#rivervale_lodge

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Tiffany kisses Vali as he comes into the lodge, "Tag" She swats his ass, and heads out for her patrol.

"hey..." he smiles "just like that? You are the most duty bound pooka...."

Sylvi looks up from where she's trying to catch up on some homework at one of the large tables. Her heart's not really in it, but it's gotta get done.

"Hi, Vali."

Tiffany says "Talk to Sylvi, she needs some help for the cheersquad" and out she goes

"I mean...Bonsoir, Monsieur Gardner. Comment ca va?"

Vali turns, "Nice. Is it French you wanted talk about?"

Sylvi gives Tiffany a wry grin as she goes, then shakes her head to Vali. "No, not really. It's something about...well...a way to help when the dragon is coming." She has her voice pitched low.

He stage whispers "I think everyone knows about the dragon"

"Yeah, I know, but...I don't want them to know exactly what else has to happen. Not in detail. Still..." A sigh. "I guess they've got to know enough. Vali, I've gotta do a thing, and I'm supposed to have six others go with me. I have six in mind, but...I want to make sure I'm making the right choices. So, I was wondering if you could do that vision thing you do."

"I..." Startled, then "Oh you're trying to get me in trouble with your folks aren't you? I don't suppose you'll tell me what this 'thing' is?"

"I don't know, Vali. It's the kind of thing that, I think if too many people know, it won't work."

"But it's really important, and it might make the difference in saving people. Including the Chieftain."

"Okay, okay. " A look at her as if seeing something her far behind a pretty wilder girl who he's known all his life, "This got put on your shoulders, whatever is. Someone put it there...and you took it on almost by instinct didn't you?"

"I kinda went looking for it, and now I'm carrying it. But I'm okay with that. Really. I want to make a difference."

"Give me a second. I can't always make it come at will"

She nods earnestly and sits quietly, watching him.

he inhales and the whites of his eyes roll .... his fingers tense and... he stiffens

She bites her lip. She's never seen him do this...and part of her wonders if he's putting her on...but it's kind of creepy, nonetheless.

_"The elven prince who is neither elf nor prince should return with thee for this adventure..."

Then "When you claim your prize, the cup is more valued than sword or wand"

She furrows her brow, listening closely, committing to memory...and being more than a little puzzled.

Then a pause, "He who lacks a rib should be ready at the gate."

A gasp "Sorry.. That's.. it"

She blinks. "I..." A pause. "Let me get you some water or something."

She gets up and heads for the kitchen, frowning.

"Thanks. Was any of that helpful?" He asks after

No immediate answer. When she returns from the kitchen and hands him the glass, she looks troubled. "I think so? I mean...it's telling me to do something I wasn't expecting to do. I mean...that sounded like I should bring Adam along, right?"

"But...he waits at a gate...?"

"He can't go into the Dreaming... but he can wait at a rath..maybe"

"And trust me... I didn't see Adam involved anymore than you did

"

"At the Rath...okay....but then, who's the Elven prince who isn't either?" A sigh. "I'm lost."

"Maybe it'll make sense to the others."

Vali ponders "The way I said it made it sound like you'd worked with the Elven Prince before"

"Not me. Not that I know of."

"Then the reading is either off.. possible, or slippery... but like you said...ask around"

"Wand Cup or Sword was interesting... if Pentacle was included I'd say we had a Tarot thing"

She nods, thoughtful.

"Huh. Well, there's a...." She stops. "I shouldn't say. But...um...there's something I'm not allowed to take that might be kind of like a pentacle stand-in."

"So these would be the remaining options."

"You're not supposed to take Star the horse?" A brow

"Huh? No! No, it's...no, never mind. I'll tell you after."

"But thank you, Vali. I think that helped."

"Huh.. so I get to learn about the prophecy after... Karma... you hear about it, but you never think it will happen to you"

A sheepish grin. "I just really don't want to screw this up."

"It's okay. Been there." A look at her, "Sylvi, you do know that sometimes...success can come with loss. Sometimes it has to."

A frown. "Vali, you do know that I've already lost a friend? I know how this works."

"I want to avoid losing more than I have to."