Talk to the Animals Friday (20 Sep 2001) Tom and Agatha tackle the difficult task of trying to communicate with a horse and a dog.

Harcourt Manor, Stables
Behind the gabled and cupola-topped Victorian manor, a path leads through a garden which has been trimmed back from a jungle-like state to merely an abundance of flowers and twisting vines in all colors, framing a white gazebo that smells of fresh paint. Beyond these is the stable, a large wooden structure that has been re-roofed, though the fences are still largely down and thus symbolic rather than effective at restraining any horses that might be stabled here. Fortunately, the feed bins are new and seal well against the elements.

Kuon trots alertly behind Agatha's and Tom's heels as they walk down the path, where grass grows vigorously between the flagstones. Ahead, the large, black stallion Destre pokes his nose out of his stall to look up at her, perhaps in response to the greyhound's greeting bark.

"Take this," Agatha says, holding an apple out to Tom.

Tom takes the offered apple, rubbing it with his thumb to make sure it's clean. "Hey, thanks," Tom replies. "Rather a nice day to spend indoors, isn't it? I had figured on working on the basement here a bit, but now I'm not so sure. What's new with you?"

"Well, aside from watching over the place, I want to settle the matter of what to do with Souhait," Agatha says as they reach the stable. "I'm going to ask Destre if he would mind the company."

After a moment's glance, the black horse's gaze turns away toward the fields, disinterested. Kuon looks up at the apple and lolls his tongue, tail wagging, as if hoping the treat might be meant for him.

Tom looks over at Agatha, brow arched. "But, if Destre is a shifter, wouldn't that be a bad idea?" inquires Tom.

"That's for him to decide," Agatha says, and goes to pat the horse on the side of the neck. "Heya, Destre, this is Tom. Tom, say hello to Destre and give him the apple."

The black horse glances back at Tom again, shifting his stance a bit. He snuffles curiously.

Tom looks at Agatha funny for a moment, then shrugs. "Um, here there, Destre," Tom begins, turning to the horse, "I'm Thomas, uh, pleasure to meet you." He holds out the apple, palm up and hand flat.

Destre nips up the apple, quickly enough to make Tom glad that he took the precaution of flattening his hand so the fingers wouldn't be in the way. Crunch! The horse whuffles, sounding pleased.

"I think he likes you, but watch your hair around him," Agatha says to Tom, smiling. "Hey Destre, I've got a favor to ask you. See, there's this Knightsteed from House April named Souhait sort of just hanging out at the ranch, and I'd like to move him here where I could keep an eye on him. Would you mind a roommate?"

Kuon barks twice, and almost seems to be giving Tom an accusing look. Or perhaps it's just human nature to anthropomorphize animals.

Agatha hmms, as she realizes she forgot to bring some of Kuon's treats. "I'll give you a treat back in the kitchen, okay, Kuon?"

Destre pauses in crunching up the apple to look over at Agatha pointedly.

The greyhound sits, tilting his head to look at Agatha as well.

Tom looks down at Kuon and shrugs, then points at Agatha. He then returns his attention to the horse, watching curiously, remaining quiet for now.

Agatha smiles to the black horse. "Uh, is that a 'no' then?"

Destre whinnies.

Tom looks at Agatha. "Even with everything that's gone on, I still think you're crazy some days, Agatha. He seems normal to me."

"Hmmm, I don't think he likes the idea," Agatha says to Tom. "And of course he looks normal, he's a horse."

"Duh," Tom replies.

Destre snorts, and then leans over as if about to snatch up Tom's beret with his teeth.

"And even if he was a shape shifter, we couldn't tell without an Optikon," the girl adds, watching to see what happens next.

"Isn't Souhait also male, though? I thought..," Tom starts to say, then pulls away from Destre. "Hey!!! Ahem, as I was saying, don't males often fight, anyway?"

Destre bumps up against the door of his stall and looks faintly amused, at least as much as a horse can do so.

"When there are mares around they sometimes do, but Destre is pretty smart and Souhait isn't really a horse-horse; he's a faerie-horse," Agatha argues.

Kuon barks twice and then trots up toward the house. This elicits a casual glance aside from Destre, perhaps as if the horse were commenting on the excitable nature of dogs, though since the horse hasn't actually said anything, it's difficult to be sure.

"And who's to say faerie horses don't act like regular horses?" Tom points out.

