#rivervale_lodge

The phone rings

"King residence?"

Dagmar holds the phone between her shoulder and ear, looking to wipe off her sudsy hands with a towel.

"Hi, this is Jess. Who's this?"

"Hey Jess. It's Dagmar. Your mom isn't home, but I think Frank's out back. Want me to get him?"

"Yeah, quick, please. Thanks."

"One sec, hold on." She rests the phone to the side, and stomps outside.

"FRANK!"

Frank has been stacking firewood; he looks over "Trouble??"

She wipes her hands on her jeans. "I don't think so? Jessica is on the phone, she asked me to get you."

Frank frowns with concerns and drops the wood, heading straight in to the phone.

Dagmar follows after - she was in the middle of dishes.

Frank squeezes himself into the phone closet and takes the phone. A muted conversation, albeit one-sided, follows.

<SEND>

After a time, there's a longer pause, then Frank speaks again; a different conversation.

And emerges from the phone closet, still frowning.

Grunt? ("Everything ok?")

"Mm." Not really.

Frown. "Can I help?"

"Jess says that Lady Highfeather is there, now. At Fenix." He glances down the hallway to the door that leads to Fenix.

"Oh, well, fuck."

"Kealan's aware, now. I told him. He's handling the intell on this."

"Right..."

"Because we can't just go in swinging."

"Doesn't mean I don't want to go down there. Yes, swinging." Frank exhales.

"Sucks."

"Mm. She can handle it. I know she can handle it."

"I know she can."

"But... she's family. We help each other."

"Yes." he rumbles "She called me to get in touch with Kealan; she reached out for help and she got it."

"Good."

"Still - you need a big damn axe? You got it."

A soft chuckle. "Thank you, Dagmar. I do appreciate that."

"Well. Back to the firewood."

A small smile, and she retreats back to her dishes.

And Frank returns to his task.

One of the pups is in the kitchen, having gotten out, and sniffs around. Dagmar sees the puppy bold as brass exploring. Gerd must have lost track. They are nearly 8 weeks old now

"Hey there. You're not supposed to be here." She gently scoops it up.

The puppy decides to show it's courage by trying to lick Dagmar's nose into submission

"heh."

Back to the sauna they go.

Gerd is in the Sauna "Oh thank god, Gladiola would murder me if I lost one. Get over here, you" She holds out her hands for the puppy "So sorry, Dagmar"

"Puppies gonna puppy."

"Well this one is an explorer" she takes the puppy who huffs at being corralled... again

"Yeah, looks it."

"This one ain't." She pets a sleepy ball of fluff.

A YAWWN

"See?" Grin.

Gerd snorts "Yeah. Likes the zzzzes this one"

To it's credit, the ball of fluff does have enough energy to roll over so Dagmar can rub a tiny belly