for old people."

"I am still a wilder," She protests

"Well..."

"Fffft" ("Cheeky")

Innocent look.

A kiss between the horns for that, "Fine. Email them, get on their email mailing list anyway. Sometimes who you know is as useful as what you know"

"Sure?"

A nod "And as for May, do you want to have her over a bit more in the next month or two? I mean... yes, the baby complicates things but until then, if she doesn't mind? I think you'd like it. Oh, Lupe too if you want"

"Sure!"

"Good, we'll have plenty of time to muse her gently at a pace best for her, and you'll have a good time."

"Wish she could understand how special she is, y'know?"

"Maybe we can enchant her for a special event, tell her, and let her ..well, forget in her head but not her heart. "She ponders

"...Beltaine? Too late for Carnival, and she might not like it..."

"She might not" she says "We'll see"

"oh, what do you want for breakfast tomorrow morning?"

"Cowboy Casserole?" Puppy eyes.

"I thought we had that last week?" She says

"Nooooo... did we? Noooo..."

"Dad likes it."

"Huh..." Suspicious look, then a smile "Okay."

"You could give him, like, a less spicy corner..."

"But if he likes it so much, shouldn't I make it a less spice half?" Teasing

"A less spice third." Resonably.

"A less spicy third" She agrees and secretly plans to only eat about a half of her own third... just in case a certain daughter might want juuust a bit more.

"Compromise. Who says teenagers are unreasonable?" Loftily.

"Jealous grumps, clearly" She nods somberly

"Clearly!"

"Think next year, after summer, your dad or I will be allowed to drop you off where folks can see him? Or is that just ruining a good thing?" Tove sometimes forgets that rule about parking further back. Jaymes never does.

SIGH.

"Fine" she says then adds "of course, you're getting to the age we need to teach you to drive period."

"True!"