Agatha steps out of the stable to see if Kuon sensed a visitor or not. "Okay, maybe they do."

Tom follows along behind Agatha, hands stuffed in his jeans pockets. "I think keeping Souhait just where he is, is the best plan, Agatha. Away from all the 'action', so to speak," he comments.

Destre whickers. The tone actually sounds a bit approving, or at least not as pointed as his prior look.

"See? Even Destre thinks so," Tom says, grinning.

Coming back in, Agatha says, "Don't know what Kuon is up to." She pats the horse again, and says to him, "Tom's head isn't really covered in spinach, Destre, it just grows like that." To Tom, she says, "Out of the way, yeah ... but then we don't know what he might be up to. I was hoping Destre could keep an eye on him so he doesn't get up to any mischief."

Destre seems to appreciate the petting, insofar as he leans into it, but his snort at the word "mischief" suggests disagreement.

Tom dutifully follows along. "Why don't you just keep him lead-tied then at the stable?" He asks.

"We also might want to keep an eye on Elinor somehow. I'm not sure what to make of House October, you know, the month in which Halloween is celebrated," Tom says.

"How would I explain to the Danzwycks where this strange horse came from, then?" Agatha asks Tom. "His glamour lets him mingle in without being noticed, unless he does something to stand out. And you can't leave a horse tied up all the time anyway. Alice is probably keeping an eye on Elinor."

Kuon barks in the distance a few times. It doesn't seem hostile -- more like the greeting barks he gave Tom and Agatha when they arrived.

Destre's ears perk forward at Tom and Agatha's conversation.

"Alice is too easily led, though," Tom points out. He shrugs. "As for Danzwyck, you could tell them Mr. Kuning got a new horse and couldn't keep him here until another stall was repaired, perhaps?"

"Sounds like someone is here after all," Agatha says upon hearing the barks. "For now I guess we'll just leave Souhait out at the ranch, and hope nobody ends up riding him."

Thomas heads back outside, toward the barking sounds. "Well, he is a horse after all. They're supposed to be ridden," he calls back.

Agatha gives Destre a scratch under his chin, and heads back towards the house. "It costs money to rent stable-space too, you know. I'm just worried that he'll ... vanish or something and take his rider with him to Mirari."

"So? Who'd believe the person when they got back?" Tom points out. He looks ahead, trying to see if he can see anyone.

Destre whinnies sharply.

"What if they don't come back at all though?" Agatha suggests darkly, and picks up her pace to get to the house quicker. No telling who is there, or how long they'll wait.

Tom keeps up with Agatha, eyes focused ahead, hoping to see the visitor. "I guess that's possible. Perhaps he wouldn't let anyone ride him but you, anyway. He was your gift, after all," he says.

"Loan, I think," Agatha says. "I'm afraid to ride him too."

Tom grins. "Bah! Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Kuon's barks seem to be getting closer ... and in fact, it looks as if the greyhound is leading the visitors around the house. Just around the corner appears a familiar red-headed older boy with green eyes, accompanied by a somewhat shorter boy with black hair and brown eyes.

"Hey, sis!" Toby calls. Genji's greeting is more formal, as he calls, "Good morning!"

Tom waves back. "Hey there!"

"Oh, hi guys!" Agatha calls out and slows her pace a bit, so that she can pull out the key-ring. "Ready to get to work?" she asks with a grin.

Genji nods, and Toby adds, "We're going to work on the windows up in the cupola today. We'll have to replace 'em, but I've got some ideas for designs that ought to look good."

Tom nods. "Yeah. Those windows aren't in the best shape at all." He shrugs, saying, "I'm actually amazed how well it's held up over the years, though."

"Are you going to remove them then?" Agatha asks, as she leads the way to the kitchen door, since it's closer.

Toby nods. "They're in pretty bad shape; frame's busted out. I'm going to put in some new storm windows, and add some nice wooden shutters."

Agatha unlocks the kitchen door, and swings it open. "That sounds good! The windows won't be open overnight though, will they?"

Genji ambles along quietly next to Tom. "How have you been, Tom? It has been some time since we practiced together after school."

Toby shakes his head. "We'll do 'em one at a time."

Tom nods to Genji. "Yeah, it has. Lots of just really weird things been going on keeping me busy," Tom explains. "I hope to return to it soon, though. Good exercise and such. You're still teaching some, aren't you?"

