#rivervale_lodge

Nab holds onto him "Hey it's okay"

".... fuckin' sucks...." mumbled.

"It's all right" She coos "It's gone now. You.. you feeling okay?"

"No... what the hell did you do, man?" He asks Dirk, still rattled.

Dirk says "I SCARED it. " A look at him "Geez man I'm a nightmare monster based on hunger and fear... but even I know how to mutter a fucking thanks"

Nabuni says "Wasn't there another way?"

"You mean could I have played the gift of pan and DANCEED it out of there? No" Dirk says testy

"Jesus, last thing I need is that image, Dirk."

"But yeah. Thanks. Guess it's better than that thing staying in there. We should tell the Chief?"

"We should probably tell the mountain.. he knows more magic shit" Dirk says

"Oh. Yeah, I guess."

"You need to rest by the fire" Nab insists to Adam

"What? I ate the cookie, right?" (Does it hurt?)

Little tender... but not really hurting as long as he doens't poke

"Well, you still got this wound on your head. Mkaes you look like a de horned unicorn" Nab fusses "You'll heal faster by the fire"

Dirk says "You remember where you were when this thing attacked you?"

And, while he knows he was on patrol... Adam really doesn't. Probably the first memory it took

"Yeah, it was......" he frowns.

"No. I was on patrol, I know that......"

"Well shit." dirk says "Yeah, we better spread word there might be a nest of these somewhere" Dirk shakes the hapless bug

"Nab, do you remember?" He keeps his arms around her.

"No I wasn't there for you that part.. OH! Wait, that narrows it down.."

"It had to be on the starting half of his patrol.. and he tends to drive around the same path unless he gets a call" Nab says

Adam nods agreement with this.

Dirk nods "So we just have to do your usual half patrol, even if it's by car... I think" The redcap frowns. Strategizing isn't his forte. Nor does he know the word forte.

"I guess, yeah. We could retrace. I drove here."

"I think you should stay by the fire" Nab says

"If there are more of those things out there....."

Dirk nods "Then they'll start brain sucking others"

"I really think I ought to go with him, show him where I patrol?"

Nab scowls "I'm tempted to call Piper"

"I don't want to put her in danger. Or you."

"I was hoping she'd tell you what's good for you" Nab says "Boys don't seem to know what's good for them" She says

Dirk wrinkles his nose "You're getting to sound more like a regular girl every day, Nab." THen he looks to Adam "Come on, let's go"

Adam leans to kiss Nab. "I know you can handle yourself. You want to come with us or stay here? Hey, Dirk, should we leave someone a message or something?"

"I'll stay here and leave the message" Nabuni takes the kiss

Sylvi comes in the front door, returning from a jog apparently -- workout gear and only carrying her Bowie knife. "Hey," she greets them, then notices their expressions. "Something up?"

"Ok." Adam is turning to Dirk when Sylvi comes in. "Hey."

Dirk holds up a jar with a truly UGLY chimerical bug... a tick of some sort but much larger "Yeah, this was in Adam's head. Maybe more of them. It ate his memory"

"Well, some of it" Dirk shrugs

"What the GROSS?!"

"Not all of it." Adam agrees. "Yeah, it was pretty bad."

Adam has a Wound in his forehead like an ugly bullseye

Its partly healed

While she's disgusted, she doesn't seem afraid of it. "Oh, crap...Adam, you okay?"

"He's NOT okay" Nab scowls "He should rest by the fire"

"I'm -fine-." he insists.

"Um...ew...you think there are more of these? I mean, normal ticks aren't exactly known for being solitary creatures, right?"

She takes the jar from Dirk and turns it with a squeamish fascination.

The thing bumps against the glass