#bergen_county

"Okay," Siv says as she massages Piper's hooves, well, the leg area right above them, "Tell me about why you wan to keep Linwood around"

"Will it sound selfish if I say I like that he's another musician. Ooh! Right there, that's nice." A grin as she stretches a bit. "He seems a little shy - he wasn't speaking up when the others were busy debating. I think he's nice."

"It's not selfish, music is your life.. of course you're happy to have others share that passion" Siv's fingers take direction and she moves them to the spot preferred, "Maybe I can find a sponsor for him here locally. He's at least taking it better than Jordan"

"I haven't met that fellow, but I can't say what I've heard makes me eager to. But..." She frowns. "He had a rough start. I understand that."

"Yeah. He's really annnoyed Dagmar, and Gerd too. But hopefully he'll get his head on straight." a look at her beloved satyress, "You're a softie. I love that about you"

"Maybe he just needs to find something he likes about his new life. It can't all be gloom and doom. Even unseelie have to have some sort of passion, to phrase it in satyr terms."

"Yeah, Olgar's working with him on that, and Uncle Olgar may seem a bit scary at first, but he's one of the finest Unseelie I know" She switches to the other leg as she works "Are you using new conditioner? Your fur's all soft again" a smile "or you going to say it's the cold weather that gets you wooley?"

"Bingo. Warm sun drying my fur is better than any conditioner. Even if I have to be on the lookout for raccoons on the balcony."

"Yeah, knowing Rikki she might roll you into the pool" A shake of her head, thenn a smile "Well, I feel for a cali girl and a guy from the islands, so it's on me I guess"

"You were BORN on a boat, Siv!" She laughs. "It was fated from the start."

"I was," She smiles, "Okay" Flopping next to her love , she offers her back "Your turn to massage"

"I suppose you don't want me walking on your back, but I can do this much. Zane taught me a few tricks he learned from the masseuses' at Earthrunes." As she digs - carefully and with some skill - into any knotted muscles on Siv's back with her elbows.

"ooo .. I think I owe zane a thank you" Siv gives a happy grunt

"Do you think any of the other centaurs will be sticking around? It's about time to get some new fledges in, after all, it seems. Basil is practically on his own now."

"Yup. Basil's learned well, mostly from the Wayburton clan. of course, I'm still not sure who will mentor a centaur. Lucia is asking arround. And I was thinking of asking Baroness Coradel if they wanted to take a Centaur in. "

"Do they have room down in Brightwinds? What about the DeBukes? They have space, certainly. Though if you ask any of them if they want to go to a farm, I'd stay a kick-distance away in case they think you want someone to pull the plow or buggy."

"Bright winds should have plenty of room, and they do have a family of centaurs. Don' know if that's a plus orr a minus adding"

"Depends on what's more important first off - teaching them about others, or letting them learn about themselves."

"Fair point," Siv ponders "Guess I'll ask around with Lucia, and then tell the centaur crowd what's open?'

"Find out if any of them want to go home first. Otherwise it might sound like a choice of assignments and not an option." She advises.

"Fair, and we're already looking into their histories but a lo of them don't seem to have much fam. Heck, Daria isn't even sure who she was before"

"Really?" Surprise. "I've never heard of MORTAL amnesia due to a chrysalis. Um. I know it's not cool to doubt mental issues and all that... but are we sure she's not maybe faking it? Maybe she had a bad home life or something she's running from, and is afraid we'd return her there."

"Something worth looking into" Siv admits

"She did have a head gash" Siv recalls "But it got healed. At least on the outside. Yeah, need to see if we can get Tiffany openinng her up honest about the memory, or have one of our Gwyds asks "

"Double-team Connor and Dagmar on him. The pup will open 'er up and the Gwyd will tell if she's honest."

"That would be a whammy combo for interrogation if Connor wasn't so nice, and if Dagmar wasn't so dang honest. I guess you don't get Gwydions in any other flavor, though."

Siv bites her lips "Sadly, they do come in other flavors."

"I mean, my mother's a Gwyd, and the Count is a good ruler- but there are Gwydions that are very political to put it nicely, and intriguers who ruthlessly use others as pawns to put it less so"

"Therre's even rumor of an all unseelie faction among tthem that are very brutal"

BLINK. "I mean, Uh. I GUESS it makes sense that they would have some unseelie, but. I guess I never really thought about it."

A small grin, and she leans over to tickle Siv a little. "I guess maybe that gives weight to my theory that your cap'n friend might actually be a half-way decent sort, for a Balor. Even if maybe the only one."

"Oh rub THAT in" A snort "Okay I admit, I've stayed in contact. She SEEMS cool but I'm still cautious what I say around her"

"Better safe than sorry." She nods. "I'm glad you gave her a chance though. I don't suppose you ever figured out what her secret treasure she was schlepping was?

"I have theories, but she's not telling me somethings either" Wryly

A small pout. "Oh well. I'm just a nosy nelly. Speaking of treasures, I wonder if any of the centaurs Chrysalized with them? Oh..." A sad look. "I guess if they HAD any, the hunters surely stole them before turning them over."

Siv begins to curse

"What? I'm sorry!"

She quickly slides off, wondering if she hit a sore muscle.

"No no. it's not you, I .. I forgot to ask mom if she made sure to have someone gather up the hunters things and looked for such. And while Symon got some goodies, I should have ggone back to loot what I could as evidence of Leech's crimes and yes if HE had their treasures too."

"I was such an idiot" Angry at herself

"is it too late to go back? In fact..." She bounces a bit. "If word got out that Leech is gone, some of the other hunters that weren't caught might be trying to loot the place."

Siv rises, "You're right. I need to head over now. Damnn.. Leech was about two miles away from water I could put the Narwhal in. No help for it." She is suddenly all business

And grabbing her weapon

"Wait, wait for me..."

She turns and without thinking "Piper it could be dangerous still"

"Exactly. You can't go alone."

"I..." A look at Piper then "Well, not like you haven't gone into the thick of it before. " Still worried "You SURE you want to go? I can find someone else if you are worrying and I don't ike endangering you"

"Let me come along. I can play lookout if nothing else. Or... is Jonas around? We can make it a throuple's retreat."

"Jonas is on a patrol to help while the centaurs are needinng a bit more protection" A frownn "otherwise he'd make you some of that ..what is that juice drink you like?"

"Sangria!"