#rivervale_lodge

Star calms down at Dagmar’s urging, but puts herself between the foal and the men.

Dag reaches to pat Star's neck. "It's okay. Shh."

And the two drunks stagger off... "Damn it, Fred.. you're gonna get me killed. One moment you're talking about a blue swan, now you'ree talking about blusih girls..."

Eyebrow. Blue swan?

"But there was a blue swan.. I seen it... it was how I got... to come here" They move on.. Fred protesting

Oak lets loose a few more barks and snarls.

Spark is confused and bumps his mom. Why's she so mad?

"yeah yeah.. you followed the blue swan.." And gone are those two

"Hunh..."

Oak stops his fury, and wags a bit at Dagmar and goes to check on her and the horses.

Spark is getting groomed rather vigorously.

"He's fine, you're fine."

"....You wanna go look for that blue swan?"

Oak woofs. Wags. he was born ready.

Then he realizes she might be talking to the horse. mmmph

Indeed

Her ears flick. Eyes go after the men, and back to Spark. But she DOES want to ride...

"Stormwake will guard Spark."

Indeed, Stormwake moves to the foal and nods

A snort, but she moves to where she can be saddled. He’d BEST do so!

Dagmar quickly tacks up the mare.

Oak looks at her forlornly.

"You can come too."

And soon, she is on Star's back and on the path.

And Oak bounces along to the side, sniffing now and then

Dagmar goes at a walk - making it easy for Oak to keep up.

They make their way and... see no sign of a blue swan...

but suddenly, the dog doubles back, and sniffs at a tree "Wuff"

A genlte press of a knee to turn the horse.

Star turns, nearly reading her mind it would seem, or rather the small motions of shifting her weight. They are in tune.

And Wuff again.

They approach the tree, and this time, she sees it. A single blue chimerical feather. Long and beautiful

It is caught between branches

"Hunh."

She looks up in the tree, squinting.

No sign of the bird it came from though.

"Oak, you see anything?" She takes the feather to keep.

Grrumph shake of mane. If there's more than that feather up there ,he doesn't see it.

Star sniffs at the tree. Hmmph. No apples.

"Well, if I climb, it'll just fly away..."

No swan.. must have stopped here and flew on again. Or maybe it fell from the sky?

Star scrapes a hoof at the ground, and looks up into the sky...

"Oh, that's one way. Oak can't fly, though."

Oak sighs and sighs, resigned and gives a canid nod. Fine.

Horses can’t smirk. Besides, that would be rude... and Star is a LADY

He turns to head back to the lodge

But then thinks on it, and wags for Dagmar as if to say 'good luck'

And Dagmar activates the treasure - feathered wings sprouting from the saddle.

Streeeeeeeetch! It’s been too long- but any time is too long! Ready and rearing to go.

And they take flight!