#debukefarmhold

Sometime, the guards at the Farm might wonder how sometimes Zara just seems to appear

But she is a sluagh, and Emmitt's student, so that might explain it all.

Doesn't mean Murry, the storm and older brother to the current Chief has to like it.

"mmph" He puts his spear away when he finally sees her, "Emmit on the bench, Clem milking the bull"

The white-haired witch stops. "...Milking the bull?"

He nods.

"...indeed."

"Well, thank you, Storm." A bow, and she goes to seek the be-... no, she HAS to see this.

"Stop whining, Shack. You'd think you'd be used to it by now. Refugees, you're helping kids... and the more we milk you, the longer you have before burger town" Clem's voice can be heard.

Okay, that was enough. Zara goes Mountain hunting instead.

YUP. Curiosity sated with record speed.

She finds Emmit sitting on the bench.

And smoking his pipe.

"Mountain."

"mmm?" He turns and rises , putting the pipe out. He doesn't subject others to the smoke normally "Why you're back in record time"

"Well... remember the boggan?"

"Yes, Yes I do." He says quite serious at THAT mention, "Please, go on."

"Well." She purses her lips, considering. "Siv came by to visit, aye?"

"She is home, and well, and whole once more."

"Of course she can..she's out of the coma?" He says delighted

"...ah..."

A frown.

"Zara? You look like you just bit down on the wrong sort of pickle. What am I missing?"

"Things that are not mine to say?"

"But I would not lie to you, either."

"Then don't," He says "Tell me what you feel you honorably can, or direct me elsewhere if that does not violate your conscience. Sometimes being a namer includes holding a confidence tight."

Zara nods.

"Well. It seems Janice was indeed collecting names, names so she could blackmail others..."

A scowl and she hears him mutter "The circle will definitely want to hear of this"

"...She wrote them down."

"She WHAT?!"

Zara produces a bag filled with ashes. "I... forgive... mayhaps I should have waited, but... but I wanted to look at them, I did... and.. I.. well, I destroyed her list. But I suspect with arts, the ashes may speak of their provenance yet."

"may I?" He takes the ashes

Zara allows him.

"I could not... forgive, I could not allow them to be kept intact. It felt... abhorrent, aye? A violation. I know my failings, and if I had not acted, I fear my resistence may have faltered. Forgive."

"Anyone could have read them."

"Forgive you? For not leaving true names where anyone might stumble upon them without proper training? You might have saved the fabric of a person, place or thing ...what if someone had turned a bad person worse? Or undone a keystone? All without realizing... forgive you? I consider it a testament to my teaching you had the sense to know your own temptation and burn it fast"

Zara bites on her lower lip and nods. "Aye. But it was evidence."

"you might be called as a witness to friends of mine if need be. Would you be willing?"

"My witness is... indirect. Hearsay, tattletale, omen..."

"Siv might be willing?"

"Siv saw this list?" He says "OH my goodness..I.. of course" He says "Okay, Zara. Somethings are making sense. You don't have to answer, but is it safe to say that Siv saw this list recently and she first saw it oh... over the time when she was in a coma?"

"Siv brought me the list. Well.. she did not 'bring it to me.' but I did get it from her once I learned of it..."

"And she had it for a while, like in, probably a day?"

Zara nods.

"...why?"

"Doing the math" he says "let's just say i was at Rivervale not so long ago when it seemed like SOMEONE they cared about was in trouble"

"...aye..."

'I now suspect that someone was Siv. An the coma was a ruse.. not on me personally mind you. So I'm just doing the math to see when Siv got the list"

Zara tangles her fingers in a nervous knot.