#rivervale_lodge

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Frank's most recent job was short, he's turned down a long haul more than once to stay in state. It pays less, but he's close if needed. Besides, research has been required. As he pulls up to the lodge in his rig, he sees Vali waiting for him outside.

His boots crunch on the gravel as he approaches. "Vali." In greeting.

"Mountain, good to see you," Vali says, "how'd the job go?"

He nods. "Not bad. Short. How're things here?"

"Oh, a bit crazy. Wilders are patrolling hard, Tiffany and I are driving realtors nuts, I got word from the DeBukes that Dirk is fine and recovered from the venom. I didn't know he had venom in him, but apparently his patrol this morning was lively"

"Venom?" A frown.

"Chimerical poison from a nightmare chimera that attacked a mortal. Dirk was on patrol, broke in, and killed it is all I know. Our healers weren't here so Gerd took him to the Debukes after Adam and Symon dropped him off."

Frank nods, then pauses. "Adam?"

"Yes, that Adam" A nod.

Frank grunts. "Hmmphm. Well. Good for Dirk, and thanks to Gerd. Is Dirk back?"

"He's at school now apparently. Me? I got an hour before a french class. Was hoping to talk to you"

"Here I am. Want to go inside, or here? Or walk?"

"Oh here is as good as any as long as Connor doesn't show up behind me," Vali's gaze looks about, then "You remember the gift the dreaming gave me for the Togail?"

"I caught a hint of it, but... seemed to be mostly for you."

"Well, I had visions, ones I believe I am allowed to share- about a lot of folks at the lodge. One of them was about you. "

Frank nods. "Let's sit on the steps." And he does.

Settling on the steps, the younger grump says "At lot of times, when I have visions that include you, your'e in an ..auxiliary role. No offense."

"None taken."

"This was a bit different" Vali says, "I saw you riding a great beast...with eighteen legs" His eyes drift over to the rig, "You're alone otherwise. When the road cracks open as if the gate to hell itself was there. You try to outrace it... then see another on the road. You bring the beast to a stop so not to trample her, only she smiles and you plummet down in the crack. The rest of the vision isn't so much sight as sound... screams. Yours. But the chasm isn't completely closed... and there's a way up.. Ivy, Ivy that doesn't burn. "

Frank scratches his beard.

"Beyond the 'beast with 18 legs' I really don't know what that means." He says "But I felt I ought to tell you what I saw. "

Frank things about it a moment. "You heard about the adventure Siv and I were on?"

"Post Apocolyptic Video game" He says "You freed some dreamer souls. She loved adventuring with you."

"So naturally she tells the story a LOT"

Frank shakes his head sheepishly.

"You said.... I bring the beast... that's with 18 legs.... to a stop so as not to trample her. Who?"

"I don't know... she seemed oddly bland save for a smile. Golden hair I think...but I can't be sure."

"Hmmphm."

"Leanhaun sidhe was my first though too "

"Rose, not ivy." He points out.

"Still, not a bad point."

"The Ivy saves you" He counters "The Ivy is your way out"

"So no, I didn't mistake that for Leanhaun" wry

"Hmm. Ivy."

"I admit the Leanhuan part is more because, well, they do seem to clash with you a lot. Siv too ,weirdly enough"

"Not really weird when you think about it. And Jessica won't have them in the fief, if she can help it." Frank says absently, still thinking. "Don't recall any House claiming Ivy....."

"Maybe it's not a noble thing at all. Commoners also make the world go round"

"True. Might not be nobles at all."

"Frank, I wish I could tell you more about what I KNOW it means, but what I have are experienced guesses."

A gentle smile. "I don't expect you to know what it means, Vali. I know a bit about how your visions work."

"Well, I was hoping the Dreaming would be extra nice and hit us with a 'Frank, the winning lotto numbers are...' , but no dice. "

Frank chuckles. "You're not wrong."

"I do have some good news to deliver, but that's somewhere else. Pardon, I need to find the Chief. "

Frank looks around. "I wouldn't mind finding her myself......"

"Well, you've got dibs then, obviously" His eyes look towards the patrol path from the woods to see if she's coming in.

"Let me look in here." And Frank opens the front door to peek inside.

Frank finds Oak, Edie, and Brown Dog taking turns demanding pets from the Chieftain as she tries to refill her coffee. "You three are impatient..."

"Wait till you see what's out here." Frank rumbles.

She looks up. "What is it now?" She sets down her mug and goes to meet him.