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New RP

It was a beautiful day outside today, so it was no surprise that Jamal was out and about. Jamal was not usually a fan of such hot weather, but with the beach so easily accessable to him from where he usually lounged in the jungle, he often took trips down to the ocean to cool off.

It was early afternoon when Jamal had emerged from said jungle and plodded down the sands, hardly batting an eye at the hot sand on the soles of his feet. All the jungle prowling had left his bare feet calloused and his transformations had also added the tiger's pawpad material down there too; at least one good thing had come of his transformation.

He waded into the water to about knee deep before turning to face the shore and plopping down unceremoniously in the shallows. The feeling of the water crashing against his back was soothing and the tiger thoroughly enjoyed the sensation of water through his fur.

Cass surely had similar ideas, for she had come down to the beach herself. She wasn't inclined to go swimming--too cold, and too much risk of gross things in the water--but the sun was nice, and the sand was warm, and it was enough.

Besides, the little things running around in the treetops above her were giving her inner snake ideas, ones she wasn't sure she liked much.

She slithered over the sand, a little surprised at just how hot it was, after the shade of the jungle, and happened to look up to see someone in the water, some distance down the beach.

Cassidy wasn't sure she knew him, either, and after her rather depressing meeting with Thom, she wasn't inclined to go yelling hello at strangers. She hugged herself tightly and continued along. If this guy was going to be friendly, she'd let him make the first move.

Jamal growled to himself in delight, eyes lidding partially as he enjoyed the water and the sand that he absently funneled through his fingers below the surface. Today was going to be a great day...no drama, no staff, no murderous intentions...privacy....

Or maybe not so much of the latter.

When he did open his eyes again, he thought he noticed a green figure wobbling across the sand. His improved sight didn't give him too much of a clue who it was; his first guess was Amaya, but the shade of green was wrong and he thought for sure he could just faintly make out wisps of blonde hair.

As the figure got closer, Jamal was able to make out the elongated body now too and his jaw more or less fell unabashedly as a faint look of disbelief and morbid curiousity crossed his features.

What. The. HELL. Was that an islander? And if so, what in God's name had happened to them?

He was looking at her. Great.

Cassidy waved vaguely in the man's direction, her feathers fluffing uncomfortably. Meeting people for the first time was not fun, and if she had any sense she'd start avoiding unknown people entirely. Yet, here she was, making her way down the beach toward a fellow captive.

At least he seemed to have been here a while. That relieved her of explanations, she supposed.

"Um, hey!" she called as she neared.

Jamal stared. And stared...and stared some more. He could make out the bright feathers trailing what he THOUGHT were her arms since one had been lifted in a wave at him, but couldn't make sense of it. She looked reptilian. Why would she have feathers?!

And where were her legs?

This was the first time he had ever met anyone who had lost the fundamental human shape to such an extreme. Tails? Not so bad. Tentacles? Weird, but the owner of them still looked human if you looked hard enough. An elongated torso and tail with what appeared to be two vestigal legs dangling down in front was definately something new.

"Er," Jamal said intelligently as the hair on the back of his neck prickled uncomfortably, his human side sufficiently weirded out already over this naga woman even though he did slowly lift a hand to wave back out of reflex. "Uh...what up?" Normally he'd be annoyed over having his bath interrupted, but he wasn't sure if he ought to be mad or check himself into the labs for a psych assessment.

A form like hers shouldn't even be possible, his common sense screamed. How did she even get around? His gaze locked onto her muscular tail that seemed to be more or less propelling her along the sand, leaving a furrow in the sand. Oh god. She seemed so much further gone, even in comparison to Pyroth.

The open staring was becoming increasingly bothersome. Cassidy scratched at the back of her neck, her feathers fluffed and bristling.

If she were lucky, she supposed, it was just due to her appearance, because this guy was very clearly a carnivore of some sort. There were probably things that ate snakes. There had to be. Otherwise there would be snakes everywhere, and that would be.... oh, ewwwwww. She had just thoroughly creeped herself out with that.

"Not much. Just going for a walk." Cass grimaced a little; it was completely the wrong word, but still the best one, and she'd rather emphasize the fact that she was a person, right now. "I. Er. I don't think we've met? I'm Cassidy."

Jamal was hardly one to care if he was making someone uncomfortable and even less so when he HIMSELF was feeling rather uneasy at the same time. He was still boggling over the fact she had no legs...how in the hell did that work, anyway? The black man had to strong resist the urge to ask her how one walked without legs. Then again, if she had said "Just going for a slither", he imagined he'd probably either die laughing or become more disturbed than he was currently.

"...I think if we met, I'd rememba," he ventured after a long, uncomfortable pause while he continued to stare at her lower half, trying to decide if there was something he had overlooked in the mechanics of this person's locomotion. It never crossed his mind that it might at all make her feel violated since it seemed there was nothing to see aside from the two pouches of flesh that had vague articulations like legs. "I'm Jamal."

Normally introductions were followed by a snide remark of his reptuation, but the tiger man decided to pass on that. Somehow he felt cheated in that he'd never heard of a snake woman on the island, or if he had, it wasn't mentioned in detail.

"Oh!" There was a faint twitching of the muscles around Cassidy's eyes. "You're Jamal. Um. Nice to meet you."

She fidgeted a little. Most people at least pretended to not be horrified, and although the pretence bothered her, she had just discovered that it really was nowhere near as bad as being openly stared at. Her tongue flicked a few times while she was focusing on trying not to freak out over this. Back to the trees! The trees were safe!

Unless this guy could climb, which was entirely possible.

"I've, um. Heard of you, you see." And they had all been bad things, too, which made the way he was staring at her just that much worse. She could hardly say that, though. Nice to meet you, heard you may be mentally unstable, can I ask you not to flip out and rend me limb from limb? No, that was a bad way to have a conversation.

The emphasized 'You're' made him blink rapidly in succession, as though dragging himself back into the present and his pupils constricted as he lost the vapid stare and focused on the woman's expression. Oh, so she was one of -them- then, to judge by her faulted words and the tension in her face...if he could call that a face anyway...

"I ain't surprised ya heard of me. I seem ta be a popular topic 'round herr," he grunted, flicking some clinging moisture from his whiskers. "Let me guess...I'mma ravin' lunatic who likes ta chomp on jus' 'bout anythin' da crosses ma path, hm? I'd be surprised if ya heard differently. If ya did, then I'd like ta know who said it so I kin set da record straight." He was joking. Sort of. The fangy half-smile he gave her probably didn't help get his sarcasm across.

He certainly didn't counter his self evaluating comment with anything that would prove otherwise. For all appearance, the man looked alert, well aware of his surroundings, and in completely control of his weaponry. The latter being shown as he fell to picking a bit of steak from between his incisor.

"Well," Cassidy admitted. "That is what I've heard, more or less. But people do exaggerate." She was very much trying to cover her tracks, now. "And you're certainly not trying to eat me," oh god please let it stay that way, "so we know that part of the story's wrong."

She smiled faintly. "But I'm not sure I remember who told it to me first, and they were probably only repeating it, too." She wasn't quite that angry with Vasile, after all. "Who knows how rumours get started?"

Jamal at least appreciated her honesty in the first comment. He hated being lied to.

"Yes, peeps do exaggerate...though I suppose there be a lil' truth to a rumor, even if no one wants ta admit it, don't ya agree?" Another fangy smile accompanied this, though there was clear tension about his eyes and his eyes had adopted a hardness to them that was amplified by their ice hue. Other than that, however, he remained as unthreatening as he could be; he made no move to rise from his cross-legged position in the ocean.

Her second comment made him snort. Jamal wasn't even certain if she was edible, though the thought had fleetingly crossed his mind. Even the tiger was confused by Cass, whom it didn't even register as a human being...snakes should NOT be that big around. That long, maybe yes...but...Jamal had no idea what she was capable of with so much muscle in such a tail that she was attached to.

"This place is full of rumors. I guess there ain't much mo' ta do then talk s**t about each other. Or ta ruin lives."

Oh, geez. Jamal was reminding Cassidy more and more of a small-town white guy pretending to be from the ghetto. Vanderhoof had no ghetto, and she certainly could never figure it out when guys she'd gone to school with since kindergarten started talking like they were from Chicago or Detroit or something. Still, at least part of the guy's tough guy act... wasn't an act. She was pretty sure of that.

Apparently, this was what happened to ghetto posers. And she was definitely going to be smart enough to keep her mouth shut on that score.

"I try not to talk s**t about people," she assured him. "How about, I try to forget what I've been told to expect from you, and I'm guessing you haven't heard of me, so we can start from nothing and go from there, and I'll figure out how much of the rumours is truthful?"

Jamal eyed Cass appraisingly in another long pause, clearly trying to figure her out. She wasn't quite like anyone else he'd run into...and luckily for her, he was in a fairly decent mood. She was either very smart or clever at saving her own skin.

"Fair 'nough," he finally agreed as he shifted onto all fours and contented himself with floating, claws dug into the sandy bottom to keep him steady. Luckily the waves weren't bad today. "I prefer ta make ma own impressions anyway. I take it you been herr awhile. Ya know...uh. Cause you ain't got no legs 'n' all dat."

She winced, almost imperceptibly. "Nine months or so. Long enough. But I guess I have a tendency to keep to myself."

Cassidy leaned back into the coils of her tail. Jamal was certainly an intimidating individual, but not nearly as bad as she'd feared. She'd had images some some feral half-man creature running through the jungle, eating whatever happened to cross his path. To be fair, no one had said anything of the sort to her, but after that one night a few weeks back... she wouldn't put anything past anybody, not even herself.

"What about you? You look pretty far along yourself."

