#earthrunes

Leonora strides out, fully equipped for hunting, perhaps for war! Leather armor, her quiver filled with her sharpest arrows, a back up blade should she get to melee

Besides her, Dame Claire, mother of one, knight protector of many, her armor shining , her shield having the inverted Ailil symbol.

And Temerity, ever eager, glory thirsty, a small tank with a mouse tail

"Come, my sisters in steel, let us face down Famine, that insidious horseman! To battle! To Broiling!"

"Oh I that broil word is a pooka ism," Claire says "We're roasting."

"Relax, if legends be true," Leonora beams "There will indeed be enough to hold off a famine."

As they round a corner, they come across August; he blinks at the armed and armored trio. "Ah."

"Baron" Dame Claire bows// "My liege!" Temerity salutes!/" August!" Leonora smiles and she also explains "A Thankszilla has been spotted. THis is a rare chance to get a lot of food"

"A.... Thankszilla?"

"It's the stupidest thing" Claire, as ever, can be the grouch of the group, "A giant.. Chimerical turkey, huge, hence the term Thankszilla, appears now and then this time of year. Usually at the Fringe of the Near Dreaming. It stomps and gobbles and kicks things around," a snort "Filled with the resentments that come with the reason. Be it worries about how badly indiginous folk were treated, or just 'i don't want to visit the damn inlaws' ire. It can be dangerous, but if you slay it, something weird happens..."

"I shall be head it!" Temerty says "With my teeth if need be!"

Leo goes on "It's not weird, it's wonderful. You kill the Thankszilla in it's rampage, well, what happens when you put down resentment? There are rewards... it breaks open like a november pinata, and out spills dozens and dozens of autumn world turkeys and hams... not alive, of course, but the the gifts of plenty that come from putting resenment down and truly counting blessings..."

"or violence" Temerity smiles!

"Right," Claire goes on "Anyway, big as this THankszilla is, we suspect we could have like 20 good sized ready to cook turkey meals, and 15 hams. Possibly there will be cranberry sauce in place of blood and some other goodies. It's just too big a pay off not to hunt down"

"And there you have it," Leo smiles "want to come with? You'll want arms and some armor"

August blinks again "What will you do with it all?"

"MILORD, dost thy hearing fail? Tis a CHIMERA, but the sweet ambrosia is accessible even to the Scrooges and grumbly bunks of the planet. Famine shall be beat off with a stick!" Temerity declares

"What she's saying is, we plan to take a turkey or ham each for ourselves and the rest go to the poor who can't normally afford fancy dinners," A grin from Leo. "Imagine some family used to ramen suddenly getting a 16 pound turkey?"

A soft smile from August. "I don't need to imagine; I know. Yes, I'll come with you if you give me a moment to gather my things?"

"Sure," Claire says "I'm just doing this because these two may get themselves swallowed by the damn thing in their eagerness for glory or to save the world"

"Also we pestered her a lot," Leo beams

"Yes, my lord, gather thy fire and steel and bring GLORY to the truthbranch house banner, let all turkeyzillas quake in fear at the name Augusto!" Temerity says happy to have him along

August moves smartly to let Benny know what is needed and to alert Tylar and Velvet that he is going hunting. Soon he is armed and ready.

Benny passes it onto the squires, who will worry a bit, but go about their duties as he directs. August returns, armed and armored, his quicksilver sword by his side.

"Doesn't he look dashing like this?" Leonora beams

"AVAST! Ye wouldst plan a hunt without the King of Beasts to sanction such?" Vince leans against a door frame, watching the hunters gather.

"oh Vince," Leo moves to kiss Vince on the cheek

"Vince." August greets him with a smile "Will you join us?"

"King of beasts? A but a mouse is already here...ah, may haps I am no King, but I care not for Jersey weather" Temerity shrugs. Few understand this, of course

Vince is wearing a loose dressing gown, which gapes pleasantly at the top to show off his chest.

"I shall not join, no, for tis the season to allow even the smallest of beasts play at royalty." An overly flourished bow towards Temerity.

"I shall simply claim as my just due, a Tribute of the plumpest, most succulent bird as my very own."

"I'm good with that," Leonora nods, "Claire?"

"He ought to do something for it, but fine" Claire allows

"mmm, long ago the first lion did trick the other animals into a 'lion's share' contract, so very very well. Let Vince demand his 'Prema Carne' right" Temerity nods back to Vince

August nods agreement as well.

Vince beams at them all, though Claire gets a tongue stuck out at her.

"Ahem ahem..."

He clears his throat, and then recites, arms spread wide:

"“There is nothing more perky
Than a masculine turkey.
When he struts he struts! With no ifs or buts.
When his face is apoplectic; his harem grows hectic,
And when he gobbles...
Their universe wobbles.”

With a bit of glamour released, a Wisp appears!

and just like that, the wisp seems to flutter, slow at first, but gaining speed towards a direction

"Well done, Vince. Thank you."

"Oh, don't mention it." He says with a smile, and whisks his tail.

But he does look very pleased with the praise, a look of a cat with cream.

Leo fits in another quick kiss, then says to Claire "See? He's earned it already" And she follows

"To battle!" Temerity says

As the ladies, and August, follow the wisp outside and into the city's edge

Indeed they do.

They nimbly avoid traffic, braving the chill that has hit even Missouri, and make their way after the wisp. It weaves below billboards and then?

They come to a liquor store!

The Lion's Share Liquor Store, in fact.. "Okay, it wouldn't fit in here" Claire mutters but Temerity says "Victory " And charges in

August looks up along the roof-line, and along the edges of the building.

The wisp has definitely gone in, and August, through the window, can see it is hovering before a large display celebrating "SALE Wild Turkey Bourbon, HALF PRICE THIS WEEK! GOBBLE GUZZLE"

A sigh, and a frown; no enormous Thankszilla in evidence? What is Termidity up to?