#fenixtj

A Hummingbird pooka, but he wears Nunnehi garments. He is armed and armored, however lightly.

Befoe they get there, Mitra whispers "this is Hezpo.. I thougght he was a faker, I mean, he's clearly kithain, but the Nunehi treat him as if he's one of them."

Jess nods understanding, but not without trepidation. "Pooka...." doesn't need to be said.

Still, she squares her shoulders and nods in greeting. "You are Hezpo? I'm Jessica King."

He looks over at her , eyes dark, and his nose hooked, the colors of his wings are vivid and there is a fieceness about him despite the fact she towers over him, "You are the dam that has stopped the red rains from flooding. Still it rises, when the Dawn Lord learns of your stone, it maybe that you and the young master will be broken for this. How will you struggle then not to struggle?"

There's a long pause.

"I think I understood up to the Dawn Lord part."

"If I understand the part about being broken correctly, I'll say that is my duty. But I'm not sure who the young master would be."

"The Summer Mountain bows to the summer oak, it is known" Hezpo shrugs "But the bastard of war has no quarrel with either."

A whisper "he's the bastard of war" Mitra says, then speaks up "Hezpo, the Countess is more informal at times. Yes she struggles hard for peace. You were telling me earlier of the migration?"

The pooka sighs "The Migration is a slow wind, and it began blowing before you were born. Who is to say what remains pure"

Only two exchanges in, and Jessica reaches up to rub at the base of her horns.

"Fascinating," Mitra says with sidhe polish, "Thank you for sharing your profound wisdom with us, Hezpo"

"When the crossing is complete, strong hands must need pull the drowning from one world to the next" he nods

"Yes. Yes, thank you for.... um, that insight. You've given much to think about."

Hezpo inclines his head "the bastard of war must fly to the nector of truth" And then he goes off... and orders a beer

"And that's Hezpo," Mitra says "What do you think?" Now that theyr'e alone

"I never know what to think when it comes to pooka...." she says quietly and not without frustration.

"I mean... I think he was trying to warn me but...."

"I almost want to say he was talking about my dad, as well."

"I don't think every reference to the Mountain is your father" She ponders "How would he even know about Sir Franklyn?"

"I don't know!" with soft emphisis "But Dad's a Mountain -and- an Oak. But not summer. I don't know any others who are both Mountain and Oak, though."

"Sounded like the Mountain and hte Oak were separate "

"I thought he was saying that Dad's House might take priority over his Mountain role?"

"Possible, but I'm still not sure your father is involved at all" A pondering "He's a pooka, not a prophet, but I think he does KNOW things, and perhaps is smarter than we can know. Hard to tell. I find him interesting. Like a crossword puzzle"

"I wish I could say the same. He seems formidable, but I just don't have as agile a brain as you do, to puzzle things out."

"Well, don't pat me on the back yet, I'm still doing this crossword in pencil, not a pen. " A smile "But thanks. And you're plenty brainy , it's just 90% of your mind is focused on helpingg your people rrather than puzzle solving"

"Did -you- understand what he meant?"

"I think the Mountain is you" she explains. "And the Oak, the Duke"

"-Me??- I'm not a Mountain. Or did he mean mountain?"

"You just said the same thing twice"

"I meant mountain-little-'m'."

"Ah.. .entirely possible. I doubt Hezpo knows about troll lodge set ups"

"I suppose not.... although that doesn't make anything any clearer."

"Not really" She agrees "Pooka are a muddle"

"Damnit. I really feel like he could be a key to the Nunnehi. Damn."

"It's why I introduced you to him. Near as I can tell, the Nunehi took him in as a childling."

"I have to say, it suits him."

"Yes, he gets his name from an astec war god, albeit in the diminutive"

"How did you come to know him?"

"He came here with other...err with Nunehi. Caught my attention and I was introduced"

"Other what?" curious.

"I almost said 'with the other nunehi' but technically he's a changeling"

"They definitely see him as one of them, not one of us" She adds "I suppose that should give us hope that they can let other kithain slide"

"How do they seem to view you?" Curious.

"They admire I'm a warrior, and they respect me because they respect the pitt. At least I hope they do" She says 'Taht's my impression. "

She nods thoughtfully. "Good. What about Sayda? How do you think she would fare independently?"

"Fare in what way?"

"Ok, two part question; do you think she's ready to rule, and, what do you think the Nunnehi think of her?"

"She's nott ready yet. " A shrug "For a child she's amazing, but no, not yet. The nunnehi seem to findn her charming"