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The group had come together in the Freehold Hollow and set off down the Trod. It's easy enough for Ianthe to retrace her steps, finding more or less the location where the group had previously branched off to find the river. The Hedge isn't exactly reliable when distance and location is involved, but... it's a good enough starting point for their adventure into the Hedge to track down the Rivermen. Now they just needed to venture off the Trod, into dangerous terrain.
Chips and Nibs are clinging to Ianthe's back. Or rather--the larger kit, Nibs, is clinging to her back, while the smaller one clings to Nib's back. Nesting doll piggy back rides. The hob kits look like... well, like baby beavers. If baby beavers were the size of toddlers.
"Are we there yet?" Nibs asks, in that impatient, oblivious way that children do while traveling.
Having faded away to invisibility, Teagan walks up on the wall of the Trod, casually, hands in pockets. A little like Peter B Parker having grabbed the goober from Miles Morales. Someday this might cause a problem, if they get separated from the group while totally invisible, but for now, they just hang close. Keeping lookout.
Charlie is walking right next to Ianthe and the kits blabbering about nonsense. She's standing up taller than usual, showing off her Gentrified Baring in ways she normally doesn't. "We aren't there yet, sweethearts," she says, somehow managing to put a <3 into words being said out loud, but we'll be there sooner than later!"
Sigrun likes children. LOVES children, in point of fact. The fact that they're beavers only makes it better. Of course, she's heavily armored, carrying a massive glowing round shield, and a rather intimidating looking Norse helmet, so the kids might not feel the same way about her. Hobs generally do take a shine to her, though. Relative to others, anyway. "We'll be there soon, little ones. Before the day is out, in any case, if everything goes right."
Ianthe's dressed in her usual mail hauberk and coif, bow slung over her shoulder and quiver hanging from a belt around her waist. She'd taken point leading the others to where the expedition had branched off, of course. "We'll keep you safe, don't worry."
The Kits had been a little scared of Charlie, at first--no doubt upsettingly to the poor girl. But they warmed up pretty quickly, and are happy to babble back to her while traveling. Well, Chips seems shy and skittish, and doesn't talk much. But Nibs will chatter about every little stone and twig that catches his interest that they pass.
"Okay," Nibs says, peeping over Ianthe's shoulder. "I can't wait to see home again!"
"If it's even still there..." Chips mutters worriedly.
"I'm sure it's fine stop worrying," chides Nibs.
"Ours have been impacted, yes. We're doing our best to keep our trod clear, but it's a full time job in its own right. And hard to clear out, what with the problem being under the ground. Now that the matter with the Hue and Cry is over, I intend to buckle down on that problem once Mearcstapa gets back from vacation. He's got all the samples we took for him, and I'm waiting to hear back. Everything got sidelines for the Hue and Cry." Sigrun pauses in the march to crouch down and motion Nib a little closer, "Nib, honey? Can you tell me the name of your mommy or daddy, or the name of the person that leads your people? It will help us find the way to them. Because of my contract with the Sword. I promise I don't mean your family or people any harm." She holds up three fingers, Scout's honor.
Ianthe glances at Charlie. "I don't eat them much, but I wouldn't be surprised. It looks like something affecting the entire Hedge locally."
Nibs blinks beady black eyes at Sigrun. "Momma is named Birch. The Foreman is named... Foreman!" Which apparently is the leader. Probably.
"Your mother has a beautiful name, Nib." Sigrun rests her hand on the little kit's shoulder for a moment, then rises back to her feet, turning to face the direction they've been traveling in. She's not changing into smelly track shoes, though. So the glamour leaches out of her as she calls on her contract and begins to track the Rivermen down. She slowly draws her sword from her side and gives it a slow spin before advancing on the hedgewall. Time for the hard part.
Sigrun pushes forward, leading the way into the Hedge. Despite it seeming to be the same location on the Trod that Ianthe remembers, the terrain looks completely different. Thorns have grown up thickly, though brittle and patchy here and there. It's rough terrain, the landscape dotted with an unnerving amount of dying trees and withered bushes. It takes some time, but in the distance, they think they can hear the sound of moving water.
The group gathers together, popping out of the thorns onto the shore of a massive river. It doesn't look very deep, but looks can often be deceiving. It's wide though, the water trickling at a steady pace. Up river, they can see a massive structure rising up over the river. It's some hybrid between a ridiculously huge beaver dam and medieval wall--it must be over three stories tall, at least. It looks like one side of it is partially caved in.
