#rivervale_lodge

"I think if I broke up, then maybe he'd treat me the same way?"

She chews on her hangnail. "And then he'd not listen to me, because I'd be a bad guy, too...."

"He might, that's true."

"Well...that's no reason to stay together, if you don't enjoy your time with him. But let me ask you this...how often is he unkind to you, in comparison to how often he is kind?"

"He's usually kind to me."

"He... he didn't push too hard, on the date. Didn't try to make me do anything I didn't want to."

"So the times you want to kick him are relatively rare?"

"With just me? Yeah."

"Well...I want to avoid being a hypocrite here. You see...when Olgar and I were just getting to know each other, he was often maddening and irritating...and he did push sometimes, just a bit. But he also respected my boundaries. And...he got better."

She nods.

"Could Adam be unseelie? I couldn't tell."

"I'm not sure. I haven't thought to really check for that with him. Hmm....it might explain a great deal, actually...."

"Well, so, Olgar's unseelie..."

"He is. Barely so, but yes."

"I was unseelie... everybody said so.."

"Symon is, but... is it weird that I'm less sure about Dirk?"

Kerri sighs. "I know, but don't say that too loudly. Being seelie is a death sentence among redcaps."

"...Oh."

Kerri moves around the kitchen, setting things ready for the morning. "But yes, there's nothing wrong with being unseelie. It can just make things complicated when trying to get along in a seelie community. And of course, we're all about to venture into that part of ourselves soon."

"...yeah."

"I think I like being seelie better. I fit in better, for sure."

"I think you enjoy being in a family that you like and trust, and who like and trust you back." Kerri smiles.

She nods.

"I'm sort of glad we don't remember Samhain."

Kerri grins. "Well...I think I'm just a bit more comfortable with my unseelie side than others, but even so I agree with you."

"I don't mind Symon or Olgar being unseelie..."

"But, like... I don't want to screw up what I got."

"Well, you know that we all make some allowances for each other in this season, even when it's still the parts that we do remember."

Grunt, nod.

Kerri chuckles. "We'll all catch each other on November first."

"Of course..." the grin fades "...this year, there's the dragon."

She frowns. "Yeah. Shit."

Footsteps outside, and voices fading into hearing. "...FIFTY feet tall! and it'll be like, FWOOSH!" Connor. "Oh yeah? Well then you'd better go get some more sticks, I'd bet." A female voice, muffled to prevent giggles. And, she knocks on the door.

"We'll make it happen."

Kerri goes to open the door and look outside.

Piper is out there, and just a hint of fluffy tail as Connor runs off once more. She offers Kerri a long, slender stick. "Apparently I'm supposed to report in for toasting duties?"

Dagmar peers around. "Oh, hey!" Smile!

A laugh. "I see. I'm being gently reminded that I promised a bonfire."

"Dagmar, you're coming?" She goes to the cabinets for marshmallows and graham crackers...and chocolate for the non-canines.

A bright grin at Dagmar. "Hey, you! I was hoping for Sylvi, but always great to run into you too. I JUST can't decide which of these dyes to go with, and I'm starting up at P-sack this week..." She's holding a drugstore bag that bulges with potential color options.

"Mind if I pick your brain? Oh, you too Miss Kerri. If you had anything to do with the lodge decor, you have a good eye. Better than mine, I went through a hot pink and orange phase."

"Oh.. um. Sure?"

A pause, and she asks tentatively, "Or do you prefer "Hearth"? I'm sorry, I just don't remember. I'm a scatterbrain, it's true. Momma Vee always said I'd lose my horns if they weren't nailed on, and Momma Vi chimes in that my head was almost too hard for that."

"Well, most of that was the Chieftain, but I might have a useful opinion or two. And people generally call me Hearth or Miss Kerri, either one is fine."

"And, um, Hills is orange, so i wouldn't do that. Valley is green."

Her expression went a little longing for a moment as she mentions family, but then she grins back at Dagmar. "Hills, and Valley?"

"Come on, ladies. We have a fire to enjoy." She goes to carry items out the kitchen door to the bonefire spot near the practice ring.

Piper offers to help carry, and heads out along with the lodge ladies.

Carrying, if needed! Or hauling wood once outside...

"Yeah, we got to Valley."