isthisart | landscape

Linya avoids haring off to do things much while Miles's arms are unusable. Once he can feed himself comfortably enough to prefer to do so, though, she makes plans with Ekaterin to go with her and little Nikki on a hike in some nice woods of mixed-origin fauna. She packs a picnic and takes the lightflyer and flies out to pick up the relevant subset of Vorsoissons.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

first_loyalty

So does Ekaterin!

From:

isthisart

"We should be at the picnic spot I found on the map in about fifteen minutes," Linya mentions.

From:

first_loyalty

"That's a long time," Nikki says doubtfully.

"It's not that long," says Ekaterin. "But I'll pick you up anyway, if you want."

He holds out his arms. His mother picks him up, oofing slightly.

From:

isthisart

"Is he heavy? He doesn't look very heavy."

From:

first_loyalty

"He's heavier than he was last year, that's for sure. But he walks around on his own more often, so it all works out."

"I like walking," Nikki announces. "Just not too much walking."

From:

isthisart

"How much is too much?" wonders Linya.

From:

first_loyalty

"Too much is too much!" says Nikki, tautologically.

From:

isthisart

"Aha. I am enlightened."

From:

first_loyalty

Nikki nods at this entirely reasonable response.

Ekaterin manages not to giggle.

From:

isthisart

"Are you all done walking for the day, or just a little while?"

From:

first_loyalty

"Dunno," he says.

"Well, when my arms get tired, I'm going to have to put you down," says Ekaterin. "But I can carry you until then."

From:

isthisart

"I can carry him too, if he wants."

From:

first_loyalty

Nikki peers at Linya, as though to evaluate her carrying capacity.

From:

isthisart

"I'm stronger than I look."

From:

first_loyalty

"Why?"

From:

isthisart

"It seemed like a good idea."

From:

first_loyalty

...Nikki puzzles over this answer, and falls silent. Ekaterin smiles.

From:

isthisart

And eventually there is the picnic place!

Linya has a picnic blanket in her basket. Swoosh! Now it is there for sitting on.

From:

first_loyalty

Swoosh!

Ekaterin puts Nikki down, and he picks up the edge of the blanket and clumsily attempts to swoosh it again. It goes... swosh.

From:

isthisart

Linya giggles and puts the basket down on a corner of the blanket and sits. She has brought sandwiches and salad and fruit and maple candy, portioned with lots for her and some for Ekaterin and a little for Nikki.

From:

first_loyalty

Nikki is really enthusiastic about the maple candy, and disdains the salad. Ekaterin permits him to disdain his salad, because this is a special occasion.