Asara's First Stop - The Petting Zoo
Asara gawked as she took in the fuss and colours in the stadium. She'd come to watch the last seasons' Broom Race Finale with her Ma and Pa before, but it looked nothing like this. Colours and ribbons and people were milling about everywhere. She bounced on her toes, about ready to bolt, when her hand was firmly pulled back.
Her Ma glared down at her while her Pa grinned.
"I'll let you in a moment, but you'll listen to me first,' her low voice long with the sound of her Irish accent, 'You remember what we agreed upon. We'll leave you here til 5 but then you're to wait by the food court for us. We'll have dinner and go home. We'll be back every 2 or 3 days so don't go rushin' through everythin'. Have your fun but don't follow give out our phone or home address, do not follow suspicious people aroud and leave the older kids alone. You're not to make them babysit you. Got it?"
"Yes Ma."
Asara huffed as her Pa joined the fussing. He fluffed up her hair, barely held up in big poof with ties and a flowery green scrunchie, pulled at her yellow sweater and fixed up her denim overalls and her big brown boots. He nodded and stoof back with her Ma.
"You go on and have fun then, will see you later yeh Each-Uisge wean."
Asara didn't waited for further instruction and prompty bolted across the field. She already knew where her first stop would be, the petting zoo! It was full of fun animals! What she really wanted to see was the horses. How cool would it be if she could ride one across the fields! She knew she absolutely would not be allowed to do that, but she could imagine it.
The stables came into view quickly and she wriggled into the line for the Derby Granians. Asara bounced on the spot, determined to "get her wriggles out" before meeting the horses. She didn't dare spook. Water animals were more her thing but same difference, right?
The line moved up and she go in with the next small group. The Granians loomed high over her head and she gawked up at them.
"Wow.", she whispered and the stable-hand grinned at her.
"Do yeh horses, little miss?"
Asara nodded, unusually quiet before the great animal.
"Feelin' shy, huh? Well don't you worry, these darlings as as sweet-tempered as can be. Show them the proper respect and they'll return it.', he crouched down, his grin reaching up to his freckled cheekbones, and handed her some grains. 'Here, hold this up to her. Still and quiet now. She's a sweetie, she won't trouble you."
Asara looked down at the grains cupped in her hands and slowly, bravely, lifted them to the horse while the man held its lead. He nodded at her encouragingly and she huffed at herself. She squared her shoulders and raised them even higher, near the great beasts mouth. The horse sniffed at it, then ate them up out her hands without so much as a nip. Asara giggled at the tickly wet feeling of its lips smacking on her palms while it ate. The man laughed with her.
"See, what do you think? Great isn't she?"
Asara nodded, her poofball hair bouncing with her.
"Yeah,' she said quietly, 'she's great. What's her name?"
"Oh, now that's a top secret, little lass. Confidential until the Derby starts. We can't go rigging the races now can we?"
She considered then for a moment and nodded.
"You're right. Pa's bringing me back to watch them. I'll tell him to bet on her if he brings any money."
The man guffawed at her.
"Good on yeh then. We'll be countin' on yer support. But enough of that. Now that ye've got yer hands free want to try petting her?"
Asara gave him her hands and he pulled them to the sides of the Granians' head. She spotted some silver freckles sprinkled on the backs of her ears and thought, 'I'm going to call you Stardust. Just until they tell me your real name.'. She reached up further and gently scritched behind Stardusts' ears. The horse snorted at her and pulled back up. Asara startled at the movement, but Stardust nosed at her fluffy hair instead, snorting before pulling away and moving back for more pats.
"See, she likes you.' the stable-hand said. 'But I'm sorry, we're running out of time. You can see the other animals if you want but it's almost the other kids turns for these darlings. Do you have any questions?"
Asara sighed, knowing she'd miss Stardust to death already, but had to agree with him as the chatter outside the stable-tent got louder. She looked the Granian Horse over and took in the wings.
"Those wings look kinda like a hawk's wings. Are they the same?"
He hummed as he looked them over.
"They do look right similar, don't they? Similar, but no, they're not the same. Their wings are their own. Not even their relatives, the Abraxins or the Thestrals, have wings quite like theirs. It's kinda like how family works. I bet you look similar to your parents, but yeh not the same at all, are yah?"
Asara shook her head, "Nuh uh. I'm the only one that gets called a teddy bear."
He raised his eyebrows at that but shrugged it off.
"Precisely. Got it in one, little miss. Anything else?"
Asara thought it over but couldn't think of anything.
"That's all. I'll go now. Thanks for helping me feed and pat her."
"Don't mention it. So polite of you. Bye bye now. Have fun out there."
Asara bounced on her toes, waving her left hand wildly as she skipped out to the tent flap.
"Bye bye mister! Bye bye Stardust.", and she bolted out. The man startled at the name but she was off, ready for her next adventure.
Her Ma glared down at her while her Pa grinned.
