#rivervale_lodge

Lavender says to Dagmar "you still suscribed to Cavalier Quartlerly?"

"Yup!"

"Did you see the purple mustangs on page 7 in the last one? the color is breeding true here"

"No, dude!"

"I know.. i just hope they don't work so hard for the purple they lose some quality "

"Hmmph." Willy fidgets "Time to go?"

"Oh come on, Willy, Dagmar's a friend I don't get to visit often. "

"You wanna hit the trail?"

"Stormwake might fuss, but you can ride Star."

"Fine, fine, fine......"

"Ain't ridin' nothing though."

"You don't ride, Willy?"

"Not if I can avoid it."

"Why not?"

"Bounce around up on one of those dumb things?"

"You just have to know how to position yourself" Lavender says "And horses are great"

"Dumb as a bag of hammers." Willy counters with her opinion.

Brow.

"So... why be a farrier if you don't like'm?"

"Didn't say I didn't like 'em. Just don't want to ride 'em."

A SNORT from Stormwake

Lavender looks SO embarrassed and apologetic to Dagmar

"Well... if you want, you can hit the lodge for something to eat..."

"Anyway, a farrier works on one end of the horse, riders sit on the other end."

"I guess. Still seems weird."

"Takes one ta know one......."

Brow.

D'Lorean looks at Willy "You're talking to an ally knight while on a mission for your baron, Willy. If you burn a bridge he's not going to be pleased with you"

The nocker mumbles but "Mbmbmbsorrymbmb...." is in there somewhere.

"Well... don't want to insult you if Dee and I went riding, is all."

"No insult, you two knock yourselves out. I'll just.... look around."

Oak rises and suddenly is by Willy's side

"Huh, looks like you've got company AND an escort" Lavender notices

"Maybe I should fit -him- for a saddle, he's big enough....."

"Yeah, we get to ride" Lavender is clearly eager to go

Willy has uncovered some supplies in her rummaging and collects some rags, saddle soap, a bucket she puts water in.

Apologies aside, she grumbles at the tack; no it's not really badly cleaned. Maybe a little carelessness from Connor's efforts, but on the whole it's good. But, she needs something to do.

Oak plops next to her, offering company.

"Hmmph." Willy finds a suitable hay bale set up and gets to work.

"Whatcha doing?" A voice pipes up. A satyr childling, no hornns yet, asks

"Cleanin'." without looking up.

"Connnor already does those. He's usually PRETTY good"

"Connor, little kid? Pooka? Yeah, met him. I've seen worse work."

"Yup. Connor. he's my best friend. He's cool. " A pause "i'm Jack Flap. You gotta say the flap part because there's like a million jacks"

"Jack Flap? Didja lose a bet or something?"

"Nope.. I don't gamble. House always wins and you get played for a sucker. "

"That's true." she glances up and sizes the kid up.

Clean, well fed, but there's something in the eyes that speaks of hard times survived "Yup. Only time anybody tells you can win money by picking the shell with the pea in it? He's got the shell up his sleeve."

"Not wrong." she nods. "You live here?"

"YUP, well, actually in a house about a mile or two from here but I'm a regular at the lodge cause of my adopted family being friends. Originally i was from Memphis..." He says his accent connecting that "The part smart people drive through fast. I like it better here"