#rivervale_lodge

He trots over to the cauldron and sniffs there too.

Same scent

"You mean...somebody who looked like you and smelled like you, but not you yourself? That's sneaky...because if I whispered the cauldron, it would tell me it was you, and I'd believe it."

"Connor, do you think you can tell where this not-you went? It would have been recent. Can you track the not-you scent?"

"Can I? Does a bear do his duty in the woods?" That seems to be a yes, and he heads off on the trail!

Then he stops, and shakes his head.

"No, not not-me, Like me but not me. Like, um. Um."

"Furry but not like Jack. He's only from the belly-button down."

She puzzles this. "A pooka. A dog pooka?"

"But maybe not furry? Not always furry. Mostly."

His tail WAGS when she says Pooka!

"Okay, pooka at least. Lead on, McRuff." She follows.

He laughs! Maybe not getting the reference, but he just likes being part of the fun. And he follows his sniffer!

Annd out he goes...

and finds mortal tracks... to big for a kid

too small for a troll

"Arooooo!"

"A clue, a clue!"

...then, the prints change

He stops short and peers close...

Kerri looks where he pointed, at the first set of prints. "Hmmm."

Poor Connor almost stabs his nose aainst something loose and sharp. A quill

And Kerri sees it shortly after

He falls backwards on his butt in surprise. "Yikes!"

"Stranger danger!"

"OH! Connor, watch out! Jack, stay back, those things are vicious if they get in your skin." Speaking of the quill.

He has backed off. "I know that smell. That smells like it hurts."

He gives Kerri a sideways glance. "Are you mad? Horrible terrible mad? I can make the spam go away. Will that help?"

He gulps a bit. "Might take me a while."

She sighs. "Nolan." Then she shakes her head to Connor. "I'm not mad. A little inconvenienced, but not mad. I suppose I'll dig into the SPAM recipes and see what I can do, then see how much Dirk might be willing to take."

"I like Spam." No lies there!

She blinks at him. "Well, that's fortunate, then. I tell you what...see if you can find Nolan. I'm guessing he got scared and overwhelmed, but maybe not. Either way, let him know he's not in trouble, but I do expect him to come to the Lodge for dinner tonight."

"Oh boy! I wonder what's for dinner??"

He salutes.

"Yeah well, Dirk can eat a LOT" A sniff "or leave it out for Symon.. he likes spam.. but it's.. smell spam"

"Squishy smelly spam." Connor chortles.

"Well, spread the word that everybody's welcome to come get a helping of cans of SPAM."

"I'll spread the word...." He glances at Jack. "If I have a translator."

"Oh, oh! Have a swap meet!"

Kerri may, after a moment, 'hear' that he said "MEAT" and not "MEET"

"Come one, come all, trade your cans and can-cans and can'ts! Two for one deals!"

He spins, chasing his tail for a moment.

"Well...I suppose if people would feel better trading rather than taking, that's fine." She nods.

"If... they... just... take...." Panting as he spins. "Then there's nothing left for DESSERT!"

"Spam ice cream!!"

A wince. Then a sigh.

He GRINS at Kerri. "Nolan must love spam. You can make him a batch."

Jack nods.... and begins to sing "Spam in the place where you live, think about about spiced ham and why we have so much, Spam with the Hearth that we love, think about how Miss Kerri could use some shelf space SPAMMMM"

That gets her laughing, and she crouches down to give both boys a hug.

"When life gives the Hearth Spam, then the Hearth makes life Spam-onade."