Lake-shore and gardens, afternoon

[scots_wolf]

Neither bulldogs nor St. Bernards are hunting dogs, but Franz is clever and eager to please, so Urquhart is outside this afternoon, trying to teach him to fetch.

He had stuffed a slightly faulty demon bunny pelt he didn't want in his fur blanket, and kept throwing that for the dog to fetch, as they were walking along the lake shore. At the moment, he was content with the dog bringing it back. But soon, they could progress to the stage where Franz would wait beside his master and only start running to fetch the dummy bunny when told to do so.

Because otherwise, once they started dealing with actual demonic rabbits, the dog would run at them and disturb them before Urquhart had placed a single shot, and that would be very counter-productive.

There are only a few patches of snow left, the rest of the grounds is mostly muddy, so both Urquhart and Franz have quite muddy feet and spattered legs as they cheerfully wander along. Before they come back inside, they'll have to clean themselves off.

Comments

[morethanprops]

Moist has been enjoying a quiet day inside with a book and some coffee as he plans a trip to Quirm or possibly one of the spa towns near Uberwald.

He looks up at the sound of Urquhart and Franz entering and laughs, "Catch anything?"

[scots_wolf]

"Yes," Urquhart says, waving the stuffed demon bunny pelt. It looks a lot worse for wear.

Franz runs towards Moist, leaving muddy paw-prints all over the bar floor.

[morethanprops]

"What's that or what was it?"

Moist stops Franz before he ruins his nice corduroy pants with mud before petting him.

[scots_wolf]

"A demon bunny pelt," Urquhart says. He gets a bucket of warm water and two big towels from the bar, grabs the dog, and laughingly starts to clean him up and rub him down.

[morethanprops]

"Oh you're going to make a hunter out of Franz? How's it going?"

[scots_wolf]

"Not quite a hunter," Urquhart says. "Just teaching him to find and fetch. He's doing well -- good boy!"

He ruffles the dog's wet belly fur, and Franz madly wagged his tail.

[morethanprops]

"I'm not surprised, he's a smart dog. Let me order some food. Would you like some sausages, Franz?"

[scots_wolf]

Franz wags his entire bottom while still in Urquhart's grip, and Urquhart laughs.

"How about you get us some thick fish soup?" he suggests. "With vegetables, and pieces in."

[morethanprops]

Moist looks around for a rat, they're all avoiding the water and mud that's being splattered by Franz,

"Yes, we'd like some sausages for the dog, fish soup for ourselves and some bottles of beer from Uberwald,"

The rat tsks at the mess and darts off.

[scots_wolf]

"Bring one of the little orange cleaning people," Urquhart calls after the rat.

[morethanprops]

"Orange cleaning people? I don't think I know who that is."

[scots_wolf]

"They work all over the place, but you never see them," Urquhart says. "Why do you think the place looked just as if nothing had happened the morning after the bar fight?"

[morethanprops]

"True, how did you find out what they look like?"

[scots_wolf]

"I waited until I saw one," Urquhart says, rubbing the dog's belly dry.

[morethanprops]

"Hm, I'll have to keep an eye out,"

A rat returns balancing a large tray and Franz wuffs at it.

[scots_wolf]

"They are very elusive," Urquhart says. "Like Heinzelmännchen. Do you have those in Überwald?"

[morethanprops]

"I'm trying to remember. There were so many things lurking in the dark there."

[scots_wolf]

"They were a folk legend in Cologne, where I" -- beat -- "died. They were supposed to be little gnomes that came at night and and did your work for you, but you weren't supposed to look at them. When one curious woman set them a trap because she was curious, they got angry and never returned. I made quite sure the orange little people didn't notice I'd seen them."

[morethanprops]

"I'm not sure I'd like someone sneaking around me even if they did clean up things."

[scots_wolf]

"Usually, they only come when you're out," Urquhart says, "like any good chamber servant tidying up."

[morethanprops]

"Of course,"

Moist still tends to keep his room carefully closed when he's at an inn with his things hidden away.

[scots_wolf]

"I am usually too lazy to tidy my own room," Urquhart says. "But I do like to to see who does it."

He is finally satisfied with his handiwork and lets to dog go; then, he stands, only to sit down again in a chair near Moist's, that places him in easy reach of the stew and the beer.

Franz looks from one to the other, hopeful.

[morethanprops]

Moist takes down a sausage and offers it to the Franz then moves to his own food,

"I have to keep things tidy or else people get ideas."

[scots_wolf]

"Curious, or suspicious?" Urquhart says, starting to eat fish soup. "This is good!"

[morethanprops]

"I'd prefer to not have either one. It is."