Well, she told him it would be okay and she could talk to the snakes... Tentatively he put his index and middle fingers on Chua. The snake didn't move. He petted him slowly. The snake was smooth. Feeling like he was pressing his luck he inched back letting the snake have its space. Kippers watched with uninterested and started going to sleep around his shoulders. "Yeah, my wolf wants bigger--meatier prey." It was so surreal... was he actually telling someone what his inner wolf likes to eat? Plus mentioning food... he mentally hit himself on his head. Like he needed to draw attention to his slightly emaciated frame.

Sam looked thoughtful "I'm surprised they don't let you chase deer in the forest. Students aren't allowed in there..., I guess the centaur tribe, would have a hissy though." Throwing her better judgment to the wind she added. "I have loads of carne asada tacos to snack on if you're hungry. The skirt steak's only slightly seared so its really rare on the inside, and only a little spicy." Mentally Sam smacked herself on the forehead, now she'd done it, he'd probably run away like Paddy did and never want to speak to her again now.

He stared at her... full out open-mouth stared at her. Wow he hadn't expected that. Closing his mouth he sighed and said, "I got really violent by the time me an my elf got to the 'ospital wing. Wound up being transfered to Mungo's. Took 'em a lot of stunning spells to subdue me long enough to get the potion down me throat. I broke me collarbone in the process." He pulled his collar aside to show her the pink scar that was nearly gone. "Kept shovin' sedative potions on me durin' the days." He shuddered remembering the horrible stay. "Don't think no one at 'Ogwarts will want a violent Alpha werewolf runnin' 'round. Too big 'o risk." He hung his head down looking at the ground. Kippers climbed down his back making the boy wince as her claws dug into to his skin and slunk back off to the cat table--probably hoping to sneak some treats.

"Thanks all the same," he said with a crack in his voice, "'aven't wanted to eat." He had barely touched anything in the last two days. No amount of bossing from the adults had mattered, not that he hadn't suspected that would change if he lost any more weight.

Paddy really she wanted to meet the snakes, but there was something strange about them, that she didn't quite feel comfortable with. Instead, she decided to meet the rest of the cats and realised that the girl at the table was someone she didn't think she'd met yet (). "Hi, I'm Paddy," she said, her hands plunged deep into her pockets, "thought I'd try meeting the cats before I brave the snakes." She looked at the cats playing amongst themselves for a few seconds before quietly adding "I'm not sure how the cats will react to me though, seeing as I'm a werewolf."

[img align=left]http://i.imgur.com/y633bIh.png?1[/img] "Oops. I forgot my notebook back in my room," said Beth. She waved goodbye to everyone and ran to Ravenclaw Tower.

(OOC: I haven't had much time to log on over the weekend to look over what's been happening here and am not sure when I'll have time to catch up so I think it's best if Beth leaves for a bit and reenters later. I have finals next week so I won't be as active this week or next week.)

Sam nodded, remembering how food just wouldn't stay in her stomach after her pa announced he was being transferred to London.
"I think it happens to everyone when they're really upset. It's too bad there's no place around here you could let the wolf out, and enjoy it without having to worry about hurting any one. This island is so small and crowded though...." Chua hissed a complaint, interrupting her.
"Oh, gosh! I'm sorry. I totally spaced. I haven't fed him.... HEY!" she called out to the group "anyone wanna see how a constrictor eats?" Sam asked, holding up a live mouse.

()

Gaia was focused on what she was working on until Sam's words broke her out of her concentration.

"ME! ME!" pacing herself as to not look like a dork Gaia made her way to the snakes table. "I have only seen Wade, () Ethel's snake, eat dead mice. It is interesting and I want to learn! Are those wild mice or do you breed them as well?"

Pulling out her wand Gaia took the trivia parchment down. "Thank you everyone for being part of our small trivia! There will be more in the future I am sure!" Then returned her attention to Sam.

"There's actually a muggle shop in London that sells them specially for folks that have snakes. Wild mice sometimes carry nasty diseases, so I avoid them. Once a month or so I send Umbra off to my Pa to pick me up some."

()

"Oh that is interesting! I always thought those mice were pets. My first pet was a fish, so I know the muggle stores you refer to, so you feed the rats too? Ever kept a pet rat?"

Sam shudders. "Ugh, no. Can't stand rats..., nasty things with those little pink hands. I only got these two 'cause I didn't know if Wade might be a boa or a python. I figure I can give them to the owls when we're done."

()

"Oh yeah there should be some owls left that haven't gone hunting up in the owlery. Probably will come out later tonight. Thank you for that!"

