#rivervale_lodge

"She might not. And that's okay."

"Your horse is amazing, but she's also a bit fussy."

A laugh. "She's a damn diva."

"Your horse is SUCH a diva"

Those who know the sounds of the Lodge are now hearing footsteps descending the stairs.

Dagmar uses a spatula to guide the seeds into a large-ish bowl.

And they're not Kerri's or Olgar's, both of whom are already up and out.

Voices in the kitchen, and the smell of roasting seeds.

Edie watches from the main room as that someone comes down

The voices are intriguing, and so is the smell...but the coffee is here and takes priority.

"A mare is usually in charge of the herd, no matter what ideas a stallion gets. So Bucky'll fall in line. Lady O is pretty mellow."

"JOJOJO" The coffee pot offers

Rowan pours a cup from the burbling coffee maker, and then doctors it with a bit of something from a hip flask. A sip and a sigh of satisfaction.

"I'm hoping to get Cleo and Otto to try riding her. Ylva, of course."

"Ylva loves her and.." She hears something and opens the door a bit "Oh, morning, Rowan. YOu sleep well?"

"Hey." Their voice is still rough with waking-up. "Yeah, pretty good. Hell, I slept in, it looks like," noting the late morning light outdoors. "That doesn't happen often."

Dagmar tenses slightly, expression going flat.

But she can keep herself busy. And listen.

"Oh, there was this dog? Somehow got into my room, woke up with him on the bed."

"No? Insomia a thing or.. dog? Eddie wouldn't go in your room.. he? Echo's too well trained. What did this dog look like?"

"Not one of the bigguns. Little guy, splotches?"

She clutches the spatula so tightly her knuckles go white.

"No clue how he got in there. I had the door latched. Nearly kicked him when I was waking up."

"Cute little runt, I guess, but weird."

"That's Buddy , he's a cute little pup isn't he?"

"One of the childlings probably let him in, sorry about that" Gerd says

She relaxes just a bit.

"Yeah? Through a latched door? And latched again on the way out? Seems a lot of effort."

While one bowl is filled for immediate sharing, the other seeds can go into mason jars. That's a plan.

"if any of your stuff is missing, let me know. I'll have a talk with the kids" Gerd assures

A bit of a frown. They did check their belongings while putting the duffel in the closet...nothing missing so far. "Things go missing a lot?"

"No, but you sounded worried" Gerd answers

"Worried?" A shrug. "Just trying to sort out a classic locked-room mystery."

"My misread then" She shrugs "Can I make you breakfast? "

"Thanks, but I'm heading out. Can't be this close to NYC and not take a day trip in to see what's what."

"Not a problem. Want me to flicker flash you there? You'll have to work your own way back"

This is revealing HER power, so she figures it is her biz

An impressed lift of their brows. "You can spare that?"

"I'm a witch, in more ways than one. I'm sure you have arts of your own"

"Sure, but... Well, hey, yeah, I'll take you up on that, if you're offering."

"Last train back leaves Penn Station at 11, if you intend on making it back here." From the kitchen.

A brief pause before calling back, "Thanks."

"You don't want stuck there until morning. It sucks."

"Got it." Then to Gerd, "Probably drop me at Penn Station, then. Easier to find my way back if I start there."

She can wash the trays, yes.

"Not my strongest area, but I'v been there once. LEt's give it a shot. If you end on top of a building it's probably the Empire State Building. Just make like king kong and climb down." She gestures "Magic magic, keep Rowan alive, by whisking them there, instead of having to drive. New York, New York, it's a hell of a town, but witches laugh at hells, as Coven goes to town! Of with you, off with you, betwixt and between. Pen Station Bound... complete with your spleen"

The spell is POWERFUL, and instaant. No time lost at all... as Rowan finds themselves in Penn station in an alcove

"On top of a...?" Rowan has just enough time to have second thoughts before suddenly finding themself standing among bustling people rather than in the Lodge.

back at the lodge, Gerd claps her hands and looks to the kitchen "They're gone. I even impressed myself. They're either in an alcove near a trash can or in girls room stall number 6" She hopes it wasn't the stall

"Yeah - and hey, I was civil."