#debukefarmhold

A pause. "I'm...okay. Good, really. I mean, great." A grin.

"But...um...can we talk?"

"If it doesn't upset mr. Stodgepole?" A look

And yet.... a boggan watches. Discretely.

"What?"

"Oh, uh...right. Sorry, that was rude." An awkward shifting. "So...um....the expectant mothers are all okay, Mr. Stodgepole?"

A smile. "Yes."

"Glad to hear you're good" He says

Sylvi looks at Spencer, confused about which of them he's addressing.

"I am .... overcome with the welcome I have been made. For me and mine. I thank you."

A blush, and he looks at Sylvi. He meant her

An awkward pause. "The DeBukes are always really welcoming."

"Well...once you get past Storm Murray, anyway."

"He's a hard case to be sure" Spencer says

"Even if Storm Murry. Pardon me...." And he departs.

"Sure. Bye, Mr. Stodgepole." A little wave, and she watches him go.

The DeBuke boy inclines his head, then says "I hope I wasn't rude to him. He seems a nice enough old man. But Clem says we need to keep our guard up just a wee bit."

"Yeah...Mountain Frank told me not to trust him. That was a long time ago, but...I don't know if he knows about the babies coming."

"Yeah, sorry to be so blunt about that, but we just had calving so it's ..well, we get earthy about it"

Then she looks at him, and then away. "So...."

A mild grin. "I remember the calvings. Did everything go okay?"

Then he lowers his voice "Dont tell any of the Maudes I made that comparsion" Before nodding "Oh sure, we're going to have one be new milk cow like her mom if she isn't sold. She's a cute thing. But.. I bet you didn't want to talk to me about cows?"

A blush. "You sure I came here to talk to you?"

"Well, not originally maybe?" A cough "Not trying to sound arrogant."

"No...you're not." A deep breath and a look heavenward. "So...I...I feel like I screwed up what was a really good friendship, and then I screwed it up more, and I think I thought it wasn't my fault, but now I'm realizing it is kinda, and...I don't know how to fix it, but I kinda want to try. No, I really want to try. I...is it possible that we can be friends again? Like...oh, that sounds bad, I know, but...just friends?"

"No, you didn't scew up anything.. I mean, just because you became a wilder first doesn't mean you weren't still totally new to ..well, what you were feeling" he says, "You outgrew me and moved on, and when I caught up" A breath "Someone beat my time and I can't blame him. I...wasn't mature enough to just be happy FOR You... and while I hurt, you never MEANT To hurt me, and really, you weren't into me...that way, and it would have just hurt in a different way eventually." He takes a DEEP Breath "So. .maybe it's just we were both young and stupid? not.. all grown up and wise like we are THIS season" Ahem

A rueful grin. "Yes, but...I should have reached out sooner. I should have...I shouldn't have just left you behind. It was weird, but I shouldn't have just gone silent on you."

"it was awkward" he says "For both of us" a shrug "It does feel weird, you visiting here, me going there for lessons, and never.. you know, talking. I avoided you too, you know? So we both went silent"

"I was being selfish. I mean, that's the only word I can think of that sorta fits. I didn't want to feel awkward, so I just...decided to believe you were fine with me not making contact, like it didn't matter. Then...I find out it did, and..." A helpless shrug. "I'm really sorry."

"Hey, it's okay. It really is. I mean, Piper actually asked me to jam with her in a band sometime so it's not like all non related girls think I'm invisible" A shrug "Though it was for music not you know, boyfriend material"

"Well, Piper's kind of with Adam right now. But...I mean, everybody notices you when you sing. You're amazing. I bet you're gonna get your own groupies soon," she teases a bit.

"I hope so, it's nicer when I have someone to sing too." He says "I hear Colton's a knight and a hero and a Storm with a copper like arm instead ... geez, talk about a level up"

A pained look. "Spencer...it's not like that. I mean, I'm really, really proud of him, but it's not a competition like that."

"Oh no, no I.." He says "I didn't mean it that way."

"Didn't you?"

"I mean, 'level up'?"

She gives him a dubious, and still pained, look.

He tilts his head, "Okay. Do we need to find Dagmar so she can read me for you to believe me I didn't mean it that way?"

A deep breath, and a sigh. "No. I just...I don't want you to go around feeling like you're less somehow, because you're not."

A small smile "it's nice that.. you're backing me, but I know I'm not less. I... " Not sure what to say but then "I am no warrior, but I've been learning to be a Skald. A real Skald from Master Torin. That's not less anything... if I complete the training I won't just be a singer, I'll be a keeper of lore and memory and our ways much like mountains are..but with music. It's a sacred thing and it's so big I stand pretty tall just climbing it. Does that make sense?"

She listens, then...blushes. "So...I'm kind of making a fool of myself by worrying about that, is what you're saying," she says with a sheepish grin.

"Well, Torin told me not to get a swelled head about it so.. it's actually nice to hear you say it so I could boast a little," Spencer scratches the back of his head, then says "if you like, I could sing a few rounds of Lord it's Hard to be Humble until you're sick of it? "

Then he adds, "And you're not a fool, you're just a bit late with how right you are. And that's okay. Your'e still being kind"

She gives a little laugh. "Okay, and no, I'll pass on that particular song." She scuffs the soil for a moment. "So...I think the real question is...how do we do 'being friends'? I mean...how do we get past the awkward?"

"And the weird?"

A pause "Well... maybe plow through? Like this." He offers his hand for a shake.

She bites her lip for a brief moment, then takes his hand for a firm and confident shake.

It's a freindship shake, just that, "See, this," He says eye to eye "is kind of awkward, but we go through."

"Totally awkward. But yeah." A bit of a grin.

And he actually laughs after the handshake ends.