#rivervale_lodge

"I know, right? Aren't they neat?" His tail gives a tentative wag. "Do you think Lilly will like 'em? I was gonna put together a terrar... terrierr... terrier-arium."

"You look FANCY." He wags his tail faster. "Is there a party? Are we all invited??"

"Yeah, you know.... I think she really would like it." Adam cleans his hands in a handy water bucket, shakes them dry-ish. "Thanks. No, no party. Just... I guess I earned this? It feels..... really good. It feels -right-, you know?"

"I like it. You look.. more like you, you know? It's good. I like the red bits, they make it POP! But if you see a blackbird with a red spot like that, you'd better behave like a duck, because they do NOT want you by their trees."

"I do?" A grin, maybe shy or maybe unsure.

"Yes. The ducking is very important." He nods, but seems genuine.

"Duck. Ok. But I look ok?"

He tilts his head to one side, and circles around Adam, after carefully putting the bugs into a pocket. "Horrible, terrible, no good, very bad. If you decide to throw them out, please tailor them to my size first because they're also my colors..."

"Yeah?"

"I mean, they are?" Curious.

"When.... when the whole thing with my family happened? My house changed, right? And my bed..... it was bigger, better..... and .... these colors." quietly. Even without trying, Connor's birthright has an affect on this mortal.

"Them's sidhe colors. What's your favorite animal?" Connor poses for a moment - half crouched, one leg lifted, arms up in the air - Puppy Rampent. "Rawr rawr!"

The older boy grins. "Yeah. Yeah, no, not like a lion is my favorite animal but.... I saw 'em at Pennons and... "

"You've got lion colors on. Well, mainly. Get it? MANE-ly?"

Adam grins. "Pretty good, little Dude."

"And... yeah. Well, it felt.... I dunno."

"When I see sidhe..." He looks thoughtful. "I feel shy, but impressed, but also... good? Like they're important, but... they know what's going on... and if you don't know what you should be doing, they always know?" A little hesitant, as though unsure how to articulate his thoughts. "I like them, though. It's like - having the sun shine on me, when they see me."

"Glad to hear it" A voice says , feminine, familiar- Nadeen.

Adam nods. "Yeah." Softly. "Me....." He freezes and looks around.

"Oh. Hey."

"Ive intruded," She observes.

Connor yips in surprise, but his tail flashes and his ears perk up. "Sunshine Dancingsnow!"

Adam shrugs. "Just guy talk."

A slight smile to Connor, and then a look to Adam "Should I withdraw? I admit, the sacred ceremonies of manhood are a mystery to me but far be it from me to break into one?"

"Oh, don't run away. You're never around anymore ever since you found a new little brother-father. I miss you!"

"I don't know how to read that" She admits "But I'll take it for the positive and hope" Nadeen inclines her head. "Alas, the Chieftain and Mountain are out it seems so I am paused in my current duties."

"They're on a beach vacation coronation." He offers. "I'm on guard to hold down the fort."

"It never rains but it pours. We may have a new noble in the area soon."

"Oh oh?" Head tilts curiously.

Adam isn't transfixed but....

"I'm finally being knighted! Or Earled? Or... oooh, I could be a Duke..."

"I'm afraid your heroic rescues have gone unnoticed," She saysd to the pooka, "You must remain simply of title adorable. No, a member of this bannerhouse. " A sigh "I wonder if I ever should have fought fori t. I seem to have put it on the radar"

"Bannerhouse?" He asks, curiously.

"What?"

"Bannerhouse Truthbranch, under House LIam.. and House Fiona. They're either highly localilzed or a bit more specialized. Bannerhouse Truthbranch has specialized in the area of protecting mortal love be it familial or romantic... Mountain Frank is a Liam, so I think they consider this place to be a possible location to branch ..." A wince "Pardon, that pun was not intentional, branch out"

Connor is giggling - he liked it.

A long suffering look, which probably just makes the pooka find it funnier

Adam shrugs. "Cool. So. Uh. Dagmar's... not here?"

Connor lifts his nose to the air. "She was... but not for a while."

"SHe spoiled the horses ,as usual" She eyes Star "You're going to get fat if you keep begging and then stealing Stormwake's snacks on top of it"

A snort and swish of her tail.

"Fine, but when the dogs start out racing you because of girth, don't come complaining to me" Nadeen says loftily. She has given her warning.

A sigh. "Okay."

"She's very dedicated" Nadeen says to Adam, "Duty first when she's Seelie"

"S'ok." He shrugs. "I just.....nah. She'll call me. It's cool."

"you miss her. Understandable." Nadeen says "She's a good person."

"She's the best."

Connor's tail thuds agreement.

Nadeen inclines her head "Yes."

"Yes she just might be"