#debukefarmhold

...and...and they reach the surface! They sprout! They stretch and spread and soak up the sun and grow!

The water in the soil gets guzzled by thirsty roots, a rich, loamy soup of nourishment.

Sounds...in the air, sounds...birds...some have been there all winter, but now...now their wings are warming, and their voices are fuller...and maybe there are mates to be sought?

A stirring under the soil again, much larger now...the hibernators shift, their deep dreams becoming restless....

And...and it's growing into a tumble now. More light, more warmth, more seeds sprouting, more shoots breaking through, birds singing out their territories, animals snuffling and searching to fill their bellies....

And winter tries to hold on, greedy, lazy, or serene, centered, depending on how one views it... but it's not forever, no matter how much it seems to be

Winter often sends a late storm, one to bend the crocuses and chill the beasts...and some might be lost...some might not make it....

...but most survive, and shake the snow away, and get on with the business of GROWTH! And LIFE!

And Slowly at first, then as if breaking the tension of ice water; Sylvi's heart beat increases, the cold stillness leaves her, she shakes it off and all around her she sees flowers and grass budding, spring flowers, not just spring flowers of this year, but yester year, Spring has beenn here before, it's here now, it will be again

She believes it. And she shifts and shrugs and stretches with the warmth in her body...and finally gets to her feet and smiles.

"Wow," she breathes.

"Wow indeed. You know it's an odd thing" Clem says "Some folks lose track of hours or days like that, others but a few minutes . Everyone feels like the winter took forever either way"

Emmit nods "How you feeling, Sylvi"

"I...good!" she answers Emmit. "Maybe a little stiff...but Clem's right, that winter felt like forever. How long was I in there?"

"Oooh!" A little gasp as her hearts races a bit, but then calms again. Another smile.

Emmit says "Well, If you run you can still make pennons"

The smile vanishes. "...what?"

"Pennons?!"

"UNCLE EMMIT" Clem fusses "Wasnn't funny when you did it to me, not funny now"

"Awwwww" The Mountain says annd puts his pipe away "Five minutes"

"You broke my time, actually," Clem tells her "I held the record, but your need must be great"

"Five minutes?" Eyes wide. "But...that felt like hours and hours at least!"

"Seasons can be a state of mind" Emmit winks "And we did hit you with a winter whammy"

"Which was dangerous. We've had some folks try it and they had to have help getting out and came out of it with burns from the cold come too strong, like they' been rained on by liquid nitrogen"

She nods. "I can see that. At first, it just seemed like...well...numb. Like it was easier to just stay still." A pause, and then a whole-body shiver. "Yeah, that would have been bad."

She gives them both a serious look. "Chieftain, Mountain...I owe you." Serious.

"Nonsense" Clem sorts "In our own interest to see a DeBuke become more powerful if she can handle that power responsibly"

"Just remember, if you've become a mistress of any art, you owe it to teach others at sometime" Emmit says "Mountain or no, to those who you feel will use it for the ggood"

"Still. You dropped everything when I asked. I won't forget it. And yes..." she nods. "I will, Mountain. I hope I can do it even half as well as I've been taught." She impulsively hugs them both.

"I've got to let Nadeen know. Sorry to master-and-run, but...." An apologetic shrug.

The hugs returned, Clem saying "Well then, Get her done"

A bright smile, and she's off to wherever Gerd said she'd be waiting, texting Nadeen as she goes.

TXT: Still need that Spring master? 😉

Gerd waits "All done?" She asks "I was getting tips from Hearth Agnes"

"Done! I did it! It was amazing!" She looks MUCH more cheerful than she did.

"Getting tips about what?"

She checks her phone again to see if Nadeen has responded.

Her eyes widen. "Shit. Shit."

"Gerd, we need to get to SilverWolf. And they're probably on high alert for whatever is going on....what's the best place to pop up that won't get us killed?"

"Uhm.. ? I do't know.. I usualy appear near the front door. They have kennels.. oh the dogs miht attack. Stables? oh they have a garden?"

"So the garden?"

"Garden! Yes, I've been there! Perfect!"

"By the shadow of the heather, by the gloaming on the glen, away with the two of us to the garden we have been. Stark bright the shine of magic as it cuts through the dark of space, away with us here, and off to other place" And... they vanish

but will they reappear in time to matter?

Mountain Emmit asks "Course, I notice neither of us pointed out that a DeBuke in charge of another hold works fine for us, particularly a commoner one"

Clem looks him over "The thought had occurred to me, but we'd have helped her anway"

"mm yes I suppose we would" A smile on the old man's face

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