#rivervale_lodge

Siv sticks out a tongue

May comes in moments later, she's been here before, though she's clueless to its nature.

"oh wow, he.. wait, wasn't he hurt a lot worse than this?" May bends down near Theo

"It wasn't too bad once we got him out. He's still pretty exhausted, he was starving..."

"I guess I didn't see him right..." she strokes him.

Siv TXTS: Mom, we've also got May at home. Nice girl. doesn't glow.

"Hard to tell, everythin' at once."

"Well, the important thing is, he's safe" May says "Sweet boy."

"Yeah. I'm glad we found him."

An unspoken 'in time.'

"We done good. And his family is going to be happy to have their boy back , yes they are... " May says, though she does not wooga wooga the poor guy

Oak sighs and remains on duty

Edelweiss has Gerd. Browndog gets pats now and then from Dagmar. But poor Oak... he must suffer silently the great duty upon his furry shoulders. Dramatic canine sigh

"Well, mom's not responding... " Siv says "As a park ranger she's gonna wanna know about taht pit trap"

"I don't get it... " May says "if he's not really cut up and avoided the barbs..what's this blood on his fur?"

"Don't poke..."

"He got some cuts. Torin stopped the bleeding some, but what if they start back up?"

"Oh.. oh I didn't see.. " a hand draws back

"It's okay, May."

May is mollified, and Theo rests. It takes time, and Lupita and May have go home, but Theo will be able to be dropped off tomorrow, Tove is sure of it.

If Tove is sure, Dag is sure.

and soon it's just kithain and dogs again (And Mackerel)

"May.. .is not dumb" Torin observes now that they're alone.

"Nope."

"Yes, we let things come close to slipping" Tove admits "I didn't think to wipe the blood off... let me get a rag"

"It sucks."

"Which? the dog being hurt, or lying to may? " SIv asks

"Both. But mostly May."

"Ah, the sundering and shattering did numbers on us to be sure, splitting the Dreaming too far from them to see clear," Siv sighs "I've got a mortal friend and feels like I can't tell her a ruddy thing some days"

"Exactly."

"Right of ignorance, ladies" Torin says "Side,s MOuntain Frank is very touchy about casual enchantment I think"

"My dad is fine, sir" A bit protective "And knows his work"

"I know. But it still sucks."

"Well, if she was a kithain, by now I think she'd have popped. Odds are just in favor of her being mortal" Tove says, "And dreamers are precious."

"And she is that. You see how good she's doing?"

"She's going to camp."

"Hey, that's great. You guys might be together again" Tove smiles

"Yeah. See, Lupe and I are gonna split the reward..."

"Fair" she says "Well, wait, is May already paid for?"

"Yeah. She didn't even need to to apply for the scholarship."

"I think her parents are just happy she's happy?"

"Good parents"

"Yeah, they alright."

"Her dad's a lawyer, so I guess they got money, but May doesn't act snotty about it,"

"She seems very humble" a nod

Nods. "She's gotten way more confident. Her brother, y'know, class president, going to Stamford... I thinks he feels overshadowed, sometimes."

"I can see why. Stamford. Whew. So.. their family values the academics, and while not dim by any means, she likes sports"

"Oh, he's an All-American, too. ANd May... well, May's shy, and when she gets nervous she gets clumsy."

"Now, when she feels good, she's amazing."

"so me and Lupe, we just believe hard enough in her that she falls for it, too."