mercenary jobs #2 — open to all

[unweave]

Who: Anyone interested in taking some mercenary jobs via Aranea Highwind's offerings. She will be texting people she's made contact with in her initial mercenary network post. However, newcomers can find jobs posted in Wyver.
What: Mercenary posting!
When: N/A
Where: N/A
Warning(s): Nothing particular!

Thank you for stopping by to check out this month's job postings for Highwind Hires — a freelance mercenary group!

Aranea Highwind will ICly be contacting characters and offering them jobs based off the assumption she will receive 30% of the cut. Due to the change in settings, Aranea has waved her fee and is allowing people to keep the full cut of the payment to help them get on their feet.

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JOB #1 — DRAGON RESCUE

With the infection in Wyver, a local dragon-nursery is in need of workers to help tend for sick dragons. They will need baths, feedings, and even surgery in some cases. Will you answer the call and provide the support Wyver needs in this trying time?

OUTCOMES:
- The nursery will pay you 100 silver for a day's work.

---

JOB #2 — REDEMPTION FOR FAMILY

An elderly woman named Vetmir has somehow got in contact with Highwind Hire, hoping to find her son's killer. Her son was murdered weeks ago by a former lover. The woman is hiding in The Old City, Alora, is often seen among the trading market near the evening making a living a drug trader.

OUTCOMES:
- Vetmir promises 140 silver with delivery of a locket her son gave Alora.
- Sparing Alora's life will earn you her side of the story, where she had to defend herself after a drunken encounter with Vetmir's son. This earns you 40 silver in appreciation and the locket, which nets you Vetmir's 140 silver if delivered back for a total of 180 silver.

---

JOB #3 — BONES FOR A CURE

Criny, a medicine woman is looking for a large supply of Puox bones from their camouflaged exterior. This crucial parts are needed to craft some potions to help relieve aches for the sick. While definitely not the cure, Puox is needing someone to travel to Murkwell Hollow and someone to help assist in potion making.

OUTCOMES:
- Anyone who brings her 6 bonespurs from Puox will receive 170 silver.
- People who help in potion making will receive 30 silver per potion with a maximum of 6 potions a day.

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JOB #4 — SEARCH & RESCUE

Jillam, a street vendor, has not seen their fruit supplier in a few days. Worried they were lost in The Undergrowth, they are enlisting a search and rescue. Traveling to the Undergrowth will prove difficult — gather a small party for back up.

The vendor cart is abandoned with a broken axis, the fruit still good but the driver missing. Exploring further will allow the players to rescue Qun from a man-eating plant.

OUTCOMES:
- Anyone who participates in the search and rescue will receive 200 silver.
- Players can attempt repair the carriage and return the fruit back for cut of the food for free.
- Players who explore for the vendor will be able to fight a large man-eating plant similar to a venus flytrap with sentient vines. If Qun is rescued, you will receive an additional 100 silver.

---

Have fun! If you have any questions, feel free to PM me! These are all loosely based on your choices, so feel free to go wild with them. The outcomes only are indication of what the jobs would offer. If you're interested in having your character offer a job in the future, please let me know!

Comments

[daemonized]

job #1 - ota;

[There are times when Ardyn believes, quietly to himself, that joining the royal guard might’ve been a mistake. It’s often a fleeting thought, with no real seriousness behind it, but during moments like these? Where he is attempting to give a sick (but still very rambunctious and very stubborn) young dragon a bath, at the behest of his obligations as a guard? It is a moment of self-reflection, of inward enlightenment, in which he thinks:

How did my life ever come to this?

A wry thought that is pushed aside the moment a splash of water crashes into him. He’s starting to think there’s more of it on him now, than whatever remains in the large wooden tub. The dragon itself is crying out pathetically, hating the very notion of the bath. It lashes its tail around, splashing everywhere, in retaliation.]

Grab the bucket. We need to refill this blasted tub.

[Ardyn says with a set jaw. He’s a patient man. He’s not growing frustrated. But this is really quite ridiculous.]

[ysayle]

[ Even with aprons and gloves, unhappy babies make a mess of EVERYTHING, including those designated as today's helpers. Thus proving that 100 silver a day for aid in their care is probably less than is deserved.

