aterat | Winter log

Entry tags:

Winter log

Who: Everyone!
What: Open Log
When: December
Where: The Hunter's Lodge
Warnings: N/A
Notes: This is a mingle log, so people are free to set up their own TLs under it. So tag in and tag around!

Snow has fallen outside and while it's not heavy it's set just enough down to gently cover the wooden benches and ground outside. The chairs have been removed but the lanterns are still out and lit (as well as the little lights that have been replaced with more festive ones) if people want to walk around outside and have private chats among the snow, the trees and the lighting.

Potluck - Food is all around. Got a story about how the food you brought is part of a long standing family tradition? So much the better! But Ignis for his part has been researching and working on bringing the foods he's heard about. So here you'll find an appetizer platter along with a cream cheese tree, turkey, ham, his version of the Crown City roast, stuffing balls, roasted potatoes and roasted vegetables, and of course a few different desserts.

So you can find him making sure the table is decked out in christmas colours and full of food. But as he sets the last appetizer tree down on the table, he nods. "Quite glad to see that you could make it."

Trim a tree A small group of freshly cut green trees are sitting in a corner with room to go around the back. Simple lights are already in place, but there are ornaments with hooks sitting in silent invitation to decorate the tree and gather around as well as different coloured garland too.

But there's plenty of supplies and being able to decorate a tree with Nida last year was all sorts of fun as it will be again this year. So the advisor is definitely happy that nature can come inside at least temporarily.

Ignis stands back and takes a look at the trees with a satisfied sort of nod. "I suppose after the holiday, I will see about replanting it outside." Turning to his guest, there's an easy smile. "It won't do to simply throw it away do you think?"

Gift exchange - Gifts aren't required, but people are free to do so. This can be as private or as public as wished! The royal strategist is busy arranging gifts under the tree, trying to make some sense as to how they should be grouped, so he's on his knees trying to keep the order straight. As soon as someone approaches, he acknowledges their presence with a smile. "Would you mind handing me that blue wrapped gift sitting on the chair right next to you?"

Wild card- Dancing? Snowball fights outside? Feel free to make up a thing here!

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It certainly made it a very interesting and pleasant little creature in Mono’s eyes. It was nice to get to know something that was just peaceful and friendly.

Mono nodded, “Yeah, so I think it’s good that you two are family. He is really nice, at least compared to other animals I’ve met before. He just seems really peaceful.” He smiled a little before tilting his head to listen to the explanation. He wasn’t sure how a place would decide it wanted to teach you something… But he guessed that sounded like an important lesson. “And he helped to teach you that?”

Speedy finished his celery and then made a demanding noise. Tommy pulled a leaf out of his bag and held it out to Mono.

"Offer him this. He'll like it. But yeah, he taught me, without meaning to."

Mono looked at the leaf held out to him for a moment, eyes widening. He could feed the little sloth? Oh, that was actually even more exciting than just watching it… “Really? I can?” He reached out to take the leaf and carefully held it in front of the sloth to take, eyeing it curiously. “You want this, Speedy? It’s all leafy and good looking.” He commented, smiling a little.

Of course Mono could feed the sloth. And Speedy? He might be slow to react, but when he saw the leaf he made a pleased noise and slowly reached his arm out to grip it in the strength of his clawed hand.

"There you go," Tommy smiled at the kid. "See, he likes it."

Mono was in awe as the creature reached out ever so slowly to take the lettuce in its little clawed hand. It moved so carefully!! “Wow…” he mumbled, beaming a bit before he glanced up at Tommy. “He really does like it, huh?” That was really neat, and it was a nice feeling to take care of something and make it happy… He didn’t get to do that a lot before.

"He really does," Tommy answered. "I'm trying to get him greens more to his like, based on where he's actually from. It's not easy. Keeping him warm enough too. He's a tropical creature."

Any cent that didn't go to supporting his 'kids' at the business or keeping himself sufficiently fed basically went right into Speedy's comfort.

“Tropical…?” That’s something he hasn’t heard of before, but maybe that’s why he’d never seen anything like Speedy before. But if keeping a tropical creature warm in this type of weather was hard, that must mean… “Does that mean he’s from somewhere warmer than here?”

"Yeah, Like really hot and humid, and TONS of sun. And no winter. Not really. But yeah, he's from a jungle."

ANd Tommy was basically just his parent.

"Wow... That sounds nice, though. Too bad there's no warm sunny jungles for you guys to stay here." He commented, leaning on the edge of the table as he watched Speedy some more, sometimes glancing to Tommy.

"Yeah, none. My old place, in the world where I got him? I was given a full area to care for him and I kept it warm for him."

The sloth was so very alive with the slow eating of the leaf. And he was clearly happy for that.

“Wow... You can’t get anything like that here, though?” He tilted his head slightly, finally looking away from Speedy long enough to focus on the conversation. “I heard some adults say you can get lots of weird stuff from the guy that gave us those bags. Maybe he can help get you something for Speedy?”

"Not easily," Tommy answered. He'd have to figure it out. But he has to figure it out the best way he can. And what more could he ask for?

"The guy that gave the bags, huh? I'll see if it can happen."

"Yeah! I've never really talked to him, but I heard stuff." Because he listens, he listens a lot.

