#moretolearn

continued from here with @junkdrawerkids

Exasperation may as well have been Sam Winchester's middle name at this point, because he was up to his hips in it and it was rising. His nostrils flared, eyes closing tightly as he batted down the urge to—to what? What would he do to someone like this? Her neon hair and naive nature made him force himself to remember that she was a child, just a kid for heaven's sake and should not have been in this situation to begin with.

“Causing problems?” He repeated, forcing his tone to become gentle. “Triv, it's… trying to eat people.”

Problems were a few stolen pies from windows, problems were some lost earrings or even a misplaced tax document. Problems did not encompass the horror that was a manticore attempting to make meals of townspeople. Yes, it had been thwarted each time, but it was a manticore and it would not be thwarted long.

Sam brushed that particular issue off his mental table and replaced it with that of the missing items. There were small things, easy things to replace, and then there were larger, more valuable ones. It was about these that he was concerned.

“I don’t hate people. I just don’t like how people don’t seem to realize there’s a whole world around them that’s just as important as they are. I wanna share love with all living things!” 

“Okay, then we explain what’s going on,” she said with a shrug. It seemed simple enough to her, but she could feel the frustrated vibes coming off of the taller man. She put her hands up in what she hoped would be a calming gesture. Her issue wasn’t with him. Just his idea.

“Hey, hey, hey! I’m not saying you’re wrong! I think you’re super right!! This really really needs to stop and the manticore is causing problems. But!!! Also!! I think the city government can handle some missing items if it means no one has to get hurt here–especially the manticore!”

She’d been very clear about this from the beginning: She was not going to let them hurt the creature. Yes, it had hurt some people and that needed to stop, but they couldn’t just kill the thing!! They might’ve been hunters, but she was… Well… she didn’t have a title, but that didn’t mean she was dumb or didn’t know things.

“Here!” she said, holding a small poultice bag on a long, rainbow colored string, a purple glitter heart drawn on the burlap outside. “My grandma taught me how to do this. It’s a charm specially made for you! You know, just in case. It’s got lavender and rose to calm you and give you a clear mind, a few blessing stones, and some agate for good luck and protection!” Before he could say anything, she was leaping to put the string around his neck, hanging the colorful thing like a neon amulet against his dark background. Its deeply floral scent was soft and yet, rather potent.

“I know you said you don’t like magic, but it’s okay!! This isn’t so much magic as just...” she shrugged, her hands gesticulating as she spoke and her eyes going anywhere other than his. “...I mean, it’s definitely magic, but it’s more protection and cleansing your spirit, and less...” her hands made an exploding motion, and then a sort of lighting zap motion. “You know, like... Wicked witch or... Palpatine.” Her face screwed up, questioning her own metaphor before the moment passed and she gave up caring.