"Since Octoba'...so dat's what...seven months? Damn, I didn't think it'd been dat long..."

Jamal looked a little disturbed at this ephiphany, depressed even, but shook it off as quickly as he could. It was much better to not think about how long he'd been here because that in turn made him wonder about his parents and how they had handled his disappearance. For as much as an a*****e as he might seem, his attachment to his family was as real as anyone else's could be.

"I only changed twice," said the tiger man in a more conversational tone, lifting a hand from the water to emphasize the word two by holding said many fingers up. "I wenta real long while b'fo I even changed da first time. I thought they screwed up. Well, they did screw up, but not how I was hopin'." They'd screwed up in giving him a dangerous animal serum, not in giving him a faulty one. "You 'n' Pyroth look like yer pretty close in how much ya changed, I think. Though seems like Pyroth got a lot mo' trouble gettin' 'round then you do. Makes me wonda jus' how far them a*****e docs plan on havin' this go."

Cass bowed her head a little. "I've changed three times. I think Pyroth has, too, though I guess I haven't asked him right out. As far as I know, three times is as much as anyone's changed. But I admit that doesn't mean that's the end." She shrugged carelessly. "As much as I might wish it did."

How many more changes would it take to lose her legs entirely? For that last little bit of unscaled skin to grow over? "I know I could certainly use a few questions answered straight," she said, scowling a little, "but I doubt these doctors know as much as they want us to think they do."

"So then no one really knows what da end is then?...besides da docs, but like ya said, I agree they prolly don't even know what da end is anymo'." Jamal growled deep in his chest at the mention of the staff; that was a topic that was always sure to set him off.

"All them staff peeps do anyway is lie...wouldn't surprise me if they been actin' like they know what's really up when they ain't got the foggiest ********' clue. I ain't trusted a word they got ta say afta' it came out dat da lockout was an exper'ment." Jamal grunted as he finally hauled himself upright, the salt water starting to prune him up as well as making his sensitive nose and tongue twinge irritatingly. He wasn't nude, which was probably a good thing for Cass since he normally had no shame in the matter of being naked, so hopefully she'd be spared any impromptu embarrassment. The jean shorts he was wearing looked sort of weird on his frame though. They looked like they'd been full jeans at one point that had been cut above the knee and either side looked to have had panels of denim roughly and sloppily sewn...possibly to expand the overall size of the shorts. In actuality, it was highly likely they had been a pair of jeans Jamal had snagged from the box in the cafeteria.

"I ain't even sure if da whole thing wit' Aubrey bein' attacked was real," he continued as he plodded onto the shore and tried to swipe some of the excess water off using his hands. "I got half a mind ta think dat was staged 'cause I don't know no one dat hates dat b***h mo' than me 'n' I know I didn't get my hands back on her since da last time I met up wit' her."

Cassidy shrugged. "Well. I haven't seen the evidence myself, but... I don't think it was staged, because I know who did it. Or who they're saying did it, anyway." Her gaze was drifting over Jamal's shorts; something about them was rather familiar, but she was having trouble placing what it was. "And they showed him the photos. He seemed pretty convinced. But hell, it was their fault anyway. You don't want people to go all violent-carnivore on you, don't shoot them full of foreign DNA and hope for the best." Her tongue flickered, vaguely indignant.

"And... I'm sorry. But I have to know. Where did you get those shorts?" She tilted her head.

Jamal's lips curved into a smirk as he adopted a very interested countenance. "So who did it then? I ain't heard a single word 'bout who they figgered tried ta do Aubrey in....I thought somethin' like dat would spread like fire 'round this ********' rock." Jamal also needed to congradulate the individual and smack them around for not doing a better job to ensure the woman would die.

The question about the shorts threw him off his little daydream and he defensively hooked his clawed thumbs over the pockets in the front. Oh great...maybe he hadn't messed with them enough to kill the 'hello, I'm wearing women's jeans!" aura. Maybe it was the low-rise cut.

"I...made 'em. From jeans I found in da cafeteria," he answered slowly, trying to look nonchalant. Maybe she wanted a pair for herself! Except...the woman had no legs or rear to speak of that needed covering.

God dammit, he didn't want to be known as a crossdresser AND a psychopath.

Cassidy shrugged again. "I know how to keep a secret," she said. "His secret, not mine. I'm not saying a word. He's pretty upset about it anyway, if at least partially because Moreau's threatening to kill him if they can't fix their 'mistake.'"

Jeans from the cafeteria?

Wow.

Oh, wow.

She could feel the giggling bubbling up, tried for a moment to stop it, and failed miserably; Cassidy clapped her hands over her mouth and tittered helplessly. "You're wearing my pants," she managed to gasp out. "No wonder they looked familiar."

She tried to cough, tried to disguise it, tried to do anything at all to stop laughing, but without much success. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm okay."

Jamal was about to make a snide comment, about how she had at least narrowed it down those of the male gender, but stopped when the woman started to more or less convulse in laughter. Not a good sign. His manhood was on the line.

The explaination didn't help him feel any less ridiculous, but he steeled himself, gritting his teeth and jutting out his chin obstinately. Jamal had just recently managed to get over the fact they were women's jeans too. Dammit...the other pairs were going to have the waistbands made bigger so he could sag them better so they didn't look so form fitting.

"Well, I ratha' wear women's pants then ask staff fo anythin'," he said stoutly in a weak attempt to bolster his confidence. He had also adopted a persistant whisker twitch all of a sudden. "B'sides, they ain't so bad now dat I changed 'em..."

Part of him wanted to tack on a fervent "Right?" to that statement.

"It's fine, it's fine," Cassidy giggled. "I put them in there so at least somebody would get some use out of them. And hell, they're jeans, it's not like it's a skirt or anything."

She had to pause to catch her breath. The infamous Jamal, running around the jungle in her old jeans! It was too much, really. When she'd dumped that box in the cafeteria, it had never really occurred to her how weird it would be to run into people who were actually wearing her old clothes.

And somehow, she'd always assumed they would be female, but beggers couldn't be choosers.

"They're really hardly recognizable as women's jeans. Really," she assured him. "I won't tell a soul, I swear."

Jamal was stuck between getting mad at her laughter or being appreciative of the fact she had given up her clothing in the first place for him to ruin with his jungle escapades and her vow to keep a secret. He wasn't one to easily trust people though so in the end, all he could was give her a stern stare and put his hands on the hips of his oh-so-stylish shorts.

"I would 'preciate it if you kept it to yo'self...'cause I ain't got no problems wit' you 'n' would prefer it dat way. I think you'd prefer it dat way too."

...he was seriously going to have to revamp his meager sewing abilities to mutate the rest of the pairs into something completely unrecognizable.

"I said I'd keep it a secret, and I meant it," Cassidy said, still trying not to grin. "Just old jeans. I don't think there's any need to make veiled threats or anything."

She shrugged, though she watched Jamal carefully; that last sentence had come out too fast and she wasn't sure how well it'd be taken.

"I'm sorry for laughing, I really am, and this can just be our little secret for the time being, eh?"

"Yes. Jus' old jeans. Good fo' trashin' when I'm climbin' trees," Jamal said in the same stern voice though it was quickly growing obvious that he was pretty uncomfortable about this discovery of his partial cross-dressing. He didn't want there to be any confusion on his masculinity.

"Like I said, I'd 'preciate it if you kept quiet...so that's fine wit' me. I prolly betta get goin' though, since it appears I still got some messin' 'round da to wit' these things." He picked idly at a belt loop, a grimace on his face.

Ah. He did climb trees. Something worth remembering.

"Okay," Cassidy agreed. "Good luck with that. And really, not a soul." She waved a hand vaguely. "I suppose I got stuff to get to, myself."

With this, she straightened herself out, and began her awkward slither across the sand.

"Really nice meeting you, though. See you round."

Jamal watched her go, apprehension taking over the stony expression on his face. Lovely. Just ******** lovely. He managed a choked "Bye" before he turned and stalked up the beach, shaking the remaining water from his arms and hands as he went.

...he was going to be known as a crossdressser by the end of this week, he was sure. Between him in Antony's robe and him wearing Cassidy's jeans...it was all over.

Cassidy was just on her way out of the cafeteria, clutching a small paper plate with a large cut of meat on it, nice and rare. She had every intention of taking this back to her duplex and consuming it in relative privacy, as she usually took her meals these days.

She paused just outside, tasting the air. The weather was, despite everything else, maddeningly nice.

Angelina was on her way in, stopping and blinking as she saw Cassidy. She had seen her around the village before, but it was still a strange sensation. Turn a corner and WHAM - giant snake monster. And she still couldn't skake this.. almost guilty feelings whenever she saw someone very far gone. Like a form of suvivor's guilt or something. Everytime someone looked at her with their animal-eyes a part of her cringed, wondering if they somehow resented her for her normalcy.

She mentally shook herself off. "Hi! Uhm, Cassidy, isn't it?" Angelina gave a smile and held out a hand.

"Ah, yes. It is. Angelina?" Cass took the proffered hand and shook it carefully with her free hand. Every time she saw Angelina, as rare as those occassions were, she expected new fur, or scales, or feathers, or... well, something. It was sort of refreshing to see someone stay human, if a little shaming. "How are you doing?"

"Yes, Angelina." She shook the hand. "I'm okay. Just..looking for something to do. I swear I'm going crazy here without the internet." She chuckled and shook her head. Her eyes went to her plate, curiously.

"I know the feeling. I need a hobby, myself." Cassidy cleared her throat nervously as she caught Angelina's gaze. "This is, um. My supper, I guess. I was going to go... well, it'd probably freak people out if I ate it in front of them. I mean, it freaks me out quite enough." She shrugged, trying to downplay just how much it bothered her. "I guess it's... kind of a weird diet, though."