"I'll let you in a moment, but you'll listen to me first,' her low voice long with the sound of her Irish accent, 'You remember what we agreed upon. We'll leave you here til 5 but then you're to wait by the food court for us. We'll have dinner and go home. We'll be back every 2 or 3 days so don't go rushin' through everythin'. Have your fun but don't follow give out our phone or home address, do not follow suspicious people aroud and leave the older kids alone. You're not to make them babysit you. Got it?"
"Yes Ma."
Asara huffed as her Pa joined the fussing. He fluffed up her hair, barely held up in big poof with ties and a flowery green scrunchie, pulled at her yellow sweater and fixed up her denim overalls and her big brown boots. He nodded and stoof back with her Ma.
"You go on and have fun then, will see you later yeh Each-Uisge wean."
Asara didn't waited for further instruction and prompty bolted across the field. She already knew where her first stop would be, the petting zoo! It was full of fun animals! What she really wanted to see was the horses. How cool would it be if she could ride one across the fields! She knew she absolutely would not be allowed to do that, but she could imagine it.
The stables came into view quickly and she wriggled into the line for the Derby Granians. Asara bounced on the spot, determined to "get her wriggles out" before meeting the horses. She didn't dare spook. Water animals were more her thing but same difference, right?
The line moved up and she go in with the next small group. The Granians loomed high over her head and she gawked up at them.
"Wow.", she whispered and the stable-hand grinned at her.
"Do yeh horses, little miss?"
Asara nodded, unusually quiet before the great animal.
"Feelin' shy, huh? Well don't you worry, these darlings as as sweet-tempered as can be. Show them the proper respect and they'll return it.', he crouched down, his grin reaching up to his freckled cheekbones, and handed her some grains. 'Here, hold this up to her. Still and quiet now. She's a sweetie, she won't trouble you."
Asara looked down at the grains cupped in her hands and slowly, bravely, lifted them to the horse while the man held its lead. He nodded at her encouragingly and she huffed at herself. She squared her shoulders and raised them even higher, near the great beasts mouth. The horse sniffed at it, then ate them up out her hands without so much as a nip. Asara giggled at the tickly wet feeling of its lips smacking on her palms while it ate. The man laughed with her.
"See, what do you think? Great isn't she?"
Asara nodded, her poofball hair bouncing with her.
"Yeah,' she said quietly, 'she's great. What's her name?"
"Oh, now that's a top secret, little lass. Confidential until the Derby starts. We can't go rigging the races now can we?"
She considered then for a moment and nodded.
"You're right. Pa's bringing me back to watch them. I'll tell him to bet on her if he brings any money."
The man guffawed at her.
"Good on yeh then. We'll be countin' on yer support. But enough of that. Now that ye've got yer hands free want to try petting her?"
Asara gave him her hands and he pulled them to the sides of the Granians' head. She spotted some silver freckles sprinkled on the backs of her ears and thought, 'I'm going to call you Stardust. Just until they tell me your real name.'. She reached up further and gently scritched behind Stardusts' ears. The horse snorted at her and pulled back up. Asara startled at the movement, but Stardust nosed at her fluffy hair instead, snorting before pulling away and moving back for more pats.
"See, she likes you.' the stable-hand said. 'But I'm sorry, we're running out of time. You can see the other animals if you want but it's almost the other kids turns for these darlings. Do you have any questions?"
Asara sighed, knowing she'd miss Stardust to death already, but had to agree with him as the chatter outside the stable-tent got louder. She looked the Granian Horse over and took in the wings.
"Those wings look kinda like a hawk's wings. Are they the same?"
He hummed as he looked them over.
"They do look right similar, don't they? Similar, but no, they're not the same. Their wings are their own. Not even their relatives, the Abraxins or the Thestrals, have wings quite like theirs. It's kinda like how family works. I bet you look similar to your parents, but yeh not the same at all, are yah?"
Asara shook her head, "Nuh uh. I'm the only one that gets called a teddy bear."
He raised his eyebrows at that but shrugged it off.
"Precisely. Got it in one, little miss. Anything else?"
Asara thought it over but couldn't think of anything.
"That's all. I'll go now. Thanks for helping me feed and pat her."
"Don't mention it. So polite of you. Bye bye now. Have fun out there."
Asara bounced on her toes, waving her left hand wildly as she skipped out to the tent flap.
"Bye bye mister! Bye bye Stardust.", and she bolted out. The man startled at the name but she was off, ready for her next adventure.
HP = 700 | MP = 50% || Sta = 7 | Eva = 5 | Str = 6 | Wis = 7 | Arc = 5 | Acc = 5
Asara's First Stop - The Petting Zoo
Once she left she had another choice to make. If she wanted to look at everything and play on the rides she probably only had time for one, maybe two more animals before she had to move on. But which one?
The kneazles were old news. Anyone who knew anything magical had probably already seen one, and anyone who hadn't was bound to find what at Hogwarts, she was sure. There were the Abraxan horses but she'd just met a horse and she's bet it wasn't much different. Giant whiskey drinking animals were more her parents thing anyways. But that still left the Runespoor Snakes, the Guardian Griffins and the Jarvey Twins.