Once inside the kitchen, Agatha heads for the jar of dog-treats to get something for Kuon. "Do you already have the money for the new windows? I think I'll need a receipt otherwise before dipping into the funds Mr. Kuning left."

"Oh, certainly," Genji agrees. "It is good exercise, and..." He seems to try to grasp for the right words. "It is good for the heart, too. I have a class Thursdays in the high school gym, in the afternoon, during the summer, if you wish to attend."

Toby nods. "I've got the materials for the windows, but after that, I might have to hit you up for more." Kuon, meanwhile, prances excitedly around Agatha's feet in eager anticipation of the treat.

Agatha plucks out several of the mini-sausage treats and leans down to offer them to Kuon. "Okay, let me know if you need anything else. Did you bring lunches for later or do you want me to bring you up something?"

Thomas nods in agreement. "Thursday afternoon? Good to know. As long as I'm not busy keeping Agatha, Simon, Alice, and crew out of trouble or showing new kids around town, I'll try to be there. Apparently I'm town tour guide this summer." Tom remembers something. "Oh! Do you know how to use a staff as a weapon? I'm often wandering about and having a walking stick isn't unusual. So, I figure it would be nice to know a few things on how to use one to defend myself against wild animals, muggers or some such."

Kuon snaps the treats up eagerly and starts chowing away with gusto.

Toby nods. "We brought lunches." He jerks his chin toward his backpack. "What about you, sport, what're you doing with Tom here?" His eyebrows waggle.

"Don't make crumbs, Kuon," Agatha beseeches the canine, and also checks his water dish while she's crouched down. Without looking up, she says, "Tom's still cleaning the basement, and I had him come to the stable to meet Destre."

Genji considers this. "I know a few basic staff moves," he says. "A real sensei could probably show you more, but I hope my little knowledge will help."

Tom nods. "Well, it was just a thought. I'd rather fend off a wild dog with a stick than my hands. They do have nasty teeth, after all. Thanks, Genji." He adopts a thoughtful expression. "And I hope Ginny hasn't been driving you too crazy."

The Japanese exchange student adds with a laugh, "One thing I do know is, while whirling a staff around may look very flashy, it is better to keep a tight grasp on your staff. Otherwise it may just leap right out of your hand when someone tests your grip! No, I'm all right. For now."

Kuon wags happily.

Toby grins. "All right. If you hear any thumping noises upstairs, that's us, huh, Tom? Not ghosts or something."

"Is Jennifer coming today?" Agatha asks Genji and Toby while she refills Kuon's water dish at the sink.

Tom glances over at Toby. "Agatha's right. I've got to finish some cleaning work here, is all. Don't get any weird ideas, okay?" He then waves a hand. "Thumping noises don't bother me. This is an old house, after all. It creaks normally." He then grins back at Genji. "Yeah, I guess losing your staff because you're showing off, then getting clobbered with it would be bad, huh?"

Toby grins at the name, then stifles it. "Uh, no, she's got to work up at the stables. They get popular in the summertime; all the girls wanting to go out riding."

Genji nods wisely. "To show off without having the substance is to be like a balloon... Pop! Then there is nothing left."

Agatha blinks. "I'd forgotten that. It's not like they'll run out of riding horses though, right?" she asks.

Tom looks at Agatha, so wanting to say, "Gee, pity if Ginny rode Souhait and vanished. What a tragedy that would be."

"Nah, at least I haven't heard them complaining," Toby says.

Tom chuckles at Genji's comment. "Interesting way to put it, but appropriate."

"I'll have to take Destre out for exercise, too. It'll be odd riding outside of the ranch, but the horse seems to know the territory," Agatha comments, then nods towards Toby's pack and asks, "Anything you need kept cold?" She gives Tom an odd, 'What are you staring at me for?' look.

Kuon laps up some water. Perhaps peppery mini-sausage treats can work up a thirst in dogs.

Tom just grins.

"We'll be fine, relax, sis, we've been eating lunch here for weeks," Toby says with a grin. "Sure, you go riding around like a rich girl, while we do all the hard work, Aggie. Take Tom with you if you want. I don't think Mr. Kuning is going to care when his basement gets cleaned as long as it is when he's back, and who knows how long that'll be."

Tom makes a face. "Ride a smelly horse, no way," he says. "Yuck!"

