#debukefarmhold

"I know she's not hurt, I checked her over myself" Clem says, glad to be back at the farm.

"Several times" Buck smiles

Hearth Kourtney nods "But she's too young to learn much from about WHERE she is from. Hard to find her parents"

Clem watches the dark eyed girl playing happily in the dirt and mud outside the dining area. She kept playing with it ,so they gave her a little shovel and a bucket, and she's been going hog wild ever since.

"mm?" She snaps to it "Parents? Oh.. oh yes. She.. she might have those."

"Chief?" Kourtney blinks "She didn't spring up from the rocks "

"She might have" Emmit smiles from his drink "You know what you got there, Clem , Buck?"

"A little girl in need, Uncle" Clem says, almost guardedly then she realizes what he means "You mean the kith can't say. You know?"

"She's a Wichtel," The Mountain nods "MIning folks. Digging folks... could dowse water in a desert, or find iron or oil like no one's biz. Tough too. Got Stamina to burn. Hard working..."

Clem smiles at that, looking at the girl again "Hard working, just like us."

"Working hard at making a mess" Buck grins "But I hear kids who play in the dirt and grass are healthier anyway"

"Bit vengeful" Emmit warns "Wrong em and they sure carry a grudge"

"Oooo that little angel?" Clem disbelieves!

Kourtney wishes she were half as wise as Agnes was. Something is going ON here. Clem left furious, now she's back and acting all gooey about a girl she just picked up. They picked up LOTS of folks, from floods and fires. This girl is no different, odd kith or no

Buck's got a bit of it too, she notices, eyes on Clem's smile, then joining it

For Freja's sake Kourtney thinks Glad to have new dreams among us, but she's not the sun and moon come to visit Indeed, the girl tracks mud, and the Hearth sighs at that

"Yes, that little angel" Emmit says "You tried talking to her?"

"Course I have" Clem says "She so scared out of her mind she latched onto me like a tick. But did not say much. Only once wee got her here and in the dirt she really started talking"

Buck nods "Now she's all 'want to play with me?'" A grin "And she asked if I was part horse and why Clem was blue"

"I'd put her about four years old." Kourtney appraaises "Old enough to be able to call her real mother 'mama' or whatever."

Clem shoots Kourtney a hard look,, one with an intensity that the Chief normally reserves for the worst offenders What the hell did I Say? Kourtney wonders.

"Well, " Clem says pulling her gaze back and smiling once it is on the girl again "I'm going to out and talk to her a bit more. Maybe even play with her."

Buck nods "Mind if I join you two?"

"I'd love it," Clem said with bright eyes as if the day just got better.

"But.. the mystery of this sitatuion, finding out what's going elsewhere. Mr. DeVere went out..." Kourtney replies

"Good point, Hearth. You and the Mountain Coordinate that... set things to be connected. Storm Murray has our area secure. See to it" And.. with all there is to do, Clem DeBuke goes out to .. play in the dirt with a kid.

Kourtney is taken aback, she might even say she was nonplussed, but she always gets confused by nonplussed and tries to avoid it.

Emmit, arches a brow. And shakes his head as Buck follows her, "Portents. We warned her."

"Is the childling a danger?" Kourtney asked alarmed

"Oh, she could tear Clem's heart apart with the wrong words or a betrayed look" Emmit says, "But no nevermind now. LEt's get to work, Hearth"

Kourtney sighs. PRobably with being such a YOUNG Hearth is folks don't always take you seriously. She needs someone with insight who will TALK to her she needs... I need Hearth Kerri THAT is someone to 'network with.. as per Chief's orders.

(End Scene)