#rivervale_lodge

"Byeee-eee! Thank you, it was terrible!" Connor calls back to the DeBuke that had escorted him to the River Vale end of the trod, and trots back towards the lodge, backpack shouldered and a rolled sleeping bag, perhaps inherited from Gerd, tucked under one arm. Stepping into the lodge, he announces, "I'm back in time for breakfast, I was going to stay at the Farm forever but it turns out that maple syrup is from this side of the country and I didn't want to just have butter."

Hruff! Woof! Wait - FOUR dogs?

Oak.. Edie... Brown Dog... and a new one! A chocolate lab! Sniff sniff sniff, wag wag wag.

Connor drops his stuff and immediately is on the floor, hands out to greet the new dog, his own tail flashing. "Who's a good girl? Who's a BEST girl? You're all sparkly you are! Yes, I like you even IF you are chocolate."

LICK!

Breakfast forgotten, it seems! "Oh, hi Edie! That means Gerd is here! She's probably sleeping. Being spooky takes a lot of energy so she has to sleep in." He gives the puffy cloud dog a big hug. "I've not missed you at all, did you know that there are THREE new trees I've counted so far?"

Wag seems to say "tell me more!"

"What's the fuss? Ladybird?" Sparrow emerges from the kitchen, with coffee.

Connor looks up at the lady, his eyes widening a bit as he takes in the sidhe. And then... his tail wags! "Hello, Lady-bird..." He says shyly, looking at Sparrow.

A laugh. "Ladybird is the lab's name. I'm Sparrow. And who are you?"

"Sparrow is a good dog, but you're clearly the lady bird, Lady." And he considers the question. "I'm called Buddy when I'm at work, and brother by Gerd, and some call me an Ember? It's confusing to keep track of all those, so you could just call me Connor, if you wanted to, Lady. Or are you a Knight, like Dagmar the Just? I can call you Dame but Dame-Bird doesn't sound as good."

"Well... just Sparrow is fine here. You could call me Lady-Bird, but that might confuse Ladybird." Affably.

Head tilting to one side. "Sparrow the Just, you must be related to Dagmar." He says definitively. "Are you a friend of the mountains?"

"I am. He's my house-brother."

A nod. "I recognized it, you've got the same smell, like a candle. I'm good with smells. But it's not a bad smell. I don't mean that you stink." He quickly adds. "You're terrible pretty, and you smell nice too."

Ladybird trots over and Sparrow crouches to scratch ears. As true for all labs, LB has an IMPRESSIVE wag.

Connor watches Ladybird with what may be envy, oh, to have that glorious lady scratch HIS ears...

"Like a candle, huh? Hadn't heard that comparison before, but I think I like it." She decides to sit on the floor, cross-legged. LB snuffles at feathers. "I'm visiting for a little while. Sir Franklyn is going to help me stop some bad people."

Connor, already on the floor, scootches closer. He reaches out to stroke Ladybird on the back as well. "I heard. They won't let me help." A soft sigh.

"Probably to keep you safe. But there will be kids - so maybe, after we get them out, you can help there. They're be scared and sad, and will need help feeling safe and happy. I bet you'd be good at that."

He ponders this for a bit. "Will they come here? Do we need more beds?"

Hoofsteps

tiny ones

"We're working that out. They have to go different places, I think."

His ears perk and he sits up.

and peeking from the stairway is Jack Flap.

"Have you met my friend? He is a pan-cake."

"I haven't!" Wings rustle. "Hello there."

Jack Flap blushes and ..wiggles his fingers. The normally expressive boy seems shy ish

"Maybe we should put syrup and butter on him." Seemingly serious. "Are you called Sparrow because of the feathers, or do you have feathers because you're called Sparrow, Lady?"

"That's a good question. I think it's mostly because my real name is a mouthful. Derynwydd Truthbranch ap Liam. Woof."

"Derynwydd Truthbranch ap Liam-woof is a GOOD name."

His tail wags fiercely!

At the long name. The satyr boy looks surprised and gives a quiet 'wow'

A gentle laugh. "Well, I like Sparrow."

"Sparrow ap Liamwoof?" He tries.

"If you want. Now, do you need breakfast? I'm afraid I'd botch pancakes, but I make a mean slice of toast."

"Does it have to be a mean one? I like my toast friendly. I know how to make woofles."

Looking up the stairs at Jack. "Will you come help? You know what flavor jam is my favorite."

"Okay, we can have friendly toast instead."

"oh" The boy snaps out of it "Sure!" And he gets up suddenly animated "I do, Lady Sparrow ma'am. He speaks pooka but I've been watching so I know he likes somethings and not others."

"Well, he's lucky to have such a good friend. Me, I like strawberry. Kerri makes great jam."

"I actually don't like jam at all, it's rude to the peanut butter sometimes, but that's just because it's jelly."

"My name is Jack Flap, there are lots of jacks, but only one Jack Flap"

"Oh, puns..." She clasps her heart. "You wound!"

"He's good!" Jack agrees

Jack Flap leans over and whispers to Connor "She's like a fire angel bird princess warrior girl"

Sparrow gets back to her feet and heads for the kitchen. "Do you two want milk or juice?"

"Yes..." And Jack follows to help with the best jams and things that Connor likes

The sidhe pads around the kitchen, her bare feet making little sound. Ladybird follows, ever hopeful.