Dusk, outside

[scots_wolf]

Urquhart is outside, watching the early sunset.

He's not shooting anything right now. The black fur rug he was making is finished.

Instead, he stands, with a mug of mulled wine in his hands, feet planted deep in the snow, and watches the daylight fade into the odd brownish yellow typical for snow clouds, and then, darkness falling, along with more snow.

It settles on his shoulders and in his hair.

Comments

[scots_wolf]

"Is that everybody?" Urquhart asks.

[young_womble]

"No, there are hundreds, but those are the ones I see most often."

[scots_wolf]

"Where do you all live?" Urquhart says, imagining something like a busy rabbit warren, just with wombles, and added libraries and workshops.

[young_womble]

"Hyde Park. We used to live in Wimbledon Common, but we had a cave-in."

[scots_wolf]

"And you couldn't rebuild there?" Urquhart says.

[young_womble]

"Severe structural problems." Wellington says. "Caused by lorries. The ceiling had been getting lower for a while. I was on the official committee to try and find a new home."

Small proud smile. "I got to go and have a nose around the Queen's garden for that."

[scots_wolf]

"Why didn't you go there?" Urquhart asks, with a little smile. "Too many guards?"

[young_womble]

"Yes, and by then we'd found out about the abandoned Hyde Park burrow."

[scots_wolf]

"Abandoned by whom?" Urquhart says.

[young_womble]

"Other Wombles, we think. Badgers don't tend to make doors."

[scots_wolf]

"And you thought it sensible to move in there even though those other wombles must have had a good reason to move out?" Urquhart asks.

[young_womble]

"At the time, it was better than the burrow that had just collapsed. We were lucky nobody was hurt."

[scots_wolf]

"But you should find out why it was abandoned," Urquhart says. "Or whatever drove them away might try to get at you, too. I take it you didn't find bones?"

[young_womble]

"No. We thought we had a ghost, but it turned out to be a swan."

[scots_wolf]

"Find out what it is so you're sure you're safe," Urquhart says. "At least that is what I would do."

[young_womble]

Wellington just looks worried again now. Surely that sort of thing would be done by Great Uncle Bulgaria, and Tobermory, after all this time?

[scots_wolf]

"Don't you have contact with other womble colonies?" Urquhart asks.

[young_womble]

"Not personally." Wellington says. "I'm a very small fish in a big pond."

[scots_wolf]

"I mean your colony," Urquhart says. "I mean, there must be somewhere you can go and meet lady wombles."

[young_womble]

"I know Miss Adelaide and Madame Cholet." Wellington says.

[scots_wolf]

"But there must be more than two!" Urquhart says.

[young_womble]

"Oh yes." Wellington says.

[scots_wolf]

"When will you be considered old enough to meet more?" Urquhart asks.

[young_womble]

"I don't understand." Wellington says.

[scots_wolf]

"Well," Urquhart says, "don't the older wombles have girlfriends? Or wives?"