But beggars can't be choosers, and it isn't like the babies want to be sick either. So when there's a call for more water, Ysayle is not long in dragging over a fresh bucket, with two towels over one shoulder - one for the baby, and one for Ardyn.

Not that he's free to claim it yet - the fussing wyver-child is a literal handful. ]

For someone so sick, you are wasting too much energy. Be calm. The water will cool your hide. [spoken directly to the dragon baby, before looking to the hyur-human male.] Try adjusting your grip on his paws, then give the word to pour. It'll go a little more smoothly if we soak him at the same time as filling.

[ ...Well. They can hope. ]

[daemonized]

[It would be something of a hilarious sight for the wayward passerby. Aprons and gloves mean little in the continuous tide of... water that keeps getting splashed his way. No one is safe from it. Not even Ardyn Izunia, whose hair is actually a bit damp and sticking to the sides of his face.

Good thing he cares very little for how others perceive him, else his pride would taking quite the hit right about now.]

Gripping his paws would be far easier if he did not feel so inclined to squirm against me, like some spoiled child.

[But he shifts a little on his knees and tries again. Ardyn's fingers grasp around the dragon's paws, using his strength to keep him pinned down in this way. The dragon whines, but it isn't from pain; it's merely something that sounds indignant.]

Do it now.

[He commands, as the creature continues to squirm and slosh water around.]

[unweave]

[ Look. There's no way she's going to turn down a job like this — she tells the owner to keep the coin. The dragons in the street are more hostile, but the babies? She wants to take care of them and protect them, okay. She's very stubborn about this — like a child in a pet store. ]

Then stop letting it wiggle around! [ Two "frenemies" find themselves in close proximity, focusing on the last available dragon that wasn't laid down for a nap. Aranea's on her knees, trying to splash soap and suds onto the tail of the little beast, but as he deals with the spunky attitude, Aranea is left smirking. Little victories. ] He's just going to splash it all onto you — ... wait, that's a good idea.

[ And she pours the bucket nearby into the tub. :) ]

[daemonized]

[If he’s going to be doing this in the presence of Aranea, Ardyn’s snark is going to be ramped up several notches by default alone. Case in point:]

Why don’t you try holding it down, Commodore? Since your strength is so much greater than mine.

[GURL U TRY THIS SHIT

He releases the dragon, just to be an ass about it, and it takes the opportunity to attempt to crawl out of the tub, threatening to knock all of it over in Aranea’s direction.]

He's a buffoon. I'm so sorry.

[cassus]

Right away, Sir! Anything you say, Sir!

[ Dazai mock salutes before donning the bucket like it's a helmet and he's off to war.

The buffoonery lasts long enough to make his point: He feels completely put out. To think, having to actually do work when you're at work. Blasphemy!

But despite this tiny trantrum he finally gives in, giving an exasperated sigh from inside the bucket as he resigns himself to this tragic fate. A moment later he he begrudgingly trudges away to fill it to the brim.

The bucket is still on his head. ]

Seriously. [ Muffled, from inside the pail. ] Is your bedside manner always this....'charming'?

[ He doesn't particularly care that his dragon-sitting partner isn't all cooing sweet-talk, let alone when Ardyn is ordering him around. Still, the only way to endure being waterlogged in this heat and humidity, around a frantic baby that could do some damage if it wanted, is making light of the situation.

Which is mostly just Dazai behaving like a complete idiot and trying to torment Ardyn to relive his own stress. ]

Incoming!! [ Case in point: He tosses an entire bucket full of water directly in the location Ardyn had just been in. ]

[panzersoldat]

Job 1

Dragons! Dragons!!! Baby dragons, everywhere. Reinhardt can't believe what he's seeing. His heart swells in his chest and he certainly makes a high pitched noise that no grown ass man should ever be making. His single eye is huge and he's all but bouncing in delight at the fact that these are indeed, real honest to god dragons and he's going to get to take care of them.

Throughout the day the old knight can be found with no fewer than 3 tiny reptiles in his massive arms. He sits on the ground and acts as a jungle gym for them, letting them climb all over him. If he get bit or burned by teeny little dragon fires, that's fine because they're cute and they're dragons and it's everything he's ever dreamed of as a little boy. (well, not everything since these dragons aren't for slaying.)

By the end of the day, he's taken quite a liking to a tiny blind silver colored drake. He knows food is scarce right now, but he still is sitting there, feeding the little dragon bits of what's supposed to be his own dinner.