...Yeah, Teagan pops out of the thorns, unseen, a moment later.
"Everyone okay?" Charlie asks, catching her breath, "Does this look right, kiddos?"
"HOME!" Chips squeals.
"Yeah, that's it," Nibs replies, only slightly calmer, his flat tail thapthapthaping against Ianthe's back.
A chunk of dried leaves gets chopped off from the hedge wall, and drops to the ground next to Sigrun. The Mirrorskin and the Bright One have had many years to work out their various and sundry 'Teagan isn't lost' signals. Not that they wouldn't have popped out of Light Shy and started yelling if they'd actually got lost.
Good thing Ianthe's wearing a gambeson under her mail, or she'd probably have a nasty bruise later. "I guess we head that way, then," the archer deadpans, glancing at Charlie. "You good to keep walking for a while, kid?"
Sigrun is milling at the meeting point, waiting for everyone to catch up with the sort of breathless worry that Fairest are best known for. When one by one everyone appears from the thorns, kits included, she lets out a profound sigh of relief and offers a big smile for everyone. "Good work, everyone!" She turns for the village and removes her helmet, tucking it under her arm to better connote their peaceful intentions, and continues forward.
Charlie follows suit, taking off her helmet (such as it is) and slipping it into her messenger bag. She also takes out a small button reading "Come Visit the Ratbone Stall" and pins it to her jean jacket.
As they approach, they can take in the details of the architecture. The whole dam appears to be made from natural materials--all wood and vine and thorn. Walkways, stairwells and doors are built into the side of the giant dam wall, suggesting that there's more space built inside it. Dozens of large anthropomorphic beavers are walking along the walkways and bridges, almost all walking on their back paws with ease, carrying supplies and wood around the dam. Most appear to be working on the caved in side--which has large wood beams propping up a broken structure. The Rivermen are working on rebuilding the caved in parts of the damn, while others appear to be gnawing away at giant roots that have broken out of the ground along one side of the river. Most have been gnawed down so that it no longer poses a rise to the dam's structure, but not all.
The group is quickly noticed from a distance, but what starts as caution melts away into excitement and relief as Nibs and Chips hop down off of Ianthe's back and start running towards the damn on all fours. Several voices break out from the dam, in variations of, "Nibs! Chips! They're alive! They're back!"
Ianthe had been carefully pushing her coif back so it didn't hit Chips or Nibs, but gives that up when they hop down, instead just making sure it doesn't tangle around her bow.
And then suddenly the Mirrorskin appears, right next to Sigrun. They can't grab her butt in her armor, so they just smack the flat of their palm against said armor familiarly. Someday they will get stabbed. Hopefully, that day is not today. "They're cute," Teagan offers, hooking Baby back on to the ring holster on their belt.
"Howdy there!" Charlie says, projecting her voice, "we're here from the Shackamaxon freehold! We're here to return your cubs and help in anyway you can, if you're willing to talk with us!"
"Better," Sigrun answers Teagan, glancing their way for a moment before looking back at the reunion underway, "they're home." Sigrun returns her helmet to her head with a sigh of profound satisfaction. "I can't express how much I needed this." Her jaw tenses for a moment as she swallows, her head nodding faintly in agreement with herself. The 'this' is not clear, though Teagan may well guess from the context.
The kits are soon overrun by a crowd of adults, which range in height from four to five feet all--but two in particular run down off of the dam to meet them. One Sigrun is pretty sure is their mother. Honestly, they all look kind of alike save for slight variations in fur color and size... Its an emotional reunion, as the kits climb all over their parents excitedly, who are just trying to keep them in one place long enough to hug tightly.
"Momma! We're okay! We went WOOOSH down the river and there was an ELHOUND that almost ATE Chips but I saved her because I am very brave and swam all by myself to shore. And then these people found us."
"That's not what happened. You were almost eaten too," Chips insists.
A large Riverman steps forward out of the growing crowd. The fur around their face is silvered with age, and there's a fair amount of scars over their body. Hanging around their neck is a piece of brass shaped like an upside-down V, hanging on a string of leather. "Welcome," they say in a warm voice that sounds vaguely feminine, but worn from age. "I cannot express our gratitude for bringing the children back safely. We had given up hope that they were even alive."
"I'm deeply sorry we couldn't get them back sooner," Charlie says, giving a polite nod of acknowledgement. "I hope your community is alright. They told us what happened with the roots," she adds in a quieter voice, trying to keep the kids from hearing too too much.
