#bergen_county

"Oh no no, in some of the stories there are seiges that go on for a decade. Now I don't think we have that problem, but ah, prudence is a virtue that's easy to practice if not always sung in great stories."

"Decades?! That's FOREVER. We gotta build a fort! Oh.. I don't know if we have enough cake for that long." He looks guilty down at the last few bites, and offers them back to Torin.

"It's okay, the Lodge is well provided for"

Thus reassured, he quickly eats the last few bites, licking the plate clean. "I can protect us on the way. I'm a rover, with a lower-case "R"." Retrieving his stick.

"You're a brave boy" he says "Like in the stories' he looks the boy over "My grand daughter is going to want to thank you I bet."

"Tove makes the best thanks." He nods and shows the man his stick. "I wanted her to put my name on my walkin' stick. But now it's a hittin' stick so maybe I should put it away. I'm not supposed to hit nothing."

"I mean Dagmar..." he says "But oh..sorry, my pooka translator doesn't ways work. And tell you what, w'ell get you a new stick" As he picks up racer

He nods and sets the old stick aside. Taking the lead, he carefully scouts the way back to the Lodge, nose twitching, ears perked, and on the lookout for Trouble.

There is no more danger. Indeed, the spring chimera are quite lovely.

But he does hear a voice hiss at him "Connor?" A whisper, harsh

He stops in his tracks, holding up a hand to alert Torin. "Who goes there?" He replies in a soft voice.

"me," it's Lily "your friend. You've been in a fight" she huffs offended and straightens her victorian dress, "Did you almost die without my permission? that's very rude, connor, very." Worry is in her eyes though

"Torin, try not to be scared. It's my spooky friend." His tail wags as he sees Lily. "I'm okay though, except I'm gonna be grounded for fighting." A slightly guilty look. He seems to be uninjured, though, other than being rumpled up, or potentially streaked with oily black chimera goo? (??)

He does have a light dusting, Lily extends a gloved hand, and rubs a finger along it, then studies "you're all dusty splat like a chimney sweep now" She seems to like that "I fear they will make you bathe."

"Yes, very likely," Torin says at that

"Being a hero is not worth it." He says in a mournful tone. "Maybe I can just jump in the lake? Once I get better at it, I can Flash myself straight there for cannonballs like Gerd does."

"yes, one day, but for now? I fear there is..." Lily pauses dramatically "no escape from the bath"

A low howlish-sounding moan of dismay. A glance back at Torin. "You'll have to have one too I suppose. It's more fun if you use Siv's shampoo to make bubbles in the bath. It smells pretty. Oh, but she probably took it with her." A frown.

"Perhaps she had a spare," Torin says "Never give up hope, young man." Amused

"Never give up, Never surrender." He recites solemnly.

"Better to die on your feet than live on your knees" The Skald nods as they make their way towards the lodge. "Tell you what, Connor. I'll take a bath without complaint if you do. "

And he smiles to reassure the lad

"I've been told I should die with my boots on! But I forgot them today." Indeed, he is wearing sneakers. "Do you need coffee, Torin? I can run ahead and ask Sallie May to put the motor oil on."

"I'll be fine. I'd rather, low as we both are, we stay close mmm?"

He nods and falls back, reaching up. If Torin's hands are busy holding Race, he lightly takes one of his shirttails or holds onto a belt loop, and walks on.

That makes the grump smile. Lily seems to try to vanish out of sight and back again

"I tried to drink coffee. I thought maybe that was the key to growing big like a troll. But It's just so.... dark!" His face screws up at the remembered bitterness. "It's okay though if you start with sweet milk and add just a color of coffee to it, but then I'm not sure if it will work."

"Not everyone , not even every troll, likes Coffee, Connor and you don't have to drink it if you don't like," Torin says "Sometimes , if someone tells you something is an acquired taste, you can just decide that you don't really need to acquire it"

"It's good to be open minded, but sometimes I have trouble being open-stomached."

"some of us have refined tastes" A whisper from near a tree shadow

"You're important to the eco-system. If no one ate the food that gets old, it would be wasted."

Lily beams and peeks out to show her pleasure "such a gentleman"

And the lodge comes into view

(Into the lodge/RV)