"That's right, little one. Eat up. There's more where that came from." A close eye might need to be kept on the old man, lest he slip that dragon under his shirt and try to walk out with it.

Job 4
The problem with armor is that it's not very good for jungle missions. But Reinhardt has the next best thing. He has just the gauntlet with his barrier generator and he has his hammer. The huge heavy thing slung across his back as he pushes through the Undergrowth to try and look for anything that might lead him to the missing card of the missing man.

His voice is rather loud as he calls out into the jungles. "Herr Qun. If you can hear this, make some sort of sound!!" It's quite a bellow he has. Likely half the jungle has heard him. He then turns to his partner in the search and gives a little grin. "Let me know if you spot anything."

job 1

[poolhall_killer]

There aren't many things Venom finds adorable, and normally, he tends to dislike dragons. They're ornery, hard to fight, and even harder to properly cook them. But he's trying to be a better person, so if that means sucking it up to help out with dragons, he'll do it.

Anyway, he doesn't find dragons cute. That is until he sees a very large knight feeding a small dragon from his dinner plate. It truly is one of the most heartwarming things he's ever seen in his life. And he needs it too as he just finished bathing a pair of dragon sisters. Both had quite the set of lungs as they tried to singe his hair during their bathtime.

His hair is now tied back as he approaches Reinhardt and his new dragon friend. "You seem to have a way with them."

Job 4

[gh0stamidstthec0mbat]

Zer0 tends to prefer a stealthy approach to missions like this one. A strange area with strange wildlife was probably one of the last places that someone would want to draw attention to themselves, and he'd been making an effort to keep quiet. So far he'd done a good job of it, but then his partner over here decided to bellow both of his lungs out and alert the entire jungle to their location. Zer0 had been so focused on keeping an eye out for anything that could tip them off that Reinhardt actually startles him. His sword is at the ready in an instant, but he quickly realizes that they are not, in fact, being attacked by like. Jungle bears or whatever. It's just his companion waking the dead whit loud noises.

He takes a second to relax before turning to Reinhardt, a holographic ". . ." flashing in front of his helmet for a few seconds.

"Oh, I bet I will. / Just wait til half the jungle / Descends upon us."

Venom | Open to new and previous CR

[poolhall_killer]

Job 3

[There's a time Venom would have considered the job post regarding a family's vengeance. It's a tragic story, and the assassin within could easily return victorious by sundown. But that's not who he is anymore. Venom has to prove he can be a better man.

So he looks into and accepts the post right after it: finding a spiny creature and harvest its external bones. He asks for directions to the hollow, an soon he's on his way, armed with his pool cue and a description of his target: the Puox.

As he's entering the area, he starts to go over a strategy in case these things are hostile. He doesn't wish to bring harm to the creature, but he'll defend himself as needed.

But for all he knows, he can be approaching one right now. It's blended in so well that it looks like part of a rock formation. It would have gotten away with it too had it not been for a light sneeze, causing Venom to immediately summon a pool ball.]

Who goes there?!

Job 4

[In another attempt to prove himself, Venom signs up to find a missing person. Apparently going into the Undergrowth alone is dangerous, and despite Venom's skill level, he opts to take that advice.

Before making preparations, he approaches a random person in hopes of finding a possible team member.]

Pardon me, but I'd like to request your assistance regarding a missing vendor. You will be properly compensated for your participation.

job 4

[planetary_bonds]

[Yusei's face is carefully blank when Venom approaches him, apparently suspicious. Then again, considering the circumstances that brought them all to Wyver, maybe it's natural for him to be wary of being suddenly approached to do a job.]

...I'm not sure if I can be much help to you. What's the situation?

job 3

[judicia]

( Anders has skirted his clinical duties long enough for him not to even consider anything other than taking care of the sick and needy. He's been spending most of his time amongst Wyver's shamans, tending to patients and brewing potions when their stocks were running low.

Sometimes, that had him heading out for supplies — herbs, bones, whatever he needed to get. Going out on his own probably wasn't the wisest idea, considering he doesn't know the lay of the land out here, doesn't know what kind of trouble he could be blindly walking into. He doesn't know who he could trust to watch his back, though, now that Hawke and Fenris are back in their cryopods.

