#anywhere

"You are doing well. At your work, and with Thistle. Carry on." The Baron nods to him, and continues on his way
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Christmas has hit Silverwolf with a big Yule Hammer. Many folks celebrated with their mortal families, and at the Manor, it's more of a casual 'Come and Go' Yule celebration. The Giant Tree has been trimmed, snacks and sweets are provided in abundance, and shiny insulated beverage urns have hot spiced cider, mulled wine, and cocoa all available, along with tea and coffee.

Strings of cut paper snowflakes look like snow designs at first, but at closer look, reveal shapes of bunnies and other animals, even dragons!

Candles are lit, mistletoe is hung, holly abounds.

Art has a backpack on his back, yes one of the hand-me-down ones he uses that probably saw a full 4 years of Lance before him, it shows signs of having patches that were removed in the shape of a local sports team. But it still WORKS, and right now, is filled with WRAPPED GIFTS!

He looks for Thistle...

In return, the Baron hands him a small envelope - inside, is a gift card - not to the local bookstore, but to a smaller, used bookseller. "This vendor does not generally do gifts as such, but they made an exception." It's hand written, a note in fact. "I think you may have better results here than a... 'big box' store." Some small disdain at that.

"Please let Thistle know that I have a gift for her as well, when she arrives." He seems a bit surprised to see them apart, in fact.

....there does seem to be a clowder of Nevers near the kiln studio.

"I think I know where to find her. I could give it to her if you wish?" The Baron nods, and hands the card to Art. Remaining, for now, where he can watch the entryway and the front drive through the window.

Art moves over and opens the door, "Thistle?" Sticking his head in. Perhaps not the WISEST way to enter a Nocker's studio, without even, ahem, 'nocking'.

"*&^%!!" A noise of surprise.

"Hi!"

"Oh. Hi Art.. uh..." The nocker is looking sulky. A collection of finished pieces are set out on the sturdy work table - varied in styles, but almost universally bright and vibrant with their glaze. Pots, mugs, vases...

"Ooooooh!" He peers, and then belatedly looks away, covering his eyes with an arm. "I'm sorry! Am I not supposed to look? I did not wish to ruin any surprise!"

"Uh.. I.. no? No... they're not.. I dunno..."

"Um."

"Here." Art finds a mug thrust out in his direction, cradled in the paint-flecked and gnarled hands of the nocker.

"I have your present!" He says, still muffled behind his arm.

"Can I look?"

"Yeah?"

He peeks over his arm, and LIGHTS UP. "Oh. OH!" His own bag dropped to one side, he reaches out to carefully cradle the mug.

"This is FANTASTIC."

Said mug has been glazed in indigo and purple that verge on black, the same rich velvets of a night sky. It is dotted with flecks of gold, like stars, and the gilded handle swoops like the tail of a comet. A quartz crystal is embedded at the join of handle to lip.

"It's... um. They're supposed to be stars."

He has thrown his arms around Thistle in an enthusiastic hug! "It's BRILLIANT!"

She blushes. "I'm glad you like it..."

"Um. I have your real gift, too? That was just... it... I know you said you wanted a clay thing..."

He lets go, lest he accidently crush or drop the mug. Turning it over in his hands to look at it again. "Is this... Ursus?" Looking at a specific spatter of dots amongst many.

Fidget, nod. "That's your favorite one, right?"

"But it's wrong, there's an extra star, I dripped..."

"Maybe that's Arty, traveling in the stars. I love it."

He rubs a thumb on the small blotch, and looks at her with a grin. "There was an old show on the other day, on PBS?" That's right, the Penderson's don't have cable. "This man with very LARGE hair was painting, and he said, there are no mistakes, just happy accidents?"

Flush and fumble, looking through a paper bag of wrapped gifts. None of the ceramics are wrapped...

"Oh, that's Bob Ross. He's great..."

Package found! She offers it. "So here's the good one. Merry Yule-mas."

He blinks, and accepts it, "I only got you one thing.... well, the toffee doesn't count, does it?" But he opens the present.

"The mug ain't... it's not... I wanted to be sure you got something good..."

He finds a sketchbook - sturdy, spiral-bound with a celestial design on the cover and a zippered pocket containing 12 colored pencils.

"For.. for when you see stuff? You could put it down."

"Oh, it's NICE. I can always use more notebooks, 'wain likes to take the ones I have for school and scribble on them. This is better, though - I promise to keep it where he can't ruin these." Still, he hasn't put down the mug.

"I just got you... I mean, it's storebought, but, I thought you might like it..." He offers over a flat wrapped package. It's wrapped with effort, but perhaps not skill.

She rubs the back of her neck. "I thought you could use it, yeah."

A smile. "Thanks." She takes and opens the gift.

"Ohhh..." Her eyes widen, and her spirals glow with a happy orange.

"I saw how you were excited by the glass blower at the Yulefest, and, this said it could be used with a Kiln which you already have..."

Suddenly worried. "You do have what you need, right? It's not like, a special glass-type kiln you need?"

"I dunno, but usually a kiln is a kiln.... " Flipping through. "Oh, lookit..."

"It said it was inspired by Klimt on the back.. I looked him up, and he did all this art with crazy colors and shapes, and it really reminded me of some of your work..."

He leans in to look!

"Oh, yeah! Klimt does amazing goldwork..." She shows him a picture of dichromatic pendants, glittering with a multitude of colors!

"Oooooh. See, you kinda did that with the gold here..." Pointing to his mug.

"So, you like it?" God, he's like a puppy eager for a pat.

"I love it!" She grins, and the Nevers chime agreement!