Angelina shook her head. "Oh, I've gotten used to it. You should see Ambrose eat... its crazy." She tried to sound as supportive as possible. "Do you eat it whole? I'm actually kind of curious. I had pet snakes at home... I miss 'em."

"Um." The bit of scaleless skin on Cass's face flushed slightly. Interest in her odder habits was not something she had ever encountered before. "I do eat it whole. No molars anymore."

And then the other half of that finally hit home. "Pet snakes? On purpose?" She could not stifle a faint shudder.

Angelina nodded. "Yeah. Corn snakes." She tilted her head. "You're afraid of snakes? Still? That can't be easy for you."

"Not as bad as I was." Cass nervously tapped the edge of her plate. "I mean, I used to freeze up and panic if I saw a picture of a snake... I don't do that anymore. And I can mostly handle my reflection in the morning. But real snakes still give me the creeping horrors."

"Really?" She thought for a second. "Have you ever heard of corn snakes. They're really cute. I mean... you're looking at me like I'm crazy - but they are!" She smield, remember her "babies." They're really colorful. And they have these big eyes and smooth faces. They almost look like fish, ya k now? They don't have thebig pits on their faces, or the diamond shaped or anything."

The idea of liking snakes was a very alien concept to Cassidy, but Angelina certainly seemed sincere enough. "I've heard of corn snakes," she said slowly. "Those are those orange ones, aren't they? They're not poisonous?"

"Yeah, most are orange. With red and black patterns. They're really pretty! White bellies, very vibrant. Like .. when all the tree leaves turn in fall. And nope, harmless as kittens. They're really laid back and they learn to respond to their owners." An idea was forming in her head as she watched for Cass's reaction.

"Really?" This was a lot more than Cassidy had ever credited to a snake, and she was clearly a little doubtful on the subject. "But... they're..." She shook her head. At least she knew from personal experience that snakes weren't actually slimy. "Weird," she settled on.

Cassidy stared. "I could... ask... for a snake." This was a baffled statement, not a question. "And... I'd have to feed it... what, little mice and things? And..." She put a hand against her head. "What if it got out oh god."

Well, she had been thinking about finding herself a hobby. This hadn't really been what she'd had in mind.

Logically, she knew that phobias were treated with desensitization, and she'd already had a certain degree of that, herself. Actually having a pet snake was a huge step, but if she could do that... maybe she wouldn't lose her mind. "But I don't know how to look after a snake," she said at last. "I'd kill it."

"I could help!" Angie offered quickly. "Really, its insanely easy. You just have to make sure they have water and feed 'em like... once a week. Corns would be fine in this weather without much help." She looked excited about the prospect now. "And I could feed it, you know, if you didn't want to watch at first." She knew most people were uncomfortable with feeding a pet another cute animal, but most people eventually got curious and come to terms with it. "And if you =really= can't handle it.. I could take it."

"You'd help? Really? Because I don't think I could do something like that by myself. Maybe later. But not yet." Cassidy was, slowly, beginning to be intrigued by the idea, although it was still overshadowed with intense apprehension. "You think they'd actually give me a snake? I guess I never actually got to touch the money from that one paycheck..."

"yeah, I'd love to!" Angeina said happily. "And its okay... its normal to be scared at first. Especially if you're frightening. But I think it would help, you know. Being around one, seeing it every day. Hell, you'll probably even grow attatched to it."

She shrugged. "I dunno for sure. But I mean, they've given people iPods and XBoxes. Corn snakes dont cost very much. You should probably ask Aubrey, she's the nicest one."

"Well, I don't think I could ask Moreau himself, and Duvert just... he's kind of weird." Cass shrugged vaguely. "I'll think about it, I guess. It's not something I'd want to do on a whim. I wouldn't get a cat or a dog on a whim, after all. Besides, I'd really need to work myself up to it."

Angelina nodded. "Well I can help if you have any questions. Maybe you could read up on them in the books, too. Though stay away from venomous snakes. Some of those look pretty scarey."

Cass shuddered. "And they can kill you, which is way too much. Too much." She shook her head. "I'll look," she promised. "And I'll think about it. And I'll find you if I need you." Oh, good lord. She wasn't actually seriously considering this, was she? She was. Oh, christ, she was. She'd lost her mind.

"Awesome!" she exclaimed. "Well, I'll leave you to eat then. I don't have to watch if it makes you uncomfortable." She gave an understanding nod.

With a small, thankful smile, Cass started to turn away. "Thanks, Angelina. I really will think about this." She began her awkward slither towards her duplex, puzzling this new idea out.

Angelina waved, then continued into the cafeteria to get herself something to eat.

RP Log

The sun was going to set soon, and Newt figured he deserved a break. He hadn't bothered dropping off his broom to his duplex after he had been busy sweeping out the work out room just befor, so he had stuck it in the sand by it's handle to keep it's bristles free. He never really had spent much time at the beach, and was thouroughly enjoying it. His socks and boots were left with the broom, the legs of his coveralls rolled up to his boney knees so he could get his ankles wet. It really was a wonderfull island, wasn't it?

The weather was wonderful, true enough, and Cass had come down out of the trees, despite the vague alertness she seemed to often get this time of day.

Today was one of those evenings, and she had the feeling she wouldn't be able to get to sleep for a long time, yet. Best to make to most of it, she supposed, and a walk... slither... whatever down the beach was as good a way to spend the evening as any.

What on earth was that, stuck in the sand?

Cass tilted her head a moment, spying the figure at the water's edge, trying to see if she recognized him. She took a gamble. "Um, hey! Hi, there!"

Newt flinched, but didn't move his legs as he turned to look at the source of the voice. At the sight of the monster near his broom, though, he gave a sharp yelp, staggering backward only to step on a shell and land in the shallow waves with a salty splash.

Cass clapped her hands over her mouth. "Sorry!" she yelped. "Sorry! I didn't mean to sneak up on you!" She hedged a moment, wondering if it was better to come offer aid, or just hang back and be non-threatening. "I thought you... oh, I'm sorry!"

He scrambled to his feet in the water, the coveralls fairly wet now as he managed to stand again, "I'm s-sorry!" He cried at about the same time as her own please for forgiveness, "I'm t-ter-ter-ter-terribly s-sorry! I h-hadn't... I had... ah... y-you had... I m-mean... n-nothing against... y-you j-just... st-startled me..." It was another islander, and the strangest looking one he had seen yet!

"It's okay, really," Cassidy insisted. She was getting used to this sort of conversation; she seemed to having it over and over again. "My fault, I'm sorry. Really. Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you? Oh, geez. I really am sorry... maybe I should go?"

"Ah... ah... n-no, I'm j-just... j-just a l-little wet," He laughed nerviously, flicking his arms off as he wobbled to the much dryer sand.

"I really am sorry," Cass said again. "I assumed that I knew you... my fault. I'm, er, Cassidy."

At least she could guess that he wasn't entirely innocent of the island, if he was taking it this well after the initial shock. "Are you, um, new?"

"Ah... s-sort of," He smiled using his spare rag he had shoved into one of his boots to dry his face. Indeed he seemed almost too at ease talking to the snake woman for a stranger to the island, "I w-was j-just taking a b-break befor f-finding something for din-din-din-dinner."

"Dinner's not a bad idea," Cass said, watching him carefully. He really was taking this well. "Though you might want to think about a fresh change of clothes, first..." She peered at his damp coveralls a moment before her brain managed to put two-and-two together. Cass pointed at the logo on the man's pocket, sputtered a moment, and finally managed, "Sort of?! You work for them!" Forgetting of course, that long ago, so had she.

"Ah..." despite her look of exhasperation, he looked proud of himself, "I s-sure do! P-past few years I've been wor-wor-wor-wor-working up at the labs! Y-you sh-should... f-first hand know wh-what... wh-what remarkable w-work they do!" He was no doctor, but he was interested. Feral Labs was working to help people, afterall. All these subjects were nothing but the embodyment of progress, and Newt did what little he could to help.

"... yes?" Cass tilted her head, and briefly forgot to not let her tongue flick out; out it came in a flash. She lowered her arm. This was not the response she had expected. "Are you, um, one of the doctors?" She was guessing not. Doctors didn't usually wear coveralls. But you never knew. Enthusiastic responses to accusations always threw her off.

At that, the tall, gangly scarecrow of a man seemed to crumple, slouching down in his usual nervious posture as he scratched at his head in an embarassed fashion, trying to hide his blush, "Er... w-well... ah... n-not as... as... such... I'm er... m-maitenence and... ah... c-custodial assistance..."

Cass stared at him for a moment, and began to laugh. Not unkindly; it was the relieved sort of laughter that came after a surge of adrenaline. "So was I. So was I, once. Oh, lord." She rubbed her forehead. "Residential, rather than labs... all a farce, though."

His face lit up, "R-really? I've n-never heard of a c-cassie befor on any of the t-teams... Oh, I'm N-newton b-by the way," He fumbled with his rag befor offering her a hand. Granted, he had generally been the man responcible for unclogging the laboratory's toilettes when there had been trouble. Someone had to do the dirty work, and unfortunatly there was a lot, leaving him little time to actually get out and around. His timid nature had made his social interaction even more sparce, leaving him inclined to believe anything. Even the farce his own beloved company had invented when it was clearly presented as such.

"Cass, or Cassidy, please. Not Cassie." Cass shook Newton's hand gingerly, still feeling rather baffled with the whole conversation. "Well, to tell the truth, I was only cleaning the duplexes for a couple of weeks after I first arrived. They, um. Sort of forgot to tell me that they really were more interested in turning me into... this, than having me work for them." She frowned a little. "I sulked for a while, and then the stairs got hard..."

