#rivervale_lodge

"Good, good." She peers over a shoulder or two. If she spots any changes from the way she would do a thing, she makes the heroic effort not to comment on them. "Need me to get anything?"

"Yes" Brogan says "A chair. "

"In the living room"

"Can you take out the tray of crudites?"

Gerd says "Don't get cheeky, Squire"

Kerri gives Brogan a stern look that she doesn't particularly mean, then seems almost grateful as Dagmar gives her a task. Dagmar might feel the role reversal at play.

She heads back out with the tray. Notably, this has been about her third check-in of the kitchen.

Honestly? Not bad.

Gerd smiles and mutters under her breath "If we tease her we'll SO pay for it"

The table is crowded, Refugees have helped, but mostly are waiting on standby

Big table, plus card tables and side tables and more.

Kerri sets down the crudite platter and checks in with some of the waiting guests. Some are also milling around.

"SUre I can't help?" Pudge says to Kerri

"Oh, I..." she almost tells him no, then pauses and says, "Pudge, can you tell me...are they all having a good time? Anybody bored or irritated?"

"Well, yes." he says ahnd whispers "You're so tense I could bounce a quarter off your shoulder. All well?"

"Oh, yes, everything's..." she glances back towards the kitchen. "It's all on schedule, according to Dagmar. They've got this."

He nods "Actually, we're doing quite well. Seems your childlings have taken it upon thesmselves to help us. I almost didn'[t notice ,but it was like a lovely little ambush for each of us"

"A lovely ambush? What exactly does that look like?"

"Well, Goldie had that Centaur girl, Layne? Give her back rides I understand but also assured her that she'd get that this Emmit fellow is amazing and there was lots of help. Otho says that Ylva girl is too damned polite, but was nice enough to help him test equipment, and Swilla stole Gutter for some redcap stuff I don't want to know about" He admits "But they came back happy. That sort of thing"

Gerd gives the 'new' Kitten a skritch

"Now you have to wash your hands again" Brogan tells her

A blink. "The childlings managed them. That can't have been accidental, not if they were all doing it."

"I couldn't just leave him alone. He's too new."

"It can't have" PUdge agrees "I myself was kept rfrom overworking myself"

"Hm." Kerri looks amused. "Makes me think of when Sylvi was a childling and wrangled the other childlings into various schemes."

"Well, sounds like you have a ring leader"

"I don't understand why Mackerel is tolerating him so easy. She normally has to warm up to new cats" Brogan observes. He likes mousers

Indeed, Mackeral is acting like she's known this kitten for years

"Well... I mean, they came together? Sort of?"

"Wait, what?" Gerd says, not knowing of the rebirth

Grunt. ("It's complicated.")

Kerri says, "That's sure how it was when she was little. And now, as a freeholder..." She shrugs. "I guess it was good early training. Speaking of, she should be here at some point."

Gerd nods ("Later then.")

Brogan sighs "So rough not knowing the language"

"Sorry, Brogan, you don't have the chin for it" Gerd teases lightly

Pudge ponders "You sound rightly proud. "

"Gerd, you remember your last life lots, right?"

"YUP. I can still do a medium act that scares the norms" A pause "WHy, you need his advice?" AN offer

"Do you still... like... love people the same?"

"I am!" Kerri says. "She's done things I never expected. I...well, of course I worry. Being a leader also means being a target. But...she's got good people around her."

Gerd considers "Hell of a question, I still love them, and sometimes even more, but it takes a bit to shift from.. well, a paternal style Authority figure to the kid, at least it was for me. Vali is more like my dad now than my grandson, obviously, and I... I had a hard time admiting the dad part as you yourself pointed out"

Pudge says "mmm I don't think many of us are staying around but if you want us to keep an eye out for her while we're here we can try?"

"Yeah,,,"

Majestix has folks listening to his tales, engaging ones about great feasts of history and myth. The redcaps look ravenous

"Oh, I don't want people to feel that that's an obligation, and I don't want Sylvi to suspect that she's being babysat or something. I think you all know that she's special to me. I suppose...do with that information what you will." Kerri winks at Pudge.

"Oh, I should get a time check from the kitchen." Kerri turns to go. "Excuse me, please."

Gerd says "But it's still worth it, you know? YOu don't turn your back on love just because it's different. You treasure it."

"I'm not turning my back."

"Just..."

"Just... isn't okay to be hurt, too?"