Ragna waits for the Gather to be in full swiht, and puts her plan into action. She starts by visiting one of the boothe saround the edge of the Gather and picking up acouple of meat pies. She takes those off to the edge of the Gather clearing and moves off into the quieter woods there, until she is along but can still hear the festive music from the party. Finding a place to settle on the ground, in a patch of moonlight, Ragna begins to whistle a cheerful tone. It is a specific tune she learned from a grandmother fox years ago, and it always seems to get the attention of any Shy Folk around. She isn’t sure if it is real magic or just a safe and familiar tune the foxes use, but it always seems to work. Ragna also knows there are plenty of fixes about for the Gather.
After a few minutes, she stops her song and looks around. As she expected, she sees no sign of any Shy Folk. She wonders aloud, “Would any passing Shy Folk like to have a meat pasty? I have an extra I would be happy to share.” She smiles into the apparently empty darkness.
A shadow slips out from behind a tree and slides soundlessly across the little glade. When it reaches the moonbeam, Ragna can see that it is a vixen, with dark fur wearing the natural, leafy clothes that the Shy Folk prefer on their own. The vixen hesitates and says, “You would really share? No bindings or contracts?”
Ragna smiles and says, “No, nothing like that. Please, come keep me company while we eat.” The vixen looks uncertain, so Ragna adds, “My name is Ragna and I am the local Wise Woman.”
Reassured by this, the vixen comes closer, still wary. She does take the pasty Ragna offers, and settles down nearby.
Ragna smiles, and picks up her own pasty, and has a nibble. This makes clear to the foxe she can really eat, and she does, taking quick, dainty bites. Ragna then tries to get the vixen to relax a byt, by asking about the Shy Folk’s favorite topic, “So, how was your trip here?”
This, and several related questions get the vixen talking more comfortably. She settles in to tell the curious human all about her travels.
During one of the tales, Ragna works around to asking, “Would you know a fox-boy called Larrikan?”
The vixen turns wary and asks, “Why?”
“Oh,” Ragna says casually, “A friend of mine talked to him earlier, and he ran off before they were done talking. She really wanted to know what he had to say, but thinks she upset him somehow and dosen’t think he’ll talk to her. She would tell him she wanted to talk to him, but he was gone.”
The vixen looks astonished, and says, “He’s not in trouble?”
Ragna chuckles, and says, “No, not at all. My friend would really like to talk to him.”