Newt blushed at his own blunder, and couldn't help but twitch slightly at the feeling of her scaled, feathered hand in his, "Ah... I'm s-sorry, er... M-miss C-c-c-cassidy... I m-misheard...." He swallowed, eager to change the subject, "W-well, Ah... I've b-been here for er... y-years as I said and ah... w-well, th-this is my f-first time in the v-village, r-really! It's b-been exhausting! And n-no one's even n-needed me to fix anything j-just yet. I p-put a n-notepad on my d-door, by the way... if anyone n-needs anything I mean... er... y-you or... anyone... ah... j-just... leave me a n-note and I'll... y-yes..." he trailed off, fidgeting self conciously.

"Don't worry too much about the name. Just a personal preference." Cass had really only corrected him automatically, but it was not nice to see him blush over it. "Well, I manage most of my own cleaning, but if anything breaks, I might have to ask for help."

She'd swear that she used to introduce herself in a similar way, back in the day. Hi, I'm here to clean, don't hesitate to ask. Although she'd stuttered less. Oh, geez, the poor guy. She really hoped he wasn't going to end up like her. It sure sounded like he was a legitimate employee.

At the sound of her sounding interested in his help at least, even if she didn't have anything for him just then, he perked up slightly, "I'm b-best with electronics- I'm a b-bit clumsy, I admit b-but.. ah... I g-get th-the job d-done! They j-just moved me into n-number F-fifty two the other d-day, actually, so y-you don't have to go far!" He gave her an overbitten smile, green eyes trembling, as though yerning for her praise.

"Well, I'm awful at electronics, so that's probably a good thing." Cass smiled slightly. "Fifty-two? I'll remember that. I'm in number three. I've been around a while." If he had a duplex, it was not a good sign for him. Oh, dear.

"N-number th-three! You have b-been here a while, ahven't you?" He laughed weakly, "W-well, I w-would assume s-since y-you luh-" He cut off, clearing his throat. He didn't want to be impolite.

Cassidy winced a little, involuntarily. "Since I look like this? True enough." She forced herself to smile, trying to show there were no hard feelings. "I'm used to it. But I still shouldn't be sneaking up on people unawares."

"Oh, it... w-wasn't your fault," He blushed, tucking his rag into his back pocket for safe keeping, "I w-was er... b-busy s-sinking."

"Sinking?" Cass glanced over at the water's edge. "On purpose?" She had to suppose it was fairly muddy, but that seemed like an odd passtime.

"N-no, I m-mean... wh-when you s-stand in the s-sand and... y-you know... as the w-waves come in, y-you... er... s-sink," He glanced down at his bare, skinny, curly black hair-covered legs and sandy toes in an embarassed fashion.

Cass found herself staring at Newt's toes in a certain degree of confusion, and a vague memory of the occasional childhood trip out to the coast came to her. "I think I know what you mean," she said at last, smiling.

"T-today's m-my... f-first r-real t-trip to a b-beach... " He glanced up at the pink and orange streaked sky, wiping his sandy hands on his damp front, "N-not m-much of a s-swimmer and I d-don't exactly have a s-suit... so ah... y-yes, I n-noticed it happening wh-when I w-was standing th-there and... ah... let it... c-continue. Untill y-you startled me, I m-mean... I w-was up to my ankles!"

"The ocean was hours and hours away from where I grew up." Cass straightened a little. "I still get a little bit of a kick from the salt smell." Her tongue flickered where someone a little more human might've inhaled.

He flinched at the sight of the tongue, but remained polite, "The b-beaches n-near where I g-grew up w-were t-too cold to enjoy l-like th-this... and t-too pebbly.... and f-foggy..." He gave a little chuckle, "B-but... th-the s-sun sets here s-sure are b-beautiful."

She nodded. "They are. I'll give them that. They sure know how to pick an island." Cassidy stretched a little, her feathers fluffing. "I think I'm going to head back to my duplex, Newt, but maybe I'll see you around. Good luck," she added.

He gave her an awkward smile, bending to pick up his boots and his broom, "Ah... it w-was v-very n-nice m-meeting you, M-miss C-cassidy. If y-you ever n-need anything, f-feel free to ask!"

"I'll keep it mind," Cass promised, and with a small wave, she turned to head back towards the village in her slow, slithery way.

RP Log - AIM

Cassidy was coiled on the couch in the entertainment room, pouring over a book she'd selected from the shelf. It was one of the many animal books that had been ever so helpfully supplied, one on snakes commonly kept as pets. She had been reading the chapter on corn snakes for some time, but most of the time, she kept her hand over the pictures. You had to do this sort of thing in little steps, she told herself.

She was really more-or-less oblivious to everything else.

Vasile breezed into the room, a happy hum gently purring in his throat. He walked right past Cass and to the magazine shelf where he returned the ones he had finished and began to pick through the new ones. He was looking well, better groomed than perhaps even normal. He tossed his hair over his shoulder, selected the most recent E.W. zine they had available, and turned to hop back towards his room. As he turned, he caught sight of Cass and made a little startled noise. Not so much because of the giant snake on the couch, though that was something he never was sure he would ever get used to seeing, but mostly because he was unaware of anyone else in the room.

With a startled tongue-flick, Cass looked up to determine the source of that funny sound and discovered.... oh, hell. "Um. Hello." While she had certainly needed to talk to Vasile, and was really meaning to get around to that any day now, she'd sort of been hoping to have the situation on her terms. Somone's terms, anyway, and not just a random encounter. She cleared her throat. "How're you doing?" That seemed safe enough.

Vasile turned pale as a sheet under his fur, looking surprised and embarassed...and mostly taken off guard. "H...hi Cass.." he said after a moment. He scratched the fur of his arm. "I'm...doing okay, I guess," he lied. He was actually doing rather well, all things considered, but didn't want to go into that with Cass right now. "Hey, uhm.. I've been meaning to talk to you...

"Me, too." Cass closed the book, her hand still carefully over the cover. "I think I might've said some really stupid things. Last time. When... you know." Oh, it wasn't fair! He was still so cute. And gay. And she was so not, on both counts. But don't think of that; it wouldn't help. "I wasn't... really fair."

Vasile swallowed and nodded every so slightly. "You..handled it as well as could be expected," he admitted, walking slowly over and looking at a spot on the couch, asking with his eyes if it would be okay for him to sit down.

Cassidy shifted a little on the couch to make room. "I don't know about that. It's... not your fault, right? I'm sorry, if I said anything really nasty. I am. Really." She drummed her fingers on the book. "I should know better than that. I'm not a complete small-town hick."

Vasile twisted the magazine over in his hands. "I don't see... er, how it could be my fault. I mean.. I wouldn't have chosen this.. not when I was, well, happy." He looked at her briefly, then back to the magazine. "I just figured.. it was a shock. And, I'm sure it probably sounded like some lame excuse... but I really think...at the very least I really really hope I'm not .. that person anymore."

Cass looked at him carefully, trying not to let her tongue flick, as it tended to do when she was confused. Or curious, or any variety of other emotional states. "'That person'?" she repeated. "What do you mean?"

Vasile shrugged. "I'm not going to deny there was a time in my life that I wouldn't even consider dating a person.." he looked over Cass and hesitated. "I mean.. if they weren't like something you'd find in a magazine I wasn't interested. I'm...really not like that anymore."

Ah. Even if she tried to avoid reading the tabloids even by accident, Cass was still aware of at least some of the typical headlines. She shook her head. "Well, you certainly don't find people like us in magazines. I guess it's good to be, um." The term she was thinking was 'not shallow,' but that seemed rather nasty. "More open-minded."

Vasile nodded again. "I really dont' want you thinking your appearance had anything to do with.. how I am now. I mean.. I don't know if there's a way I could proove it to you. If there was. I would.."

"Let's just say I believe you, okay?" Cass waved a hand vaguely. "You can't really prove it short of hooking up with someone equally freakish, and even then, well, there's room for debate. So I'll take it on faith." She'd been certainly trying to, anyway, and that had to count for something.

Vasile swallowed. "It.. it would mean a lot to me if you did believe me." He was quiet for a moment. "I miss you." He let that hang there for a moment, frowing. "I mean, as a friend. I never stopped liking you. Its just...you know. Things changed."

Cassidy found herself, ridiculously enough, wishing she had eyelids so that she could close her eyes and have an excuse to not look at Vasile and not seem too obvious about it. She settled for rubbing her forehead thoughtfully, obscuring her eyes that way. "We had good times," she agreed. "I... I don't have any regrets. I hope you don't. I think I'd rather have you as a friend than go on avoiding you." Oh, hell. She hadn't meant to admit that.

Vasile's ears both pricked up at that. "Really?" He couldn't help but let a happy smile play on his lips. "No, I don't regret anything... except hurting you. Yeah.. yeah I do regret."

Cass shook her head, smiling a little. She lowered her hand back to rest it on the book. "Well. Thank you. I appreciate that thought, I guess."

Vasile nodded. "Have things... been going okay for you? I mean.. I know you probably don't it.. but if you need help with something or .. something." He started over. "What I'm saying, is I'd still like to be your friend, too. I don't want to have to avoid you or anything."

"Peace treaty, then. Fine." Cass smiled, and inhaled slowly. "Things are okay, I guess. Nothing special. I don't know if there's anything you can help me with. Angelina's somehow got me half-convinced to ask the staff for a pet snake, and I think one of the other guys here is actually turning into a snake himself and that freaks me out. Sort of dull." And yet stressful. "I appreciate the offer, though. You're doing okay?"