The Mirrorskin leans over to kiss Sigrun's cheek noisily before she puts her helmet back on, and Teagan tips their chin up at the large Riverman, before turning their head to look up the river when the reunion gets all loud and emotional. They don't speak up, because there are more eloquent people than the heat-radiating Summer; their Mirror mask is firmly in place.
Ianthe nods at Charlie's words. "Have you had any trouble with the roots while they were lost?"
Sigrun does step forward. She may be Summer, but she's still a talkative sort. She offers her hand out to the matriarch. "Would you be the Foreman that Nibs was telling us about? I am Sigrun Ljosdottir. Of Shackamaxon Freehold, as my friend said. It's an honor to meet you." She nods over to Ianthe at her question, "I'm quite handy with the right tools, though I lack the teeth for cutting. Perhaps I can be of some help in repairing the dam?"
"No apologies needed," she replies, shaking her head. "Yes. I am the Foreman, architect of the dam and leader of the Rivermen. You are from Shackamaxon? It has been quite some time since we've seen someone of your Freehold this far down river." She nods to Sigrun's introduction, then pause, waiting for any other introductions on the Losts' side to be done before continuing.
"We lost many in the flood," the Foreman says sadly, but softly enough to not interrupt the happy reunion behind them. "The roots... have been a continued danger, yes. No matter how much we chew them away and dig them up, they continue to grow." She pauses, looking back to Sigrun. "You have already done so much, but we would not turn away your help. We are in... desperate times."
"We're here to do whatever we can," Charlie says, firmly. "Do you mind if I take a look at the roots? I can see magicy things."
"This blight affects us all, Foreman. None of us should attempt to stand alone against it."
Clearing their throat, Teagan turns their attention back to the Riverman, offering, "Teagan. Also from Shackamaxon. I mean, I'm not all that great with my teeth, but... " One hand pats Baby. Machetes were originally intended to cut through greenery, after all. "We can help."
"As my friends said," Sigrun concurs with a small nod of the head, "for as long as I can allow myself to stay, my sword arm and back are yours." Sigrun's gaze turns to look over the community and their celebrations. "Your people remind me of where I grew up. It would be an honor to help such a place." Sigrun looks down river for a moment, then back to the Foreman, also lowering her voice to preserve the mood of the Foreman's people, "Were you able to recover all those you lost? Were you able to tend to your dead?"
"I think you have all earned the right to our hospitality," the Foreman replies to Charlie, gesturing with a paw to the roots. She gratefully dips her head gratefully to the others before replying to Sigrun solemnly, "No, we did not recover them all. Many were lost to the river. But that is our way. We all return to the river that blesses us with life and purpose, when we die. But there were many that did not get to say goodbye."
With the initial story of Nibs and Chips' rescue over, the kits have now started enthusiastically telling all the adults about every single food they were given while at the Freehold, which mostly just confuses the Rivermen. "This GIANT mirror man gave me this colorful rock that was sweet and melted in my mouth like MAGIC!" Nibs explains to the curious crowd, waving his little paws in the air excitedly.
Charlie says a quick little prayer under her breath for the lost Rivermen before walking over to the roots and opening her Goblin Eye.
"Forgive me, Foreman. I am not familiar with your customs. Is it sufficient that the river took them? Your people may mourn without a body? This is as it should be according to your ways? This is why I inquired. To ensure they have been given the respect in death that they merited for the quality of their lives." Valkyries, man. They're a one note bunch, sometimes. "If that is so, I will be happy to help with the dam. And if there are other matters that we could help with, please do not hesitate to ask. Shackamaxon has been absent from your people's lives for far too long, and we would like to change that. Work towards a better future for both our peoples."
"It is sufficient," the Foreman assures. "It is as it should be. If you wish to honor them, then honor them with hard work. We build the dam not just for ourselves, but for the Rivermen who built before us."
Charlie walks back, a serious look on her face. "The roots have a weakness, just not an easy one to exploit. They burn from iron just like all of us." She gives Sigrun a "there's more but I don't want to worry the kind beaver person" look, before turning back to the Foreman and saying, "I'm not the strongest person but if you need help keeping crops growing, I'm a deft hand with plants!"
"I'm here to do the work, whatever the work is that needs doing." Teagan doesn't do a lot of talking around outsiders; it's only with their own people that they're effusive and show lots of emotion. Their broken-mirror eyes reflect back bits and pieces of the Foreman's face.
"With iron? That'll be hard to get here, if not impossible." Ianthe frowns slightly, but nods to Teagan. "Agreed. Is there anything you would ask of us, Foreman?"
