Vashti did notice Kurumi unknowingly take a small step towards the thestral, but everything seemed okay at the moment and Vashti didn't want to make any sudden movements or freak Kurumi out or anything, so she didn't tell her.

What was it doing? "It's...looking at us..."

She didn't say more because just then Ellie popped up and almost immediately after, a much younger but very loud girl appeared and started calling the thestral a "horsie." Vashti was about to warn her about scaring the creature, but Kurumi was already way ahead of her.



Realizing the thestral was still staring at her, Vashti turned and stared back, feeling a bit unnerved by its eyes. They were just so... She didn't really know how to describe it. Fortunately - or perhaps not - its attention was diverted to Kurumi, Ellie, and then the little girl, and clearly the thestral was freaked out by the youngest one's shouts. Vashti's eyes widened, but at least Ellie was there to try calming it down. She didn't seem as unnerved by the creature as Vashti, which was probably a good thing. At least someone could keep it calm.

But...beef jerky? Was that okay for thestrals to eat?

It seemed Vashti wasn't the only one wondering that, as another person, this time a boy, had appeared and was asking Ellie that very question. Vashti would have stood there and waited to listen to the answer as well, but yet another person appeared who caught her attention.

"It won't eat you," Vashti said, giving the young girl - how was it that so many of these young students could see a thestral? - a reassuring smile. "Thestrals don't eat humans, I promise."

What was already an unnerving venture turned out to be even more unnerving than first thought. The thestral watched as yet another human arrived, another girl human at that.

A quiver rippled over his hindquarters sort of like a shiver, only for handsome thestralss instead. Mmm no, he wasn't comfortable with this, or even being so exposed for that matter.

His big white milky eyes stared at the girl with the food before turning to stare at the others.

An odd sound could be heard. Something like the sound of slowly running water hitting the ground.

Nate was wondering down by the front gate and he saw a thestral!?!? He went up to examine it closer. He took out his notebook and started to scetch it. Then he wrote down notes about the fascinating creature.

Elise blinked. Why would it eat her? "It was gnawing the gate," she whispered. "And I don't think thestrals are vegetarian either..."

Shrugging, she cocked her head to the side. "Or maybe it's just hungry..."

[/spoiler]

Elise shivered involuntarily. How was she so sure? Elise wasn't all that sure that the thestral wasn't hungry for a tiny Elise. Shifting her weight a little, she met the Head Girl's eyes. "They don't?" she asked innocently. "But... they're not vegetarian..."



Elise's eyes then locked on the huge milky eyes of the thestral and the fear was quite obvious. Hearing the disturbing sound of water hitting the ground, she let out a small squeak of terror.

"I think it's hungry," she whispered, not looking moving away from the thestral. Maybe it wasn't so bad...

Alyssa was slowly moving towards the others who seemed to be looking at something that she knew had to be the Thestral. There were discussions about what it ate, whether it was dangerous and whether it was safe, when she heard a strange sound. Did anyone hear it too? It sounded like the sound of slow running water hitting ground. She turned her head and tipped her head to the side to try to hear better.

"Shhh... Everyone. Can you hear that sound?"Alyssa asked everyone. "What is that?"Alyssa turned to look all around her.

His gaze shifted from the Thestral back to his fellow Claw. "A Thestral?" Now that he knew in theory "Are you sure? But only those who's seen de-- " and then he fell silent. His eyes shifted from her to the others in their small group, some were looking directly at it, while others, like Kurumi, looked like they didnt know where to look. His lips drew into a thin line as he kept his emotions in check. Death, he was very sensitive about that.



When his gaze shifted back at the creature and it started to look at him he couldnt help but look away. He realized that his ability to see it is a sort of twisted gift. Something he wouldnt mind giving back. But that peculiar sound got Vickers to look again, maybe not directly into the creature's eyes, but down at the ground "Is it.... is it peeing?" he muttered wincing. Sure sounds pretty the same when his dog does it.

Alyssa first blushed and then bust up laughing. She quickly muffled her laugh before it angered the Thestral. "Was that what that sound was?" She asked the older boy. "I'm sorry. I can't see it, only hear it. So it sounded strange hearing the sound of running water. My name is Alyssa. Nice to meet you, despite the weird circumstance."Alyssa said.