Venom may have been a possibility, had he had known that the other man would be out here, looking for the same medicinal bones as him. He chuckles from where he's hidden behind a rock formation, amused by the man's sudden caution. )

Really? I moved out for two months and you don't recognize me anymore? ( He steps out into the open, unperturbed by the pool ball Venom has brandished at him like a weapon. )

That really hurts, you know.

ota

[emblazes]

🔥 ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ ʀᴇsᴄᴜᴇ
[Keith's not very good with things that are small and squirmy. To him, nurturing is all about setting something up for nonfailure in a clinical, disconnected way. A word of encouragement, a pat on the back...

He originally showed up out of pure curiosity. He'd never seen a dragon before, so of course he'd make his rounds...

Maybe you'll find him awkwardly patting the top of a little red one's head with an apparatus that looks very much like a toothbrush. The dragon doesn't seem bothered, but it's inadequate for a bath? Later on, he can be found fumbling with their food (mush dusted with minerals) and a syringe; shouldn't they be eating red meat? Guts and blood? All these myths and stories...]



🔥 ʙᴏɴᴇs ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ᴄᴜʀᴇ
[Maybe he's feeling charitable, or maybe it's carryover from his time with Voltron. Or, maybe he's just interested in perusing Murkwell Hollow with some sort of purpose in mind. Whatever the case may be, he's accepted the task and is currently scavenging along the watery edge of that moor, his Blade mask (and thensome) hiding his face (etc) from view.

Sorry about being partnered up with a weirdo, incoming CR.]

How do we know Criny isn't working for the wrong people?

[A question he's posed at least six times in six different ways since reconnaissance began.]


🔥 sᴇᴀʀᴄʜ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇsᴄᴜᴇ
[What's up with these vendors getting themselves into shit? It's a near-reluctant agreement, when he accepts the task of locating the fruit guy. He among many -- or a few, depending on the angle. If not for all that's happened in Olympia, he'd be quick to write this off as an unfortunate incident with the local maneating creature, not to cheapen or dismiss the occasion.

So he'll head off with a shoddy map -- a supposed route the vendor would've taken. On one hand, he's suspicious he's being lead into a trap himself (would-be muggers would only find a knife on his person), on the other hand, with each progressive step, he's rescanning the immediate area for anything that may want to try him for dessert.

At least he hasn't any fruit on him to serve as a lure.]

Dragon Rescue

[maipokerface]

[Dragons are a pretty well-known thing in the Fire Nation. And so is the fact that the last of the dragons died quite a bit before Mai herself was born. She's never seen one and upon hearing they do exist here, she's more than a little curious.

She's no caretaker either but seeing Keith with his little toothbrush...]

You afraid to touch it or something?

drink ya milk

[eusford]

[ Honestly Keith’s appearance isn’t all that surprising and Crowley doesn’t even question it all that much. At least not the amount as the young man does with his endless curiosity that the vampire has had up to here dealing with. ]

Then everybody you drinks the potion dies. There, are you happy with that answer?

[ HE’S SO... TIRED. ]

Ask me again and I’ll just give ‘em your bones, if they not to be trusted then I bet they won’t even know the difference.

search & rescue ftw

[braidedwonder]

[ Typically Duo wasn't really the rescue guy of the outfit. That was left for Heero, if 'rescue' meant being threatened with a pistol at your forehead and 'search' was literally bending the bars of where he'd been held. Details details. Still, the braided boy had taken the mission for a bit of extra silver in his pocket, wanting to make sure he wasn't going to be scrounging for too terribly long in a new place. Granted, he wasn't opposed to doing what needed to be done to be able to eat, at the end of the day, but if he could earn it fair and square there's little in the way of hesitation.

The braided pilot drops out of a nearby tree rather unceremoniously, a piece of fruit held in his teeth. Sure, it might lure something his way, but a guy's hungry, and that means he's gonna find food. He doesn't expect to find a familiar face when he lands, raising a hand in 'hello' to Keith before he plucks the fruit out of his mouth. ]

Yo. You out here for some fruit too? This one has a good bit up in the upper branches if you climb careful enough..

babysitting

[competing]

[ babysitting? easy peasy. lance has been babysitting for as long as he can remember, likely since he was still young enough to warrant his own babysitter, but he figures after the hellions known as his nieces and nephews, a couple of baby dragons should be cake.

cue him seated on the ground of one of the enclosures of the nursery, a navy-colored dragonling curled up into the crook of his arm, another (a dark maroon) splayed out across his lap. both stare up at him in what can only be considered dragon wonder... likely trying to figure out what's got him so excited and theatrical. ]

And then, the incredible and daring defender of the universe, Lance, freed the people of Balmera from their tyrannous captor overlords, earning the respect and awe and praise of alien civilizations from lightyears over.