Asara wandered back and forth, looking over the crowds to see if that helped any. She wanted much interested in spending half her day waiting in lines. The Guardian Griffin had a huge line. No thanks. No time for that. They Jarvey twins looked interesting but she saw a couple come out crying and heard a bunch of words she'd never dare repeat to her Ma. He ears grew red just imagining it. She heard enough of that by the pub and docks anyways. Which left the Runespoor Snakes. If she had time after and the line was shorter she'd maybe try the Griffin too.
Maybe.
Asara wandered into the tent and went up to the glass. It was gorgeous inside. She knew it meant to look like Africa, but the red eath reminded her of what she saw when she went on holiday in Australia with her Pa's family.
There were pretty banded snaked here and there, laying flat on rocks or curled up in a baobab tree. Some of them even had all their heads! That was something she really didn't she'd see! They were huge! So big! They could chomp up Ellie easy. The poor dog wouldn't stand a chance.
Asara looked back and forth before wandering back out. They were cool but she couldn't touch or talk to them so it got boring quickly. She slipped past the next group of kids and made her way back to the Griffin tent. She still had time. If the line was any shorter she'd give it a shot.
The kneazles were old news. Anyone who knew anything magical had probably already seen one, and anyone who hadn't was bound to find what at Hogwarts, she was sure. There were the Abraxan horses but she'd just met a horse and she's bet it wasn't much different. Giant whiskey drinking animals were more her parents thing anyways. But that still left the Runespoor Snakes, the Guardian Griffins and the Jarvey Twins.
Asara wandered back and forth, looking over the crowds to see if that helped any. She wanted much interested in spending half her day waiting in lines. The Guardian Griffin had a huge line. No thanks. No time for that. They Jarvey twins looked interesting but she saw a couple come out crying and heard a bunch of words she'd never dare repeat to her Ma. He ears grew red just imagining it. She heard enough of that by the pub and docks anyways. Which left the Runespoor Snakes. If she had time after and the line was shorter she'd maybe try the Griffin too.
Maybe.
Asara wandered into the tent and went up to the glass. It was gorgeous inside. She knew it meant to look like Africa, but the red eath reminded her of what she saw when she went on holiday in Australia with her Pa's family.
There were pretty banded snaked here and there, laying flat on rocks or curled up in a baobab tree. Some of them even had all their heads! That was something she really didn't she'd see! They were huge! So big! They could chomp up Ellie easy. The poor dog wouldn't stand a chance.
Asara looked back and forth before wandering back out. They were cool but she couldn't touch or talk to them so it got boring quickly. She slipped past the next group of kids and made her way back to the Griffin tent. She still had time. If the line was any shorter she'd give it a shot.
HP = 700 | MP = 50% || Sta = 7 | Eva = 5 | Str = 6 | Wis = 7 | Arc = 5 | Acc = 5
Asara's First Stop - The Petting Zoo
Lucky her! The platform the Guardian Griffin was on was huge so she could have a turn quickly. This would definitely be her last stop here though. Asara shuffled past people to get a good look. Why did she have to be so darn short? If she couldn't get close enough she'd be flat out of luck.
Thankfully the crowd let her through, thinly lined up for the Griffin's nerves, and she got a good look from up on her pinky toes. The magizoologist talked about where the Griffin came from. It was a rescue! Ellie used to be a rescue until she was taken in by Aunty Olivia. But when her job made her move too much her family got to keep her instead.
When the magizoologist gave the okay Asara stepped up to pat the griffin's wings. They looked just like an eagles! But she remembered they were the Griffin's very own, just like the Granians. She moved her hand to its neck and gently stroked over the glossy neck feathers.
"I like your gnome. Don't worry, I won't touch it. You have very good taste."
The magizoologist kept an eye on her and shooed her back before letting the next people close. Asara watched the griffin watch over its garden gnome a little longer before making her way out.
There was still so much to do! What next?
Thankfully the crowd let her through, thinly lined up for the Griffin's nerves, and she got a good look from up on her pinky toes. The magizoologist talked about where the Griffin came from. It was a rescue! Ellie used to be a rescue until she was taken in by Aunty Olivia. But when her job made her move too much her family got to keep her instead.
When the magizoologist gave the okay Asara stepped up to pat the griffin's wings. They looked just like an eagles! But she remembered they were the Griffin's very own, just like the Granians. She moved her hand to its neck and gently stroked over the glossy neck feathers.
"I like your gnome. Don't worry, I won't touch it. You have very good taste."
The magizoologist kept an eye on her and shooed her back before letting the next people close. Asara watched the griffin watch over its garden gnome a little longer before making her way out.
There was still so much to do! What next?
HP = 700 | MP = 50% || Sta = 7 | Eva = 5 | Str = 6 | Wis = 7 | Arc = 5 | Acc = 5