Kurumi's eyes widened as student after student continued to show up. Merlin, it was a wonder the poor thing hadn't charged at them or something by now with the crowd that had gathered. "I don't think it is going to take the jerky directly from you," Kurumi whispered in the Ravenclaw girl's direction. "Thestrals sort of hunt for their food...and are more attracted to blood." At least from what she had read. Truth be told, did they really WANT to bring the creature more towards the castle? Shouldn't they be trying to help it go back into the Forbidden Forest?

Kurumi glanced down at Anya and sighed. "Anya, if you really want to ride on a horsie, I suggest you go speak with Professor Williamson. He has a few in the stables and knows how to handle them." Professor Williamson! Had anyone thought about going to get him? They were just a group of students after all and hardly capable of handling a XXXX rated creature - especially one that was invisible to a majority of the student population.

Kurui glanced back at Vashti, who was probably thinking the same line of thought. Just because they had badges didn't mean they knew how to do everything. "Vashti...I think we need to get Professor Wiliamson, or the Groundskeeper. This is way over our heads."

Kurumi then glanced back in the general direction she thought the winged horse was in, but ended up looking in the complete opposite direction, scooting just a little bit closer to Vickers. "How is it that a thestral managed to find their way here? They have an amazing sense of direction and never venture out of the Forbidden Forest...unless..." Her gaze fell on Vickers, since he was the closest to her at the moment. "You...don't suppose that there is something IN there that frightened it out here, do you?"

And the gnawing from earlier...well...Kurumi figured it was just bored. That is what horses did when they were so anyway.

And then...the water noise happened and Kurumi was glad that she couldn't see anything...if Vickers' suggestion was really what was happening that is.

"Should I go to get Professor Williamson?" Nate says after he was finishing up his notes. He needed something else to do now that he examined the thestral. He was happy it didn't attack him while he was writing down notes. Or else this would be the second time he would be in the hospital. And the first time he got mnuse ten points. So I don't think the healer would want to see him again after that inccident.

As the hot fluid trickled to the ground, and down his handsome leg, the thestral began to feel a little more uneasy.

His reptilian tail twitched behind him, his eyes darting from one student to the next.

Deciding he didn't like being backed against a wall-- or in this case, a gate, he reared up on his hind legs and spread his wings threateningly before thudding his hooves back on the ground.

Alyssa could sense something was not right. She heard the sound of hooves thudding on the ground. It sounded like the horse had reared on his hindfeet before landing his forefeet back on the ground. Even though she couldn't see what was happening, she could sense that the Thestral was about ready to take off, so she slowly stepped back away from the rest of the students.

Jogging over to the front gate, William noticed the thestral and the situation right away. He wasn't sure how many students gathered there could actually see it, but he sure could, and he could also see the rather constricting ring they had formed around the poor animal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by THESTRAL!

As the hot fluid trickled to the ground, and down his handsome leg, the thestral began to feel a little more uneasy.

His reptilian tail twitched behind him, his eyes darting from one student to the next.

Deciding he didn't like being backed against a wall-- or in this case, a gate, he reared up on his hind legs and spread his wings threateningly before thudding his hooves back on the ground.

"Hey there, handsome," he called out softly, slowing to a walk as he weaved through to the front of the crowd. William was carrying a small bucket of raw meat scraps and dried jerky things, which he set down just in front of him. He dragged out one old, bloody steak and dangled it out toward the thestral with his bare hand.

"Here, buddy, look. You're okay. No one's going to hurt you here." RIGHT, CLASS?

Williamson tossed the steak toward the thestral, causing it to land softly in a pile of leaves just in front of its left hoof.

Aww. Was she really not allowed to touch the black horsie? It looked like it needed a hug. Anya frowned a little, but refrained from getting any closer as she was told.

She giggled a little as the horsie relieved itself then and there. She looked up at Kurumi. "Can you see that?" she asked. Because... if she could... that would be a very interesting sight.

