#rivervale_lodge

"Yeah - you hear Vali? He saw he getting killed."

"She was so nice to me."

"She's... one of those truly good beings in this world you hear about but so rarely meet" Gerd says "Damn it. I'm going to rob that dragon blind"

"Yeah, we'll make him feel it. And then he'll die."

A jaw jut nod

"And then Chief'll come home. And Emmitt. And Arthek."

"And Stormwake."

"And Stormwake" SHe says with a nod.

"hey.. Hey.. wait.. We could.. you know I bet they get a fair fortune on them anyway right? Have MOuntain Emmit cast one on Stormwake"

"You think he would?"

"I don't see why not? I mean, you have to be careful with that stuff for selfish gain, but in this case it would be to help you..at your request"

"Right. And... and, I mean, Stormwake can't really agree to put his life at risk..."

Stormwake stamps and looks ready to go

"You sure about that?" She asks

"Sometimes he's almost trollish"

"He's brave, but..."

"But .."

"But." Frown.

"Too much a show off to be a troll?"

"...well, that too."

"But you still worry." She nods "I do too"

"He's so smart."

A nod and whinny

A snort from further back.

"You're smart too, Star!"

A horsey snort or a sluagh snort or a satyr snort?

((Ha! A horsey snort. 🐎)) Star steps closer to the fence and leans her neck over to lip at Dagmar’s arm. A toss of her neck towards where the tack is stored.

"You want to ride?" She pats the dapple's neck. "We can. Gerd, do you want to ride?"

"Sure." She says

She snorts a bit again and shakes her head, mane flipping.

"OH."

She climbs the slats to hop over the fence, skipping the gate, and goes to get the treasure-bridle. "This?"

A stomp and whinny towards Stormwake. (Get over here, you big lug.)

"Oh...." Dag frowns, fretful.

(They’ve been flapping at you fretfully for a while now. Come jaw at them in their talk. )) Whinny, paw at the ground, toss of her tail.

Stormwake snorts, then walks over slow

Dagmar shows him the bridle before gently slipping it over his nose.

"Well, this is odd" He says

"I know. There is a fight coming. Chief is taking you to battle."

"Of course," he stamps "I am a war steed. Who else would she take?"

"It is a real battle, not a joust. You could be hurt."

Stormwake nods "yes. "

Star stands quietly by, her ears twitching as she listens in.

Stormwake says "I was bred for this, Hayheart," He tells Dagmar. "I have battled and been wounded before. I have crushed nightmares beneath my hooves"

"...You could die." SOftly.

"We all die, hayheart" A nuzzle, his snout against her, "We cannot always choose when or how we die, but we can choose how we live. I choose to live as a warhorse, a noblesteed who fights for his rider and dies with purpose"

A delicate step over, and she rubs her head across his neck for juuuuust a moment.

Stormwake's tail makes a happy flick

"You have to fight hard."

"Fight hard and come home. Okay?"