#rivervale_lodge

Zane clambers into Rivervale with Jimmy "Well, that...that sucked"

Jimmy says "You okay?"

"My best friend is in trouble and I can't help." Zane says "Some magician" A snort

"How is tthis your fault?" Jimmy asks

"I .. I wasn't there enough. That damn Daireann asshole... maybe if Id' been visiting THEN he'd be better.. he clearly didn't recover from the loss. Maybe I could have.. I don' know.. I got this staff.. supposed to take negative emotions away... and I didn't use it"

"Didn't he tell you no thanks?" Jimmy says

"I should have done it ANYWAY AND.." Zane looks at his cane remembering when it was red. Remembering when folks didn't get a choice "Sweet Pan"

Jimmy pats him on the shoulder "Hey hey.. here. I'll pour his bottle of vintage wine for us"

"Where did you get vinage wine from?" A blink

"My job as a drink server in Earth runes" Jimmy says

"You don't HAVE A job as a drink server at Earth Runes" The satyr says

"Well not NOWW nooo" Jimmy shrugs.

PIskies

"Poor it" Zane says

And the two guys drink

(End Scene)

Brekke might hear a knock on the door to the lodge

"Hello?" A little girl's voice says "help?"

Brekke stirs herself from her seat by the Balefire and goes to answer the door.

Layne is a mess, the little centaur is not just freezing with wet winter clothes, she has briars on her (the actual ones, not tiny redcaps) tangled in her hair and tail "I got into a snowball fight..and chased someone. He jumped this bush.. I crashed through it.. it had.. uhm... I can't get them all out. "

"Come in, quickly!" She ushers the girl inside. "Come, rest near the fire. I will get a blanket."

"Thank you" She says trottingg in "I'm very sorry, Chieftain I just can't reach everything and it got cold and ..." A sigh "I throw like a girl"

And soon Layne has two warm woolen blankets, one around her shoulders, and one over her horse-torso.

"You do not need to apologize." Then an eyebrow as she brings out a wooden comb that looks to be hand carved. "Some girls through very well. Perhaps you can learn to be one of them."

"Could you teach me? I kind of want to repay a debt.. " She makes a splat noise

A brief chuckle as she carefully works at the briars and tangles. "Revenge is a dangerous path...but a good throwing arm is always a useful advantage. I will teach you."

"Hm. Layne, have you discovered new skills along with your new form? Things that were unfamiliar before?"

"Thank you, Chieftain" She holds still as the briars and tangles are taken care of and does not complain. She's used to hair combingn of the normal sort and this isn't so diffferent "Well, I run real fast but not sure what you mean?"

"Fast running is good. But have you discovered that you are drawn to weapons or hobbies that you never tried before? Or perhaps that unexplained things happen around you?"

The briars are out of her hair and mane, and Brekke carefully works to get the ones out of her tail.

"I apologize if this hurts, I am trying not to tug."

"Mmph it's okay.. .Oh, that's one thing.. I think I'm tougher than i was? "

Brekke nods. "That is good to know."

"And .oh.. I notice things more...though I did get snowsploded by surprise"

"Well, noticing when you are trying to notice is not the same as noticing the thing you are not thinking about."

"I guess," She says "Thank you, Chief. I feel better now" She smiles, all dimples and sunshine "is it true you're a park ranger?"

She nods, throwing the last of the briars in the recycling and putting away the comb. "I am."

"Oh that must be wonderful..." And Layne will entreat her for a story or two, even as she gets lessons about kithain life mixing wiht mortals

Brekke will give her the first story she has -- of seeing the cloud dragon as her dream dance began...and then hint at the story of Skallstrike. "But that is another story for another time."

And yes, some other tales of kinain and chimera...and then Brekke will make sure she gets home safely.

Riveted "Oh gosh.. "

And she is definitely coming back for more visits and lessons and more stories

(End Scene)