Her eyes brightened when Kurumi suggest she talk to Mr. Professor Crumpet Owner Sir. He had horses! And he would share!

Oh! And speak of the devil Professor! There he was!

Where they going to hurt it? "Of course not sir!" she said with a nod. He wasn't an answer to that question, right?

She then glanced around to see if Mr. Crumpet!Jackie was around. But she didn't see her evil little puppy friend. And yes, Anya was capable of being friends with evil puppies.

There was...another sound. What...

...Oh Merlin.

Vashti was glad there were other people around that she could avert her attention to, like the much younger Ravenclaw who still seemed reasonably nervous about the thestral.

Vashti shook her head, still offering a calm, reassuring smile. "No, they don't," she answered. "They may not be vegetarian, but that doesn't mean they eat humans. They prefer other kinds of meat." Like the beef jerky Ellie was offering to it. Granted, the thestral still hadn't eaten it, but that was likely because it was too scared of this now rather large group of people to eat. She was pretty sure she had read that creatures wouldn't eat if they weren't comfortable somewhere.



She turned to Kurumi as the girl voiced the thought she'd had only a few minutes ago, when she first saw the thestral, and nodded. "Both of them would probably be good," she said. "We could use as much help as we can get."

And...Kurumi's thought to the Ravenclaw boy about something having scared the thestral out of the forest wasn't lost on her. But what could scare a thestral? And if that was the case, why had only one of them come out and not the whole herd?

Oh, one of the students was offering to go fetch the professor. "Yes, please do," Vashti told him nodding.

OH MERLIN.

"Get back, everyone," Vashti said, taking a step to the side so that she was sort of between the younger students and the agitated thestral but much closer to the students than the creature.

Fortunately, just then, Professor Williamson arrived. Thank Merlin. Vashti tried not to grimace at the bloody steak he threw for the thestral. Gross, that. But if it made the thestral happy and less likely to attack them, then she could get over the ickiness.

Were they going to hurt it? She shook her head. She was far more concerned about the thestral hurting them than the other way around, but she didn't add that out loud.

Nate ran up behind the professor. But not to close because he didn't want to disturb him feeding the thestral. Hopefully if he would award points he'd award it to both him and the gryffyndor for saying someone needing to get the professor. She should be awarded the most points though because after all it was her idea for someone to get the professor. Nate looked at the creature.

Another quiver rippled over his hindquarters as an older man human arrived. He was thinking it was probably about time to get out of there, but this human had food. Glorious, red, bloody food. Not to mention he seemed to have a good eye for thestral. Of course he was handsome! why else would he have a ring of human girls around him?

Lowering his head very slowly, he snapped up the steak the human man threw at him, and swallowed it with only a few quick bites. The thestrals milky eyes still glanced around at the small group suspisciously.

Alyssa was glad that Professor Williamson was finally here. He would know what to do. She wondered whether he could see the Thestral but then figured that he must be able to or he wouldn't be talking to it now.

So she took a couple more steps back to give the Professor more room to work with the creature.

Nate watched as the thestral ate the bloody meat in only a few bites. Now that was nasty. He couldn't wait to send his sister an owl all about hogwarts. How his classes were going. About this. How he has earned 65 points. But the bad news would be that he didn't make the quidditch team. She made it every single year. In her 6th year she was captain. In her fifth year and up she was a ravenclaw prefect.

William was glad none of the students hanging around were of the hotheaded type; then again, he supposed that the sight of thestral would be enough to send a cold chill through even the most rash of Gryffindors.

Quote:

Originally Posted by THESTRAL!

Another quiver rippled over his hindquarters as an older man human arrived. He was thinking it was probably about time to get out of there, but this human had food. Glorious, red, bloody food. Not to mention he seemed to have a good eye for thestral. Of course he was handsome! why else would he have a ring of human girls around him?

Lowering his head very slowly, he snapped up the steak the human man threw at him, and swallowed it with only a few quick bites. The thestrals milky eyes still glanced around at the small group suspisciously.

"Atta boy, that's the ticket," Willy murmured, digging out another long strip steak and tossing it toward the thestral. This one was strategically placed, landing closer to the direction of the Forbidden Forest.

