#dreaming

..........................

Sylvi walks the trods home. Siv departed early, so she's taking this one alonne. The goodness? the rovers have cleared out the path

She tries to make good speed. Part of that is because she's eager for Yule with family...and part because, even with the rovers' work, she's still a bit concerned about what the Balor might try.

And she sees three trolls patroling.. wearing rover garb

Whew! That's a good sight to see. She approaches them, trying to see if she recognizes any at this distance. She doesn't expect her father to be there, but....

And with them a nocker... One she doesn't recognize "This is robbery"

"NAH" one troll says "it's a contribution to the Knights of the way.. Now cough up your dross or money"

"Yeah" another says

She frowns, and slows a moment...then picks up the pace. "Hey!" She gives a bright, disarming smile. "Good to see Rovers!"

"Glad to hear it," One troll leers at her

The nocker says "You know these robbers?"

"Well, they're Knights of the Way, right?" She points back the way she came. "There was a pooka back that way, and we were walking together for a bit, but he took a branch of the path...and then I heard yelling, and the branch wasn't there anymore! I figure it was a decoy path, but there's nothing I can do. You've got to help him!"

"Right after this" One says

Something is wrong . VERY Wrong.

She blinks. "You're not going to put the fae in danger first?"

"Look, one thing at a time, cupcake. We Rovers decide WHO we want to help WHEN we want to help"
"Yeah" the other says

She nods slowly. "Got it. Right." She edges over to the nocker's side as she speaks. "I guess I should trust the Rovers to know what to do."

She gets very close.. and soon, is next to the nocker who is pulling out some dross and cursing

She grabs the nocker's wrist. "Pay you back..." she hastily promises as she grabs one piece of dross from his hand, and throws it down at the silver path to make it bounce, bunking to hopscotch the two of them high and away further down the silver.

And it works!

Unttil someone shoves her! off the trod! Nocker with her!

She's off the silver! Christ! Falling!

And a voice says "You idiot, we needed ONE of them to witness being criminal so the reputation of the rovers would be rui..."

The nocker screams drown out the rest as they fall

no silver... and no hope

She's screaming, too! This is...NO! Her mind is simultaneously racing and frozen, her free hand flailing for something to grab while still holding the nocker.

And then she sees the Yulestar in the distance opening like a sleeping god's eye now wakening, it's not a silver trod, but it is a road .. of golden strands!

It's a wild, desperate hope, and she aims to get them on that golden path.

It's like grabbing onto a bridge made of cloth threads, a swing bridge .. she snags onto it. .. and holds

"A golden trod? That's not possible..." The nocker says "And.. no silver.. not protection.. OOOF"

"Okay, we're NOT going to start this by doubting the one thing we've got, okay? Those guys weren't Rovers. I'm pretty sure they're Balor." Her voice drops, "And my dad's gonna kick their asses." She makes sure they're both securely on their feet. "What's your name?"

"McKeever" He says "Balor? I thought the balor what was kicked out?"

"They want to screw up the reputation of the rovers and the baroness at BrightWinds." A deep breath. "Okay...let's move, and quickly, while this path is still strong. I'm Sylvi, and I'm heading to Rivervale...where were you headed, McKeever?"

"Wherever this half trod goes. I guess." he says "But Rivervale is fine." he looks around

"Yeah. You're coming from BrightWinds?"

"To.. was coming TO" he says "heard good things"

Figures dance in this part of the Dreaming, stirred, or born ? Or returned by the Yule star!

"Go brothers! Go!" Gargoyles fly over the air "Perhaps we return!"

"yes, but what is with these strange red and white hats?"

"Oh, look!" She watches them fly.

"What the furk? Something odd aboutthose chimera, and I don't mean the hats"

"Odd? What are you seeing that I'm not?"

"Not what I'm seeing, it's kenning.. it's almost.. changeling esqe.. minus the mortal banality"

"RIDE!" A figure yells. Cenatuars....

"Wait, you mean...like...like it's a path for chimera to take shape in Concordia?" That is alternately pleasing and terrifying.

"Do I look like a chimericalologist? " McKeever says "My speciality is Eco friendly power sources like steam, wind, solar and cowfarts! I thought a new place could use it. They can't want JUST warriors." A look "But they ken odd.. not bad. .just.. HOLY SHIT DUCK!"

And the nocker Ducks

Sylvi blinks and does, indeed, duck, trying to protect him as well.

And something.. not glamour, something.. WRONG.. extends a tendril , nay, 3 tendrils, and scoops up the centuars from the trod of light.. and devours them into it's horrid maw