"Hey, you don't have to clean out the stable and pull weeds until your back screams, Mr. Carpenter," Agatha jibes back at her brother with a grin.

"I understand that many great warriors have ridden horses," Genji comments, straight-faced. "Perhaps the smell of horses is part of the adversity they must face." A corner of his lips turns up in a grin.

Toby laughs. "I thought the garden looked a little less like a tropical jungle. Good work, sis."

Tom leans over and whispers to Genji, "Hey, if Ginny ever bothers you too much ... I'm sure I could find an old well to stuff her in." He then grins and whispers, "And I guess being hounded by Ginny is the adversity you must face, huh?"

"Yes, yes, just so," the Japanese exchange student says mock-resignedly.

Tom laughs. After a moment, he thinks of something. "Hey, I've been wondering," he says, "are there many stories in Japan about magical creatures? Things we call 'faeries' here?"

"See, Genji understands, sort of," Agatha says, then checks to see if Kuon actually finished all of his water. "I've got to go 'change the hay' in the stable still. You two need anything else?" she asks, then gives Tom a cockeyed look at his question -- or at least, to make it look to Toby like she thinks Tom is off the deep end again.

"Bakemono, oni, spirits, kitsune," Genji says. "We have many fairy tales. If you see a strange humanoid with water in his head, as if it were a cup, that is a kappa. They are supposed to be very strong wrestlers, but if you make the water spill, then they become weak as kittens."

Toby nods. "We'll be fine, sis. Relax!" He ruffles Agatha's hair playfully.

Tom nods. "Weird stuff. I've been reading a few stories lately and with Elinor and you visiting, I've been wondering how other cultures portray such creatures. Even if there are commonalities, that sort of thing." He looks at Agatha, his expression a 'what?'.

"Ack!" protests Agatha. "Hey! I should let my hair go like Tom's, so it'll be noogie-proof!"

"Hey! My hair is fine!" Tom defends.

Toby grins. "Dad'd have a fit. Shoo, sis."

Genji tilts his head to one side, thinking. "Maybe there's a book about it in the library, Tom."

Agatha pats her hair down and grins to her brother, then heads back out towards the stable, putting on her gloves along the way.

Tom nods. "Might be. I'll have to check it out. Thanks again, Genji. Good luck with the windows."

Toby grins. "We don't need luck when we have ... sheer skill!" He waves as the other two kids head out the back door.

Tom points after Agatha. "I better make sure she doesn't get lost," he explains, then heads out after her.

Kuon glances toward Toby and Genji, then trots after Agatha faithfully, his whip-like tail swinging back and forth.

"Here to learn more about horses, Tom?" Agatha says as she grabs a pitchfork after opening the door to Destre's stall. "C'mon out Destre, time for the brownies to come clean up your room."

Tom trudges behind Agatha. "Well, I guess. I really don't want to be inside, to be honest. Too nice of a day," he says, watching her pick up the pitchfork. He asks, "Yuck, are you really going in there?"

The black horse greets Agatha with a pointed look as she returns, as if reproving her for leaving him behind. He is however, good enough to trot out obligingly and then to wait there while Kuon prances around his hooves and barks.

Tom looks over at Destre and says, "You know, you could just step on Kuon if he gets too obnoxious..."

Destre whuffles long-sufferingly, while Kuon stands to one side and wags up obliviously at Tom.

"I guess Shadow doesn't have a litter box then?" Agatha asks Tom, and opens a few of the working shutters to help ventilate the area. "Go bring me the wheelbarrow, Tom."

Tom wanders over and kneels down near Kuon. "Hey, where's your owner, huh?" he asks, then looks up at Agatha. "Okay," he replies, standing back up. "Be right back. C'mon Kuon, let's leave these two alone."

Agatha starts sweeping the old hay with the pitchfork, building a pile. "Am I right to worry about anyone riding Souhait, Destre?" she asks while she works.

The black horse gives Agatha a look that seems to suggest she go on.

"I mean, could he really take someone back to Mirari?" Agatha asks, trying to watch the horse and work at the same time.

Destre nickers, dipping his head.... Was that an actual nod? The horse glances up toward the forest as well, then turns his gaze back toward Agatha. There is something about horses that make their eyes particularly expressive, and Destre's eyes seem to be warning her to be cautious.

Agatha pauses shoveling to look past Destre and out towards the woods. "Someone spying on us?" she asks quietly.

The horse whickers noncommittally.