"I'm certain the Foreman would want to know everything we can share about the roots, Charlie. The Rivermen have lost people because of them, it's only right they know what they are facing down." Sigrun glances over to the Foreman as she says this. Sigrun isn't the best judge of people, but she's trusting her gut on this one.
The Foreman looks to Charlie. "Our crops are nearly gone, thanks to the roots. If you can offer help there, we would appreciate it. Food has been... scarce, lately." To Ianthe, "I am curious if your home is also effected by these roots. We have had to travel far to find fruit, and Old Iron has not been able to offer aid, their own stores depleted. But fret not, we are strong and resourceful--the Rivermen always find a way to persevere." A beat pause, and a nod. "If you have information that can help us... I would hear it."
"I can't promise that I can fix things, but I can help," Charlie says before acquiescing and adding, "The roots are Fae magic, but they're also something I've never really felt before. I don't know how to describe it really. It's not a contract or a token or even You Know Who magic. It's... something else."
"Do you only trade with Old Iron?" Teagan asks, curiously, thumbs hooked into the pockets of their coat. "Forgive me if this is something that's been covered before, but if it's affecting us, and Old Iron... how far does it go?" A small twist of their mirror-black mouth.
The Foreman blinks dark, intelligent eyes at Charlie, small ears twitching then tilting back briefly. "...I'm afraid I can offer no advice. I am not sure what that could be." To Teagan, "Yes. The Rivermen have been long friends with Old Iron. Most other Freeholds do not venture this far up river--the rivers have it's dangers, after all, and not everyone can control the waters as we do. Our scavengers have not yet found an end to the roots, yet."
"That's worrying," Ianthe admits. "We should probably talk to the Autumns about it, see if any of them have an idea what it could be." She glances at the Foreman, then. "It is, yes. I can offer you some food, though, but it is not much, even for one person." She opens one of the pouches on her belt, digging out a bag of trail mix and offering it to the Foreman.
"If we're offering food, I have some fruit. It's not my best harvest, but it's still pretty tasty," Charlie says, pulling out two bananas that look like corkscrews and one apple that looks like an Escher cube. "That's all I have on me, sorry."
On hearing of the problems with the food supply, Sigrun's eyes grow wide. "I have some! We tend our own trod out near Shackamaxon. Here. Please. Please take them. Please." Sigrun fumbles at her hip pouch for a few moments before producing four irregular fruits. Perhaps slightly smaller than they might otherwise be, but still a respectable bounty. She offers all four out to the Foreman with a small nod, "Please. Feed your people. I can spin you more fruit as well, if you will give me time and tell me a safe place to do so where my mantle and magic won't upset your settlement."
"Oh, word, yeah," agrees Teagan, digging in the inner pockets of their heavy leather trenchcoat and coming out with three fruits. They're not the biggest, and they're slightly bruised from having been carried in Teagan's pockets, but they're fruit! "Yeah, Direct Action tends our own trod, so, we have a little." They step forward and hold their long-fingered hand out palm-up toward The Foreman, fruits resting on the deep scar across their palm.
The Foreman blinks, ears twitching forward--her buck teeth, worn down from age, chittering a moment in surprise. "Your generosity will be remembered and cherished," she says softly, then calls to a couple of the other adults who come to accept the fruit--and even the trail max, with clear gratitude. The other adults turn to watch, and their hunger is clear as they all look at the fruit in wonder. "I hope you will stay after work is done to celebrate with us." She looks to Sigrun. "Manipulating the Hedge is not safe here, I'm afraid... It was our attempts to push back the roots entirely that resulted in them... lashing out. And doing such destruction." She gestures to the dam. "If you spin, please do so down river. But I cannot promise the roots will not... push back violently."
"If you don't mind me asking, when did the roots start, um, growing into your territory?" Charlie asks, looking sadly at the hungry beaverfolk.
"We can certainly stay, but we should not take your food. We can provide for ourselves, and you are struggling right now."
Sigrun on the other hand, readily agrees. "I would be honored to celebrate with your people. I am eager to learn more about your culture." Sigrun will kick herself later for using the word 'eager' around a bunch of beavers, but sincerity isn't always a guarantee of eloquence. She nods further at the warning, "If it comes to it, I will do my spinning downriver. I have no wish to bring more suffering here. Perhaps, with your permission, we can run a food drive for your people. Shackamaxon has many resources, and a trod of its own. If we can help supplement your food until we can get to the bottom of these roots, we will." With that Sigrun looks to the dam and notes, "I should stop talking and start helping or we'll never get the chance to celebrate." She gives the Foreman a smile, then sets her shield down, removes her sword belt, and takes off her helmet, leaving all of these near the entrance to the village as a gesture of goodwill. And then she heads inside towards the cluster of adults, asking where she might assist with the rebuilding.
