#rivervale_lodge

"WHo was it?" Olgar asks

"It was...well, I'm not sure. Somebody from Silverwolf, but they didn't give a name. Sounded young." A frown.

"What they'd say? More about the pups? I swear that's got even the Chief smiling"

"Nooo..." A pause. "Apparently somebody there believes that Baron Aiden would like Connor to visit on Christmas Day. I'll confess...I hadn't really considered whether Connor would want to go there for the holidays. I mean...the relationship situation has changed. Somewhat."

"We could ask the boy, but pooka so hard to be sure.. cept if his eyes light up," Olgar ponders

"Dagmar would be able to read him, either way."

A sigh. "I'm still not sure I trust that man to do what's right for Connor, but...well...being under an enchantment like that means it wasn't entirely his fault. I suppose we don't know Baron Aiden, truly."

"The thing that gets me is, Nadeen's not a fool. SHe's in love, and that biases, but.. must be something more to him that 'got me a balefire'" A scratch of his chin

She gives him a bit of a grin. "She wanted to convince me that it was all about opportunity, and maybe at first it was, but love bit them both hard, I think."

"You, babe, are a bit of a gloater when True love conquers all" Olgar gives a half grin back

"I am not." Pause. "Well...maybe a little."

"It's all right. I bet you didn't expect for me to win you when we met, so in a way, you've been zapped yourself" he moves to her and kisses her neck, "Dreaming knows, you got me 3/4 domesticated"

"I like to keep that last quarter wild," she says, stroking her fingers through his hair. "But now you're the one who's gloating."

"Oh yeah, " He grins wolfishly "That would be one of those bad habits you haven't fixed yet." A wink "Look if you want, I can visit Silverwolf get a straight answer. Or maybe you want to?"

She thinks about this a moment, then gives him a brief kiss. "I'll go. I'll give Nadeen a call to let her know I'm on the way."

"Okay. Be careful, Ailil are prickly... even the good ones" A shrug "if there are good ones"

"I'm aware. And this gives you an opportunity to take care of that gift shopping you haven't gotten around to." She gives him a wink and starts packaging up pastries to bring along.

"I got it handled. " WHich is not the same as saying he's got it DONE

"Mm-hm." Sure you have.

She takes out her phone and texts Nadeen (as the younger set prefer to communicate): TXT: Do you have time for me to come up there so we can talk a bit?

TXT: Emergency?

TXT: Well, please. I'll prepare things for you.

TXT: Place is a bit of a mess with yule decore and new puppies

And with a basket of pastries, Kerri makes her way to the Silverwolf-bound trod.

Olgar looks confident, sure....then once she's gone "Shit.. I gotta shop"

(End Scene)

Dagmar has plunked on the couch and is scowling over a notepad. CJ is corralled nearby in a tiny toddler jail.

"Am-am-am-am!"

At the insistence, she crosses over to pull her little brother free, and set him on her lap.

The back door opens and closes, followed by familiar footsteps in the kitchen

"Hello?"

After a bit, Frank enters. He has a beer in one hand, and a travel bag in the other.

"Hello Dagmar." he rumbles "Pleasure to see you."

"Hey Frank." Dag smiles. "Ba!" CJ greets.

He sets the bag down on the table, then takes a seat there. He takes a pull from the beer, nods to Dagmar's notepad "Schoolwork?"

"Not quite. Working out Yule and making sure I have everyone taken care of."

"MMmmm." Frank nods. "Organized. Thorough." he seems approving.

"Well, lot of folks." She bounces CJ on her hip. "You home for a while?"

He takes another drink and nods. "Few days."

"Good. Chief'll be glad."

They can hear the back door to the kitchen open and close.

Frank glances.

A few moments later, Kerri looks in from the kitchen. "Ah! Hello, you two. Three...hi, CJ."

CJ waves

"Hello, Kerri." Frank's got a beer in hand, and his travel bag is on the table next to him.

"Hey Kerri."