Agatha frowns and resumes building up her pile. "You're as frustrating as Lord Mel, Destre, you know that? Is there another Siege out there or something? Jruuh? If I wrote things down on a board could you point to them maybe?"

This time the horse pauses, as if giving the proposal some serious thought ... then snorts. Evidently the idea of being reduced to communicating by pointing at things on a board is not terribly appealing.

Agatha works the pitchfork, wondering how to play Twenty Questions with a horse, when you can't be sure of the answers. "Okay, is it an animal?"

Destre noses at Agatha, and then whuffles. Perhaps, the look in his eyes seem to suggest, she needs to start over again.

Agatha blinks and leans the pitchfork against the wall. "Hmm, okay ... something about the forest? Something you want me to check out?"

Destre holds his patience through the first question, then nickers and looks more attentive at the second.

"Okay, that's better. Can you lead me to what it is?" Agatha asks the horse.

During this "conversation", Tom and Kuon have been heading overto the shed to fetch the wheelbarrow....

Kuon tilts his head toward the forest, perhaps just surveying it ... or perhaps a hint. The greyhound barks, then trots close behind Tom's heels.

"I'll tell you right now, Kuon," Tom says to the dog on the way to the shed, "Girls are weird and they can do weird things to you -- like make your brain turn to mush, so be careful."

Kuon barks an apparent agreement.

"What should I do about Elinor, Kuon? I'd like to trust her, I really do, but ..." Tom shrugs, unlatching the shed and opening the door. "Do you think she's telling me the truth?" he asks the dog.

Kuon whines a bit, then noses into the back of Tom's left leg, as if prodding him forward. The shed inside seems to have a large number of old tools, a shovel, and a wheelbarrow.

"Yeah yeah, I know, the wheelbarrow," Tom says and steps into the shed. After several minutes of wrestling with it, Tom pulls the wheelbarrow from the shed and makes his way back toward the stables. "Maybe I should just forget about her, huh?" he mutters to Kuon.

The greyhound gives Tom a look that seems to suggest he's missed the point somehow.

Tom pauses and looks down at Kuon. He then looks over towards the woods that Kuon looked at a bit ago. "Something out there, Kuon? What? Is it about Elinor, me, or the woods?" He blinks and says, "Tom, you've lost it, you're having a conversation with a dog."

Kuon tilts his head aside as if to suggest that he is trying to have a conversation with a human, then barks again once.

Tom holds up his hands, exasperated. He then points to the woods and looks directly at Kuon to see if he reacts.

Kuon follows Tom's pointing, then looks back up at Tom, without apparent reaction.

Tom nods. "Okay, not the woods." "Elinor," he says flatly, looking for a reaction.

Bark!

Tom nods. "Okay, Elinor, then." He hrms softly, "Elinor and the woods?" Again, he looks at the dog for a reaction.

Kuon pauses, considering this, then whines a bit as if to suggest that Tom is making this too tough on him.

Tom wheels the wheelbarrow over to the stables and sticks his head inside, announcing, "Wheelbarrow is here!" He then looks back at Kuon and asks, "Elinor telling the truth?"

Bark! Uwurf.

Agatha snaps out of her gazing at Destre when Tom returns. "Elinor? Kuon's never met Elinor, Tom."

Destre gives a disgusted look to Kuon, who whines a bit, then barks back a few times.

Tom waves at hand at Agatha. "He reacts to her name, though." He shakes his head slowly. "I think I must be imagining things or something."

Bark! Bark!

"See?" Tom mutters then sighs.

"I think they want us to look at something in the woods," Agatha says. "How about we just go look, and they can pull us back if it isn't what they meant?"

Tom nods. "Sounds like a plan. Kuon did look towards the woods one time." Tom hmms softly, saying, "Bring the pitchfork with you."

Agatha picks up the pitchfork and holds it in both hands. "Okay, let's go."

Tom waits for Agatha to reach the stable door before heading off with her towards the forest. "Those two ... I don't know if they're trying to tell us something or not," he mutters to her.

Walking alongside Tom, Agatha looks back to see if either animal is following.

Destre whuffles noncommittally, and Kuon trots up next to Tom's heels; they seem agreeable to going to look, though not emphatic about it. The fields seem untouched, aside from what Destre has grazed, the grass starting to turn yellowish as it dries under the sun, and ahead lie some of the outlying trees of the woods. Clouds fleece the sky lightly.

