Day 93,

Crabs in my boots this morning.  Guess things are back to normal with the nature sprite.  Emptied the boots down at the stream.  Hope I didn’t hurt the little guys too much trying to put my foot in.  Even if I did get pinched.

Lin came by the library today, looking to unwind in a quiet corner with a book after a stressful couple of days.  Sounds like the strain of his last day as Village blacksmith finally caught up with Ka’eo the next morning and he’d been pretty sick since then.  He seems to be fine now, but Huan’s telling him to take it easy and not leave the house for a few days and has been sending Lin to check in on him several times a day.

I myself got a reprimand for just standing by and letting an old man work himself near to death.  I can’t say I felt great about that, even at the time it was happening.  In my defense, every time Ka’ena or I tried to intervene or get the doctor we were told not to.  Also, watching and recording is literally my job.

Not great defenses, I’ll admit, and Lin said as much.  Difference between what you’re supposed to do and what you should do, wellbeing is more important than stubborn pride, etcetera.  I’d like to think that if someone was obviously in danger or hurting I’d do more than stand there and take notes, but he seemed so sure of himself and Ka’ena who knew his limits better than I did listened to him.  Then again, she wasn’t exactly unbiased.

And so went our back and forth not-exactly-argument.  Eventually Lin sighed and apologized for the stress getting to her and taking it out on me.  I conceded that she had a point and didn’t need to apologize.  With that she returned to her reading and me to library work (more people are starting to come in asking for records of past years’ equinox festivals to prepare) until the evening came and she left to check on Ka’eo and me to go back home.

On the way out I pointed out that Maiko will be back tomorrow night (or maybe technically more like really early morning the next day) and asked Lin if she wanted to go out to Siren Overlook to greet her when she arrives.  Based on her reaction this might have been more of a sensitive topic than I realized.  Ultimately she merely said that she’d think about it.