[Delilah: Open Post] “how they say his name, make it their own"

[kamloops_rose]

It's been a strange summer, for Delilah. She's struggled with loss, once again, struggled also with who she is and isn't, in this place where she feels very often like she is the last of her kind

Comments

[justborrowing]

Arrietty has been out hiking, looking at the gardens and places outside not too far from safety. Still... there's a strange structure that she's never seen before and would like to investigate.

It's too far for a day hike, but perhaps...

And that is how the Borrower comes to have walked for two whole days, pack full of food and sewing needle as a weapon strapped to her back, just to investigate the strange place. Was someone living here?

[kamloops_rose]

As it turns out, there is, and Delilah has plenty of furs for the fresh fall nights in the teepee, which she will soon be converting to a sweatlodge.

Still, if little Arrietty makes it there, she'll find plenty of little nooks in which to rest.

[justborrowing]

Setting her pack aside, Arrietty stops to sit on a stone beside one of the furs and rest for a few moments. It had been a long two days walk to get there after all.

The whole scene reminds her of Spiller's own home and she wonders if the Bean that lives here is like Spiller...

[kamloops_rose]

At one point or other Delilah walks back in, carrying some herbs she plucked, which she intends to dry out.

She wants to sit, and thankfully notices Arrietty before it's too late.

"Oh!"

[justborrowing]

Arrietty will also scramble out of the way. Being squashed after making it this long would be terrible!

"Don't squash me," she shouts from her hiding place behind a few larger stones. "I only wanted to see what was going on!"

[kamloops_rose]

Blink blink. ".... I wouldn't!" Delilah replies defensively.

She'll kneel so she can see the little creature better.

"... you're so very tiny. Would you mind if I took you in my hand? It'd be better to talk."

[justborrowing]

Arrietty hesitates for a moment, then steps out and over to the woman's hand. "Just don't drop me please. I would not care to fall any more than I would wish to be squished."

[kamloops_rose]

"Well no," she replies. 'that would be very rude and careless."

She smiles, and sits, having balanced Arrietty properly. "I'm Delilah. Do you live in the woods?"

[justborrowing]

Arrietty offers a slight quarter curtsy before settling on Delilah's hand. "My name is Arrietty Clock. I live in the kitchens behind the cabinets," she says. "But I'm brave and have been exploring. Do you live in the woods Miss Delilah?"

[kamloops_rose]

Delilah is impressed, walking all the way here for someone so tiny is quite the adventure!

"I live at the Mansion too, but I wanted to make camp for the fall, and prepare something special for the winter," she tells the Borrower. "Do you know what this is?"

[justborrowing]

Arrietty looks at the structure, then back to Delilah and shakes her head. "No. I've never seen anything like that before."

[kamloops_rose]

"It's a temporary shelter, for hunting," she explains. "But I just built it to pass the time."

[justborrowing]

"Oh! You hunt? You really are like my friend Spiller!" Arrietty is clearly thrilled by this. "He was a hunter as well and lived in shelters that he built. He once made a fine camp in a forgotten teapot. It was quite impressive. I thought mother would faint when she saw it." She giggles softly. "She did faint when Spiller brought back a grasshopper for us to eat."

[kamloops_rose]

Delilah chuckles, and says, "Well, I don't hunt, because that's not something I was taught. But I do trap - I set snares."

A beat.

"... if you intend to walk these woods you should be very careful. There are a lot of people who do that."