#anywhere

Arms fold over her chest, hands far from the dogs.

"Ok, well. Getting too dark but we have to figure out what needs trimming before Beltaine." Frank puts his hands in his coat pockets. "Oak, Edy... whatcha got?"

Edelweiss almost shudders at being reduced to 'Edy' but she looks at the girl as if to answer

Oak trots to Frank, then circles him, then goes back to Dagmar

Quiet, head down.

"Hmmphm." He follows Oak. "Oh, hello Dagmar. Wondered where you'd got to. You like the woods?"

Monotone, a soft rumble. "Yeah."

"Well good. Maybe this summer we'll go camping. And you know, sometimes we get a chance to go South, visit my daughter Jessica. We can figure out a way for you to join us. If you want."

"Never been camping."

Suddenly the dogs turn and Oak gives a low rumble of concern. Edelwiess joins him, and takes a protective stance near Dagmar

"Shhh." Frank becomes utterly serious.

He crosses the distance between them and stands between her, the dogs, and whatever the dogs are growling at.

She looks up, finally. straining to see.

A shuffling snurfling sound and.. a bellow in the distance. Frank knows the sound even if Dagmar doesn't. It sounds like a bear

"Shhhhh.... " He reiterates, even more urgently and quietly.

Eyes full of questions - but she's quiet.

And the dogs hold sitll, grumbling and then...

The shape, the silhoutte of an Ursine can be seen in the light, it's dwarfs the dogs

Dagmar STARES, reaching for her... no, wait, she dropped it...

Frank tracks it with his eyes, not moving a muscle.

It sniffs the air, gives a snort that blows grass back, and then...turns and ambles off, slowly. iT's not fleeing anything

It goes at it's own pace, and is not impressed with you

Still quiet, like she was told.

Frank waits, tense and ready, until it is gone and the grass and bushes have sprung back in place. Then he exhales.

"Come on, let's get back." His tone brooks no argument.

The dogs slowly , slowly decompress and look ready to go.

She nods before crouching to retrieve her halberd.

"Shhh..." Comforting now, to the dogs. "It's gone. We don't want to mess with it, anyway."

Frank reaches into his coat pocket and hands a brown paper bag to Dagmar.

The dogs do relax. Confident master is good.

She takes the bag, shooting a quizzical look at Frank before checking inside.

Food; a couple sandwiches, some fruit.

A rumble of thanks. and she inhales the first sandwich.

Frank nods and leads the way back towards the Lodge.

If he doesn't say anything, she doesn't. Most of the bag is empty by the time they reach the building.

He opens the door and steps in, holding it for her.

She flashes him a tentative smile before ducking inside.

The Dogs sigh. No bag for them.

....well, maybe some crusts accidentally fell...

There's a small smile lurking inside the beard. He motions the dogs to wipe their paws, and just inside the door he toes off his boots, then hangs up his coat.

"Didn't plan on going that far."

"Well, that's how some of the best adventures start." He turns. "Want something? Hot chocolate, more to eat?"

She swallows, and tugs on her tunic. "Um. Cocoa, please?"

"Sure. Come on. Oh, leave your shoes there by the door." He heads into the kitchen.

"Oh, right." She hastily takes off her boots, hopping on one foot rather than taking the time to sit.

And she jogs to catch up with the older troll.

the dogs like Dagmar's moments of crumb dropping. Edelwiess wipes her paws.

Dagmar waits at the table... eyes on Frank, but she does surreptitiously sneak the pair of hounds two more bites of crust.

Oak chomps, Edelweiss is (A little more) more dignified, but both wag

Frank mixes up hot cocoa, grabs a couple of those danishes Kerri makes, and then a couple more... ok, the plate. He brings them to the kitchen table.