#bergen_county

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Dagmar's father grunts and nods. He's helped with the fencing. Several acres of it. Working with DeBukes and others who know how to put a fence up, it's gone quickly, but now the horses have so much free range to roam. He feels a bump at his backside.

And looks to see a mule behind him. He eyes it. It eyes him, then looks down at his foot. The big foot that is in a clump of grass.

Jaymes notices this, and looks at the mule "There's lots and lots of grass everywhere"

The mule stares at him. The mule wants THAT clump of grass.

Jaymes feels stubbornness settle in him "You're kidding?"

Nope. The mule wants THAT grass.

Mmmph, goes Jaymes.

Huff goes the Mule.

"Oh for Frey's sake let him have the grass, " Tove says coming out with lemonade she's been serving. This place is important to her daughter so it's important to her so she too is helping.

"It's the principle of the thing" Jaymes says eying the mule "We don't always get what we want."

"jaaaymmess..." Tove says in that I love you but this is just silly tone

"Fine." The big man moves

and the mule begins to eat.

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There comes a time Tove has to put her foot down, "Sam?" A look "I'ts great all the work you've put in the ranch, with everyone's help... but you need a sit down meal, and a lay down sleep." She says

"Sure, in a little bit." She agrees.

Kourtney DeBuke is tending to some horses nearby. So is some ohter DeBuke kinian she doesn't know of. There's this big strapping fellow who speaks with a Jersey accent who is something called a 'kinfolk'. Dagmar might notice him checking Lupe out whenever the much shorter woman walks by.

Tove raises a brow "That's a very vague phrase. How long is a little bit?"

"Um. In a while?"

"Still vague. Let's make it 10 minutes." She says

"You've been most helpful," One woman, enchanted, mortal says "I'm told I'm not going to remember exactly why I took on so much help..hired new volunteers so quickly after the tragedy"

"You won't" Vali is talking to her, "maybe in your dreams. But you should somehow know that we are wanting to help the horses"

"To-ove." A whine. Even tall and blue, that's pure teenager.

"Fifteen minutes" she says as if this is a major concession and yes, her daughter is welcome.

SIGH.

"I'd like to thank your daughter, if I .. might?" the woman is not short, for a mortal, but compared to Dagmar, she's dwarfed. She moves from Vali who nods

She moves to Dagmar's position and offers her hand "Lupita tells me she turned to you for help with horses. That your people..." She groans "God that sounds wrong to say.. that folks like you would be better as a rule at this. And that you specifically had a lot of love for horses." A smile "You may be like something out of the Avatar movie, but I can tell she's right"

A little grin. "Tall and blue, sure. Yeah, you're gonna get weird dreams."

"I'm glad we could help. I... like.." Brow furrow. "I was a foster kid, before. So. I mean. I get it?"

Tove nods at that, and looks proud

The mortal woman smiles and looks about "Yes. That's a good way to see them. They just need a place to belong. A herd to call home"

"Exactly. They're gonna get better, so long as they've got love."

"God, that's cheesy. But you know what I mean."

"I do" She says "look, I may forget details about you, but I hope to see you ..either way, a lot. I've been talking to Vali here. Turns out that even in times of COVID and the like, you can get credit to your school for community service and volunteer work. I'm licensed paper work wise and such and .. I guess I'm asking if you'd be willing to let me help your credits and grades even as you help my horses?"

"Say yes and I'll give you 30 minutes" Tove mutters. Willing to cheat

"Yeah? Oh, wow..."

Vali gives Tove a Frank like brow.

"Yes! Can Connor come? He's home-schooled, but he likes the horses..."

well.. LIKE not as effective

"The cute kid all bundled up? Sure... he's been a charmer"

"He is. Big heart."

"Certainly" the woman says and looks about "I still don't know how, even with so many people, the horses are acting healthy again, the green is blooming, and the fence and stables are fixed up good as new in such short time."

Shrug. "Sometimes, you want something hard enough, it happens. World ain't always a bad place."

"No I guess not" she smiles and the grayness of her even under enchantment seems to lighten into a few more colors. Her own abuse and enslavement piled on soem cold, but she was a dreamer before, and might be again

"And besides, world's got horses."

"God's greatest creation I think" She nods "Well, certainly my favorite but I'm biased. "

"Well, yeah."

"No crime in that."