#earthrunes

"What are your intentions, when you find her?"

He looks sheepish and rubs the back o his head with a big hand "Well, I'd like to see if thinngs could go further. It's.. not just a romp. Was at first, but we talked too.. and.. the talks got longer... more... important, well, AS important as the romps."

Zara nods. "Alright then. And you do not feel.. mmm.. taken advantage of?"

"Oh hell ah.. sorry, Zara" He admits "She coaxed me to chasing , means I had to choose to chase doesnn't it? Mind you, I feel a bit like a dog that caught a sports car... didn't expect it, but proud" a deep chuckle

"Mm."

"Look, I'm not sayinn it IS true love, but shouldn't a man a man at least take a chance to find out if something might be?"

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." She nods.

"Let me see what I can do." She offers him a cup of tea.

He ttakes it "Thanks. Would.. you like a strand of her hair?"

"Oh, that would be excellent, aye! I believe I could guide you to her..."

"I am something of a soothsayer, myself."

"Yeah? I hear it's common as arts go, but most folks never get deep into it" He hands the hair strand overr. Good thing Clem's disguise keeps the same hair color or he'd have noticed a shift

"Not the most common on the farm, but I imagine Centaurs would take well to it." She takes the hair and begins to wind it around a crystal.

"Said to be some seers with horse hooves in the legends" he nods

"Chiron, aye?" She takes his teacup!

"The examplar" He nnods "I'm no intellectual, but we all studied up on the legends some. Not many of them flattering outside of Chiron but tha's what happens when the two leggger greeks get the last say. They come out as the good guys" A wink "Anyway the lady in question, she's.. smart, definitely an earthy kind of gal, but she knows her stuff when it comes tto lore and I suspect magic"

Zara nods. "A woman of the field and flower, aye." She stirs his tea with the crystal, and it begins to glow with a soft green light.

He watches intently "One time she was flirtinng with me hard, would have thought that's what it was all about. Then, Alpine, that's one of their dogs, got hurt.. welll, she rightly dropped me like a hot potato and rushed to heal him. I told her we could just get the Chief, but she said no need and sure enough patched him up"

"Aye? And what do you think of the Chieftain?" Peering intently into the liquid.

"I like her. Hell of a woman, wound a bit tight but that's not on her. Honestly, she reminds me of Honey"

Honey as used, sounds like a name

"Aye?" Gently encouraging.

"Oh yes, obviously my relationship with each is..differret." Ahem "But they'e so much alike I asked tthe DeBukes if they HAD a centaur among them. Firm no"

"The DeBukes can be... mm, what's the word?"

"Clannish?"

A nod.

Of course... isn't Zara a DeBuke?

"Course, you 're considered one. I thinnk to them, Trueheart is more true tthan a ring"

"Well, to an extent perhaps."

"Well, I like em" he says simply "Good folk. Bit slow to unwind some of them but solid as you like with hearts as big as their bodies"

Zara nods.

"oh, should I drink this or stare into it?" at the cup

"In three days time, you should go to the clover field that is edged by willows. When you meet the person there, say that the River sent you."

"The... River?" He says then nods "Okay"

"You may finish your tea, if you wish."

"I am done with it."

"To your heatlth" He downs it

A little sparkle of magic - not omen, no! Fair fortune!

"Mm Not a tea man, but that's not bad. Thank you"

"You are welcome. Now, I must attend to my duties - remember. Three days."

"Three days." he rises "River sen me. Clover field. Thanks again, Z. You're an angel" And he trots out, grateful, if a tad familiar

Zara watches him go, before gleefully tapping her fingertips together in smug satisfaction.

Oh yes. Her troubadour soul is MOST pleased