#earthrunes

"Yeah yeah.. I'll do that" The goblin nods and licks his lips.

The point rests against his green skin, close enough to draw a red bead of blood if he swallows. "Talk."

"what the fuck do you want to know? "He asks

"What do you think will encourage me to clemency, goblin?"

"We're looking for the sleeping one" He says "There was a trap left behind. We were close. Fargo smelled her. She must have set the trap. Like a little tiger pit."

"Not news. Of course you were looking for the child."

"Fine. They're after you, the others. You, and the other Truthbranches. There is a price on your head. Specially the Ward and you. "

"Why? Why the Truthbranches?"

"Above my paygrade, but the county belongs to others...except for Earth Runes. When Earth Runes falls, they get more. Omens and shit... that damn Eiluned's been weaving layers and layers of cantrips to bend fate to defy them. The window is closing! And you Truthbranches are the damn oil the metal bits

"We're good at that. Light drives out dark."

"You're sputtering candles in a winter wind... you'll snuff soon enough" The goblin sneers.

Magnus frowns, "I hate to say this we need to get moving again or we'll lose track of the girl."

"Right." She conks the goblin on the side of her head with her hilt.

"Nice shot" The troll squire says admiringly

And staggers as he gets to his leg.

"We'll get that healed.... girl first... guard these two?"

"Right. Think you can guard them, Squire?" Magnus says binding the wound

"If the goblin gets squirrely, no second chances."

"Yes, my liege." Hee says. Magnus nods and rises following.

Perception plus Alertness

((boo Bird rolls 5 dice to per/alert 4,4,1,7,5 [failure] ))

Try as she might, Sparrow cant' find her. Perhaps she's gotten away? in which case, tis was for no... "This way," Magnus says and points UP. In the top part of a tree is a girl , 8 years old nine? She has a rock!

Sparrow looks up, wings spreading a bit - the injured one droops. "Hey, kiddo."

"Hi. Uhm.. are you a kidnapper? And think real carefully, because if you are, I'm ging to hit you..." She adds "With a rock."

Magnus snerks

"I'm not a kidnapper. I'm Deryn, and this is my brother Magnus. We're friends of Cora - she has hair like mine, right? And Delores. We came looking for you, to make sure the bad people didn't hurt you."

"Those are funny na..Deryn? why does..' She clutches her head dropping the rock "Ow ow .. I'm.. i"m seeing things'

Unenchanted, unchrystalised, yet so close.

"Hey, hey, it's okay... you've been out here a long time. Come down, we'll get you food and water...."

"But you.. I'm seeing wings and... pointed ears. and..." tears fall down the girl's face, "I'm crazy aren't I ? They're going to put me on the short bus in the 'special' classes'

"Can I tell you a secret?" Her wings mantle again. "You aren't crazy if it's true."

"I don't know. I wonder if I swallowed a mushroom" She says

Magnus says under his breath "Oh she's adorable."

"Maybe, but I doubt it."

"I'm Deryn, of Hopewind. Do you remember Hopewind?"

"I..oh..." She loses her grip and falls!

Bird dives to catch, beating her wings to meet her.

Her wing hurts like HELL... but she Makes it work catching her in a tackle. The girl's eyes open and stare at Sparrow "Hopewind..." And glamour explodes from the girl!

"Yes...." She slumps back, tears springing to her eyes as her injured wing curls in protectively. "It's okay. You're safe."

Safe or not, Sparrow finds herself in the center of a glamour storm as a dream dance is rarely easy, and yet... and yet, perhaps because Sparrow is with her, the girl's situation is not as bad as it could be. Nightmares break out but they are driven away by dreams of spearmen hunting them. The banner of Hopewind flutters for a moment from every tree! And oddest of all! Sparrow's wing is healed ! Completely. A cry from the troll not far away indicates "my leg is better I.. it's just better!"

"MAGIC. GUARD THEM!"

Somehow it works out so...the childing clings to her and the chaos becomes order and the order holds and... then she is carrying a sidhe girl who looks so familiar.

And yet she knows, just looking at her eyes, that it is not Laoghaire

"Hello, and welcome. You're going to be okay." She stands, carrying the girl on her hip.

Jennete looks at the childling, for a moment, disappointed.

"...Do you remember your name?"

"I... no. I don't. ' She says "I remember I had a name. I..remember I used to hunt and tend to the wounded. I remember the name hopewind."

"Caitir. Clever and talented, yes. You had a hard journey, but you will find wonderful things in this world, and memories too..."

"Yay?" she says still confused but tasting the name "Catir sounds good. "

"You want to go with us to a safe haven?"