#bergen_county

Dagmar is out on the porch petting Brown Dog, who has been sadly exiled from the delicious smelling lands of Underfoot.

She hears a very familiar, somewhat plaintive voice.

"Do you think there are any pork chops?"

The teen's sober expression lights up with a smile. "I bet there can be."

Wearing summer clothes, T-shirt and shorts, but also his Gwydion tabard which looks like it has been WORN. Well loved is a good way to put it! A small badge with the Silverwolf emblem, a rearing wolf in argent with a gold sun, is pinned to the breast.

Connor looks not a day older, which is not surprising! His hair has gone long and curls a bit around his shoulder, in a way that is adorable now and may someday be dashing.

He beams at Dagmar and his tail wags quickly!

"I knew you would never, never, ever come back!"

She snags him into a one-armed hug. "Felt like it, sometimes. Good to see you, kiddo."

Connor throws his arms around her, the basket he was carrying dropped unceremoniously to the grass. SQUEEEEZE

She touches her forehead against the crown of his head, closing her eyes for a moment.

Just the soft thump thump of his tail. And a counterpoint thud thud thud of brown dog wagging on the porch!

She holds the hug for a long moment, before taking a steadying breath. "So - how is Silverwolf? They doing right by you?"

"They run me ragged and make me sleep in the barn and never feed me, EVER." Belatedly he scoops up the basket. "And certainly they never never sent me with no treats."

A soft chuff. "Certainly."

"There are THREE new horse babies, but the yearlings got sold to the glue factory." His cheerful tone at the gossip belies the words. Oh, there is that constant underlayer of pingpingpingpingping as Connor chats. Maybe she missed it!

"New puppies comin' too. It's BUSY! And there's gonna be a party, but you're definitely definitely not invited, even if you wanted to go, because the skies are on fire."

It does give her a tiny headache, but, well, some things are worth it.

"...July fourth?"

Thistle has been eXpErImEnTiNg with fire+color+explosions, to some... jubilant... results.

His ears go up, curious, and then relax again. "No, it's this week! Unless they moved the dates around. Sidhe can DO that you know. They just give the Calendar a LOOK, and..."

He shakes the basket out, oh dear, it was so well and lovingly packed too. Several parcels fall to the ground, but there is also an envelope that has a Mortarboard design on it!

Oh, yes, the Fourth of July will be a THING, but it looks like there might be another celebration underway!

"Oh!" Reading. "Well, good for Gwen!"

"Yep, she went to high school for 4 years and then got Agitated."

Nod nod nod!

"Abdicated?"

"Captivated!"

"...Constipated?"

Dag swallows a laugh into a snort.

"Oh, I got it! Granulated and Celebrated!"

"Close enough."

Brown Dog has sashayed over and is nosing with much interest one of the parcels that fell from the basket.

"Hep." A quick correction for Brown Dog.

"Let's see what you found, hm?" She rumples the dog's ears as he sits back.

That one has... biscuits! Not the soft fluffy kind, the hard crunchy kind. A smell of peanut butter, and bacon!

Connor's nose twitches as well.

"Miz Mary-Gold makes the BEST treats. They're made of real stuff, not like floor sweepin's and hog trimmins, so they're good for anyone to eat no matter how many feet."

He quickly adds, "NOTHING as good as Pupkin Cookies though. Never EVER!." Not even a ping there!

"Well, I suppose one cookie before dinner wouldn't hurt anybody..."

One for Connor AND one for Brown Dog.

Both crunch joyfully! "There's some other stuff too, but no bacon in it." A bit dismissively.

There are, indeed, other cookies, a nice little assortment!

"I'll have to send my thanks to Marigold."

Decorated with exacting precision, and one even has a star on it's head!

"Oh, wow..."

"And they're CRUMCHY!"

"I'm going to admire them a bit, first." She snaps a phone photo.

"Me too! Me too!" Connor grins shamelessly as he poses with Brown Dog, who is washing crumbs from the boy's face.

Click!

Pose! Pose! Pose!

Dagmar makes a few funny faces as she selfies with Connor.

He sniffs the air, checking the status of that tantalizing smell that was coming from within. Fried chicken, perhaps? The nose knows!

Indeed, quite spicy

And BBQ too. Options!

Indeed, as excited as Connor is to catch up with his Knight, he is practically wafting inward on the trail of scent, like a cartoon floating towards a tempting pie on a windowsill.

Through a window they might see Tove setting spots on a table with Jaymes help.

"Who is THAT?" Connor goggles at the toddler in a highchair. "I think they ate your baby brother!"