"A pet snake.. that sounds interesting.. you think it might.. help?" A frown tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Another snake.." he paused. "Maybe you could.. help him? At least..warm him?" He shrugged smally. "I'm doing okay," he said with a definative nod. There was obviously something more to that statement, but he held it back.

"I guess a pet snake might help. She said she'd help... and I tried! Thom was still pretty... stressed, last I saw him." Cass shook her head; the idea of having to deal with a giant mutant snake apart from the one in her mirror was not pleasant. "Just okay? Nothing interesting going on?"

Vasile couldn't help but let a smile turn at the corner of his mouth. "Well... I suppose you can say that. Interesting is one way to put it." His ears burned a bit. "There's been a lot of... thinking, and . I guess you could call is self-discovery that has come along with... well, you know. What Moreau did to me."

Cass nodded, trying to be as understanding as she could. If she was going to forgive Vasile, she was going to do her damndest. "At least you get that silver lining with the whole deal, right?"

Vasile shrugged. "I don't....know if I would call it that. At best... I'm trying my hardest to just...deal with this s**t. You know what they day.. when life gives you lemons..."

"True." Cass had to suppose it would be a bad idea to press Vasile too much; he'd get to whatever he wanted to say in his own time. At least, she certainly hoped he would. "What've you been thinking about?"

Vasile shrugged. "Just trying to figure out my place now... I mean... I'm not used to... "he motioned with his hands, "a lot of the thoughts and feelings I've had to deal with. I've been trying to deal wit them. Figure out... what I want, I suppose. Or if its even attainable."

"Maybe," Cass said. "And if not, maybe not now, but later. I don't know. I wish I had an answer for you, but you generally don't get answers from other people when it comes to soul-searching."

"No, unfortunately." He shook his head and shrugged. "I've never had to deal with... crushing on guys. Especially guys I reckon are, well straight." He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, this is probably... too weird, huh>"

"Just a little," she admitted. Oh, geez. Cass hadn't even realised it was possible to feel this jealous. "But it's okay. I take it there's someone you're... um... interested in?"

Vasile shrugged and nodded slightly.

Wondering if she even wanted to know, Cass tried, "Is he, um, nice? Anyone I might've met?"

"He's very nice. I don't know if you would have met him..he's fairly new." He opened his mouth to continue, but forced himself to stop. "Uhm.. . I don't know if I could go on. For your sake, or his. I don't know if he's... erm, well you know?"

Greatly relieved, Cass nodded. "I suppose I probably don't want to accidentally spill your crushes to anyone. My lips are sealed, and doubly so if I don't actually know anything."

Vasile gave her a thankful smile. "Anyway.. heh, I'm just glad to be talking to you."

"Yeah, me too." Cass smiled back. This was... painful, but it was better than nothing. She could be forgiving.

"So..." he finally set the magazine he was fidgeting with down. "Anything else you want, or need to say to me? Ask me? I mean.. closure, or whatever?"

"I think I said what I needed to say. Just that I'm sorry for saying things without thinking, and I do want to be friends, if we can." Cass shrugged. "A place like this... it's a little hard to avoid someone for very long, after all."

"Yes it is. And ..I don't want to. I wish you nothing but the best, Cass. I know things have been.. really hard for you. And I hate the fact that I've.. contributed to that."

"Well." She fidgeted a bit. "Don't feel too guilty, okay? I'll manage. So'll you."

"I'll do my best," he said, trying to give her a sincere smile

"Me, too." Cassidy slithered off the couch in one slow, incredibly awkward movement. "I'll see you around. I guess no one'll mind if I borrow this." She waved the book and turned towards the door.

Vasile stepped off the couch and in a fluid motion, wrapped him arms around her from behind and gave her a quick, but full hug. He hoped she didn't take it the wrong way... but he hoped, in some small way, he could proove to her (or himself) that he wasn't replushed by her presence/

Cassidy laughed, quietly. She squirmed around and hugged Vasile back, just as quick. "Thanks," she said. "I needed that." Not enough people hugged her these days, it seemed.

"Welcome," he said with a wag of his fluffy tail. "See you around."

"Yeah. I'll see you." Still smiling, Cassidy turned back to the door and slithered off, borrowed book tucked under one wing.

RP Log

Cassidy was stretched out on the sofa, just a length of tail all over the cushions, nose buried in a book. It was one of her own, but she'd needed a change of scenery from her duplex or her favourite trees, and this seemed as good a place as any.

Even if last time she'd run into Vasile. Well, that wasn't so bad.

Avery walked with Timothy towards the entertainment room, wanting to see if he could get Tim to play some multi-player video games with him. He was getting tired of playing them by himself, and Avery had decided today seemed like a nice day to snuggle up in front of the TV for some game playing with his boyfriend.

He grinned at Timothy, tail wagging behind him as he pushed open the door - and stopped suddenly in his tracks when he saw the snake woman lounging on the couch. It took him a moment to realize who it was, and then relaxed. "Hey, Cass!" he greeted happily, trying to hide the fact that she had startled him just a moment before.

Timothy tagged along with a decent smile across his face. He didn't mind being dragged out by Avery lately. But he'd never been the video gaming type. Well not since he was younger.

He'd given up video games when he'd gotten into music. Hadn't had time, but now well it didn't matter so much. He snuggled with Avery during the walk when he noticed Cassidy.

"Ummm...oh..." Timothy shrugged and waved. He didn't know this person but she was defintly odd. He looked at the feathers that went down the arms. He noticed Avery greeting her as 'Cass' and didn't want to be rude. "I'm Timothy." He offered his hand as a gesture of greeting.

Cass peered up, and guiltily squished herself up the couch to take up a little less space. It would seem that this was not a good place to read without being interrupted. "Er. Hi Avery." She smiled faintly and set her bookmark in between the pages and the book on what could be called her lap.

She stretched over to shake Timothy's hand. He looked almost skunky... well, there were stranger animals to be turned into. "Nice to meet you. I'm Cassidy." He was taking it refreshingly well! This was good, especially if he really was a skunk.

"Errr, sorry, didn't mean to interrupt," Avery said when he noticed her book - although he didn't give her a chance to say if they had been interrupting or not, and sat down on the couch once she had made room. He looked a little surprised when Timothy and Cass greeted each other. "So you guys haven't met before? It seemed like you both have been here for a while and all..." But when he thought about it, Avery was meeting new people all the time - changed and not.

"Nope... but when I got here I was kind of... reclusive." Timothy really still was, except around Avery. "That was before meeting you and all." Timothy turned back to Cassidy a sly smirk on his face.

"Hey Cassidy..." Timothy said in greeting, but finding himself interested in Avery's statement. "How long have you been here? If it's okay to ask?"

"I can be pretty reclusive, too," Cass admitted. "I'm sure there's lots of people I haven't met." She folded her hands on her book, attempting to look non-threatening.

She took in Timothy's glance to Avery without comment. Hadn't Avery mentioned, with surprising openness, being bisexual...? Were they...? Uh, wow.

"I guess I've been here about ten months." Her forehead creased slightly. "Which I think is almost as long as anyone has been around. I could be wrong, though. Too long, anyway."

Ten months... Avery chewed on his lower lip a little as he thought. He knew he hasn't been here nearly that long, but... he wasn't sure exactly how long he actually has been here. It felt like he had no sense of time sometimes; if it weren't for the clocks, he would be really lost. What day was today? Wednesday? Saturday? What month was it? He had no idea anymore - he wished Dr. Frost would give him the calendar she promised soon.

"That's a pretty damn long time... I haven't been really keeping track of how long I've been here. I have no idea," he shrugged. "Guess it doesn't really matter though."

"About nine myself... I think. Small island for us not to have met each other by now though. Avery's right." He shrugged and gave a smile. He leaned up against the couch.

"I really hope we aren't impossing too much." he shrugged getting nervous again. "We could leave." he wanted to be nice. But he had to admit himself that Cassidy's appearance was bizarre. The worst thing he'd had to deal with was Joliette with a few scales.

Cassidy looked surprised. "That long? Wow. I guess I really do need to get out more." She shook her head. "I think I might've been keeping better track that some people. But I have to know..."

She looked up abruptly. "You're not imposing. It's a public room. I wasn't doing much." She shrugged. "Although I can leave if I make you nervous, because hell, I make myself nervous. I mean, I can read anywhere. It's okay. Really, it is."

"Nah, you can stay if you want! Hey, maybe you could even join us? We were going to play some video games - I'm sure they've got a three player game around here somewhere we could play." Avery glanced up at Timothy and smiled, leaning his head against him a bit.

"Or we could do something else. Like... um... a movie?" he suggested.

"No, you don't make me nervous. The feathers are pretty..." Timothy felt dumb as soon as he said it. Atleast he'd tried to make it a compliment.

"I'm up for anything but... just nothing sappy." Timothy looked around the room his eyes dwindling over the Guitar Freaks game. It wasn't three player, but it looked neat to him.

Of course, he wasn't going to make the decision. Plus he didn't want to exclude their new friend.

"Either's okay by me. Although I suspect most of the three-player games are going to be, um. You know, first person shooters." Cassidy laughed a little. "I don't know about you, but I'm not very good at those."

She smiled rather shyly at Timothy. Any sort of compliment was definitely appreciated these days. "I guess I hadn't thought of them that way, but thank you."

"Oh, yeah, that's a good point," Avery said, wrinkling his nose. He didn't like first person shooters. "I suck at those too. Well movie it is then!" He stood up off the couch and went over to the shelves, looking over the DVDs. "Er... what kind of movie do you guys like? I'm not really in the mood for sappy, either."

