After realizing one of the voices is Slim, I lean in towards the building a bit harder only to hear a few quick footsteps towards the front door. I bolt out front to see a middle aged man toss some more dinner scraps out to the two guard dogs. Seeing an opportunity, I crawl towards the man while the other dogs are distracted and do my very best to win him over. He leans over with a smile, and happily offers up some belly rubs, giving me the opportunity to get a good look at him. The man has light brown hair and freckles, and is dressed in furs and tailored garments and fine leather boots. I make note that he is also carrying a dagger on his hip.
After a few minutes, the man stretches his back and goes to walk back inside. I do my best to convince him that I am, in fact, an indoor dog and not one of these mangy mutts, but with a laugh, he says aloud that “Sir wouldn’t like it if I let you in,” squeezing through the door leaving me out in the cold. Hm…Sir. Who is Sir?
I carry on trying to listen to the goings on of the lodge, deducing there are probably at least a half dozen people milling about, including one pacing in a lofted area above. Between the conversation with Slim I overheard and the yet-to-be-seen man in charge, I decide it’s most important to stick around and continue to observe.