"You two should learn English," Thomas comments to the two. "It would make communicating much easier." He looks over at Agatha. "Are you certain we should go look? They don't seem to care."

"I guess it won't be too dangerous if they're letting us go," Agatha says, and shifts the pitchfork so that it's resting against her right shoulder instead of being held ready. "Just in case though, have you ever ridden bare-back?"

"I haven't ridden, period," Tom admits.

As the breeze shifts to be from the direction of the forest, Kuon growls very quietly. He tilts his long muzzle toward the trees, then trots ahead.

Destre snorts.

Tom moves a bit quicker, trying to keep up with Kuon. "Something's up," he mutters, "C'mon, Agatha."

"I'll watch the ground if you keep an eye up into the trees," Agatha says, since Tom is presumably better at detecting things in trees.

Tom nods, keeping his gaze more upward, toward the tree branches.

Agatha goes back to holding the pitchfork ready as she picks up her pace to keep even, and watches for anything in the grass that might trip them up.

The greyhound outpaces Tom quickly, but slows as he approaches the outskirt of the forest. He looks back toward the others. Destre, meanwhile, moves forward to put himself between Agatha and the trees, but keeps pace rather than breaking into a run.

Tom doesn't bother trying to run to keep up. Better to save his breath in case they need to escape instead of a futile race with a greyhound. As he reaches the outskirts, he starts to slow down.

"See or hear anything?" Agatha whispers to Tom once she comes up beside him.

The greyhound continues into the trees again once Tom gets closer, but at a slower pace ... and at last he stops with nose pointed down toward the ground.

Tom shakes his head. "Not yet...." He strains, trying to listen to everything.

In the undergrowth where Kuon's nose is pointing ... there are paw prints! They are far larger than the "jruuh" paw prints that Tom has learned about, or the cat paw prints he's seen recently, and they don't seem feline in characteristic either, being wider and shallower.

Destre blows air worriedly, glancing about, and Kuon continues "pointing" until he's sure the humans have noticed the marks.

Agatha leans down and plucks some fur strands from a nearby trees bark. "Tom, look at this. A wolf?" She holds out the gray and white furs.

Tom's head lowers and he follows the "pointing" of Kuon. Slowly, he walks over to the ground and kneels down. He places his hand down near the print, then looks up, "One sec. Found something, hmm?" He glances back down to get a general idea of the paw size compared to his hand then stands back up and heads over. He peers at the fur and says, "Could be, but there's one problem. That's winter coat fur. It's summertime. Uh, didn't you say Mirari was in winter?"

Agatha nods and frowns. "A wolf ... I don't know which House uses wolves as minions, unless it's just a wild wolf that slipped over somehow."

There's a bark from Kuon at about that time.

Tom shrugs. "Perhaps, but I don't think things can just sli--" He looks over at Kuon, then the surroundings. His expression shifts to serious.

Agatha stands up straight and brings up the pitchfork, looking around. "What, Kuon?"

Kuon looks back up at Tom and Agatha attentively.

"Wait here," Tom says firmly, then starts moving toward the line of the trees, preparing to head a bit into the forest.

Kuon trots along behind Tom, as if he hadn't understood that, while Destre stays near Agatha.

Agatha tightens her grip on the pitchfork and waits. "It would belong to one of the winter houses, right, Destre?"

Destre whickers agreeably.

Tom walks just past the tree line and looks around briefly. He shrugs and then walks right back out. "Just checking," he says when he gets back over to Agatha. What're you two talking about?"

"November?" Agatha asks the horse.

No response, though Destre seems to be waiting.

Agatha nods to Tom, then asks Destre, "December?"

Tom looks at Agatha oddly.

"December, what?" he asks.

A whinny that might be affirmation.

"Trying to figure out which House uses wolves," Agatha says to Tom. "I think maybe House December, according to Destre."

Kuon barks once, then wags his tail.

Tom hmms. "I guess that would make sense. Wolves do seem to get associated with winter, even here. Good to know. Good to also know we may have House December invading our world. This is getting out of hand."

A light growling from Kuon, though he isn't looking anywhere other than in the general vicinity of the kids. Perhaps he's expressing similar sentiments. Destre nickers.

"Still think my idea of closing all the Sieges is a bad one, Agatha?" Tom asks.

