#earthrunes

She rubs her nose with the back of her hand. "Ah..."

"You okay?" gentle look from Earl to Zara

And smoothes her hair, and her skirt, and clutches at her dignity. "Ah. Of course."

Earl smiles, "Hold on..." And tries something else, this time creating a small image of a rather silly looking lion, goofy.

(Why Vince mightw onder if it's meant to LOOK like someone, sans dignity)

And he holds the goofy lion picture out

And again, it unlocks.

A huff, and his tail swishes in annoyance.

"Truly, all thy needs is a trading card - should you wish an autographed Vince original, thy only needed to ask."

"Sorry, VInce... just testing theories" But Earl does smile a bit

A weak smile. "I would be most pleased to have your image, aye. I could think of no better lion."

By now, Zara realizes that ANY Lion image would do. As Vince IS a Lion pooka, the magic... naturally, responds. But the darn rath would open for someone wearing a Detroit lions t shirt as much as a Fiona mantle

The Toad watches. Blink blink.

"Dear Librarian, if it would help ease thy mind about these unexpected revelations, I dare say, there is a most delightful garden along the path within... hast thou visited Ohio?"

"...Ohio? Nay. Whyfore would I go there? What is even there? Corn?"

"Ah.. ahem Quest?" Earl reminds

"Aye, quest..."

A look at Vince. "August has spoken of thus?"

"And thy are well known to decry any corn-fed farm folk, verily." He teases lightly, but then bows, and extends a hand - and to Earl as well. "If you wish to walk along the silver to see what thy work has wrought, allow me to guide thee, lest you fall afoul of a hunter's howl and tear your hem asunder. I am sure that the Linden tree misses me already, and her garden is one of many delights..." He stops, and sighs, as they mention the quest. "Alas, I have forgotten, I am booked for the day. I would love to escort you another time, though..."

A nod to Zara, it's easier than opening his mouth once more.

Earl says "Iowan corn is better, Vince. It is known." He shakes the lion pooka's hand, then looks to Zara "Need me to make a card with a lion image on it for you sometime? Something you can just flash to use the trod here? "

"It... no?"

Earl blinks, confused

"I know August very much wanted you to be part of the journey - aught of Truthbranches..."

He blinks, and his nose crinkles up in amusement, realizing the miscommunication. "Ah, well, if YOU wish me along, I could not say no...."

"We packed quite enough teacups..."

"Glad to have you" earl says. "And sorry we thought you did this" He gestures to the trod.

The toad hops off.

"It will be a double-date, I'd best make sure that August's packed attire does not clash with my formalwear..."

"Ah!"

A tickle at Zara's ankle... before she can scold Vince to keep his tail to himself, she may notice one of the snakelets, no longer a hatchling but still rather small and discrete, is coiling gently around her foot, it's silvery-gray scales shiny with the morning dew.

Grey lips curl in a smile. "Hello, darling."

Earl moves to Zara when she calls out then.. "Oh."

A tut. "Thou art 'Love,' mine Hunter. Though darling also you be."

"Between Vince's flowery speech and creatures trying to wrap about you," earl tells Zara, "I'm feeling a bit jealous"

a smile though

Bronte, meanwhile, has alighted on Vince's shoulder. ""He is the great Lion, the son of the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea, who saved me and saved Narnia. We've all seen him. Lucy sees him most often."

A low chuckle at that. "Lucky number 5..." He kneels and delicately transfers the snake to coil on his arm, though it seems to prefer Zara. "Tut tut, lest her Hunter grow jealous. You may join us on our adventure though, aye?" Asked towards the snake, but his gaze is questioning to Zara. He startles only a bit at Bronte, but then his chest puffs out proudly at the praise!

"Sometimes I think Bronte greets folks just so she can show off how well read she is" Earl opines

"Well-read, wise, speaker of truth and beautious creature that she is..."

"She might. But she is fond of him."

"I mind not the snakes.. though we shall shortly be quite the caravan, nu?" She rubs Anku's eye-ridges with a delicate fingertip.

"Mayhaps, just this one? Arye I have not seen as oft of late, he has taken to perching in the treetops to bask in the earliest of the summer sun. And Allon, to nap under the dappled shade."

"Where is August?" Earl wonders

"Hmmm, I imagine, at this hour, attending to his Lioness, perhaps? I do need to speak with her, but I shan't bother them at their repose." He remarks. "Perhaps, I shall go seek a refill of coffee, jaunt once more around the Holding to see if there are more Raths for my presence to spring into fruition, then see if he may have arisen for Breakfast?

"Oh yes." Blush

Zara nods. "Aye. We leave today, but we have some time yet... I must needs instruct Miss velvet on the care and feeding of the library..."

"I know how your kith likes to do things 'just right'" Earl says with a smile.

He gives them both a bow. "Then, shall we reconvene anon?"

"I think so," earl says deciding that maybe Vince will be pleasant companion indeed. Shalimar can be a bit over the top, but Vince seems less ..frentic?