Williamson had a plan, yes he did. He would lure the poor threstral back to the forest, one scrumptious steak at a time, until the creature was calmed and stuffed enough to forget any thoughts of leaving. "Why aaaaare you looking so scaredy, bud?" he mused aloud, taking another step to the side of the thestral and closer to the forest. "Is it all these kids? Aww. They wouldn't harm a lobalug."

Theory yet to be tested, but yeah.... William beckoned over his shoulder for the two prefects there to come closer and help him lay out a trail of meat. So long as they didn't mind getting their hands bloody, the other kiddos could help too.

Nate saw that he was gesturing for people to help. So Nate took a piece of a long strip of what he was hopeing steak and tossed it a bit further towards the forbidden forest. Then Nate said "Don't worry none of us are trying to harm you." If they would've tried harming it two things. One professor Willamson would have their heads. And two it would have been thestral jerky by now.

Oh my stars! Professor Williamson was psychic!

Kurumi stood very still while others around her shifted positions and what not, glancing over at Vashti several times. This would be SO much easier if she could see what was happening, but it was a relief to know that Professor Williamson could. Not that she was glad that he had seen someone die or anything! Having an adult around who could handle things properly was always a plus. Truth be told, she would have been almost as relaxed if Professor Scabior had shown up.

ALMOST being the key word in that train of thought.

Professor Williamson...Care of Magical Creatures professor by trade, thestral whisper by hobby. Or was it the other way around.

Kurumi took a few small steps forward when he beckoned for her and Vashti to get closer . "What...do you need me to do, professor?" she whispered.

Right so...everything seemed okay now that the professor had shown up. Even Vashti felt a little more relaxed now that the thestral seemed calm and wasn't trying to hurt them. Only a little though. She glanced between Professor Williamson, the thestral, and Kurumi a couple times, wondering what else to do, when she noticed the professor beckoning for her and Kurumi. She stepped forward with Kurumi, nodding at her question to indicate she was wondering it too. "We'll help in any way we can," she added. She just hoped she wouldn't regret saying that.

When Alyssa saw the Professor beckon the Prefects to help lay down the meat, Alyssa quickly but carefully stepped forward to volunteer. "Professor can I help too? I don't mind handling the meat, but you need to tell me where the Thestral is because I can't see him. I don't want to accidentally bump into him." Alyssa told the Professor raising her hand to take the bloody meat from him.

Good, student helpers. That was good, that was good. As long as they didn't scare away the thestral, of course.

"So....since some of you can't see the thestral...." This was just now occurring to him, good job Williamson. "I'd like you to take a slab of meat or two and then go over to the edge of the forbidden forest and lay it out, just kind of....as the goal of where we want the thestral to end up."

He nodded to Alyssa, Arya, and Nate, since he was presuming that the younger students were the ones least likely to have seen and accepted death into their lives. Then he turned to Vashti and Kurumi.

"I'm going to try to edge a little closer," he whispered to them, "so I might need you to toss me some meat, Vashti. Kurumi, if you would start laying the beginning of the trail....?"

He raised his brows at them and dug out a particularly fatty hunk of dragon flesh, something that should prove particularly tempting to the thestral. Williamson let out a low whistle and slowly, with careful steps, worked his way toward it, one foot at a time.

"Here boy, look at this treat I've got here! How bout that, you don't see dragon meat every day, do ya?"

Oh, so the thestral would eat the professor's meat, but not Ellie's? That was rude. And Ellie thought that she might be getting closer to the poor guy. Y'know, besides the peeing and the frantic wing-flapping.

And Williamson had raw meat, so that was probably more appetizing than beef jerky.

"Professor, do you think he wants this?" Ellie asked, waving the jerky around.

Waaaaaait. Thestralfeedingprofessorsaywhaaaat? "Dragon meat? Like... Legit dragon meat? Like, dead dragon in that bucket?" Ellie didn't care that she sounded unintelligent; there was a dead dragon in her presence. Ellie liked dragons. Alive. From a distance. A very big distance. When they weren't eating people.