Thanks go to Toby's player for this. :) This was a collaborative effort, taken from live play.]
Directions to Toby's cabin were pretty straightforward, though it was a bit of a trip. It was well to the north of the Inn's region, up into areas little travelled. She had been there once before with Erin to work on decorating, but it had been fall then. Now it was spring, and gloriously so, with the woodlands in bloom. But the path was true, and finally she came to the tall ridge that overlooked the valley in which the cabin lay.
That same path crossed the wild creek, and led through thicker woods and to the clearing. And there it was, that same cabin she remembered. A wisp of smoke rose from the chimney.
Lydia was glad she had been before, or else she probably would have gotten lost, or it would have taken her a lot longer to find the place. She traveled the southern woods frequently, but the northern were a bit of a mystery to her. She, among others, tried to steer clear of it as a certain Witch lived to the north, but this area seemed to be safe from such things. Lips pursed, she looked down the valley, taking in the scenery, taking in the cabin. Gaze lifted to watch smoke waft out of the chimney. A good indication Toby was inside.
Very much; this was land far, far north of even Elly's haunts. Toby liked his privacy, and had made sure of it.
The clearing itself was wide, and as she came through from the road, she saw something that probably could give her quite a start.
Continuing down the path, she moved towards the cabin, since that was the destination intended. Skirt snagged on a branch, so she had to pause long enough to free it. With the weather warming and this happening too often, perhaps she should switch to shorts sometimes. Thoughts were shaken away as she freed herself and moved onwards, pausing yet again in her tracks.
Far behind the cabin, in the open northwest part of the great clearing.. she saw a huge, huge, huge shape hulking there. The answer would come soon enough; she could see the pearlescent white hull, and on it painted with loving precision and care... "LADY". One look made it clear to her - the ship (for so it was) had been carefully and deliberately landed there.
The word did indeed give it away, as she had heard of the "Lady". A deep breath in, she eyed it almost warily. Small technological things didn't bother her so much, she even used some. Camera, recorder... but something like that? So much steel, so much.. well.. something about it seemed rather cold to her. It clashed with the woods.
There were dark shapes on the front porch. Shapes that saw her, and stood up; black ears perked. With stereo "Whuffs!" they darted off the porch and across the green, towards her. She'd seen them before, of course... but they'd been much smaller then!
Moving on, boots were quiet on the path to the cabin. Another glance around, nearly expecting to be assaulted by Duke and Duchess. She had quit work early and closed the store to give Ivy and Carley a little break and so she could do this. But she had to stop by the inn first, tend to Hershey. No telling what they'd do if they smelled a puppy on her..
And of course, there they were! Strap of her bag was gripped as she took one, two steps back. They had gotten huge! "Ah..."
They recognized, remembered her. Tails wagging fiercely, they were a bit better trained this time than before. They didn't jump, but just nosed her hands eagerly, happily, sniffing like crazy.
Relieved they didn't attack her and jump all over her, she reached forward, gently patting Duke, and then Duchess, as it wouldn't do to leave either out.
They yelped eagerly, nosing and licking, before Duke wheeled and darted back to the cabin and nosed his way inside. Duchess led Lydia back, a little more sedately, tail waving.
Pale blues watched Duke dart off, before returning to Duchess. A faint smile to the light red collared dog then, before she followed along towards the cabin.
At the cabin's porch, Toby stepped out from inside, closing a book in his hands with a white market in its pages; casually dressed and with a quiet smile on his face.
Her steps slowed as she neared the porch, until she stopped just before the steps, looking up towards Toby, faint smile still there, underlying concern in her eyes. "Hey there."
Directions to Toby's cabin were pretty straightforward, though it was a bit of a trip. It was well to the north of the Inn's region, up into areas little travelled. She had been there once before with Erin to work on decorating, but it had been fall then. Now it was spring, and gloriously so, with the woodlands in bloom. But the path was true, and finally she came to the tall ridge that overlooked the valley in which the cabin lay.
That same path crossed the wild creek, and led through thicker woods and to the clearing. And there it was, that same cabin she remembered. A wisp of smoke rose from the chimney.
Lydia was glad she had been before, or else she probably would have gotten lost, or it would have taken her a lot longer to find the place. She traveled the southern woods frequently, but the northern were a bit of a mystery to her. She, among others, tried to steer clear of it as a certain Witch lived to the north, but this area seemed to be safe from such things. Lips pursed, she looked down the valley, taking in the scenery, taking in the cabin. Gaze lifted to watch smoke waft out of the chimney. A good indication Toby was inside.
Very much; this was land far, far north of even Elly's haunts. Toby liked his privacy, and had made sure of it.
The clearing itself was wide, and as she came through from the road, she saw something that probably could give her quite a start.
Continuing down the path, she moved towards the cabin, since that was the destination intended. Skirt snagged on a branch, so she had to pause long enough to free it. With the weather warming and this happening too often, perhaps she should switch to shorts sometimes. Thoughts were shaken away as she freed herself and moved onwards, pausing yet again in her tracks.
Far behind the cabin, in the open northwest part of the great clearing.. she saw a huge, huge, huge shape hulking there. The answer would come soon enough; she could see the pearlescent white hull, and on it painted with loving precision and care... "LADY". One look made it clear to her - the ship (for so it was) had been carefully and deliberately landed there.
The word did indeed give it away, as she had heard of the "Lady". A deep breath in, she eyed it almost warily. Small technological things didn't bother her so much, she even used some. Camera, recorder... but something like that? So much steel, so much.. well.. something about it seemed rather cold to her. It clashed with the woods.
There were dark shapes on the front porch. Shapes that saw her, and stood up; black ears perked. With stereo "Whuffs!" they darted off the porch and across the green, towards her. She'd seen them before, of course... but they'd been much smaller then!
Moving on, boots were quiet on the path to the cabin. Another glance around, nearly expecting to be assaulted by Duke and Duchess. She had quit work early and closed the store to give Ivy and Carley a little break and so she could do this. But she had to stop by the inn first, tend to Hershey. No telling what they'd do if they smelled a puppy on her..
And of course, there they were! Strap of her bag was gripped as she took one, two steps back. They had gotten huge! "Ah..."
They recognized, remembered her. Tails wagging fiercely, they were a bit better trained this time than before. They didn't jump, but just nosed her hands eagerly, happily, sniffing like crazy.
Relieved they didn't attack her and jump all over her, she reached forward, gently patting Duke, and then Duchess, as it wouldn't do to leave either out.
They yelped eagerly, nosing and licking, before Duke wheeled and darted back to the cabin and nosed his way inside. Duchess led Lydia back, a little more sedately, tail waving.
Pale blues watched Duke dart off, before returning to Duchess. A faint smile to the light red collared dog then, before she followed along towards the cabin.
At the cabin's porch, Toby stepped out from inside, closing a book in his hands with a white market in its pages; casually dressed and with a quiet smile on his face.
Her steps slowed as she neared the porch, until she stopped just before the steps, looking up towards Toby, faint smile still there, underlying concern in her eyes. "Hey there."