#rivervale_lodge

"There was a bear, yeah. She did bear things. Give her space."

"But there is a creek and a bridge and lots of birds, too..."

"Well, mum's showed me a lot so I may have seen it, but then again... this isn't sounding familiar"

"I like the woods. And, see, Frank said they're part Dreaming, and I did okay there..."

A stumble sound in the woods. "Wait, is that the bear?"

"I don't think so."

"We're barely in the woods, Siv..."

A large stone figue might be seen ...

"Klump!" She grins and waves.

Klump turns, then a smile breaks open his stony face, "Hello, Dagmar. How are you?"

"I'm good! This is my friend, Siv. She's a troll, too...." SHe grabs Siv's hand and drags her towards the Glome.

"I... hello, sir" Siv's eyes are wide with wonder

"Hello, Siv.Mmm you smell of the sea." He offers his hand "Dagmar is a friend, so I will trust you"

She shakes his hand, then says 'you're..as big as a troll...maybe bigger"

"I'm very small compared to the mountain glomes that still sleep"

"Klump is a rock-spirit. Frank said 'inanimae.' So..."

"I've never met one..." she tells Dagmar "he's amazing.. then oh sorry sir, didn't mean to talk like you weren't here"

"I met him by accident." She shrugs. "Brekke said he could visit the lodge, too, if he wanted. How are you doing, Klump? Just going for a walk?"

"I am well, but... there are newchimera in the area. I was hoping to learn more" He then looks to Siv "Don't worry. Sometimes it's best when i'm not noticed. At least by crowds"

"New chimera? Are they friendly, or are they bugs? The bugs... I don't have the best luck with them..."

"Not bugs." He says "I am sure it is not bugs. There is a newness about them, a spring borne from winter. I do not understand"

"Well, spring is after winter. I don't really know how chimera are made. Siv, you hear anything?"

"Dad said something about the arcade game and chimera, but was in a rush over coffee... were they video game like?" She asks the glome.

Klump looks at them both "what's a video game?"

"It's a game played, like, on a tv or computer?"

"So.. like.. you control a character and make it do stuff."

"LIke the Shining Host and their dictums?"

"More like ..masks those who play the game play the game AS?" Siv says

"Oh" He ponders "Well, I still don't quite understand, but masks can have power"

"Like a puppet, maybe?"

"But, anyhow... Siv, you remember anything else from your dad? Maybe the Chief knows?"

"Likely she does, I can ask around"

"I'd think new chimera would be a good thing?"

"Yes, I suppose it should be." Klump nods, "But not all of them are friendly."

"Well, if they were dangerous I think my ma would take them further away, da too" Siv says

She frowns. "Not friendly?"

"How not friendly? If they're jerks, I can beat them up."

"The bugs are not friendly" He says "that is why when I feel the eyes from the bugs, I smash them. I know they are looking for you" he tells Dagmar " iccan feel them, they are like puppets bound the strings of hate of another'

"...I don't like the bugs much, neither." She looks down, scuffing the grass with a boot.

"That's why I'm at the Lodge now."

"She's one of us" Siv says "And we're honored to have her. Dagmar has a warrior's soul"

the sailor girl says it quite seriously

Klump looks at Dagmar "Hmm does it itch? the warrior soul?"

"Um."

"I think I have a regular troll soul. Frank says I have two."

"The other one is just a regular human, and then there's Dagmar."

"Meat people are odd," he observes after a moment, "But odd people can make good friends. The Jaymes, maybe he knows of the new Chimera'

"Jaymes might! He knows lots of things. He... did you talk to him, the other day? When I was sleeping?"

"Yes, he wanted to know me. He wanted me to know him. He said it seemed i was trying to make you feel safe. He said he wished you felt safe with him. He said he did not normally talk that much. I listened." Klump says

Siv blinks 'well, for Jaymes that's like a babble full on"