#rivervale_lodge

"Olgar's not a bad wolf."

"Never said he was."

"Well, I mean, he's unseelie."

"Yup. And Unseelie isn't evil. That's where the mortal metaphor breaks down" He says

She nods. "I guess. But I don't think... I mean, I gotta look out for me. Nobody else will."

Jaymes looks at her, 'Some of us would like to try."

She chews on her lower lip, nodding. "Yeah..." A long look, amber eyes going distant with thought.

He waits to see if more comes of that

"You ever think there'd be, like, a trial period, maybe?"

"mm ddoees the state have those? or do you mean more...just between us or?"

A shrug, dropping her gaze. "I dunno."

"I think maybe it has merit, if it makes you feel ... you knnow, more at ease with it? I mean, I am not the sharpest troll in the lodge, but I know enough to know I'm asking a lot of you here. "

"I mean.. so you could see? I dunno. I... I dunno. I wanna ask Frank about that Oath..."

"Frank knows a lot" A nod, "And..well, I have seen some. You know, I may not be perfect either right? I mean, you act like youre the one going to make all the mistakes, and i can tell you right now I make plenty too"

She chews on her thumb nail and nods. "Yeah, I thought of that too. Got Sylvi plenty mad on your behalf."

"you did? Huh" then "And Sylvi got mad? on my behalf? sweet kid really. but I'm a big guy. I can take it."

"I mean... Sylvi doesn't understand, really."

"Like... how people can just get pushed, right?"

"Different kind o pushing maybe," he says after thinking about it, "How do you feel pushed?"

"Well, I know everybody wants me to... to just... I dunno, say yes and act like everything'll be fine."

"Like a fairy tale, right? But that's not..."

"I know, it's not real nice to you." A pause. "Sorry."

"Mmm" He nods "that's not how it works. you say yes, and you'll still do something that will get you grounded now and then. Or I'll still do something where I don't listen right. No, fairy tales don't tend to mention the little struggles and slips. You're right." He says "But it could still have good things too. Fishing trips, and someone who puts you first before all other girls or boys."

A snort.

"What, you think I wouldn't cheer you on if you were playing Lacrosse or something?"

"No... just..." She frowns. "There's a catch, yeah?"

"You're slipping something in I don't know about? "

"There's always something. You keep saying you want this for... nuthin', really. You look at the file yet?"

"Yup. " He says "I did. Any of it true?"

A shrug. "Probably."

"Well, I figure you'd know."

"So, sure. Said I'm a bad kid, right?"

"Said you did somethings that were bad. lots of stuff about adversarial, and blah blah. But you know what they say about history?"

"DIfficult. Defiant. Oppositional. "

"Sounds likee they're saying you actually have a mind of of your own and that freaks them out"

"Well, what'll you do then? When I don't wanna do what you want?"

"Or if I run away?"

"Well, I've been watching frank and Olgar.. you know? because they seem to be good dads. So what I can tell, there's a lot of teeth grinding, and head bashing against walls."

...okay, that gets a little snerk of laughter.

A bit of a smile

"If you Oathed.... I was told I shouldn't Oath before I'm Sained, but... but if you Oathed, and I ran off, what'd happen? Would it be broken? Or would it only be broken if you, like, kicked me out?""

"...or gave me up..."

"oh" Mmm His brow knits

"If I recall, what I swear to offer you is my wisdom, my love and my regard. "

"I guess? I don't know how it all works."

"But it's magic. So... so it'd be real, right? Different than just... it'd be different."

"It's true. There are consequences . I'm a big boy. I can take em"

"But it would be real?"

'Yes. I think you've had Fake Parents long enough"

Biting her lip, another of those long, thoughtful looks.