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This had been a very wonderful idea!

It was a suitably lovely day and since Binx had experienced many walkies, Belladonna felt it was only proper that her dearest Galahad the zombie-squirrel also participate in such a time honored expression of owner and pet love. The fact that he only communicated in a number of very complicated hisses did not deter the witch who had somehow coaxed a collar with matching leash around his neck in the event he felt the need to run.
Galahad was suitably under impressed that it was pink.

But Binx was rather alright with this because he didn't have to wear a collar. So the little trio set out upon the school grounds, Belladonna skipping, Galahad hanging onto her shoulders, his little eyes darting from each new thing to the next, and Binx happily (and collarlessly) trotting alongside them, his tail stuck up in the slightest of mocking manners. Sure, Belladonna had a lot of pets ("Familiars make a good witch!" She always told the little cat), but so long as he was the favorite it was all well.

"My, what a lot of shouting!" Belladonna mused to the pets as she rounded a little corner of trees to see a bespeckled boy trying to walk his three pets. Well, actually... They were the ones doing the walking and he was the helpless victim of a three-pet take over. That simply couldn't do!
Feeling extra helpful, Belladonna dashed over (stifled a sigh of adoration over the pets) and stood before the three (four counting owner!), but with enough distance that she could plant her feet, level her gaze to the pets and issue one strict command: "Heel!!"

Hopefully it worked for the other three, because both Binx and Galahad were now sitting ramrod straight either on the ground, or on a shoulder, their eyes a bit wide as they silently marveled at how one word could be so quickly heeded.

"Oooohhh! It worked!" Belladonna cooed happily, clapping her hands quickly in glee before scooping Binx up and toddling over to the boy. "Oh it was nothing really. Just takes a firm voice. And demeanor. And sometimes a bit of luck. I suppose surprise helps too." For a moment she paused before him, her mouth screwing up into a frown as she considered what it had really been that had stopped the pets, but she decided it really didn't matter so long as they stopped, now did it?

"Hi, by the way! I'm Belladonna Divine. Its lovely to meet you. You have such lovely pets... And wings too!" Any person she met with wings was instantly a favorite since they could fly and she so loved the action of such. Though she bet he could land easier than she could. "What are their names? This is Binx!" She held up the cat who lifted a paw in a small wave, though his eyes were half-lidded with disinterest. "And Galahad is on my shoulder." The zombie-squirrel hissed his greeting, which sounded much angrier than was meant.

My, this boil sure was tall... Belladonna took a step back so she wasn't right under his nose, but she was beginning to feel exceptionally small... Not that she minded of course.
"And glad I could help..." She added finally, capping off her little tirade of words with thanks for his thanks.

Having caught the head nod as the slightest shade of a bow, Belladonna smiled brightly and stepped into a curtsy that was comprised slightly by holding Binx, but preformed well enough that Galahad let out a small hiss-squeak of distress and held harder onto his shoulder perch. This boil walked his pets, bowed and smiled easily, so Belladonna was instantly sure in her assessment of him: Lovely!

"Renaissance and Medieval? Why that's rather cute I think! My mom was really lame with my sisters and my names. I'm Belladonna and my older sisters are Hemlock and Delphinium. All poisonous flowers!" But honestly, Belladonna felt she got away with the best name. Sibling rivalry and all that. "Thaaaaanks." Belladonna said, rolling on her heels while her pets were praised.

"Cute?!" Binx asked, aghast. "Its the bow, isn't it? Its always this damned bow..." He muttered, sinking into Belladonna's arms and trying to cover up the pink bow around his neck with black paws, but really not feeling all that put out about being called 'cute' since he did acquire a pet from it. And Galahad had only gotten a half compliment, which suited Binx better since he did have to be the most loved pet. Pet rivalry and all that.

"Oh it was no problem! I was just talking these two out for some air, try to get a little exercise. Binx stays guard over my room and Galahad usually just stays at the top of my bookshelf." For a moment she paused, looking this boil over. Hhhmm. He seemed very kind and she liked his wings and his hair and definitely his freckles. "How about you?" Maybe she could wheedle a new friendship out of this...

Having all these compliments doled out onto the witch was making her feel extremely friendly toward the boil. Not that she didn't feel extremely friendly toward most people, but it was still the fact of the matter. Even Binx was starting to level out his dislike of being called 'cute' (only his witch could call him that!) and Galahad was... erm, not hissing. Surely those were good signs so Belladonna bypassed the idea of him being almost guilty and instead gave Binx a kiss to the head, set him down and darted over so that she could link her arm with Ren's.

"I think walking our pets together would be delightful!" She chirruped, her opposite hand lifting to give Galahad one small pet.

"Soooo~" She drawled out the word as they took a step forward, she resiting the urge to skip while linked by the arm and tilting her head occasionally to look up at him as well as avoid hitting him with her brim. "Where are you from? How's the family? What are they like? Met anyone interesting?" Curiosity was easily channeled in the form of personal questions that the witch hoped Ren wouldn't mind answering. He seemed so nice! And extremely laid back, which was a nice counter to Belladonna's constant exuberance.

