#dreaming

"Warm sun heating the sand... sun-kissed waves... the deck of the Narwhal at noon without a cloud in the sky... my cozy bed snuggled between Siv and Jonas..." She murmurs, thinking of all of the warmest thoughts.

A voice says "Oh, do stop" A radiant woman in green steps out "This is silly"

Piper looks up - a sidhe?

She is as fair as any sidhe, but no, she is.. somethinng else. Beauitful tthougggh, her form fiting green kirtle ashimmer

Sylvi holds Piper back. "Wait...Don't go closer. It's...it might be her."

"If she's a Winter Witch, how dare she wear green?" Piper snorts delicately.

"I am no winter witch... " she says musically "Merely a lady in green. Still, one cannnot fight the winter.. it is the natural way..."

And ... both Piper and Sylvi are.. less sure. Has it always been winter?

"No...no, it's another Narnia thing. I think. Lady of the Green...something...."

She bites her lip.

"I...think."

"Narnia? How silly, that too is pretense... much like fire, and spring... mere imaginations."

Were there.. books about something?

A frown. "Spring...Spring's real."

"Green is the color of summer and spring, but also the color of dangerous snakes." Inwardly, she apologizes to Eden. "Winter is not natural, not forever. I'm a child of summer suns and warm sands. You keep your snow!"

"Oh, the snow is here, above... follow me, I will take you to the gray and stone... there is above winter, and dark warmth.. theee is no other world, one or he other... this ..sun you speak of... never was a thing"

Piper is a Cali girl.. oh hell no, a world withhout sunshine? fuck that

For Sylvi, the thought that holds is where is dad... and that duty shoves her words to the side

Sylvi grits her teeth and steps forward. "You're a liar. Simple fact. She's seen sun and surf, and I've farmed and planted and seen crops grow from seed. I have the strength of Spring in me...and I'm here to find my dad, so MOVE."

"A DeBuke?" She hisses "you did not have the look! But you'e a springbearer! our plan is in danger of exposure before we can make our move!" She and her lovely eyes grow serpentine, like Eve's... but far more hateful, venom filled fangs sprout as she transforms into a snake, a giant one

"Watch out!" Piper exclaims!

She looks at the layout of the path, and the witch..er... snake. Would it be possible to get past it? Over, perhaps?

She's blocking it, but then, goats are nimble

She reaches over and grabs Sylvi's arm. "You know, you make me wanna... JUMP!"

Casting Hopscotch to attempt a leap right over and past the Witch - Troll in tow!

Sylvi takes the cue and moves with Piper's bunk, but also takes a stab at the serpent with her spear in her free hand as they go over.

the spear pierces from above as they pass over, the scales shield the worst of the damage for the Lady of the Green Kirtle. She snaps in retaliation but while she gashes the troll's leg, the hopscotch carries her over and free before the venom can be delievered. Hurts like a son of a bitch

Sylvi cries out in pain but then grits her teeth as they land. "Go go go!" she says to Piper, urging her to run.

"You know it!" Piper takes off, trusting Sylvi to be right behind her.

Sylvi runs as best she can, ignoring the wound and checking behind her to see if the snake is following.

Sylvi noticed somehig, a cave with lightt, not just light, balefire!

Six Firebrands holdinng their flames close, trapped in the cave!

She checks: is it on the silver?

No.. and that is a terrible risk

"Sylvi?" Piper realizes she doesn't hear steps close behind her and glances back. "Hurry, before Snake lady comes after us!"

"Piper...there, look. Firebrands...." But she hesitates.

She trots back, and peers. Hands cupped around her mouth - even in a storm, she knows how to PROJECT. "HEY! GET OVER HERE! BACK ON THE SILVER!"

"you will NOT free them" the green snnake lunges...so big now part of hehree is on the silver, but her tail fits back to the Cave

"Help them!" she says to Piper, then she starts singing: "Welcome sunshine, welcome bird-on-the-wing, welcome springtime, we've been living for spring!"

Spring flowers burst carried on strong vines, entrapping the snake, att least holding for now

Piper is distracted for a moment, "What song is that?" Curious! But then she snaps back to what's urgent, and she reaches out, stretching an arm off the path towards the brands. "Make a chain! Reach for me - don't let anyone get lost in the storm or left behind!"

Sylvi keeps singing, and the lyrics get...sillier? "We've been waiting in the winter and the cold,  slumbering in burrows all alone, Now it’s time to wake up in the honey-sunny spring, Now it’s time to wonder when the bunnies start to sing!"

"Muppets!" she calls in answer to Piper. Further explanation will have to wait.

And they do... bravely, lanterns and hands ,a a chain of light...

Piper stretches, and takes a step off, just one hoof-tip left on the silver path.

the snake curses, twined, but she is strong, slowly the vines snap... but not before the firebrrands are on the silver

Sylvi keeps singing to keep the cantrip going, but she keeps an eye on Piper and the firebrands (what a good band name!) to make sure they're doing okay.

"GO!" She screams at Piper, keeping herself between the snake and them. "I'll be right behind you!"

That's enough - ignoring the danger to herself (what if the Firchlis is blowing along with this storm and moves the very path away?) she races down, and helps the Firebrands along, taking a bit of warmth and pressing it into each with helping hands that pull them up and over toward safety.

they stop shivering "thank you"

"Go, go!" She gives the first a boost, making sure she makes it, then turning to the next.