#rivervale_lodge

"You did great. We'll get the gift set up, okay?" A soft voice, but reassuring. Dagmar rarely lies - and when she does, she usually makes a squinty face.

Aiden murmurs back, and then kneels, to open the carrier by his feet - and out tumbles a FLUFF.

"Not exactly a mews. Come...I will show you another of my pride and joy."

Siv follows at mention of hte Kestrel

And A gasp from Nadeen as the fluff comes out

But then the Baron's dog appears. "Perhaps...we should save the Kestrel for later."

"Oh my word, " Nadeen says "Already so big"

and she seems to have forgotten dignity and is kneeling too

Aiden's gaze has gone soft again as he watches them - either at Nadeen, or at the dog, or at them both together?

Nadeen strokes the pup, "I remember you, little shieldmaiden"

"Shieldmaiden?" Brekke asks.

"Her pedigreed name is Silver Wolf's Sunlight Cub - Solnechny Shchenok, out of Thunderhawk's Mischka by Est-Alfa's Tuman the Second. But I had just been calling her 'Pyshka', which is..." He looks slightly embarrased, perhaps. "Puff? It's also a kind of Russian doughnut I grew fond of in my visits. She has a sweet and friendly attitude, I fear she may be poor suited for the work intended of her litter. Make no mistake, she is smart, and a fine guardian - strong and fierce, but perhaps, not one to seek and hunt trouble. And, alas, she may be the runt, each litter has one."

"Pyshka" The normally cool and professioanl varich lights up "Yes, Chieftain. the others were eager to hunt. This one hung back, not to hide, but because she wanted to make sure the people were okay"

"Ahh." A nod. "A companion."

Siv blinks "If that's the runt how big are the sibs ? Heck, how big will they get?"

To Brekke, he explains, "I am overseeing breeding of a line of Ovcharkas - Russian Bear dogs. These are a rare fae breed, tracked back to a nunnery in Kareli, Georgia. They are meant as search and destroy dogs - trod guardians, in the Kingdoms of Northern Ice."

"To guard is good, admirable... but not a trait I looked for for this litter." And a small smile to Siv as he rests his hand "About this high on a bitch, full grown at the shoulder..." Slightly HIGHER than Oak's own shoulder.

"Certainly more adorable than a balor, and able to tear a thallian in half" Nadeen nods "Oh Pyshka, you are small compared to others but your heart is large. I can tell. "

Oak wags!

Siv looks a bit wigged out at something.

"It is early yet, very early, but it seems that the motives of a Ovcharka that would guard may fall in line with a Pyrenees." He nods in acknowledgement towards Oak. "I would very much be interesting in a pairing, if it suited you, Nadeen, and Chieftain Brekke, and of course, Oak and this little one."

"And I say if, Nadeen, because she is yours."

While ostensibly handling horses, Dagmar DOES watch the puppy.

A blink as Nadeen is gifted a puppy.

"If you would have her." He amends. "It is a duty as well as a gift, as any animal."

Nadeen hugs the dog, then looks up at the Chieftain "Chieftain, I apologize, but if need be I'll keep her at my mortal home, may I have your approval in this? "

"Worry not that she would be culled if you did not take her. That may be the case in mortal litters, but even offshoots and those that do not fit in, I find a place for. I would keep her myself, if you chose not to, or find a fair and fitting home, even if mortal."

A brow. "You do not need my approval to accept the gift of a dog, Baroness. For breeding, though, we must discuss."

"thank you, Aiden. Words fail me." She says then a nod to the Chieftain "Of course. "

Another Great Pyrenness, observes with a dubious expression. Gerd is here, so sso is Edelwiess.

Brekke looks over to assess Dagmar's reaction.

Curiosity!

"Perhaps, if you wished you could bring her for training. I do have quite a setup, and may end up keeping one of her litter mates. It's quite curious, how smaller mammals have larger litters, but in hounds, the smaller ones have fewer pups, and larger have the larger litters." He looks as though he may go off on a tangent about genetic habits of different sight and scent hounds if not interrupted - Which Calanthe does, with a cough.

She want to pet the fluffer, but seems to be keeping her interactions with the visiting sidhe limited.

"I believe there was a kestrel? I would like to see it, as promised." The Knight insists.

Siv says "Oh, it's the biggest Kestrel you've ever seen" A smile

An eye raised at Siv. "Kestrels do not tend to largeness. It would defeat their purpose as a small and agile prey bird." Thoughtfully. "Unless it is a fae variety." Curious.

"Mm." Brekke nods. "We will return presently," she assures the Baron (and the others by association). "Yes, Dame Calanthe...this way." A glance to Siv, and she heads off in the direction of the boathouse.

And Calanthe follows after!

Pyshka looks ready to defend Nadeen from Oak if he gets presumptive, but.. well, small wag for now

Siv gets the look, and follows her mother and the Dame to the Kestrel.

Eddie snorts. Clearly, a girl to girl talk will be required later. there's a Bitch hierarchy here

"Yes..." Brekke can be heard as they walk away. "I am very proud of my Kestrel."

Bluebell sings softly from where she has taken a seat on a bit of the fence.

"A kestrel is a silly bird, soon she shall see, shall see? A bird that swims, it swims the sky, as it would skim the sea. Oh, cockles and mussles, alive, alive-o."

Jack Flap, Satyr, says "I know that song. With different words"

Nadeen turns to the baron, "Baron, if it would not utterly destroy my decorum, I might give you a hug. Pyshka is lovely. I shall treat her responsibly and raise her dutifully, but no doubt with great joy also"

Spark peeks through Dagmar's legs, curious what's going on now that he's not the center of attention

"It's a puppy, I know, it's almost as big as you..."

"You do? I thought I wrote it, m'lord." And she gives a curtsy to the little boy. "Bluebell the bard, though I shall not be scalded, as I cannot even boil water on my own, I am too silly, don't I know?" Bluebell tilts her head, wide eyed, blinking with innocent naivety.

Aiden clears his throat a touch, his cheeks a bit rose-touched. "Perhaps, a hug for the pup. She shall surely be discomfitted to have left her litter." Reaching down to pat the dog - and Nadeen's hand as well, as he does, just a soft touch.

He looks, for a moment, like Connor.