#bergen_county

"What? I don't.... I can't find her. I'm sorry, ok? It was my idea, my fault." He stops and uses his forearms to wipe his face. "Just..... I have to find her, dad....."

"Son, we'll worry about fault later, for now, think of the angles. Okay? I'm not myself, or... not my usual self, but Nabuni is missing. You can't see her, but you have someone who might find her better than you. You fought side by side against him against that linnorm, remember?"

"Oak? One of the dogs?"

"Exactly" He gestures to the dog that has followed them worriedly. He didn't like seeing Adam upset. "These 'faehounds' are smart right? Good sniffer? he doesn't know me, but if you ask him.. maybe?" Kyle says "Look, Son. I'm not sure what the heck is going on, but I am trying even now to do right by the family to do things better for us. Okay? "

Adam drops to his haunches and beckons for Oak. "Hey. Hi? C'mere. Please. Can you find Nab?"

Oak walks over, and sniffs him , worried! His battle buddy seems distressed!

"Please? Nab?" Battle buddy's eyes are wet.

A wuff of affirmation, and Oak becomes all business, sniffing him this time for scents of the imp, and then his nose hits the ground, sometimes rising in the air as he makes wider circles

Then Oak wuffs, and goes towards the wood

Adam follows!

He's a working breed, not a scent hound, but he's got a brain and a good sniffer.

and he winds his way through the wood closer towards the center

Kyle says "Okay, he's taking us in deep. Where the heck?"

Adam doesn't care, he follows Oak.

And he hears a voice "You are not being what you were meant to be and this scares you? Oh Nabuni, I am no Chimera, but running away will not help you. The flesh hearts will always seek out and hunt... it is in their nature to track down and if you really don't want him hurt, you may have to hurt him"

The voice is deep, rough, and kind

"Nab....." a breath, and he runs to find her.

And finds Klump and Nab, Nabuni on the big glome's shoulder

Adam skids to a halt. "Uh. Hey."

Klump looks at Adam and wags his finger, "You need to listen more and not with your walls up." A look at the Dog "You ... are a snitch" Oak lowers his head but wags weakly, then he sees Kyle "you? I don't know." Then to nabuni "you need to TALK to him, and stand firm"

"Hey..... Oak's ok. He's my guy. Uh. Nab?" Adam fidgets where he is. "Nab?" Softly. "I'm sorry. Please?"

"Not, listening. Less apology. More listening so you learn what to apologize FOR, if needed" The Glome says "Sit. Listen."

Then the glome sets Nab down across from Adam.

Nabuni says "Okay... I... Adam. Please do listen. Let me get this out? don't interupt?"

Adam clenches his jaw shut.

"Thank you, " She says gratefuly "Adam, I'm a dream of lust.. not like a satyr is one.. satyrs are..greater parts of the Dreaming? They're bound to flesh too.. mortal side? I am pure dream and... well, mortal complications can really buffet my simplistic designs. It's great you find me sexy, and that you want me.. and friendship is okay... but when you tell me you LOVE Me.. Love.. real love, isn't what I'm built for. And you try to protect me..constantly, and take blame for things I do. And you mean well, but I'm bonded to you... and when I end up with you taking pain or punishment for MY sake... it complicates things further. It's not what i was built for. I'm not a dream of damsels, or girlfriend. I'm... more one dimensional...and you might spread me too thin, like too little butter on too much bread. I can be a friend and your wet dream, but I don't think I can be your friend, wet dream, love of your life, and damsel... it makes me panic."

Adam takes a deep breath and exhales. "Nab.... can I love you for being all that?"

"I...you can care about me, but, you need a real flesh and blood love. Okay? Someone who can share the cold world with you... be it a kithain or a kinian, or just a plain ole daughter of eve. Okay?"

"And I have that. Right?" Another deep breath.

"Well, you're young yet" Nab says "My point is, I can't be the center focus of ...true love and ..partnership of equals. Okay? Just..use the Love Word a little less when describing me for a start maybe?"

Adam frowns, confused. "Well... what does it mean? Love?" A pause "To you?"

"I.. just don't say you love me," She says "because you're complicating things again"

Oh..... his expression is tragic. "If.... if that's what you want. Ok. I won't."

She feels terrible and her expression shows, but she looks to Klump, then to Adam, then says "Thank you. " A breath "now. I'm going to get in trouble... I can hear a summons even now. You are not to try to protect me. Okay?"

Miserable, a heart broken, he nods.

"thank you. I have to go. I'll be back in a few days"

Another nod, but he watches her.

And she flies off...

"Well, come on son, " Kyle says "I don't quite understand this, but let's go home. She's fine"

Adam stands, large tears rolling down his cheeks.

He takes a hitching breath.

"Son?" Kyle says Confused

And worried

Adam waves/pushes his father away and walks.... off? Home? To the Lodge? Whatever. Wherever. The tears roll faster, and his breathing less even, more stuttered.

Glome says to Kyle "His pain is real. You are under a fog of autumn... it will blind you. But he needs a family, even a slightly blinded one"

And then, he runs.

Kyle chases after "Son, son it's... "

but Oak keeps up

Adam runs blindly, unconcerned. A tree limb here, a root there, lack of breath......

He trips, and thumps onto the ground