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Tam pulls the hip bath out of it's storage spot into the kitchen, drops a curtain across the room's entrance way to keep the tiny area warm and begins boiling water for the bath. With the oven going for the ducks, the room quickly warms up. Soon, with a judicial application of magic and bribing a salamander or two into sleeping under it with a promise of fresh coals when they are done, the tub is full and steaming.

Tam chuckled as he lets Kero know it's ready. When he used the tub he barely fitted into it... all arms and legs... and he never quite seemed to fit, but Kero was always comfortable. "It's ready, kiddo... I'll refill it after ye get clean, so you can have a soak iffin ye want."

Tam hauls the tub outside, dumps it on the flower bed and brings it back in, reminding the cat to wrap up or he'll get a cold. "There's a bath sheet over the back of my chair, dulcha... use it." In no time, he has the tub ready for him to use again. This time he teasingly holds up a bottle of bath salts and pretends he is going to pour them in. Their flowery scent makes Kero's nose itch, even from across the room.

He laughs softly and replaces the tin on a shilf by the door. They were actually a gifting for Sharmistra anyway and he had had no intention of really using them. He goes to check on his ducks and to remove some of the fat form the pans. He puts it into a crock to separate out later, knowing it will come in handing one day. Then he goes to peek in on the sleeping pair by the fire, carefully placing another log on the grate, because even though the room is quite warm he knows it is cool by their desert standards..

He takes a mental picture of it, so as to paint it for them later and goes back into the kitchen to sit with Kero.

"Hey, Kero... how long has those two been together anyway?" he asks pulling out his chair and taking a seat. He reaches into his airy closet and digs out a stick of charcoal and some parchment to work on.

He carefully sketches out the scene he has just witnessed, making a few minor corrections and noting colors and shading in the margins. He is still hard at work when Kero finally climbs from the tub and wanders over, dragging his bath sheet behind him, begging to see what he is doing and asking him to help him get dry.

Tam nods and carefully hides away the drawing, so that the two sleepers don't find it. Then he goes to help the cat dry off. "Ye know..." he says with a sad smile rubbing his ears for him and looking him over from nose to tail. "Yer really not a cub anymore... haven't been for a long time now. When did ye grow up on me. It seems I blinked somewhere along the way."

Tam hugs him and kisses him on the forehead. "I'll remind ye of that the first time we really... seriously disagree as adults... ok?" he teases, telling him to go curl up by the stove. "Yer fur is still damp... might as well use all that free heat to dry it."

And receives a mental knock on the head for doing so. All those years working with Champhy in the kitchen must have sharpened his food endangerment radar. He chuckles softly and begins to chop up vegetables to serve with the meal, knowing that Kero probably wouldn't eat any, but making them all the same. He was raised to serve well rounded meals.