#rivervale_lodge

"You just got poky elbows."

"hey... serious, let me see. " A troubled look "I've slammed into you a lot harder in practice"

A scowl and she crosses her arms.

"Hey... you remember who you're talking to, right? Seen you with your sleeves off... know some shit you've been through. Just.. are you hurting yourself?" There's an intense focus in the question

Dag sets her jaw, looking away.

"Have I EVER snitched on you?"

"...No.."

"So..talk to me , you self harming?"

She fidgets, frowning.

Lupe waits

"It ain't..."

"..I don't wanna talk about it..."

"I know you don't, but you should. Answer, maybe we won't talk about it long."

"Nothing big. Just... just enough to vent, you know?"

"Shit. Well, I can say 'I know' but I an't been there , not like you. Little still sounds bad, but you know that so that's just me mouthing. How can I help?"

"You can't tell. I'll get in so much trouble if you tell"

"You would probably get help if I told, but I'm not a snitch. I hope you tell your folks but it won't be from me"

"No! They'd get all.. no, it would hurt them, I think."

"Okay... so how can I help. Not telling isn't helping, it's just status quo. What would help take your mind off the bad?"

"And they've got so much going on, like, Jaymes - you know he bought th'store, right? And he's gotta make sure it works out, because if it doesn't... like.. like what if he loses the house? There's a baby coming, and babies..." She grimaces, full of worry.

"I mean, babies are a big change."

"They are, but you know, that's not your problem to worry about. We maybe an avenger of Mother Earth and a Guardian of Dreams... but we're also teenage girls. That shit on our shoulders isn't for us, our folks woulnt' want it for us. You .. you need to trust em to handle it."

"I just... like.. that's the thing, they got so much going on?"

"Yeah. Easy for me to say 'tune it out' but it aint' so easy to do." She concentrates thinking "Got to be a way I can..."

"I... like, everything is fine. Nadeen's staying, and we got everything fixed up there, and we defeated the big bad, and Jaymes bought the store..."

"Hey.. maybe I can help? Sort of?" An idea

"It's been a couple days... almost a week, so, like.. "

"Like, it's okay? So you don't have to worry. Or tell."

"Olgar would be so mad..."

"I won't tell" She says "I mean help the store"

"I don't think folks would be as mad as you think, worried, sure, but that's because they're not dicks and they care, but no, I'm not talking about snitching... You know there are some Garou..my pack is just one right?" SHe' going somewhere

"...yeah?"

"Well, we can shop there.. I mean, we don't think aobut it much, but if we're going to get soda, ,snacks, and those healthy granola bars he's got... why not get it at your dad's store? Good or better than anyone else's, and at least we know supernatural secrets are kept there"

She chews on a hangnail, frowning.

"That's... that's really nice, Lupe."

"Well, I know it's not much, but maybe if it helps the store, it helps your dad, and that helps you worry abit less? Don't worry, I won't tell others WHY per se... won't snitch, but this way? Well, maybe it won't help lighten your worries, but it won't hurt right?"

"...won't hurt, nah."

"You're the youngest, right?"

"Of my brothers sure, but of the garou? Not anymore.. new blood" she says "And thanks for letting me do this. Maybe it's silly, maybe it won't help, but I'm glad you're letting me try."

"Oh, we got so many new ones after Chief killed the Dragon..."

"Huh... wish I were a theurge, they'd probably have some mumbo jumbo explanation for it"

"But..kiling the dragon made more trolls?"

"Well, like, the dragon was stuffed full of troll souls he'd eaten."

"Killing him set them free, and, boom - out into the world."

"Okay, that is definitely some heavy duty spiritaul shit" SHe says then says "But congrats on the win for your lodge! If this was a garou thing we'd have a celebration moot and howl to the moon"

"We had a troll party."

"Less howling, but lots of food."

"Ha. I bet." A nod "Good food too. Mrs. Davidson can cook! And Tove brings the heat"

A mutter 'Bit too much heat, and this from a latina girl"

"Oh, man, she's intense, yeah."