[ god he loves storytime. who doesn't love storytime?? ]

Did I mention he was super handsome?

aranea.

[unpromising]

[ Qrow does not have his weapon out yet as he and Aranea travel through the muddy soils of the Undergrowth. He doesn't seem tense either, with how he's skulking as he walks about. He should likely be taking this mission more seriously (which he is), but it just doesn't seem like he is.

Every so often, he glances at his partner. There's something he's curious about and he's itching to know, and the childish part of him can't seem to wait any longer. ]

What's the craziest monster you've ever fought?

[ He's actually initiating small talk while they "work"!! Look at him, mom. ]

[unweave]

[ Qrow isn't alone. For the most part? Even with the helmet she opts to keep herself casual. Business casual for a dragoon mercenary. ]

Uh. Hm. Quetzalcoatl wasn't too bad, but —

[ But, of course — ]

Actually, yeah. Immortalis — some giant ... magitek infantry — [ No, he won't know what that shit is. She stammers and clarifies: ] A giant metal worm. Trust me, a lot more deadly than it sounds.

[abyssalflame]

Job #1

[The only excuse Sid has for this one is that it sounded easy, and it wasn't a job that involved killing things when his body is still recovering from his earlier fuck-up.

The problem is, it's not as easy as he thought. It's arguably even worse than handling real toddlers.

At the moment, he's attempting to grind up meat in order to feed to the smaller ones, a task made invariably more difficult by the fact that they keep trying to climb up his pants like kittens, and some of the older ones that know how to fly are trying to steal more than their share.

It doesn't help that he's got an apron on, too. And no armor.]

Knock that off! Give me a damn second!

[Swatting at one reveals he's got baby dragons clinging to his arms and digging into his skin with needle-sharp claws. A second one that gets too close, he attempts to pry off -- gently.]

You act like you've never been fed in your life...

[Anyone who enters will probably notice every dragon in the room has opted to swarm him in this way. Help is most likely (grudgingly) appreciated.]

[planetary_bonds]

[Oh my god. Dragons. They're real, and also adorable.

...Also, they're as finicky as tiny kittens. Good grief.

Crow's always been more of the caretaker-type than he'll ever be, but Yusei's not unused to taking care of little ones. That, and the grump with the apron could use some help. He smiles wanly as he attempts to pry off a little red dragon with black horns and claws.]

Someone's popular. [yuuuuuseiii]

[braidedwonder]

001. dragons

[ All that it took to convinced Duo to come and work a full day at a nursery? Saying the word 'dragons.' He can't help himself - they're creatures he's never seem before in anything but story books, and it earns him a bit of silver too? Hell yes he's down to go, if only to sate his curiosity about what dragons are like and ... to say he got the chance to play with a dragon, for sure.

a. Duo first helps with bathing, his braid pinned up atop his head as he scrubs at a little dragon with shimmery scales, a little water and a little soap. He seems to have found a good spot on it, too, if the bouncing foot (much like a dog) indicates anything, sending Duo in to fits of laughter. Honestly he'd thought this job might be a little more dangerous but.. he's not exactly complaining if it isn't, either.

b. Then it's on to feedings. These are generally older dragons, he's noticed, and by the heaping bin of meat he's been passed... they require a lot of food. Not unthinkable for a lizard of that size, not by a long shot, but in typical Maxwell form Duo takes to.. you know... tossing the bits of meat up for the babies to catch, making it a bit more entertaining than passing chunks around even steven. ]

002. all in the family

[ Family problems were definitely not new material for Duo - not by a long shot. Coming from L2, where every neighborhood seemed to know everyone else's issues... well, he's not surprised to hear about this woman wanting something back from an ex of her son's. To hear he's been murdered by her is definitely a different kind of story, but it doesn't deter him at all, tucking his hat down a little further to hide his face as Duo wanders in to the Old City at some ridiculous time that's probably better for dinner than seeking out old flames of other people.