This brings about a brassy whinny, as Destre rounds about to face Tom. For all the world, it looks like an expression of vehement dissent. Kuon gives Agatha a soulful look.

"Invading?" Agatha asks, looking uncertain. "I think that's going too far. And yes, it's a bad idea because it can't be done. The Siege of Wind doesn't physically exist until it's open, for one. It's just a pattern that gets laid down in grass. And we don't know where all the Sieges are, if there are more. And I'm sure there have to be more than the ones we've found."

Tom shrugs. "Then we close them as we find them."

Destre snorts, flicking his tail, practically as if to say "So there."

"You'd strand Rebecca there? No way," Agatha says, thumping the end of the pitchfork against the ground for emphasis. "I don't think you can destroy them anyway. They'd just come back. And I'm certainly not going to help you blow up Siege des Anges!"

Tom crosses his arms, "I never said I would blow it up! I said close it. That's different. Find a way to disrupt the magic permanently, that's all. Like you said once, supposedly iron disrupts magic. Stake them."

This time Destre just snorts.

"I'll consider it after the Year's End is dealt with," Agatha compromises. "Right now, we need to deal with the wolf. The tracks probably lead to another Siege."

Tom nods. "Anyway, that was my Plan B. Plan A was different." He sighs and pulls his hat off and stuffs it in his pocket. "Want me to track the wolf, then?"

Kuon barks, then looks up at Tom alertly, almost hovering around him as he waits to find out what he'll be called to do.

"Yeah, if you can," Agatha says. "Kuon seems eager to help."

Tom kneels beside Kuon. "Okay, if you can scent the wolf, lead on. But, don't go too far ahead. I'll try to track the prints, just in case he goes through a stream or something to disrupt the trail." Standing back up, he nods to Agatha. "Might as well then, let's go."

Agatha hefts the pitchfork again, but holds it casually. To her mind, the wolf is probably long gone by now.

Tom waves a hand. "After you, Kuon."

Fortunately, the trail crosses no streams. However, it does cross US Highway 15 to the east, and the hot asphalt, having been exposed to the morning sun for some hours, looks as if it might be uncomfortable for bare paws; things seen through the air over it waver slightly. A Coca-Cola bottle lies near the tracks visible in the dust, though they are faint enough that in another few hours, they might have vanished from human perception.

Kuon pauses at the roadside and waits for the others to catch up. Destre walks slowly by Agatha's side.

Tom walks slowly, carefully spotting and following the tracks as well as Kuon. As they reach roadside, Tom kneels down and picks up the bottle, inspecting it carefully.

It appears to be a completely ordinary glass bottle, thin-necked, slightly dusty. Whomever left it behind has drained it completely.

"You'll have to carry Kuon across, Tom," Agatha says. "I've got the pitchfork after all."

Tom sets it back down by the side of the road. He looks at Kuon, then carefully picks up the dog, grumbling slightly. "Onward," he says flatly, and heads across the road, careful to make sure no traffic comes from either direction before crossing.

Agatha waits for Tom to finish crossing before trying to come over with Destre.

As luck would have it ... there is a car coming from the north, an old Ford pickup truck with a cheerful green apple paint job. It slows down and then halts near the kids as they reach the other side, and a smiling man leans out-- Mr. Jones, who owns a farm in this area, south of the town. The turnoff to his fields would be ahead. "Hey, kids," he says, and chuckles at the sight of Tom with an armful of squirming canid. "What're you doing here? Taking your dog for a 'walk', eh?"

Destre whinnies with just a touch of disgust at the joke, while Kuon wags busily.

Tom grins and shrugs. "Actually, taking Mr. Kuning's dog for a walk. He's been out of town and asked a few of the kids to look after his place while he's gone. He didn't want to walk on the hot pavement, so I have to carry him." Tom sighs melodramatically. "Dogs, eh?"

Agatha looks to Tom, and glances at the ground to see if the wolf tracks continue on this side. She pats Destre's side, and pipes in with, "And his horse too."

"Ah, Mr. Kuning. Old man who moved into the Harcourt place, eh? Place's haunted, sure as God makes the leaves turn red and orange in the fall," Mr. Jones agrees. "Nice of you kids to look after his animals for him."

Agatha nods and smiles, and says, "We even brought the pitchfork to make sure ... you know ... no messes get left behind."

Mr. Jones cracks a grin. "Thought maybe you were volunteering to pitch some hay for my farm. I wouldn't turn down a little extra help around the place."

