Welcome Back

[Seraphina]

To say that the Tavern had grown into a beautiful and whimsical place would be an understatement. The couple room locations had become a grand home like structure wrapping the enormous tree. With hard work, sacrifice and love, Spring had truly come together.

Jasper was back in the Freehold, and requested a meeting. Hence Sera being at the Tavern, preparing some lunch. Well, setting up a lunch, she wasn’t a cook by any means. So she had picked up some chili, because Winter, and some sandwich meats and cheeses. Tea had been fixed, as well as coffee, water and hot chocolate. She tended to over prepare for things.

With the weather a bit colder, she went with a deep burgundy sweater dress and boots, deciding to go a bit more casual.
Jasper

[Jasper]

The giant Beast has been away from the area for a few months now but has finally found his way back to Sacramento and the freehold that it holds. This place had begun to feel like a place he could call home, even with the bad memories it has. For this reason, he's happy to find his way back to the Spring hollow in the Hedge.

He's still dressed in his usual 'well worn' garb, jeans that have seen far too many days on him and a t-shirt beneath his hedge-spun leather coat. The dark fur along the interior helps to keep the chill out of his overly skinny frame. Good solid boots keep his feet from getting too worn, though the boots have been patched with duct tape a couple of times now.

He sniffs the air as he comes into the hollow, smelling familiar and new scents and then the scent of chili hits his nose and a grumble from his stomach alerts those around that a predator is near, even if he is a big softy. Usually.

"Sera!" he calls out with genuine joy when he spots the Fairest, his canine ears perking towards her.

[Seraphina]

Hearing her name, she turns from stirring the chili to see Jasper!

The Nixs face lights up seeing the giant Beast, “Jasper!” it was obvious she was happy to see him. “So glad your back! How are you?!” then pausing, “You are back, right?” because for all she knows this was a way to officially say he was leaving.

“Either way, come, sit!” gesturing to the table, “I have chili, sandwich stuff and a whole bunch of things to drink!”

[Jasper]

Jasper grins wide as he spots the Fairest. His grin is very canine on that snout of his as he looks at you. When he sees the Vernal Queen, he looks at her, hoping that he feels that connection to her again through what he hopes is still a link to this freehold. He grins as he walks towards her and nods. He looks almost as if he wants to give the Siren a hug... He'd happily accept one.

"I'm back. Sorry that I left so suddenly... How have you been? How has everyone else been?" he asks, stepping over to the table and adjusting his coat around himself as he takes a seat. He sniffs at the contents of the table, starting with a bit of sandwich meat.

[Seraphina]

She catches the look, and happily moves over to him to offer him a hug, “So good to see you!” it felt like she might have needed the hug as well, before letting go to sit back down at the table.

“I hope everything is ok, we were worried about you.” Having a fellow Lost just disappear was never a good thing. It raised red flags and worries about one of Them being around. “I’ve been ok, nothing to really complain or get excited about.” A slight shrug as she adds some honey to a cup of tea, “Everyone else seems to be doing well from what I can tell. Things have been quiet, a bit stressful without a Winter around, but hey, almost time for Spring!” she would always try and focus on the happier things.

“So are you back for good?” because it was worth asking. He could be passing through and just wanted to apologize before moving on.

[Jasper]

Jasper happily accepts the hug, enfolding the smaller Lost in his arms as the giant Beast gives his Queen a hug. He pulls back when she does, a small but slightly goofy grin on his face. "It's really nice to see ya, too." he says before taking the seat.

He nods to her words, his canid ears flicking back in shyness at the slight reprimand those words hint at. "Sorry to have worried ya. Ah caught of whiff of something bad in the Hedge during a patrol and it made me so nauseous that Ah was out of it for a few days," he explains in his thick accent. "Then a whole bunch of things happened all at once.. Ah don't remember the exact order as it happened all so fast but Ah ended up traveling for a bit with some friends from the street and then met some other Lost on the road. We traveled for a bit but then Ah found my way back here." There certainly sounds like there's more to that story and he might be up for sharing it. The big pupper doesn't tend to keep secrets from his friends all that well.

He looks over at the Fairest and grins, pouring himself a bowl of the chili, "That's the plan. Ah don't plan on leaving like that again anytime soon."

[Seraphina]

Motioning to the various drinks, “Can I get you something to drink? I made sure there was a variety.” That was always important.

A half shrug, “It’s ok, it’s just with our kind, if someone just vanishes, we don’t know what happened. Like, do we need to sound an alarm and go to ground, or has something else happened. But I also know and understand that sometimes things are just out of our control. So it’s ok.” She tries to reassure him. Picking up her cup, she sips from it as she listens. “Sounds like it was quite an adventure! And I’m glad you decided to come back here.” Her words genuine. “But if I can ask, why did you come back? If it’s personal, I completely understand and you don’t have to answer.” Giving him an out if he didn’t want to share. Sera wasn’t the type to push and demand.

“Glad to hear it, and I think they’ll be quite a few others who will be excited to see you back.” Grabbing a piece of bread, “Do you have a place to stay?”