He almost wishes he had a cigarette or a pipe with which to blend in, but instead leans against a wall rather casually, rolling a small pocket knife over his knuckles. As of yet he doesn't have any set plan on what to do with the ex. Most people would probably want to kill her, but... well, Duo knows everything is typically a little more complicated than most people would like to believe and that mothers always viewed their children as saints and were, generally, not the most truthful with their stories.

If Vetmir's proven right, and Alora's murdered her son in cold blood, though? Well. Two could play at that game. ]

003. bone tired

[ Potion making seems so archaic when it's said in a sentence - he'd nearly lost all interest when it had been brought up like that instead of just saying 'medicine,' but he figures the sick have already gone through enough without piling his crap on top of it. Sure, this is a weird mission and he's never been one to seek out medicines before, but like hell is he going to cheap out of a money making mission just because he finds the wording silly.

There's a passing thought that he might be picking this crap out of the forest for the wrong people and the wrong reasons, but...

Well, he's got time to spy the place out a little bit to easy his own worries before turning in what he's gathered. Happens to be one of his specialties. ]

D'you think anyone in town knows more about Criny? Just to, you know, make sure we're not out here busting our backs for her fix or something..

bone tired

[competing]

[ lance doesn't take his eyes off of his path, just barely holding back a wrinkle in his nose at his obvious distaste for the marshy ground they have to plow through just to find these puox. ]

I asked around before we left, and everyone seems to pretty much just know her as the medicine woman. They didn't really seem to like her too much, said she just keeps to herself. [ he winces when something squelches noisily under his boot. gross... ]

Then again, I was only able to ask the other vendors in the market. They could've just just been trying to badmouth the competition. Still, no one's really said she isn't trustworthy or anything. Just that she's quiet.

JEANNE ALTER.

[jewelling]

[ Money is money and not even a little (big) sickness was going to prevent Rin Tohsaka from that cash flow.

Rin couldn’t do much and allowed Jeanne Alter to do most of the labor and attend to a baby dragon. Unlike the adult sized ones that nearly knocked the magus off feet upon their arrival, this dragon was still small and helpless. The idea of dragons was first overwhelming, especially to someone who had never bear witness to such a magnificent display. It was something out of a dream and unfortunately to Rin; she couldn’t revel in much of anything. Her illness was slowly taking its course, and there was still no sign of recovery. Only aches and pains, and blood seeping out from her lips every so often.

Rin, at least was blessed that Jeanne Alter had given her little to no trouble when it came down to cooperating with her. Perhaps, the servant had missed the girl while she was missing in action or perhaps Jeanne genuinely had a soft spot for these lizards and was finally amongst her people. Or something.

Either way, Rin snuggled up in that charred up cloak belonging to the servant as said servant engages in an epic battle with the dragon to get in the tub. She couldn't see much from her angle, but there are splashes. Lots and lots of splashing... coming from the dragon. ]

Avenger, the key is not to drown the dragon. I can clearly see the poor thing fearing for its life.

[ Unknown to Jeanne, Rin's smiling, but if the servant were to whip her head around, her lips were prepared to flatline. ]

[lahaine]

Ugh! Come on you dumb thing! [ The frustrated cries of the dragon witch rang out through the dragon nursery. Though she seemed to hold a sort of charisma over reptiles normally, that feature in her skillset had somehow been taken away in this place. Leaving her with little authority over the drakes.

That wasn't to say it was all bad. Even without her dragon witch skill, she felt confident enough that she could boss small lizards around. How hard could it be?

If one were to ask her now, as her exasperated expression would dictate that it was pretty damn hard.

She had left her cloak with her Master, as she played dragon wrangler. The dragon was making all sorts of unholy shrieking noises and squirming around within her grasp, while she tried - failed - to submerge it in the tub. Rin's remark earned a hiss from Avenger as she called over her shoulder. ]

Oh really?! If you are such an expert then--

[ Her change in balance was the perfect time for the dragon to writhe from Jeanne's grasp, as she snapped her attention back to the animal. ] Oh no you don't! [ Her hand would grasp its leg as it struggled to pull away, leaving Jeanne hopping around trying to remove it from flight. ] Geh!