#rivervale_lodge

"At Firnost."

"Oh, right. I got confused. It was Firnost!"

He nods.

A grin "I don't know, Zara. I liked his version a lot"

"It is a pretty good one, yes."

"Especially the cookies." He nods.

"Especially the cookies"

"I know you can't do chocolate, but is coconut okay?"

He looks curious. "I want to try it!"

Pondering for a moment. "Is your mama a sloo like you?"

"challenge accepted it seems'

"Well... no. My birth-mother is a nocker, and my mama is kinain."

"A boggan Kinian you told me" Siv says then says to Conner "Boggans tend to cook well"

"You have TWO?" He looks like this boggles his mind, and he ponders this deeply for a long moment.

Vali can be seen out a window shoveling snow.

She nods. "The Himmelfarbs have boggan and nocker blood. And yes, I have two. Miriam is by blood, but Mama adopted me as a baby, and raised me."

"Mama and Papa."

"Plus the Uncles. I have a surfeit of parents, in a way."

"Oh." Thoughtful. Finally he gives her a small, genuine smile. "That's nice."

She nods. "I am very lucky, aye."

Siv smiles at that

"I started a snowhouse outside but it kept falling in. I think if I dig it out rather than pile it up it might work better."

Outside, a snowman is forming

More like a snow troll really, it's huge.

"Conner, get a coaat mittens socks and shoes on, and maybe Vali can help you with a snow fort and you can help him with a snow man?" Siv suggests

"Does the snow man have a snow dog?" It is an important question, clearly.

"They can..."

"Well, he should. " Siv grabs some of Conner's warm dry clothes and helps him get them on "You need to go out there and tell Vali about that right away. Want a carrot for a nose or somethng for the snow man?"

"Yes! And cookies. In case the snowman gets hungry." He bundles up with a minimum of fuss, but before he goes out he pauses to tell Zara, in a super-serious tone. "Don't eat any fruit you find in the snow. It might be a monkey trap. Kay bye!" And runs out to play.

Siv watches him rush out, then "I guess Kerri would havee a few cookies ready after that " She smirks "Look at me, positively domestic"

"...Monkey trap?"

Siv whispers "not sure, but he might be warning about uhm..piles from Oak and Edelweiss and Browndog?"

"I see..." Blink. "Pooka."

Mackerel jumps up on the counter, wanting pets NOW, please.

"Oh, hello!" A smile and she offers out her hand for inspection.

A sniff..a curious look, not offended . Another sniff, then a light brush against this new human.

Well, two legger

Once deemed worthy, she offers pets as tribute.

"Who is this pretty lady?"

"She likes you," siv seems almost surprised "this is Mackerel, some call her mack for short" Siv grins "She is the apex predator of the lodge, the huntress of this domain and sometimes picky. I'd says he likes me best but if i said that too loudly she might go pick another person"

"Cats are like that, aye. Contrary."

"Aye, she goes over every inch of this place not caring if you're trying to take a bath or not, but then if you intrude on her when she's basking alone, such a glare" Siv strokes the cat and seems to know how to do it.

Judging by the warm purr sliding along.

Double petted, the cat definitely enjoys

"The egyptians worshipped them as gods - and I believe cats have never forgotten this."

"Well no wonder it was a long and grand dynasty that ancient Egypt. good government" Siv says

A soft chuff. "Precisely."

Mack lets them pether another minute or two, then wraps her paws around Siv's hand and wrist, claws only slightly out, and makes a nip that does not break skin,and races off

Siv watches her go "Delightful little beast"

"Indeed."