"We first noticed the hedge starting to die around us thirty-nine work cycles ago," she replies to Charlie. Work cycles.... might be days? Time is weird in the Hedge. "It was slow, at first, but then the roots started growing larger. It was twenty work cycles ago that the damn broke, after we first tried to push them back." Considering the kits were at the Freehold nearly three weeks, work cycles being more or less days tracks. "We would not turn down more food, but we would rather trade, than be given too much charity. We mean no offense, but The Rivermen are proud. We can work out the specifics of this deal once work is over."
She nods to the group, then turns to the crowd, her flat tail slapping against the ground with a loud SMACK! "We will celebrate their return properly when work has been finished. We have more hands, lets put them to use!" The Rivermen take to this well, letting out cheers and moving to hurry back to their various duties. They seem to find genuine pride and joy in working together and working hard, and do so with renewed energy after the heartfelt reunion. Even Nips and Chips moves to help, though they mostly just... carry around small branches, following close behind their parents.
Teagan and Ianthe team up on dealing with the roots. At first the Rivermen eye them with skepticism--how can such furless creatures chew through these tough roots without BIG TEETH? There's some harmless elbowing and joking, until... the two Summers show how ruthless they can be. They work together well--Teagan slices, Ianthe pulls them up. The Rivermen stop joking around and dive into helping out, creating lines of work to carry away the broken pieces of root and helping to dig deeper into the ground to the Summers can cut away underground, too. It takes hours, but eventually the roots are carved back a great distance from the dam. They get the feeling that they will likely continue to grow--but they've been cut back far enough the Rivermen will have a much easier time keeping them under control now.
Charlie meanwhile surveys their crops--which they mostly grow along the shores and on platforms built into the dam. She finds that the plants should hopefully regrow well, with the roots carved back so far. But the soil has been sucked away of nutrients. Well... Hedge nutrients, which is... mostly glamour and magic more than chemicals and such. But she helps them replant things into soil that is healthier, clearing out dead weeds, and suggests that they turn the dead plants into compost and such to help the rest grow.
Sigrun meanwhile is... working in over drive. She spends most of her time helping with the building efforts. The Rivermen are very well organized and she's put to work hard and quickly, told exactly what to do. They have pretty primitive tools, using all wood carefully knotted and cut to fit together like puzzle pieces rather than using nails or metal fixtures. She helps Charlie with replanting fruit plants and moving around soil, then hurries to help clear up the last of the roots.
All of them are exhausted afterwards, but Sigrun most of all is left... with very, very little left in her tank.
Sigrun thankfully does not collapse when she finally stops, but she has 4 Bashing that won't heal until you're out of the Hedge and can get a proper night's rest. She's aching, hands red and blistered... But the Rivermen are looking at her like she's a fucking hero with all the work she's put in. They are all very, very impressed.
The Rivermen are very, very grateful for you all, and please ask to give their thanks to the others who saved the kits as well. You've definitely made long term friends here.
They each get hugs from Nibs and Chips before they go too. Even Teagan. :stuck_out_tongue:
Charlie wants to know if they'd be interested in us making a trod over to them in case they need a place to evacuate to or need food brought to them.
The Foreman doesn't understand the relevance at first, but does ask her to explain it's meaning. She seems very grateful for it.
She doesn't turn down the offer of a Trod. There is a (small) Trod nearby that leads to Old Iron, which could easily be branched off of to attach to the main Trod between Shackamaxon and Old Iron.
Well. "Easily."
Her body may be sore, her hands blistered, her stomach growling and her throat parched, but the look of beatific satisfaction on the Fairest's face tells the tale clearly. She was born to this work, raised on this work, stolen away to a land that valued this work, and returned again to pursue such work as her faith's calling. She may be at the end of her rope, but the Rivermen have something to show for it, and so does she. At the end of the work, and the celebration, Sigrun can't be assed to do much more than shoulder her belongings and heigh ho home. On her way out, she makes a gift of her Tiwaz rune, has a brief conversation with the Foreman about its important to her and her faith, and wishes the village well with the promise of a return from Shackamaxon before long.
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