#rivervale_lodge

"Did I get it wrong?" KLump says "She looks to have it in her."

"Terriers hunt rats, right?" She looks at Jaymes for confirmation.

"Yup. Terriers is terra from the earth... "

That was Jaymes.

Klump just nods, "Yes. "

"She has a lot of personality for a little dog. She's fierce."

Brown Dog , without meaning too, starts to wind his leash around Dagmar's leg as he goes from person to person

"Brown Dog, he's more laid back. He likes everything." She turns counterclockwise, unwinding herself.

"is she yours? "Klump asks them "The little one I mean? Or does she neeed a home too?"

Jaymes raises a brow "For now, both need homes." He looks at Dagmar "Wanted to talk to you about that. Family came by to see Brown Dog? "

"I'm not supposed to get attached."

She glowers. "The ones from down south?"

"It's one barony away, not Arkansas" Jaymes points out, "But yes. Two kids. Seemed like a good match, Vali thought. You disagree?"

Klump is sitting down so he can pet both dogs while others talk

"The kid made fun of Brown Dog's ears."

"Well, his ears are a bit indecisive, but it's true he can't help it" Jaymes says "Is that a reason to rule them out?"

Brown Dog hearing his name, quirks one of those ears

"You have perfect ears." She reassures, with a rumple.

Oooo... good pets.

"Ahem" Jaymes says "is that a reason to rule them out?"

"Yes." Grumpily.

Mmms.

"Is Brown the one you've chosen?"

"Mmmm..." A guilty look at Shaggy.

Shaggy perks

Damn it, they're both adorable.

Jaymes brow knits, then, "You know, they're both going to good homes . We wouldn't let them stay with bad people"

"I know..."

"It is hard being away from what anchors you" Klump says

Jaymes blinks, somehow almost forgetting the Glome was listening at all. "pardon?"

"It is hard to be away from what anchors you" the Glome repeats.

She crouches, petting Shaggy Thing.

AND Shaggy thig licks her. Even as Brown Dog sniffs Dagmar's ear.

Jaymes considers "I see. mmm. I guess that's true,but sometimes, you have to let go. It's one of the hardest things to do."

"How do you just pick?"

"What if you pick the wrong one?"

"Like, you think you picked the right one, but then after a while, you realize you made a mistake?"

Jaymes says "that's the good thing here. There is no wrong one. Brown Dog, and boy we would have to change that name. Brown Dog is great. Shaggy Little? And we would change that too, she's great too, in other ways. Don't get me wrong, you might miss the other, but neither is loser here. We've been lucky to know them at all."

"Yeah, they aren't real names... they can't.. you name one, you own it. It'll be harder with names."

"It would be" He nods, "But... I think I get why you don't want that family from the southern barony to have the dog. It's not just the ears is it? It's that they're far away and you likely wouldn't see the dog again, which ever dog. With Torin taking Racer, you know he'll visit, or you'll visit him."

"...Yeah, How do you know they'd be alright? That boy didn't deserve Brown Dog."

"mmm People aren't always perfect at the start either, you have to give them a chance to better themeslves. And sometimes, a pet helps someone learn to be better. More responsible." Jaymes says "What I want to do is turn the house into a zoo, but we can't afford that, and it would end up hurting the animals. If I tell you you can have two,you'll want 3...and I don't blame you. But... " A deepbreath "I'm sorry, but I need to cap it at two. One cat, one dog. Or two dogs. Or two cats. But I ... we want the best for them, and if we take too many, it wont' work, will it?"

She frowns, shoulders sagging.. but a nod. "Too many, it's always messy and smelly and they aren't happy neither."

He nods "then... you want me to makke the choice? Will that make it so you won't blame yourself?"

She hesitates.... then - "I want Odin."

"I figureed. He's a talky thing but... I can put up with it." A nod "And he's getting better around dogs. Not much, but a little."

"So... so if Odin is mine, the other choice is yours, right?"

"If that's how you want to do it."

"But I think whatever animal I get will like you better anyway" He says "You've got a way with em"

She drapes an arm around Brown Dog. "Dunno about that. Animals usually treat you better than people, though."