He had noticed that Timothy was eyeing the Guitar Freaks game, but he knew it wasn't multi-player. He would just come here with Tim later so they could play it.

Timothy reached and grabbed Kinsey off the shelf. "It's got Liam Niesan? You know... Qui Gon Jinn guy." he shrugged. He hadn't seen it, it looked interesting though and the cover mentioned talking about sex.

"What do you think guys?" Timothy held the movie up for them both to see. He read the back while they looked it over.

"Well, I like Liam Neeson," Cass said doubtfully. Qui Gon had only been just about the best part of The Phantom Menace. "I don't think I've heard of that movie, though. I guess I'm game. What's it about? Not mushy?"

She was really not in the mood for romance.

"Really, I mostly watch science fiction. And the odd comedy."

"I haven't heard of that either, but I'm all for Liam Neeson," Avery agreed with a grin. "If it's not sappy, I say just pop in the DVD and we can be surprised!" He settled back down on the couch next to Cassidy, leaving room on his other side for Timothy to sit down.

Timothy looked at the back briefly. "Says he plays a scientist studying human sexuality." Timothy shrugged and dropped the DVD into the player. Then he sat back and taking the remote, skipped the menu and hit play.

Timothy snuggled up with Avery and sat back to enjoy the movie...

RP Log - AIM

The sun seemed more dazzling today than he could ever picture it, and yet if that meant that the temperature was worse, Ambrose hadn't noticed despite his thick coat. He wasn't just walking from place to place, he was virtually prancing. The wind was in his fur and he he closed his eyes (and managed not to run into a tree, building, or some other unforgiving large structure) he could have almost deceived himself into the notion that he was flying.

He couln't think of a moment on this island where he had been happier. Hell, he would be hard pressed to think of any moment he had been happier. Things were finally starting to really work out... wonderfully.

Ambrose had made another trip back out to the beach to gather up the torches and ice chest to return to the village.

Cassidy was in a slightly more sober mood, but still fairly content; she was on her way back to her duplex after a leisurely trip through the jungle, which had been interrupted by a nap in one of her favourite trees. It had been a slow, quiet day, as most of her days seemed to be, and since she hadn't eaten yet today, that was on her list of things to do.

As she came into the village itself, though, she paused briefly, and hurried forward inher slightly lurching manner. "Ambrose?" she called, after matching the scent with a name. After all day by herself, she was maybe a bit starved for company. "Hey! Ambrose!"

Ambrose paused, turning with pricked ears to see his old friend. "Cassidy!" He smiled, trotting over to her and juggling the objects in his arms to free up a hand to clap her on the shoulder.

"How have you been?" He queried with a wag. "I haven't seen you in a bit."

"I suppose not." Cass grinned in her subtle way. "I shouldn't be such a hermit, I guess. But I've been... mostly okay." Except for.... things. Yes. Okay, no bad-mouthing Vasile behind his back, not even a little bit.

Her tongue flicked curiously. "What about you? What've you been up to?"

His head gave a sympathetic tilt as she spoke. "Things..? Well, you shouldln't be a hermit. It tends to just mire you in whatever is getting you down."

At her querty, however, he couldn't keep the toothy grin from his face. "Well... me? I ... uhm..." His tail began to wag. "I.... I proposed to Angelina last night!" His chest puffed out with pride. It wasn't hard to tell that he was looking for a way to work that into the conversation.

"I know, I know. But sometimes it's very tempting." She looked a little shamefaced.

However, this quickly melted away into absolute glee. "You prosposed? Really?" Cassidy clasped her hands together, let out a brief, girlish giggle. "That's just about the best thing I've heard in a long time! When is the wedding? She did say yes, right?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! I know It's crazy, isn't it?" His face was lit up and he couldn't keep the sheer joy from his eyes. "Yes! She said yes! And... the wedding...? I.... I don't know!" He laughed, still smiling. "We will have to talk about it - but I had already talked to Father Stewart - and he's willing to wed us - and... at the very least you'll be invited!"

Father Stewart? Oh yes. The Catholic priest who'd mistaken her for a leper. Cass had to wonder how he was doing. "I'd love to come," Cass said, on the verge of gushing. "You just let me know when. You won't be able to keep me away!" She laughed, her mood clearly elevated a few notches already. "Is there anything I can do to help out?"

"You won't be forgotten!" He beamed. "And, well, quite possibly! We haven't even spoken about details yet.

"But... however it turns out, I'm sure it will be great! ... I hope." He tacked on sheepishly. "So... I mean... what have you been up to..?" Ambrose asked, not even thinking how much he might be wedging his foot into his mouth.

Cassidy winced a little. "Really not a lot. I... have no idea if you've heard, but... Vasile's... discovered he's gay, so I'm single now." Oh, wait. Outing people was bad. Think, girl, before you opened your big mouth. "And that's really the only big news I have... since I haven't asked about that pet snake thing Angelina came up with."

Ambrose opened and closed his mouth, eyes widening. "oh - OH! Oh crap.. I'm sorry." He winced, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. He knew that. Why didn't he think about that?? Vasile himself had old him.

"No... I did know... Vasile told me actually. That was a rather... interesting conversation. But I'm sorry.... that.. that must have been a difficult conversation. For both of you, I'd imagine. I know that last we talked about it he felt crummy about it all with you."

"And... yes! ANgelina mentioned the snake thing - I bet that would be really good for you. I mean.... I never exactly thought about snakes as ... well.... pet-material, but she had one back home, and it was actually pretty neat."

"Well, I think we've more-or-less made up. Although I was avoiding him for a while, and I think I was kind of an a** about it." Cass's shoulders slumped. "I guess there are worse things to happen. I'll live."

She gave Ambrose a rather guarded look. "I'm sure a snake would be good for me. But it still grosses me out, to tell you the truth. But Thom... he's pretty sure that he's turning into some sort of snake, too... and.... oh god, that's..." She shook her head. "I can't be terrified of other people for something like that."

"That.... sort of thing is always hard. I mean... at least it's not anything either of you did... I ... things were really tough between me and Emelyn for some time after.... Angelina wound up here. I still feel bad about how all of that worked out. But at least we've been on friendly terms again recently..... the few times I run into her. But I still get the feeling, well.... she and Angelina..." He shrugged.

His eyes widened, however, at the mention of Thom. This was news he had not heard. "Thom..? Really? A snake? Oh man..." He winced. "I mean... he's a socce- well... football player for God's sake! Is he goign to lose his feet? And... even though your own... I mean... so they still.... frighten you...?"

Cass shook her head. "There's not enough of us around here to make a bad breakup easy," she pointed out.

"And I don't know what's going to happen to Thom... He's got no toes, so if he is a snake, he seems to be going through it, well, better than I did." She shrugged vaguely. "And yes, I realise it's completely stupid for me to be scared of snakes, or snake mutants, or anything, but... phobias are very rarely logical. And I guess I really ought to do something so I don't have to just... avoid him."

He nodded.... "That's one of the many downsides to being trapped on an island with a group of people who are likewise trapped. You can't easily avoid someone on a more permanent basis. And even if you can, there's overlapping circles of friends..." He gesticuated awkwardly.

"Kind of forces you alogn to coping, even if you don't want to. But... I mean... at least, I think you both are good people... and again, I... ah... I've spoken with him a few times recently - he... he's certainly not lying about the gay thing.." He scratched the back of his head nervously.

He nodded. "It... really isn't fair what they paired you with... animal-wise" He murmured.

"I can be civil to Vasile," Cassidy said, rather solemnly. "At the very least, I can do that. I'd like to be friends with him, but... sometimes it's very hard to want to do that." She shook her head. "And I figured he wouldn't lie about that. I don't think I've known very many guys who would, and around here, I'd figure out pretty quickly if he was."

Her tongue flickered again. "I don't know about fair. I have to wonder if they did it on purpose, if they somehow knew... but I can't think how they would have."

He nodded. "I'm sure you can. Though.... it's never easy having to be civil or friends with someone you used to be in a relationship with, regardless of the reason you broke up. You... really have to have a rapport with someone to be in a relationship - close to them, you know? Then... to cut it suddenly, the awwkard feelings..." he rambled, shrugging his shoulders.

"It... woulnd't surprise me, just from what I've seen or heard of some of the staff, I woldn't put it past them. But.... I Don't know if they'd have access to something like phobias in whatever records they have on us... It could just be miserable luck. But... there are worse things than snakes, I'd say. Billy springs to mind as one - at least you're not an invertebrate?"

"An invertebrate?" This thought was horrible enough to startle Cass out of her self-pity. Was a bug or something really worse than a snake? Hard to say, but at least with a snake, she was keeping a skeleton. "I think I've heard this Billy person mentioned a couple of times... but what exactly is he turning into? No one's ever mentioned that."

"You haven't met him?" Ambrose asked, caught off guard. Then again, Cass had said that she had been a hermit recently "An... octopus." He winced. "rubbery skin, he's got eight tentacles instead of the normal arms or legs.... spits up ink..." He shook his head. "I think he's managed to draw the shortest straw of anyone I've encountered. He's not exactly the nicest person in the world, but no one deserves that."

Cassidy stared for a moment, mouth slightly agape. "An octopus," she repeated, blandly. "Oh my god. Okay, um. That's definitely worse than a snake, even if I really have no problems with octopusses. Octopi. Whatever. Christ." At least that was good to know in advance for if or when she did run into him.

