#bergen_county

"Trust me, when I turned into a 9 foot giant, I was pretty surprised, too. But... well, you are found now, so you're not alone and you're gonna be okay."

"Why don't my parents SEE this? All this?" She asks finally

"They can't, unless they are given a bit of magic." A shrug. "They're humans - maybe kin - but not like you or us."

"You... jeez, how am I the welcome wagon? Okay, so - congrats, you've got a fairy soul. A centaur one."

"Because we need to brush her hair." Connor explains again, patiently. And fetches one of the brushes for the longer manes. "Layne, I'm sorry about the leaves. I can brush now? Then I will find miss Kerri and everyone!"

"A centaur? I never heard of that." the girl says thennn "it's okay Connor I... oh" And she sees the Brush "Yes, please"

"See, Miss Star taught me how to brush, because if you pull her mane wrong on accident, then she will swing her head around and boff you right off the hay bale."

"Centaurs are from old, old stories - Greek myths."

"So she's a greek Miss?"

"Like we satyrs" Jack says

"Well, a Greek dream... but there's centaurs in Harry Potter, and Narnia, and Fantasia..."

"Narnia! I know narnia and harr ypotter" Layne says "Oh thank you connor, you brush really nicely"

"So you remember - the centaurs read the stars?"

"YES.. and they were good at it. And they dragged umbridge way. Ha" then a blush and admission "I did not like her."

“It must be like Braille because of all the dots.” Connor comments.

"Hey, I did't like her TOO" Jack says , seems they have something common

"Nope, Umbridge was pretty awful."

"So - since you have a magic soul that woke up, you can see the magic. But muggles - like your parents - they can't, unless you enchant them."

"When can I enchant them?" She claps " I want them to see everything!"

Dagmar shakes her head. "Not yet. You have to be careful - you know how Hermione had to hide her magic from her parents?"

"Oh" Sadness. But the Troll speaks her language

Gently. "But they're still your family, yeah? They're good folks?"

"Yes, oh yeah, mom and dad are tops. When I freaked out when ever door in the hall was closed at the same time, mom opened one"

"Good. So, well - you have to keep this secret from them, but that's because now you are their secret guardian."

"They protect you from lots, and you can see the magic stuff."

Connor has gone quiet as they discuss family, but is carefully brushing and smoothing both hair and mane. He IS good at it from much practice, and has gentle hands.

"A guardian? But.. what if there are monsters and weirdos?" She gasps

"I mean.." A look around "mean weirdos?"

"If they're scary, you ask us for help."

"You'll have a lot to learn. I had to take lessons when I changed, too."

Connor giggles. "The weirdest weirdos. But we're nice." He nods. "The Shadowpaw will protect you. Dagmar, Layne is an honorary member! Even if she has no paws."

"Well, hooves are.. kinda related?"

"They're just hard paws." Nodding.

"Uhm.. thanks" She looks down at her hooves "I kind of like them. "

"Me too!"

"It must be great, being half horse!"

"I can run so faasst now!" She says

Jack sighs at that

"Sometimes I like to run back and forth, back and forth until I'm almost dizzy" She goes on

"That sounds fun."

"It is" She says

"Dressing is trickier now, it's harder to reach every part of me" She admits

"I bet, but you'll get it with practice."

"You want to see the lodge?"

"Yes, please" She says

"So, the Lodge is our safe place. Chief is in charge, and then under her are Frank and Kerri. They'll show you the ropes."

"Frank is Mountain, Kerri is Hearth, together they form Voltron" Jack says "Well, not really the voltron part"

"The three of them run the place."

"Uhm am I dressed okay for Giant land? " She smooths her skirt and is VERY glad for the combing she got

"Totally!"