Loamhedge Orphanage

While waiting Gimbold had overheard Lin saying he was getting cold. So she warmed her own hands up and held his. It wouldn't be hot but Gim was definitely as warm as a fine summer's morning rather than ice cold as she should have been after the snow play.

"Will they have dessert? I haven't had any good pudding in a while. Me Ma used to make really good ones, with some nuts in them. They're utterly delicious."

There was a brief pause before she looked at Lin. "Can I get a piggyback ride?"

Raven nods as she continues brushing the snow off herself. She gives herself a shake, snow still remaining in her hair and clothes. She nods in response to gims question.

"There might be."

She says looking at gim. She pouts a little bit as gim requested a piggy back ride from lin. She wanted one too. But gim got to it first, so she contented herself with walking in should lin accept the request.

(FYI Gim's 3'9 and an 8 year old so she'd be light enough to carry without that much problem xD plus she doesn't break branches)

"I suppose you might be right," Linwood told Raven, turning to head inside when he felt warm squirrel hands grab onto his hand.

"Oh, why thank you, Gim," he said. "I'm not so sure about the pudding... I think there's a shortage around town, perhaps. And of course you can." He crouched down so Gimbold could hop on. "Maybe once spring's back we can make our own pudding?"

Raven's pout didn't go unnoticed. "Oh, come now," he said with a smile, "you know pouting will only make your food taste like steamed vegetables?"

(( Awesome, good to know she won't break lin))

Raven just stares at lin and blinks. Steamed vegetables? She just stares at him dumbfounded for a moment, rubbing her arms as to ward off the cold temperatures before speaking up.

"What...?? Since when has pouting ever made food taste like steamed vegetables??"

The little girl pouted a bit too when Lin said there was a pudding shortage. No pudding was the saddest thing she had heard today. Although when the genie acquiesced to her request, she clambered up onto his back. Well now Lin would be carrying the warm summer on his back! Less chilly it was for him then.

"Steamed vegetables don't taste too bad. Me ma said if I pouted for too long my face would get stuck that way. So it'll taste like steamed vegetables and get stuck?" She chattered on, loudly from Lin's back, snuggling in.

(He seems willowy)

"Yes, it's true. Absolutely true," Linwood was quick to assure. He hooked his arms under Gimbold's knees and stood up, glad she was as small as she was. A diet of orphanage food did not make for very strong teenagers. He found the squirrel to be surprisingly warm and made a mental note to take her with him whenever he went out to chop firewood.

"If your mother said that, then it must be true, Gim," he said. "Mothers are like that." He started for the doors.

((I actually designed him with this tree in mind lol))

Raven just stared at them like she doubted them. She didn't think this sounded believable. But then again shes able to use magic, so she wasn't one to talk about impossible things. She just shakes her head and walks.

"Fine....but if my food doesn't taste like steamed vegetables in calling you out...."

She says opening the large front doors and walking inside, heading for the dining room.

Gimbold nodded at Lin's words, happy to be carried along as they went indoors to the dining hall

(Well at least we know Lin's bark isnt too bad. Also shall we move to the dining hall now?)

(Yeah)

((Sure!))

Gimbold darted out from the dining room, heading up the side of the orphanage and up the roof where she curled up in a sheltered area. Up there it was safe and she could keep warm anyway.

Kiro walked outside and looked around, trying to find where the squirrel girl had gone. He took a few steps into the grounds so he had a better view of the surrounding area. "Hello!?" He called out. "Anyone out here!? I only want to help!"

Gimbold poked her head out from where she had been and if Kiro looked up, he would see her coming down. If not, she sort of appeared at the wall behind him.

She seemed upset and had been sniffling but having the brief moment had given her time to settle.

"I'm here," she said ears flicking a little.

Kiro glanced over at Gimbold thoughtfully. Due to spending most of his time by himself, he hadn't really had much of a chance to form an opinion of the squirrel girl, though he had seen her around in various locations during the past week or so. If there was one thing the two of them shared, it was an affinity for climbing, though Gimbold was likely much better at it than Kiro, on account of her claws and rodent-like features. Whilst Kiro could probably get onto the roof of the house if he needed to, he would need to start at the corner or a window or ledge and make as much use of window frames and other objects of purchase as possible. Watching the speed at which Gimbold could climb almost made him feel obsolete...

With his usual social awkwardness, Kiro took a moment to think up what to say. During that time he stared at the floor, hands fidgeting with each other nervously and tail flickering side to side. "I... I saw the state of the others in the dining hall... I wanted to find out what had happened... maybe get everyone together to talk it out... I-I'm not very good at this kind of thing..." he stared back down again, then raised one of his legs and wiggled his toes. "Climbing, mathematics, obtaining... things... those are my skills; not... people..." He realised he was rambling and cleared his throat as he lowered his leg again. "Sorry... um... so... yeah..."

Gim stared at him for a bit... and once she figured he wasn't going to bite or push her, she paused.

"Lin was bleedin at the ear, then Raven wanted to know and asked him... um..." she paused as she tried to recall what had happened.

"Then Lin got mad at the both of us," she said looking down and shuffling her feet. She wasn't sure what she had done wrong.

Kiro sighed and nodded slowly. "I've heard that one doesn't like to talk about that kinda thing... this isn't the first time..." he stared at the sky for a moment. "Imagine if you ended up in such a rough way... would you want to bring back those memories...?"

He sighed again and stepped closer to Gim. At 4'2", his height was far from optimal for his age, but he was still the taller of the two. Trying to look reassuring - and failing due to his social awkwardness - Kiro went to put a hand on Gim's shoulder, but changed his mind half way through and pulled his hand back. He really didn't know how to handle these situations. "Don't worry... he doesn't stay mad. I think he understands that no harm was meant. He's not the only one who gets scary sometimes... a lot of the kids here have gone through... well... bad things. But that doesn't make them horrible people... and I'm sure if you were getting on well with Lin before, this won't change any of that.... I hope that makes sense..."

Gim looked upset at Kiro's words.

"I didn't even ask!" She protested. It hadn't been her fault. Raven was the one who pursued it and she got the brunt of the genie's anger.

She sniffled a little. "I know... I just... I just want me ma..." she said quietly.

Kiro sighed again. "I didn't me-... I'm not blaming you. I'm just telling you why it might have happened... if you didn't say anything, then you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm trying to reassure you - Lin isn't mad at you... he probably isn't even mad at Raven... memories can just set him off."

Kiro facepalmed his own forehead rather hard. "I'm not good at this, I'm only making things worse, aren't I?" He kicked the ground. "I'I-ll just go if you want..."

Gimbold sniffled and shook her head.

"No it's all right me ma said I have to be brave when I'm on adventure. I'm scared but its... all good now." The girl flicked her ears and hugged her own tail. She really wasn't all good but she was trying to be brave like her mother had told her to be.

"Maybe we should go see if they're okay?"