"And if I think of some kinda thing that might help keep him warm, I'll tell you." He didn't like how cold it got sometimes, so he felt pretty lucky for the help from Tommy, Ignis and Nida on the whole... clothes to stay warm thing. Mono definitely didn't like the idea of the cute little guy being cold.

Well, Tommy could use that stuff that is heard so he can help the sloth.

"Thanks, Mono. You're really cool, kid. Like, smart too."

Then he smiles.

"Which reminds me. Got a gift for you."

Mono gave Tommy one of his more proud, slightly tilted grins. He liked the idea that he was cool, he'd heard some people use that word too. Cool was like, a good thing to be called!

But then, his head tilts the other way in surprise. "What? For me? I don't got a gift for you though." And Tommy had already give him shoes! And, ranking even higher in the kids mind, let him feed Speedy.

"Yeah, but I got a gift for all my employees. It's, like, a winter bonus," Tommy answered. SO there you have it, it's okay, you can accept this gift from him.

“A winter bonus? I didn’t even know that was a thing.” But who was the kid going to question? He’d never had a job before, and there weren’t really examples of this in his world to refer to. So… He guessed that meant it was okay he didn’t have anything for Tommy in return if this was a work thing that everyone got… But maybe he could still get something to say thank you at some point. There were people he wanted to thank for being so nice to him, after all.

“What is it?” He finally asked with renewed curiosity, tucking his other thoughts aside for later.

"It's a thing," Tommy promised. Which meant he'd have to do it every year, but he had to take care of his kids. That's just what he cared about doing.

"Wait here for a second," TOmmy said, and the he was gone like a blur. Speedy, used to this, just made a cute cry and then continued munching his leaf. Soon enough Tommy was back anyway, and he was holding a package out to Mono.

In it would be a warm winter coat. Now, in Tommy's defense it also had a tie on badge to mark the wearer as part of Tommy's business, but it was still mostly just a warm coat.

Mono didn’t have much time to ask more questions considering how fast Tommy was, and he was easily distracted by the absolutely adorable sound Speedy made when the guy disappeared in a rush. The kid standing on his toes and leaning on the table again to get a closer look.

But then, just as suddenly, Tommy was back holding out a package. His eyes darted to the wrapping as he took it to get a closer look at. Clearly, the kid wasn’t sure what it was. His eyes widened a bit once he unwrapped it, though. He’d seen other people wearing winter coats since the weather changed, but he didn’t have one himself yet. Though the kid had also been very stubborn about wearing his coat… But in this weather? Even the kid knew it would be stupid to not wear something more suitable.

“Wow!” He mumbled, looking it over and eyes darting to the badge curiously. “It’s really nice!” He unfolded it and held it up. “Thanks Tommy, I bet it’ll be warmer than my coat for the wintertime. The badge thing is neat too!” He added, before carefully taking off his usual coat to try on this one. This would definitely mean the kid needed to go outside and play…

"The badge thing will show people, now and when it's not cold because you can take it off and wear it with other things, that you're working and can carry messages and small packages," Tommy explained. See, it worked.

Or he hoped it worked. He reached to take the badge off and set it aside so Mono could put on the coat itself. Nice, to get the kid into something warm.

Mono nodded quickly, “That makes sense, in case new people are working or there’s a new business.. They gotta know what I’m there for.” So a badge was smart, otherwise he sometimes felt a bit awkward if there were strangers and he wasn’t sure if they knew he was there for work and not to get into something.

But once Tommy had removed the badge for now, Mono slipped the jacket on over his shoulders and fastened it up. It was definitely heavier than his usual coat, but in a cozy, comforting kind of way. “Hey, it really is a lot warmer than my other one!” Between shoes and a new winter coat, this season was going to be a lot more pleasant than last years. That was… a funny thing to realize, that he’d been here for so long.

"Exactly," Tommy said, but it wasn't really the point. The point was warmth for the kid who didn't have people to take care of him. And who would be very upset if he knew what Tommy was doing.

"It really is," Tommy agreed with a smile. "I'll watch the badge for you, if you wanna go test the warmth outside."

Mono definitely didn’t need those details, so it was a good plan to say it was work related… but at the suggestion to test its warmth outside, the kid nodded quickly. “Yeah! I was gonna go out anyway and try some of the stuff I saw kids doing last winter, so it’ll be a good way to see how warm it is.” He would report back to Tommy later, undoubtedly, to give him a rundown on how the jacket had worked out.

Until then, he was excited to get out in the snow. “Thanks again, Tommy! I’ll come back for the badge once I tested it really good, and um… maybe see Speedy again before I go.” He added with a glance to the tiny sloth.

"Of course, Mono. And you let me know if you need gloves. If you do, then the whole crew probably does," Tommy answered. He waved the kid off. "Speedy and I will still be here when you're done. Promise."

Gloves, that sounded like a smart idea, really. He hadn’t thought of that... But he’d start with the coat and would see how it went. “Okay! I’ll let you know once I got a better idea.”

He made sure the coat was fastened snug and then gave both Tommy and Speedy a wave. “Then I’ll see you in a little while, Tommy!” He paused and then turned to the table again. “Have fun eating more green stuff, Speedy.”

It seemed only right to address the sloth before he finally departed to enjoy a little time out in the snow.

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Winter log

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Should we wrap this soon?

Sounds good

Cool!