#elsewhere

"My first thought would be a spider - they can float on their webs."

Gwen nods "That would be my guess as well"

Art ponders. "I think you're right... though spider webs might be considered silver?"

His brow furrows a bit, considering. "I think it's worth a try."

"Opal, I think."

"Is it meeeee?" Citrine asks, popping her head into the ring.

Her wings buzz as she flits about!

"Hush, you." He says to Citrine. Then, looks thoughtful.

Art thinks for a moment, then smiles as he responds to Raven's challenge.

“The riddle is a clever one, Raven. There isn't just one answer, is there?"

Raven pulls his head back, blinking. "Awk?"

"Of course, a Trickster as clever as you would have a Riddle that we can't solve, because whatever we answer, you would say it was the other answer."

Raven tilts his head, and considers. "My Riddle. My answer."

"I could tell you the answer is Hummingbird. Dancing on the wind, migrating from place to place, hiding it's nest, and nectar is it's treasure."

Raven puffs up, glee in his eyes, but before he can cry out, Art interrupts!

"Or I could say the answer is Butterfly! Wafting on the breezes, it builds a cocoon to live in for a time, and grows lovely wings hidden inside, which are jewels that catch the light".

Raven flaps his wings, looking annoyed, but when he opens his beak again, Art interrupts once more!

"Or it could be Bee! Buzzing around, sharing it's home made of wax in a commune, and crafting honey in the unseen hive."

Raven cries out, "But I know that none of those are as good as Spider! SPIDER!"

Art answers quickly, "Yes, the answer is Spider."

Raven cuts off midcroak, and blinks. His beak opens, but for once, he has nothing to say.

Thistle shrugs. "You didn't want my beads."

"Not enough it seems" A shrug

Raven huffs and hisses, then blinks at Art, eyes narrowed.

"Now you must Riddle me!"

Art nods, and he asks,

"I dance or fly, on breezes I may roam,
A homemaker, yet I’ve no true home.
I craft my beauty in places unseen,
My treasures are not bright silver or gold’s gleam.
What am I?"

Raven puffs up angrily.

Takota laughs softly, and says to the Spirit, "I think he's caught you in your own trap, Trickster."

Gwen fights a chuckle. It is VERY Hard

SNERK.

Raven flaps his wings mightily, and everyone except Mato and Gwen find themselves buffeted by the wind. Citrine goes flying Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!

But comes right back.

Finally, Raven hunkers a bit, "Not fair." He mutters, Art, daringly, steps up and gives the Spirit a pat! "Tell you what - I'm not sticking around long. If you give us a ride back as well? You can have that Trick all for yourself."

"After all, I had Coyote's help."

Gwen shrugs "Don't give Coyote too much credit, Art. You're very smart all on your own"

Raven perks up a bit, tasting the trick in his beak as though it was a gobbet of delicious meat. "A deal!"

The Spirit Raven beats his wings mightily again, and a whirlwind of feathers surrounds the group! When the dust fades, they find that they are on the far side of the ravine, and Raven is back to normal bird size.

Gwen looks around and makes sure Ivan is with her

"Thank you, Gwen." He beams a bit at the praise, "Perhaps I may be clever, but not really tricky. And it's probably better that way."

Ivan is crouched, he did not like the wind. He looks like he might rather try a bite of Raven.

"Easy, Ivan" Gwen says. You never know where a trickster's been

A huff, and he turns to sniff at the ground instead. A verdant meadow spreads before them, filled with delicate wildflowers.

"Oh..." Her eyes drink in the colors.

Gwen can see that despite Mato's size, he walks with care, avoiding crushing the delicate blooms under his mighty stone feet.

She smiles at Mato, and follows his example

Takota moves forward with sylvan grace, flowing through like wind or water, and he doesn't even need to try.

Mato glimpses her smile, and after a moment, there are crinkles in the stone around his eyes for a moment.

"“Many eyes go through the meadow, but few see the flowers in it " She says, but does't remember who said that first.

Thistle hangs back, content to look on.

Art hangs back as well, content to drink in the loveliness.

Of course, he is watching Thistle watching the flowers.

"Perhaps it is well I can't visit here too much. I might take root"

"Would that be so terrible?"

Gwen turns, and before her stands a figure that seems to shimmer with the light of dawn.

She is a woman with skin like the earth after rain, soft and shining, wrapped in robes that reflect the hues of the wildflowers. Her long, flowing hair cascades around her shoulders like a river, streaked with threads of silver and gold, like sunlight breaking through the clouds.

The figure smiles at Gwen, and it's like the first rays of sun falling on cold ground after a long winter.

(Pause)