Since it took no time at all for them to fall into an easy walk, it gave Belladonna the time to realize she had yet to take a walk around the grounds with anyone yet. It was now very important she cherish such special time, even if it was with a somewhat-stranger. As if that had ever stopped her before!

"Oh, sorry. I meant are you from around here? Not too far away?" As she listened to his next question she couldn't help but purse her lips at the distinct hesitation in his answer regarding his parents. Being a near expert in that field of tip-toeing the line of how she felt about her own Mother and Father, Belladonna listened quietly to the rest of his answers, pausing to whip her face up to see what other witch he had met only to realize it was herself. "Oh!" She couldn't staunch the giggle that escaped, covering her mouth as a small blush stained her cheeks and using her free hand to softly slap him on the chest.

"I have met a number of very interesting individuals. Let me see... I have met a kelpie..." She paused, her face turning very serious for a moment. "If he tells you I like having my clothes ripped... I do, but only for fashion." The serious expression quickly melted back into a small smile as she recounted all she had met. "And a chupacabra and a number of ghosts. A sloth demon, a girl without a head... I fought a ninja too, but he was not very nice." Not very nice at all!

And as for that whole bit about her sisters Belladonna only rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner that hopefully expressed her particular feelings. "My sisters and I are two very different types of people. I am the lovely kind and my sisters are not." A little kitty chuckle was heard from in front of them as Binx trotted ahead of them, his extra-long tail stuck up as though he were directing the two on where to go. "They do not think being cheerful a trait of a Halloweentowner. And I do not think being royal bitches are traits of a lady." This whole speech was said with the witch's nose held a little higher and spoken in the same way one might speak of a human.

"How about your sister? Do you get along with her?" But now the chirruping voice was back, so it was evident it wasn't a subject that bothered the witch altogether too much. Things had been much better now that she was away from the house, but it did leave the witch with the nagging feeling that she and Ren could talk quite a deal about their own family problems. Hhhmmmm. Next round of questions, definitely!

Being from around was fairly normal as Belladonna hadn't traveled all that far for school either, so she shrugged the answer off. Certainly she didn't want him thinking she was going to stalk him on break or anything. That would be rude! And if anything she did not want to appear rude, as she was rather coming to like this gryphon in a way she wasn't quite sure of. He was laying the compliments on rather thickly, but it didn't seem malicious or as though he were trying to gain anything, which was totally different from any of the other compliments she had been paid by boils at this school... Hmmm.

"I suppose meeting one such as myself does not happen often..." Belladonna mused softly, one free hand reaching to tap the bottom of her chin in thought. This was just harmless flirting, right?! "You met a kelpie too! Was his name Calder!? And-and!" She was starting to flap one hand in excitement, the other clutching to Ren's arm. "He had white hair and little hooves? And he said things kind of funny maybe? Like-like... He's the one who thinks I like having my clothes ripped!" And then Ren said something that made her stop the flailing and actually stop altogether in her tracks. Perhaps it was just her wishful thinking and the fact that Belladonna liked to randomly pull thoughts from the air but had he said...

"Did you say garden?" No, no he hadn't but she was pretty sure he was going to. To make him more prone to telling her the truth, she turned her biggest pink eyes and pouting lips on him, even going so far as curling her free hand under her chin. The whole scene would probably have gone off well enough, but Galahad was glaring at Ren with one eye that was very close to falling out of the socket.

Belladonna quickly interpreted 'interesting' to mean 'annoying' or 'rather unsavory in character and someone I would not normally consort with', as that seemed to be what Ren meant by it. At least that's what she figured until Ren mentioned 'no talky' about his secret garden and that simply could not do! Belladonna instead dropped her cute pretense to one of aghast that he would not want to speak of such a crowning glory.

"No talky?!" She very nearly screeched, only reigning in the noise when she remembered there were minipet's delicate ears to consider. "But-but-but!!" It was impossible to stop the little stamp of feet she quickly enacted, now clinging with both hands onto Ren's one arm. "But I love gardens! There's nothing to be ashamed of! They're living things that need to be cultivated and loved and taken pride in!" For a moment she paused, letting the emotion drop off her face as she looked up to Ren, her eyes still wide. "Is there a reason we can't talk about it?"

And then a thought occurred to her. One that would seal them together forever with comradere and similar situations.
"Is it your parents?! Because mine are kind of weird about gardens too! I couldn't have one at my house because my sisters said mean things to my plants and my parents aren't very favorable to herbology like they are potions or hexes and charms. They don't even like kitchen witchery which is totally stupid, but you know parents. They don't understand anything!" At this point she had been talking as fast as was witchly possible, but finally she paused to turn and once again give her best innocent, 'please tell me all your deepest darkest secrets' face to him again. This time Galahad rolled his eyes and turned around so that his only half bushy tailed faced them, his little paws consciously touching the eye that was lose and trying to make it stay in place. It was probably best to ignore him now...