#rivervale_lodge

"Heh, Nadeen was over - right? And I tried this hot butter recipe I found online, for Tove... made MY eyes water... Nadeen, she turned pink!"

She laughs "Okay. I wish I'd seen that! Makes me feel better. yeah, I mean, she's not all bad, but she is not built for heat"

"Oh, the PLAN is to get something mega-cold."

"Like, a super-frozen lemon mint thing."

"Sounds sour"

"Not if there's enough sugar..."

"Good point" A grin "Okay. I can see I need to drop by here more often" She says "Ah ha..." Finishing up another equation

"we'll save you some,"

"Cool. " A nod "Thanks. "

They get more homework done, and then "Hey, feeling better?"

"Yeah?"

"Heh, well, at least I didn't drag you down too much. Missed you, Amiga"

"Likewise."

"And we should get practice in."

"Next warm day, right?"

"Totally!"

"Good. I'm getting weak.. maybe we can get May along. She and JC are doing okay but I think she misses us"

Connor thumps through the door leading from the kitchen with an awkward bump. His arms are laden with snacks as he caaarefully heads towards the table where the girls are working.

"Boooyyyssss. Yeah."

"Oh! Connor, jeez!" She gets up to help.

"Connor? Hey.." Lupe is glowing with enchantment "Hey little one"

"One-two-three-four, drop your cookies on the floor. Gotta pick em all up, to chow down..." Dagmar is PRETTY sure that those are not the correct lyrics he is singing to himself as he carefully hands a bag of cookies over to Dagmar, and resettles the pitcher of lemonade so it won't tip. And maybe not quite sure that he should have been listening to that anyways?

He ducks his head shyly as Lupe says hi, and his tail gives a slow, cautious wag.

Lupita says "it's okay, little guy. I'm enchanted. Wouldn't snitch on you anyway. One of my best friends is fay folk"

"Well.. hey. Thanks, Connor."

"Mmm-hmmm. You've got a good glow-up on. And Dagmar would protect me." He says, with complete conviction. "Even against a hundred-hundred wolves. Except she would make friends with them, and not fight them. And not let them eat me all up, neither. And I don't think they would, except I brought cookies just in case." And he offers the lemonade.

"Lupe's a prodigal. I think werewolves are related to pooka, a little? They change shape, too."

She takes it, "I got a tail too, sometimes"

"She should be a proud gal, if she gets a tail." He swishes his own. "I'm sorry you don't have one, Dagmar. Maybe we can go for a quest to the land where boggans get wings."

"Maybe!" She takes a cookie to munch.

"A boggan got wings?"

Munching one herself now "Thanks"

"The Dreaming is a hell of a place. Man, I wish I could take you!"

"Sounds like I've been close.. for us it's the Umbra"

"They can go there, but they have different paths. It's the same-different-same. Wolves dream too, but they dream wolf dreams." Carefully focusing on pouring a cup of lemonade with little splashing. "I got lost where a bad'un knocked a tree over the silver. Grandmother Bear took me back to the safeway." Picking up the cup, he takes a big slurp. "But that's just a'cause I'm cute."

"Okay.. now I'm wondering if he doesn't know waaay too much" Startled and impressed

He coughs, and coughs, and pushes away the lemonade, giving his head a shake.

"S..sweet! Too sweet!" He rubs his face against his sleeve like a dog trying to wipe something off their muzzle.

Dag offers the pooka a cookie.

"So... wait, could I go to your Umbra?"

He accepts the sugar cookie gratefully and crunches.

"I think there's a ritual that might allow you... but not sure... normally I can only bring myself. Others are better than that"

"Ohhh..."

"I bet Olgar'd know if there's a way for you to go."

"But he'd also probably get all salty that you shouldn't."

"Ha. Olgar sounds like some of our elder warriors " "You're not ready yet, Cub"

"Pretty much. You've met him - Sylvi's dad."

"Oh, yeah, Mr. Davidson.. he's got murderface"

"Olgar is the best rover there is." Connor pipes up in his defense.

"And I'm a Rover too so I know."