#elsewhere

Ivan snuffles and sneezes, the legs tickling his nose. Then, he moves out, searching.

"I do not approve of more. I am firmly opposed to more. I would like to cancel my subscription to more."

Citrine has found a small awl and waves it bravely at the bug.

Gwen follows "He's not a blood hound but he can track better than we can ... err " At the subscription part "Yeah. You okay? You can stay back there if you like" she's following

It gives a last twitch and she goes head over teakettle flying back away.

Ivan returns, looking calm. He sniffs at a few cracks, TINY cracks, but seems not worried.

"Good boy" She says and pets him "Well done. Ivan thinks we're clear"

"That's good, sure."

"Was it here the whole time?"

"in a crack maybe" she says "But not in the open. We should maybe seal up the one it came through?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, adding sealant to phase 1, pronto."

In the next room over, a sound

Snoring.

A smile at Thistle "If I start calling you howler or some nickname about screaming you'll make me regret it, won't you?"

"Oh yes."

"Deeply."

A chuckle "Fine. I'll tell art you 'roused me from my sleep'"

Citrine bells a complaint about the corpse.

"Oh.. sorry, Citrine I..." A smirk "Got an idea"

"Yeah, you get to stay on the good list."

Gwen gets the dead centipede, and as quietly as possible, lays it on the sleeping briar

Thistle snerks.

She stirs a little. Muttering something about breakfast.

Citrine, catching on, gives Briar a POKE with the awl!

And Gwen slips back out of Briar's room, closes the door and goes.. and runs

as Briar gets poked

Briar sits up, and…

Thoguh she did leave the door open. No point in getting Citrine trapped in there with an angry cap

SHRIEK!

The sound of thrashing, then POUNDING AND STOMPING

Thistle holds up the pillow for Citrine to dive under.

CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH and CURSING, nothing to rival a Nocker but impressive for a 12 year old.

Gwen is down the hall.. and fighting laughter, covering her own mouth to keep it a light snicker at best

“God Damn %^##} NEW JERSEY BULLSHIT!”

"Briar? You okay?"

Silence for a minute. “YEAH I JUST, UH.”

“I think that damn cat has friends!”

“Killed it! Did you hear.. uh . IT yell?”

"Yeah!"

She grins quietly.

Gwen peeks further down the hall, grin on her face, then calls out "Hey Briar, some of us are trying to sleep!"

Cursing still, but quieter. “Gonna get back NORTH where things have Sense…”

"We'll be home soon."

Grunting, and soon the redcap turns her light off again. Ivan camps outside the two downstairs rooms, on guard.

"Good boy" She says to Ivan "You're the best"

Aubergine finds her way back in at some point, but the other two nevers are long gone, at least for now.

Soon only a smudge on the ceiling and a spear jab marks the interruption.

The local Never gets a safe spot, too, even if Citrine objects.

she cleans her spear point, and says "good night, Briar. Good job killing that thing whatever it was"