#rivervale_lodge

"Sam, I turn into some kind of wolf woman, you need to protect the school from me"

"It will be both, Lupita...for if your nature is ever discovered, there would be those who wish to harm you. You will need allies. You have Sam. Those of my house will help you as far as we are able. Do not ignore the need of allies."

"Well, y'know, both. You are strong as a wolf."

"OKay, okay" SHe says "Just.. you know, got pride" but mumbling now "It's like buncha tall people acting as my secret service. On the court, I race around tall ffolks and smoke em"

"Ooo, I could get shades and one of those ear things!" She touches her ear and speaks into her wrist. "We got a bogie on Twilight Sparkle..."

"I will cut you in my NORMAL form if you call me twilight sparkle..." Elbow

playful note to it

Brekke clears her throat. "We should go." She does not seem in a playful mood. "Dress warmly."

"Yes'ma'am" Suddenly all business again, she gets the coat she was given and is ready to follow.

"Oo, how about Applejack?" She grabs her coat - keeping it light.

Lupita gives a LOOK at Sam, then headjerks sort of subtly towards Brekke as if to say not to risk the wrath of the adult right now.

"Yeah yeah." She pulls on her hat.

The trip goes to the edge of the barony, past places Sam is not used to. Finally, they come to an area betwixt and between, where nature once ruled and refuses to die, and where human growth tried, and then failed, leaving recent marks...

Brekke is mostly quiet as they walk, tense, guarded, and wary.

Sam scuffs along, hands jammed in her pockets. "Seems like they like being left alone..."

When they hit the tracks, the rails become almost as guides... and a bridge that goes no where , it's shadow shielding snowy spots that won't melt now... and they see a figure on top of the bridge.

"We are close," Brekke says. "The caern is not far from here. We will approach its edge, but we must not enter without ...." She stops speaking when she sees the figure, and gestures for them to halt.

Lupita seems suddenly alert, as if her skin is tingling from more than winter air "Do... do you feel that? This.. this place?"

Sam stops, resisting the urge to reach for Flyswatter.

Try as she might, Dagmar can no more feel anything 'magical' about this than Lupita would likely feel the balefire.

Yet Lupita is almost a tremble from it, not from fear, but like she had entered something grand and precious.

Brekke watches the figure, not speaking first.

Like a church goer caught in sunlight coming through the stained glass of a window depicting their faith, or a hiker with a love of nature come onto a valley no one else had seen in a generation.

She shifts her weight, and settles on 'looming' - as much as an admittedly tall 14 year old can.

The figure on the bridge calls out "You folks LOST?" His voice sounds somehow between extroverted chatty, and with an undercurrent that you might any moment find he's a character in a Stephen King novel, and not a nice one. He looks a bit like a hobo, knapsack on stick and all

"Possibly. But I do not think so. I was here many years ago. I met people here. I think some of them may still remain. Do you know of whom I speak?"

She watches the stranger, stoicism betrayed by the occasional twitch of a finger.

"Only people here are dangerous and desperate," A grin "Myself included. " He plummets off the bridge but then catchs the lower rung with a free hand. Then swings to the side, and slides down the icy wall with a landing .

Lupita stiffens then admits "Nice moves for a bum" A whisper.

"Thanks" the man says despite the distance

She tries kenning the man. "Nice, maybe. Dangerous, probably."

"Thanks." The man says despite the fact he could't possibly have heard those mutters from that distance. Could he? "And yes to both"

"He can hear you." A careful nod to the man. "We seek the Caern."

At that, his expression grows less jovial , he strides, picking up steam , not running, but a more aggressive walk in fashion almost akin to a canine seeing if someone on his territoory understands that there are fangs nearby.

Sam steps in front of Lupita, hands in fists.

Then the man sniffs the air.

A hand on Sam's shoulder, pulling her back slightly. Quietly, she says, "We bring a new one. She learned last night."

She bites back a protest as Brekke stops her from guarding Gonzales.

His eyes turn on Lupita, "Well so you're the one we've been hunting for. Huh, welcome to the Shit, kid" A grin again then with an equally mercurial shift to deference, he turns to Brekke "We're in your debt then. Pardon my ignorance. Fianna might fuss at me for not leaving out some mlik and bread for you by the stoop" A nod "I'm a scout not a lore master, but yes, I think I knew who and what you are. Been a long time since you or Hemlock sent anyone here. "

"You can call me Rails," He grins "Short for Rails against the Wind."

"You did not wish our interference. We respect that."

"Bread and milk?" COnfusion on Lupita's face

"Like..." She stops, biting back whatever she was going to say.

Brekke shakes her head at rails. "She does not know about what we are. She is Lupita. And this is Sam."

"Huh... " A look at Sam, "Why bring her?"//Lupita says "She's my friend. And she kept me from..." A look of guilt.

"Sam was there when Lupita changed. Sam is her ally, and has said she will help her and guard her as she learns her new life, as best as she is able."

Rails frowns "First change unattended is a bloody affair, kid. How many did you kill?"

"Not one. I held her."

"Waiit, you held her?" He rubs his eyes "HELD one of us during first change?" Rails looks to Brekke "Who... or what are you again? That your cubs can do that?"