Absolutely everybody -- at or near the fireplace

[cook_the_rude]

This evening, there are several people relaxing by or near the fireplace the fireplace, doing slightly unexpected things. Among them are:

• Katrina Crane, seated in a comfortable chair, reading -- a romance novel?
• Pearse Harman, scribbling down bullet points for tomorrow's sermon while at a table with a glass of -- beer?
• Teja, in his usual chair by the trilobite tank, with all four cats and a soundly sleeping Egil, playing his -- guitar?
• Lady Margolotta, at a table drinking cocoa and cuddling a cute, pink-nosed -- rat?
• Dr. Hannibal Lecter, lounging on a sofa with his feet up, reading a book on -- demonology?
• Dorian Gray, sitting cross-legged in from of a coffee table, sensuously enjoying several different -- cupcakes?
• Madame Thénardier, hunched on an ottoman right by the fire, voraciously reading a book by -- Hilary Mantel?

[[OOC: Say in your tag whom you want -- open until it scrolls! Not trying to emulate the sheer numbers on the last one, though...]]

Comments

[street_sparrow]

Franz obliges more than willingly. He loves his little feline friend.

"He's not difficult to make happy. He's a good dog."

[ostro_goth]

"Indeed, he is," Teja says. "How does he take to London Below?"

Egil, in the meanwhile, is waking up; he opens an eye, and stretches a little.

[street_sparrow]

"He doesn't mind. The House is big enough - he gets a bit cramped in the tunnels, but then I just take him Above."

[ostro_goth]

"And there is this place, which has as much of an outside as a dog might wish for," Teja muses.

"Big 'itty!" Egil declares, sitting up and pointing at Franz.

[street_sparrow]

"Not a kitty", Gavroche corrects him, grinning. "Can you say 'dog', Egil?"

[ostro_goth]

Egil gets to his feet.

"Gog," he says, coming cautiously closer.

[street_sparrow]

"He won't bite", Gavroche encourages him. "He'd never bite unless I told him to."

[ostro_goth]

"Big'itty," Egil says, coming closer. "Gog. Hello gog!"

He waves at Franz, a little flail of his right hand, from a few steps away.

[street_sparrow]

Franz makes a sound that's... not a bark, definitely not a growl, and seems intended to be welcoming, and beats his tail on the floor.

"You can stroke him if you want to."

[ostro_goth]

Egil turns to look at Teja, and Teja nods at him.

He's right there.

So Egil takes the last few steps and pats Franz on his huge head.

"Weal big'itty," he says. "Gog. Good'og!"

[street_sparrow]

The dog carefully doesn't do anything that could be frightening for a small boy.

Gavroche smiles happily. "He is a good dog."

[ostro_goth]

"Itty," Egil says, squatting down to stroke the cat and then touch the dog's front paw beside the cat, who by now has rolled up comfortably.

"Big foot!"

[street_sparrow]

"He does have very big feet", Gavroche agrees. "And a big body to go with them. But he's gentle."

[ostro_goth]

"Dogs are very helpful in looking after people and other animals, and keeping bad things away," Teja explains. "Wolves and foxes are a little like them, only wild."

"Not wolf!" Egil says, pointing at Franz. "Bwamble fur! Hoss 'itty!"

Teja chuckles.

[street_sparrow]

"Dogs came from wolves", Gavroche tells him, "a long, long time ago. They're the wolves that wanted to live with people. Do you want to sit on his back? He'd let you."

He judges that Egil's still small enough.

[ostro_goth]

Egil looks at Teja again, and gets another encouraging nod.

So he sits on Franz' back, then leans forward and hugs the big, patient creature.

"Gog is nice!"

[street_sparrow]

Gavroche laughs.

"He's very nice, and so is this one, but he's a bit more nervous. That one is Franz, and this is Jo."

[ostro_goth]

"Fans!" Egil says. "Good'og!"

He cuddles the big animal.

"Hello Jo!"

[street_sparrow]

Jo wags his tail and looks at Gavroche.

"Go on", he urges. "But Egil, you know how you're gentle with the kitties? The dogs need that too."

[ostro_goth]

"No pulling tail!" Egil says. "Yes. Cat is free aminal."

[street_sparrow]

"No pulling tail, or ears, or fur, exactly. The dogs are free - aminals - too, in their own way."

[ostro_goth]

"Hug when say no no-good!" Egil says, earnestly. "Not people, not cat, not gog!"

[street_sparrow]

"And you know the ways cats and dogs have to say no? Since they don't talk in words?"

[ostro_goth]

"Cat say 'pfffft'," Egil says, imitating a short, displeased hiss so well that Kitty looks up.

[street_sparrow]

Gavroche gives her a soothing stroke to the head.

"That's the last warning before they scratch or bite. What do they do with their tail before that?"