"The place is quiet, actually. It's really starting to look better, too!" Tom replies. He then glances back at Agatha and stifles a laugh.

"Hay? No wonder Destre wanted to come this way," Agatha jokes back.

The snort from Destre eludes Mr. Jones's notice. The middle-aged man waves. "Well, I'm going to get this old junker back home," he says. "Think the engine's starting to knock a little. Have to ask Gran at the Go Go Gas to have a look at it. She's still running for now, though. Heh! Good day, kids." He pulls his head back into the truck.

Tom would wave, but he's be-dogged and all. "See ya!" he calls out to Mr. Jones. "Good luck with your truck."

Agatha waves to the farmer, and whispers to Tom, "You can probably put Kuon down now."

The truck pulls away and drives down the highway for a while, then turns off onto a dirt path toward distant farm buildings.

Tom chuckles. "Uh, I meant to hold him a bit longer. To be safe, you know?" Carefully, he sets the dog down and looks for more prints.

Meanwhile, as Kuon is replaced on his own four paws, he trots around Tom's legs in a virtual paroxysm of doggish enthusiasm, then waits until the first wolf prints are spotted on the other side. Once they are, he starts following the trail again ... which seems to enter the sparse forests that surround the Jones farm and continue on.

"Onward we go. Long trek for the wolf to take, dang," Tom mutters, following along as well as keeping an eye on the print trail, just in case.

Destre snorts, as if to suggest, "Dogs!" then trots along after Agatha.

"Well, it's not a wolf that's acting natural," Agatha says. "I wonder how many other far-flung Sieges there are? Hopefully not one for every House."

"With our luck? One for every house," replies Thomas.

"I'm sure Elinor and Rebecca used one somewhere along the bus route," Agatha says. "That could be miles away. Maybe there are Sieges all over the world."

Tom winces at that thought. "Sorry, but it still really bugs me they can poof in and out of our world just about whenever they want. Creepy," Thomas mutters to Agatha.

The trail seems to wind through the trees, always keeping the town in sight ... then it bends southward, through the forest where the forest starts to grow closer, though not as thick as the real wilderness out and around the mountains. This is the easy sort of forest. Kuon follows the trail with alacrity, pausing now and then for Tom to catch up, and Agatha and Destre behind them.

Near the top of a hill, clustered by trees, Kuon pauses, nose to the wind, and then looks out through the tree line where Mr. Jones's fields could be approached. Alice is there, in a pink knit shirt and a denim jumper, next to an old weather-worn rock flat enough to work as a makeshift table, and a book has been laid out, with a piece of paper on a smaller rock near it. Something sparkles in her hand, visible from this distance as a point of light, and she reaches down toward the paper ... which bursts into flames eagerly.

"That isn't a wolf," Agatha points out, seeing Alice.

Tom leans over to Agatha and whispers, "I think the wolf is just ahead, a bit further down the hill. "Alice isn't alone," he says softly, "At least I don't think so. I caught movement and white fur just a moment ago. We'd better hurry."

The little girl in the field seems to be repeating a spell from the book ... at least if one can judge from the way her mouth is moving, since at this distance, the sound is lost.

Agatha picks up her pace then. "It's probably just spying," she says in a hopeful tone.

"If we're lucky. Otherwise she's in major trouble," Tom comments, hurrying down the hill toward the little girl. His eyes dart about, trying to locate the wolf.

Alice fans the smoke from the dying ashes to which the paper has been reduced, toward the south.

The tousle-haired boy heads down the slope of the hill toward the field, his foot skidding slightly on an unseen object, but otherwise keeping his balance.

Agatha follows along a little more cautiously, since she's carrying a pitchfork.

Tom points toward the white object, hoping Agatha will also spot it now. He grumbles as he nearly slips, but continues on toward the little girl.

Agatha slows down to see what the object is.

Nothing there now.... Perhaps it was only Tom's imagination.

Sunlight envelops Tom and Agatha as they emerge into the field....

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This site serves as a chronicle of sessions in an online roleplaying campaign moderated by Conrad "Lynx" Wong and May "Rowan" Wasserman. The contents of this site are (c) 2001, 2002 by Conrad Wong and May Wasserman except where stated otherwise. Despite the "children's fantasy" theme of this campaign, this site is not intended for young readership, due to mild language and violence.