#rivervale_lodge

----------------(outside the hold)----------------------

As they hit the woods, Jonas sniffs the air, then says "Pardon me. I'd like to enhance my auditory and olfactory capacity" And he shifts into a mountain lion, sleek and lovely.

Floppsy's eyes widen "Ah...mm" He gets on the OTHER side of Sylvi

"You'd like to....? Oh!" She blinks, then smiles. "Cool. Uh, you can't talk that way, can you?"

"Actually, yes. " He says " I can. By changing into a chimerical one. Chimerical animals talk all the time"

"Fair that" Floppsy says.

"Neat trick. Okay, so...some of our patrols are in town, but we'll cover the wood paths. The Chief usually does that, but we all cover it when she's away."

"Quite fine by me. I enjoy less urban locations. Lets me practice my metamorphosis more freely. "

"Makes sense. So...you were a whale?"

"Yes..when I fell overboard in the storm I felt the current pulling. I needed to be something stronger than a troll."

"Good choice. And you saved everybody, so, yeah." She's striding along the wood paths with her spear held casually but competently. "Where are you from, anyway?"

"I travel. So it doesn't feel like any place has ever been home, I was in White sands for my fostering.. in a minuscule fief with delusions of grandeur."

"I've never been to White Sands. Is it nice?"

"I would avoid the Barony of Shadow Waters were I was fostered. Much banality in the outskirts, so those who hold the holds can often take extra liberities with who is placed where" He says with a feline swish of tail. "I am told other areas are quite nice and lively."

"Shadow Waters? Sounds unseelie. What House holds it?"

The panther seems reluctant to answer then "A rather traditional Eiluned and Ailil hold... "

She looks at him. "You're trying to hide something."

"Normally I applaud inquisitiveness, but I must say you seem to be bordering inquisitorial. I do not have fond memories of my fostering. It's germane to much that shaped me, for good or ill. Why do you inquire with such dogged intensity?"

She grins. "If you think that's dogged intensity, you ain't seen nothin' yet." A shrug. "I don't know. I'm nosy, I guess, and you're right...it's rude, and I apologize."

"Well, rude or not, as I am a stranger who just confessed to Ailil influences while we are i n Gwydion lands, well... then I can understand some caution, and I suppose I would be a hypocrite to deny a curious intellect. In truth, I was not poorly treated, as long as I stayed in my place. I did not like the caste picked for me on account of my kith. I defied it in a multitude of ways, not the least which was a probably overly pedantic vocabulary"

"Huh. Trying to 'sound sidhe'?"

Fur bristles a bit "Education, intelligence, and a breadth of vocabulary is not the domain of the sidhe, though they are certainly under that misconception. You see, as a troll, were you at that hold, you would be assigned menial tasks such as heavy lifting, perhaps guarding if you showed an aptitude for combat, but never in charge of a squad or the like. As a troll, you would be dimmed too imbecilic to be entrusted with any job that required what the sidhe thought of as advanced reasoning."

"Whoa, yeah, sorry...I was just saying, you said it was a way of defying, I guess I misread that as 'compensating' or something. And...yeah, didn't have it happen to me, but I'm pretty sure they did it to my mom." An irritated tone.

"Truly? From what I understand your mother manages finances, stock and more... in addition to cooking . She's like a steward, Chancellior , Chef... or do I have the Hearth position wrong?"

"Oh, no, that's totally it. But she used to work in a sidhe hold. She doesn't talk about it much, but...I kinda picked up that it wasn't a good situation."

"She has my most profound empathies, but I am heartened by an example of success- it gives me hope that I might rise to a position of importance and responsibility or at least respect"

"Well, sure. It could happen. So, what do you do besides metamorphosis and big words?" She smiles.

"Well, I have worked with the peace corp. Ironic, given that in those cases muscle IS very handy. Putting up buildings, carrying medical supplies, and more."

"Cool. Yeah, when I was little, the Chieftain and the Mountain would travel to disaster zones a lot to help out like that. Floods and fires and stuff. They haven't been doing that as much the last few years. I guess that's more of a wilder thing to do, maybe."

"Indeed? Most commendable" He says "yes, Hurricane Dorian was, well, you saw or heard of the consequences. I have to say, the Chieftain is an easy woman to admire." A curious look on his face.

Especially as it's a feline face, it must be a very curious look indeed. "Well...yeah. But she's taken," Sylvi jokes.

"Oh oh..." Ears up "I apologize I meant no.. no .. I was just wondering if perchance ah.. Siv was adopted."

"Huh? Um, no. Why?"

"She seems so very unlike her parents. I mean, a brave individual, but ah... Siv is.. spontaneous and impulsive. She seizes moments at times before accessing them, or so it seems. Her parents seemed more ..prudent."

"Well...yeah, but I think it goes like that sometimes. I mean...like me, my folks are all about their duties, but I'm still trying to figure out what my duties will be. And I have some friends that are, like, total opposites from their parents."

"Indeed? You were born of trolls... I envy that. My parents actually had..well, neither was even Kinian that I know of"

"Oh, yeah...trust me, I know I'm totally privileged that way. Raised in a Lodge, surrounded by my kith. I'm one of the really, really lucky ones." She doesn't sound like she's boasting, but like she recognizes that she's got a lot to be grateful for.

"Are your folks still around?"

"I don't believe they are. I was however stolen, in the common changeling way, when I dream danced. So.. perhaps. " A shrug "They never understood me and likely I would have faded under their care. My kidnapping was..practical." Jonas seems calmer about this than some other subjects given his fur and tail. "And you have a point I suppose-wilders are seekers. Not the keepers of lore but the makers of their own. Childlings are the wonders, in just being. "

"The whole kidnapping thing...it gets complicated. I totally get why it's necessary, but I'm glad I didn't have to go through it."

"I'm not... I believe my parents were Scientoligists. Being raised in that would be..well.." A shiver "You see.. Shadow Waters is actually Clearwater"

"Clearwater? I don't know it. But Scientologists? Yeah, that's...gluh..." A full-body shudder.

"Precisely. " he says Then sniffs "I swear I smell... wolves?"

FLopsy looks about "Winged ones no less. Welcome to a nightmare"

"They roost nearby. They've been friendly with us, but just be wary if you're in animal form. They make Flopsy freak out." She affectionately rumples the chimera's ears.

"You'd flop out too if you were further down the food chain," Flopsy declares caautiously.

Jonas nods "Indubitably. Now, Sylvi, can I ask you some questions about this fief? Such as where I might find a job?"

"A job? You're planning on staying?"

"I considered it. A place where trolls rule seems rare and precious, and I find myself able to shed much resentment"

He says the word resentment with placid tone