#bergen_county

And pats Otto reassuringly on the arm. Poor kid, an entire life of going to school. He can't even imagine the horror.

"you know, Connor... YOU could go to public school now" tove points out "your mein doesn't slip anymore"

His ears and tail betray him, drooping.

Otto blinks at Connor "your mein was slipping? Did it hurt?" concern

"His aging might, though."

A quick wag to reassure Otto. "Only when my tail got shut in the door. That was an ow-ow-ow-AWOOOOOOOO."

An adoring glance to Dagmar as she comes to his rescue.

"Mm true" Tove says "Still, I don't knnnow about Otto..."

Jaymes looks overr Otto, then to his wife, then to Dagmar "Every kid should skip school at least once every few years. I'll chance it if Connor really wants me to and if it's ok with you , Dagmar"

Dag nods. "Honestly, new fledge? He's not going to learn much at school anyways until the shiny rubs off a bit."

"SO much shiny my head spins, my heart goes patter piter... I must LIVE ..." Otto says dramatically "Before I die"

"Oh my goodness" tove says "Such theattrics. Connor, have you been giving lessons?"

"Me AN' Lilly." Proudly.

A small smile. "Well, looks like a good start to a friendship, at least."

"Lily's a good friend, too."

"We gotta look out for those smaller'n us. And Otto is a badger-dog, so even when he grows up, I might still be bigger than him, a little." Connor seems tickled by this.

Otto wags "I'm part of the shadowpaw conspiracy now"

"Badger... oh! Dachshund!"

"Dat's him." Connor echoes.

"I'm a leaner meaner wiener" Otto declares trying to look all tough, then he brreaks into a big grin

Grin (by troll standards, Otto might miss it) and a head-shake.

"I'm working hard to train up the Shadowpups." Connor says to Dagmar, seriously. "So when you go to school, we'll keep everything in line here."

"I'll honor the Code of the Shadowpaw... soon as I membe what it is" Otto assures

A little crease between her eyebrows.

"So far I got the Let's Cheat, the Smelly Code and the Unsmelly..." he actually makes a face a the Unsmelly "And the Code of Dogda!"

"That's the IMPORTANT ONE."

"Connor, you've really been busy with him, you AND Lily" tove is impessed

"Shadowpaw, report and repeat! Step one, protect the dreaming! Even when it's awake! Step two, respect those what need respecting, except if they're being bad, and then TELL SOMEONE BIGGER! Step three, never abuse your strength. That means when your muscles get tired, you go to the spa. Step four, Accept honorable surrenders, and that means you can't bite 'em when they're down, even if their ankles are out."

"Mm. Tell someone bigger, eh?"

He nods to Dagmar! "Someone bigger here, and here." He taps his head, and his chest.

"AND taller. So they can knock 'em down and tell them they were bad, and then they can go to time out and be better after."

She nods. "A good plan."

Otto says "Ditto!"

"And THEN when you come BACK you can be proud of us!"

Jaymes says "Well, Otto, Connor, if you're coming to the store you need to finish up yourr food. I'm leaving soon"

Otto has cleaned his plate, "Back to the grindstone, don' worry, won't abuse my strength" He looks at Dagmar "Thank you for helping Connnor notice me in the hospital, you're the best kickside ever"

Another little eyebrow-crease, almost a frown.

"No, she's the Boss." Connor corrects.

"Have a good day at work, yeah? I need to get to school."

And she's up, collecting plates for the dishwasher.

"Well, Mr. Jaymes King Ironhawk is the boss of work. But Dame Dagmar is my personal knight." Proud.

Though, he watches her, and his own forehead crinkles just a bit.

"Oh" Otto says "uhm sorrry?"

Connor, Jaymes & Tove get hugs, Otto gets an ear-rumple, and Sam is quick out the door to school!

Connor watches her flee, and then looks to Tove questioningly. "What'd we do? I didn't MEAN to chew on her shoes..."

Otto liked the rumple but sighs "I... my mouth wennt sideways ? Maybe it bit? I.." A frustrated look "Sometimes being a sidhe is frusratiingg"

"Don't assume i was about you, kids" Jaymes says "Dagmar will tell us when she's ready if somehing bothers her."

"She always does." Connor says, frowning. "She never keeps it all mooshed up inside."

Otto looks worried 'But.. ifshe explodes there will be blue paint ever where"

Tove decides Otto's lies seem to be a touch excitable at ttimes, as is the boy, "Now connor, when you two are alone later, you can talk to her , squire to knight iff you need to, but she is ap rivate person. We have to respect that sometimes."

Jaymes nods, and heads towards the door