He nodded. "I .. know what you mean. It almost seems like they're.... just trying to see what more horrors they can do. I don't know if there is a rhyme or reason to their assignments. Though... I think Anjali is still matched with the strangest serum. I can't even begin to understand how changing into a plant works..." He shrugged

His ears flicked back and he set down the things he had been carrying. "But... if it helps... I think everyone here has learned to look past appearances if they've been here longer than a few weeks. I'll never see you as anything different than the friendly blonde I met when I first came here, Cass."

"And Duvert expected me to be thrilled when he explained the feathers. I don't get it at all." Cass shook her head. A plant, too? What about a root system? They really were crazy, here. Genius, but crazy.

She smiled, very slightly. "Thank you, Ambrose. That really does mean a lot to me, to hear you say that."

He shook his head. "Nether do I. But... they are colorful. And hey, maybe some day you'll actually be able to fly, or at least glide? Wouldn't that be a sight?" He smiled.

He nodded, his tail swishing back and forth as a softer smile graced his features. "Let me know if there's anything I can ever help you with."

"Maybe," Cass said doubtfully. "But it would be nice. It'd almost be worth everything else." She smiled faintly. "And I'll keep the offer in mind, though I'm not sure what I'd ask for. Thanks, though."

He nodded. "In that case, I definaely hope that will be the case. One more change..." He mused, looking down at his own hands, a frown briefly flitting across his features.

He looked back up to her, distracting himself, and nodded.

"So I hear." Cass looked down at what was left at her legs, and had to admit to herself that she wasn't sure whether it would be better to lose them or not. As it was, they were mostly just in the way. Her fingers, on the other hand.... "Well. Happier things. Congratulations, again!" She positively beamed.

He smiled, the trepidation washing from his face at the reminder. "Thanks, Cass! I really am happy about it. I'll be certain to keep you informed.

"You better," Cass told him. "But if you'll excuse me... I am really very hungry... but I wanted to clean up a bit before I did anything else." She gave a slightly embarrassed cough.

He nodded. "I understand. Don't let me keep you from your dinner. I ought to get these things back to where they belong." Before picking them up, however, Ambrose encircled her in a quick, unannounced hug. "Take care of yourself, alright? Don't hide out in your duplex or I'll be forced to drag you out." He said with a teasing grin as he parted and stooped to pick back up the materials.

Cass was taken by surprise, but squeezed back during the hug for as long as it lasted. "I'll try not to. I promise. I'll be social and everything." She turned away with a friendly wave, to head back the way she had been going in the first place.

Ambrose returned the wave, and smiled to himself. It's not everyday that one hugged a python, he couldnt' help but muse to himself as he headed to the supply room to return the things he had borrowed.

---RP Log---

Kim was literally on a mission.

After somehow scrambeling the courage to drag herself out of her duplex, and finding the entertainment room soothingly empty, the small woman took it over like a storm. Almost literally. Books where piled closeby, in a messy heap that would have made an ocd person get the fits of their lifetime. The tower of book also had the slight advantage of mostly hiding her from view for anyone who might enter. As stupid as it was, Kim was still scared that people might freak out.

She sat there, trying to forget her 5th finger existed as she turned the pages of the book that laid open in front of her akwardly.

She wasn't leaving this room without an idea of what she was supposed to be, spamitall.

Cassidy had come by the entertainment room to return a few of the snake books she'd borrowed; there was only so long she could stand to have brightly coloured photos of snakes staring her in the face. But this, she kept telling herself, was good for her. Yes.

She slithered into the room, taking care not to shut the door on her tail, and turned to face the room properly... and saw a mess of books, with some movement behind them. For a moment, Cass was too baffled to properly respond to this; she could, however, pick up a definite heat source there (even if it was a cold-blooded one), and after a quick tongue flick to place the scent--

"... Kim? What're you doing back there?"

Kim had been so absorbed into her reading that she had not heard Cass enter at all, until she spoke. The small woman almost jumped, but then seemed to calm down. It was Cass.... It would be okay... right ?

Thus, she peeked almost meekly from the front of the tower of books. "Oh, hey Cass. Im... reading, mostly."

Something about Kim's appearance did not seem right. "Fair enough," Cass said. She made her way over to the bookshelf, and shoved the books into a convenient gap.

"Er. Are you okay back there?"

"Yeah. Well... mostly." She admitted after some hesitation, pushing some of the pile away to make things less akward (and because the tower looked like it was going to topple over sometime soon. Thanksfully, her new skin tone did well to sightly hide the bit of embarassment and shyness she was feeling.

Cassidy stared for a moment, stunned; her tongue flickered again.

"Oh. Oh, wow," she said, and immediately regretted it. She added hastily, "Um, taken a bit by surprise there. Sorry."

She slithered over, and peered over the books. Judging it might be safest to change the subject, she said, "What's with all the books?"

"I- It's okay. Really. I reacted worse, I think." ...This was going a bit better than she thought.

"Well... Im pretty much trying to hide this charade and figure out what im supposed to be turning into, while avoiding to ask the staff up front." She sighed. "But I kinda feel like I am looking for a needle in the middle of a wagon of hay, if you get what I mean..."

"Well, I wish I could help," Cass said. She settled herself down nearby with a slight ruffle of feathers. "I think it's best to know that sort of thing. I went and asked them outright, because I figured there wasn't any way I'd ever figure it out on my own. But, um. Honestly? I have no clue about yours. Do you have any ideas?"

"Well... it's some kind of reptile. My skin of of has that beaded feel." God god god this was so AKWARD to say... "Ill'd assume not a snake since my feet havn't done anything freaky... Well asside growing claws and not fitting in shoes anymore." She mutted. "Im convinced they're wings now." She motionned to her hands, and the webbing. "...There's alot of things that stand out so I think I might have a chance to at least narrow the options."

Cass grimaced a little. "I guess your hands do look like wings... So, um. Reptilian and winged and clawed. That's... hell." Again, a thoughtful tongue flick. "I really don't know. I think I said once, or maybe I only thought it, that you could be some sort of hybrid? But I don't know..."

"I don't know, I... don't think it's an hybrid. It's crazy, but that's the impression im getting." If it was, wouldn't I have two voices in my head or something ?

However, that thought sparked another, a reminder of a memory.

Why should I be there ? I shouldn't be there.

...

Kim darted then, careful not to topple any books in the process, visibely not caring for putting anything away just yet, again gathering a few books... this time on instinct species, and dinosaurs.

"Im quite obiviously crazy, but..." She said as she setted back beside Cass and attacked the first book on the pile, starting to flip through the pages and dismissing the obivious.

"I don't know about voices in your head," Cass said, doubtfully. She moved a bit to see the pictures better. "There's your, um. Head thing. Crest. Sorry, there's really no tactful way to say that." She coughed bashfully. "But that's got to narrow it down some."

"Yeah..." She answered, putting the book asside and taking another, flipping until she got to a certain page, and stared almost blankly at the glossy photo that the open book gave her.

Head bump ? Check. Claws ? Check. Wings ? Check. Even the markings seemed similar.

The creature in question was a pterodactyl.

Sillently, she turned to look at Cass, as if asking if she was completely batshit crazy for even pondering it.

Cass looked.

"It can't," she said, blankly. "Where would they get the DNA to...? I read Jurassic Park, and it's... the whole thing is nonsense." She shook her head. "I know that's what it looks like. But it couldn't."

Hadn't she joked, once upon a time before she'd known what was really up, that they were working on cloning dinosaurs in the lab?

"I know..." She sighed. "I know it's damn near impossible, but it fits to a T..." Kim still stared blankly at the book. "Hell, they even mention fish in here... Dear lord. No way." She shook her head. "...I... Guess I don't have any other option than to ask." Kim bit her lip, visibely a bit unhappy with THAT idea. "I... I don't know if I can do it. I've been keeping away from the staff for a reason, I mean, I don't want to throw them more opportunities to ******** with my mind. I saw this one woman who gave me pills and now I am having nightmares like crazy... and now this."

She definitively felt like she was going insane.

"They did what?" Cass stared. "I can't believe they would... geez. Like we don't have it hard enough."

She stared at the picture a moment. "I don't know. I can't think of any living animals that have a crest like that, but it just seems so... ridiculous."

"Well, im not sure, but the dreams started with the pills. Im going to stop taking them tonight. If they stop, then that would be definitively it."

Kim was sillent for a moment, then sighed again. "...This is insane... But... I need to know. I think you said you could come with me if I was going to ask the staff and all... Uh... Would you mind ? I... Ill'd feel a bit better if you where there and all."

Cass winced slightly. She was not looking forward to dealing with the staff anymore than necessary. "I'll come," she said, after a moment's hesitation. "If you want someone with you, then you should have someone, and I 'm here. I think it's better to know, in some ways."

"If you'lld ratter not, it's okay... I don't want you to feel forced or anything. I mean, I understand where you're coming from..." She definitively didn't want Cass to find unconfortable.

"You asked, and I will." Cassidy nodded decisively. "Vasile went with me when I had my second change, and I don't think I could have without him. I had an appointment and everything, and I probably would have lost my nerve." Painful thought. Let it go.

Kim just nodded. "...Ill'd probably chicken out too. I tried before, but I kind of stared at the intercom for half an hour then just went on to do something else." It sucked to admit that... But at the same time, it was relieving to get it off her chest.

"I think it might be a better idea to go to my duplex... I don't expecially went people to walk on this." Expecially if it turns out less than stellar."I just sort of... well, almost angrily demanded an appointment, because I was still freaking out over the feathers." She laughed wryly. "But that's understandable and a good idea," Cassidy agreed. "This is not a public place... and it is a private subject."

