#rivervale_lodge

"But I bet there are lionfishes and stuff that look more like it in the Dreaming." He says "Huh. Maybe there's a dog fish?"

"I like swimming..."

"Maybe we could go to the lake later?"

"SURE... but connor can only dog paddle" A straight face

"The lake! The lake! The lake!"

"It could be fun!" He says

"Okay, okay! Ask if you're allowed to go, and I'll take you."

"I like her" Jack says to Connor "We should have her over more often"

"Allowed?" He blinks. "I go down to the lake all the time! Sometimes Gerd sends folk there, but the have their own way to ask for permission." Then he blinks and nods. "Oh, but maybe you need permission. It's okay. I'll ask for you."

Gravely. "Thank you, Connor."

Jack says "So are there many childlings in Earth Runes? "

"A handful... not too many, but enough."

"Cool. " he says "There are a few childlings here"

"I mean, me, Connor, Lily, Lydia.. the twin trolls... the boom nocker girl..."

"How many Childlings is too many?"

"Hm. Four-hundred-sixty-three."

"That's a LOT"

"Exactly."

"I'm a kid and I think past ten of us together it gets obnoxious"

"Well... I can handle ten. Even twenty! But there's only so much of me, so it's hard to give everyone the attention they deserve."

"You'll have to be cool in shifts" Jack observes astute beyond his years

"Sure?"

"Pretty sure" the boy says "you don't want to burn yourself out.. so like 15 kids this hour, then go have lunch, then 12 kids after that. That kind of thing"

"I still couldn't get through 400 childlings in a day, though..."

"Nope. You'd need help. You need to form the justice league of Kid care"

"Well, luckily, we don't have too many. See?"

"Oh yeah" He says "Darn. I was thinking a bit meeting table with a sparrow signal on one chair would look so cool too"

"I don't visit THAT often."

"I know . I just get imaginigngs in my brain and they bounce around for awhile" the boy blushes

"No need to apologize!"

"well, okay..."

“We could go to the lake NOW, and be back to ask about going to the lake later when everyone is awake..”

"We COULD" Jack says

“Even walkin’ by the lake is nice.” A tail wag to Sparrow.

“Don’t even have to go in!”

"I'm not so sure, Connor..."

"Well.. y'know, I'll take responsibility. You might have to go there with paws, is that okay?"

“It’s always ok. I’ll social distance.”

“Plus Buddy doesn’t have to wear a silly mask.” He grins.

"HEY, I like the mask... " Jack says "I'm like a superhero out law or something"

“Or a ninja!”

“Maybe you’ll even meet Klump. He didn’t mind much when I accidentally drew on him with chalk, but his lady friend got real fussy.”

"Maybe! Okay, let's go get stuff together!

"I'm faster!" jack races off

to go get stuff together

but it almost sounds like a challenge for Connor

Connor giggles and races along, remembering SNACKS.

And off they go to have fun (End scene)

****************

At some point after lake and snacks, Brekke asks Connor to join her on a short patrol. "To talk."