#rivervale_lodge

Star follows her, cantering after the girl - not knowing what else to do.

"Little one?" Klump says "You are in pain"

She stumbles, surprised. A sob.

Star stop a bit further down the trail. Still keeping an eye on Dagmar, but not crowding her.

"Go away, go AWAY!" Tears streaks down her cheeks - ugly, snotty, messy tears.

She reaches out and nibbles at a bit of dried grass along the side of the path, but shows no signs of retreat.

Klump moves about five feet from the girl, and then sits down, looking rather like the boulder that is his anchor and he looks at her "What is wrong? "

"I killed Nabuni and Star won't get back to the stable and I can't get her there without hurting her and I'm gonna be in so much trouble..."

"Star will not leave you because she cares for you. You are her herd." He says "Love can be fearless even at the risk of being hurt, I am learning"

"What is this of Nabuni? Tell me. " He pats the ground

"She has to go back. I'm gonna be in so much trouble..."

"I killed Nabuni. It was an accident."

"Did you crush her in your fingers?"

"I gotta.. I..."

"Noooo...." Almost a keen.

Star looks at Klump. The rock better not upset her further.

"First." A suggesetion, "Breath. I am told your people do better when they breathe. Feel the Earth with your hands, but take a bit of breath from the sky, slow and easy if you can. The sky will not mind."

Hiccupy sobbing, helpless. "I killed her, I'm in trouble..."

Klump ponders "it maybe you are in trouble. " He says "But I would know more of how the chimera passed. You did not hit her with a weapon?"

"Stop it." She brings her arms up to her head, shielding herself.

He stops

Obediently

She slowly sinks down to sit on the ground.

Star also settles down, nearby, folding her legs gracefully.

And Klump waits. His is the slowest of the slow empires. There is no poking, or pushing, or insisting for now now now...

the younger dreams are always in a rush

She cries herself sick, until she's too exhausted to do so anymore.

And Klump has been making marks in the earth, the dirt. A bit of his own glamour flowing.

Dagmar is still and quiet, knees drawn up to her chest.

Then finally "Nabuni is not dead" He says with confidence

Hiccup. "I saw her die."

"If she had, her glamour would have beeen left behind to be devoured easily . Or her form would been there ready to be used for crafting materials. Did either happen that way?"

"She... she fizzled and faded..."

"She is being judged" Klump says simply.

"I don't understand." Numbly.

Somehow, a certain horse may have gotten just a bit closer while they waited.

"Neither I do I. But I trust the land. The land tells me she is being judged. Mortals can be judged after they die, but not dream stuff such as she ,so she must be alive" he gestures to the scratchings in the soil

"It is" He concedes, "Very odd. "

"She's in trouble?"

"She maybe. I do not know. The Earth tells me little. It's not-" He tries to think of the right word, but settles on one that comes close "-chatty."

Star has gotten closer still to Dagmar, offering her muzzle to touch

She leans against the horse, closing her eyes.

And the mare is glad the girl is finally showing sense, as she supports.

"Are you cold? I can make it warmer" The Glome offers

A shake of her head.

A nod, accepting.

And with Star's heat mixing with hers, Dagmar mgiht be quite fine.

Horses and stones are both patient things, and Dagmar is quiet for some time... reassured by the companionable silence of the glome and the soft flank of the mare.

Indeed, Klump seems content to just be there, while being nearby.

Stone understands that being is a very underestimated trait. If more soft ones knew how rare BEING was, they'd respect it more. But they know little of the void beyond the edges of creation, so they value creation just being less. Most of them. Some, like the trolls, seem to grasp it better than other soft ones.