"I can see where you're coming from here." Kim nodded, getting up to replace all the books she had taken, asside the one she had found the pterodactyl in. "Ill'd freak like hell if I sprouted feathers if I was supposed to be a snake... Hell, ill'd freak if I was sprouting feathers period. That can't be a wonderful feeling." She cringed at the thought, as she did her best to place the books in order. Once she was finally done with the task, she tucked the book she was keeping under her arm. "Well... I guess we should be going before I chicken out of it again..." She swallowed the lump that was forming into her throat.

***

Cassidy peered around Kim's duplex. "Not bad," she said, approvingly. "Do you want to grab a glass of water or something, before you just call them up?"

"Right, that might be a good idea... Do you want one as well ?" She asked, motionning to take out two glasses.

Kim's duplex wasn't a shining example of orderly, but it wasn't really too bad either. The only real mess where books and games laying around.

"I'm fine," Cass said. "I don't need anything."

At least this was just over the intercom. That was stressful enough. Maybe she wouldn't even have to say anything.

"Allright..." She filled a glass with water and began to sip it, trying to will herself to calm down.

It was over the intercom. It couldn't be THAT bad. And Cass was there. It would be fine, right ? Moral support and all. She couldn't be a freaking dinosaur. It was just too screwy.

"Allright...." Breath in, breath out... "...There we go."

And so, one of Kim's normal finger pushed a button on the intercom for the first time.

Hopefully it wouln't become an habit.

Cass hesitantly put a hand on Kim's shoulder, and squeezed reassurringly. "No problem," she whispered. "You can do this, easy."

The intercom buzzed, normally the call would be answered by a standard receptionist. But Moreau had had his eye on Kim the last few days. He was facinated by the patterns she had developed, considering that previously no one would have any idea what their skin coloration might have looked like.

"Yes Miss Nguyet? How may I assist you." came Moreau's familar voice through the intercome. It was cold, a little mean, but obviously on some level, excited sounding.

s**t. s**t. s**t. s**t.

OH s**t.

She had expected some kind of staff member... not him.

This was so, so, so going to suck.

There was sillence for a few second, as Kim tried to gather everything she could in order not to have her voice shake.

"I was wondering something, actually." She said, a bit flatly. "I would like to know what I am becoming into, if it would be possible."

There. It was out. It was said.

If Cass's hand hadn't been on her shoulder, she would have likely assulted it by now.

Cassidy practically choked. Moreau himself? Someone must have let him know. They had to have told him that they were going to ask. She'd only met Moreau the once, but that was still a voice she did not ever want to hear again.

She said nothing, but squeezed Kim's shoulder again.

"Oh come on Miss Nguyet... can't you figure that out? Stretch the limits of your imagination." Moreau's smile grew broader.

Moreau was probably making this harder on her. But he was enjoying his achivement. "Your scaled, so your obviously not mammalian... your obviously growing a wings. Also, look at the shape of your head."

Oh, and there he was, trying to ******** with her head. Lovely.

"I have a good idea, but I would like confirmation." Her voice was weaving a bit. s**t. "And I do believe you might allready have a good idea of my guess, so if we could please get to the point ?"

After all, there was no way he didn't know. Kim HIGHLY doubted all intercom calls went straight to him.

The b*****d! Cassidy scowled. Thank goodness she hadn't had to deal with this guy when she'd asked this same question. Sabin was, maybe, marginally better.

"A Pterodactyl, Ms. Nguyet... a flying reptile often confused for an actual dinosaur. It's quiet the achivementment." Moreau beemed on the other side of the intercom.

"You Miss Kim, even more than some of the other's here, are a miracle of science. You should feel honored." Moreau was a twisted man, but he wasn't stupid. He knew she was not likely to be all too excited.

But she should be.

Well, crap.

Kim sent a side-look at Cass. Was he ******** with her head, going from what she had said ?

But then, she couldn't remember mentionning the word. Or Cass mentionned it. A camera couldn't get THAT good of a shoot, right ?

"I figured." Im a ******** dinosaur. "Pardon me if im not too thrilled."

Oh, she wanted to scream at the b*****d. But that would be only giving him firepower.

"And pardon my curiosity - but how can sutch a thing be possible ? After all, I do not think pterodactyl dna is too common."

Cass's mouth fell open. "No way," she said. "No way at all. Mammoth I could maybe believe... but..."

She shook her head.

"It's not that that unexpected that you wouldn't be as appreciative." Moreau's tone grew cold through the intercom.

"The how's are not as important. Let's just say that certain ideas can be inspired by many things. I doubt you'd understand the specifics anyway. Now if your business is concluded with me Ms. Nguyet?"

"Yes, I believe it is." And now he was calling her stupid ? Christ. "Have a good day."

The second the connection was cut, she couldn't hold ******** HELL !"

"b*****d," Cass spat out. "God, that's not even the right word. Kim... I don't even know what to say about that. That's just..." She spun her hands in circles for a moment, trying to find the right word. "I don't know. I bet he was spying on us. Jesus. A pterodactyl?!"

"Oh, im pretty sure he was." She grumbeled, letting herself flop on the bed weakly.

"Im a ******** dinosaur, oh, excuse me, flying reptile. ********." She muttered, visibely trying very hard not to start crying right there.

"And I was supposed to be thrilled ?"

With a bit of difficulty, Cass meandered over to the bed and draped herself over the edge in a position that was not far from being a traditional sit. "I think Moreau thinks so, but Duvert expected me to be ecstastic myself. They're crazy. You know that."

"Yeah..." Of course, she didn't really know who that Sabin fellow was - heard the name but never saw the man. Apparently, this was a good thing.

"You know... I never got to the point in my life when I actually pondered getting drunk out of my damn mind. But that would seriously be a good thing right now." She muttered, rubbing her temples akwardly and trying not to bean Cass in the head with the webbing at the same time. She wasn't crying, yet she still felt the killer headache forming.

"I... ********." She whiped a lone tear that escaped. "This sucks."

"Getting drunk because you're unhappy is generally a really bad idea," Cass advised, with a nod. "I know, I've done it. But I know the feeling." A bit awkwardly, she put her feathered arm around Kim's shoulders and hugged her gently.

"Do you need to be alone, or would you rather have the company?"

"I think I seriously need to be alone right now..." She sighed. She didn't want Cass to see her cry... she had enough to worry about, herself... She didn't need to worry about her as well.

"Cass... Thank you. This mean alot to me. If there's anything I can do, tell me, okay ?"

Cass nodded and slipped off the edge of the bed. "It's really nothing. I just want to help. I'll keep the offer in mind, but it goes both ways...y ou can come find me anytime, if I can be helpful at all."

She patted Kim on the shoulder and slithered off towards the door.

"I will." It was a good feeling, as small as it might be in the assload of s**t that had exploded - to know that she had a friend that she could confide in, someone that cared.

Kim didn't even want to see what would have happened if Cass hasn't been there. The simple feel of her hand on her shoulder had been more conforting that any words could have been.

Yet, she so felt sorry for dragging her into all this.

"See ya." She said softly, curling into her bed and staring blankly at the opposite wall, letting tears spill out, tears that grew into loud sobs once she was pretty sure the snake girl was gone.

Damn all this s**t...

A Return

Cassidy had been more than a little preoccupied lately.

Everything had been so awful. What with one thing and another, she had been feeling so ugly, and so horrible, and so unloved, and it just got to a point where she could no longer stand it.

She'd always had a slight tendency to gorge when unhappy, and being partly snake did nothing to change this.

She had taken a trip to the cafeteria, and she had eaten. She'd swallowed steak after steak after pork chop after steak, chicken and beef and a few things things she wasn't really sure what it even was. She'd hardly tasted it. She'd really only wanted something to cover up the unhappy gnawing in her belly.

Finally, so full that her stomach was distended visibly, her scales strained against it, she'd fled (albeit slowly) into the jungle to sleep it off.

And for some reason, she hadn't come back right away.

The trees were safe. They were comforting. It was quiet, and there was no one to look at her with that vague unease she always seemed to see. Maybe she was imagining that, but it was hard to judge.

With her gut full, Cassidy had been quite comfortable, and after finding the right tree to curl up in, she'd slept.

And slept.

She'd woken occassionally, to be sure, but somehow, the days had blended together, and then into weeks, and then it had somehow been more than a month that she had coiled herself in the trees, digesting that massive meal.

Today, she woke from a doze, in the early evening, and oddly alert. Cass flicked a tongue out, smelling the air. The past while, she'd been living through her tongue and those bizarre pits around her mouth, a world of smell and taste and heat. It was alien, but she was beginning to be used to it.

Now, the more human part of her brain was starting to reassert herself.

She was starving.

There was something delicious in the air.

A slight twist of her head, and Cassidy saw it. There was, perched on a branch not too far from her, an unwary bird. Roosting for the night, perhaps, it had paid Cassidy little mind, sleeping and still as she was, mostly green like the leaves, likely not terribly visible in the growing darkness.

So hungry.

Cass watched the bird for a long moment, the way the fading light touched its feathers, the way it huddled into itself to keep itself warm. It was most definitely warm; she could feel it, sense it, in some way English was completely ill-equipped to describe.

She lunged.

Cass caught the bird by the wing, but only just barely; it flapped wildly, but her teeth were sunk deep into it, and without thinking she wrapped a coil or two around the creature, squeezed, and began to swallow.

The bird was already halfway down her throat before she realised what she was doing.

What had happened? She'd been out in the jungle so long, living like an animal... she was, maybe, forgetting how to be human. She kept telling herself that she'd be the same on the inside, but that didn't even seem like the truth after this.

What was the date, anyway?

Cassidy considered trying to expel the unlucky bird, but it just seemed easiest to finish swallowing it.

When that was done, although her stomach felt lots better, her mind did not.

No more.

Cass came down the tree and headed back towards the village, hugging herself.