He nodded. "Dangerous though, cos I use a lot of protein during shifting." Then before he could ask her where they transferred from Sam held up a live mouse and was going to feed it to the snake. The mouse tried to escape sensing the danger. Magnus licked his lips unconsciously before he dug his fingernails into his skin to the point he was bleeding. Repulsed by his thoughts, he took a few steps backwards and almost hit Gaia.

Noticing the mouse had started to shake in fear, Sam gently turned it upside down, then holding it head downwards, stroked it's tiny chest with one finger. Almost instantly the creature relaxed, closing it's eyes in a trance like state. Quickly setting the mouse down in front of the attentive snake, Sam stepped back to give everyone a better view. Chua swayed back and forth, flicking his tongue to "smell" his target, as the dazed mouse looked around in confusion. The strike was lightning fast, and the hapless mouse was instantly enveloped in the snake's muscular coils. "It exhales once," Sam explained "and the snake tightens its coils so it can't breathe in again. Constrictors don't crush their food like some folks think, they suffocate it." It was over faster than Sam's explanation, and Chua maneuvered the mouse's body to swallow it head first.
"All snakes can unhinge their jaws so they can eat things bigger than their mouth. The bones of a snake's lower jaw aren't connected to each other, so they can move the mandibles independently and walk their mouth over their food. All their teeth point backwards to help pull the food in too. A small snake like Chua won't need to eat a mouse this size again for at least a week."

() "HEY! You almost bumped into me!" Gaia said while noticing Magnus face and handed him some candy. () "That was quick! I am not sure what I expected but now... I... there are no words. That was fascinating."

"Sorry," he muttered frozen in place watching the snake eat unable to look away. Gaia handed him something but he wasn't really noticing. His eyes were still on the snake unsure what he was feeling.

Emmy looked up from where she was stroking Aderyn's cat, Boo, and saw approaching, looking nervous. "Hello!" she said, her voice friendly as she introduced herself. "I'm Emmy. You're in Gryffindor, right?" Emmy asked, searching her robes, her eyes now falling upon the Gryffindor crest emblazoned there.

"A werewolf, eh?" She said thoughtfully, looking at her. She seemed nervous, and Emmy wasn't sure if it was just because of the cats, or if she was nervous around new people, too.

The cats, indeed, seemed a bit nervous, their fur puffing up a little as Paddy got closer. Emmy frowned at them, as though this would correct their behaviour.

"I think I can help!" she said brightly, suddenly getting an idea. "Wait just a sec." Emmy closed her eyes and concentrated, and in a few seconds, she had transformed back into her fluffy cat form. She meowed at Paddy and turned to the cats, communicating with them, relaying the message that Paddy was totally okay and wouldn't hurt them. Most of the cats began to relax a bit and Emmy turned back to Paddy, jerking her feline head in the cats' direction, indicating that she could come nearer now. Banshee, especially, was now very curious and sniffing at Paddy, since she was Emmy's own cat and trusted her owner explicitly.

()

"TAKE the candy, Magnus!" Holding a hand full of sweets out. "These will help."

() Noticing Emmy's change Gaia walked toward here and got some jelly beans out of her pouch of Bertie Bott's. "What will it be Marshmallow or strawberry? Nothing like a beautiful fluffy cat eating jelly beans to catch the eye of others!" Gaia giggled placing a napkin on the table with some jelly beans on it.

Why did everyone keep offering him food? Oh right, the weight loss. Absent-mindedly he took the candy from her, eyes still focused on the snake. Not really wanting the candy but afraid of Gaia's tone he slipped the smallest piece into his mouth and the rest in his pocket mixing with owl and cat treats.

"That...was... that was... beautiful." The graceful movements from the predator. He understood it. He'd seen his cat take down mice and small animals before but this was a different kind of predator. It must be fascinating to watch a snake in the wild hunt. It had no claws only its smooth body and fangs. His hand was in his back pocket for a sketchbook before he realised it his left hand started wildly sketching the snake with a muggle pencil. Art such as this needed to be documented he thought.

() "Well nature is a masterpiece. We only witness bits and pieces. I know at times it can be a little difficult, but there is always beauty. I guess that is why I like animals and creatures. Even frogs have their advantages." Gaia popped a candy in her mouth and moved to check on all the tables.

Rowan packed away some of Drifter's extra toys. Having a dog here at Hogwarts was an little bit strange, but then again, she herself was kind of a misfit: the Muggle-born witch who had to use enough magic to attract attention even after the year started.

She needed to learn a lot more! At lease she was on good terms again with and Magnus (). Fade () and Sam () held promise of friendship, too.

"We'll be okay, Drifter," she whispered. "I just know we will."

(OOC: The person behind Rowan is swamped amid RL and the sequel to a first novel, and has a mystery event on Subeta coming up quickly, so this little witch may be quiet, but she is still here!)