Nymph with a Potted Plant?

Kale hissed and the air rippled tensely around her with restrained irritation.

"It is not the fact that it is male name that makes me deny it. The name Kale is not so often female, after all. The trouble lies in the idea that the name Harry - and Harriet - are so very pedestrian. If you want me to accept any name you give me, think of something more regal." With nose tilted up, the harpy raised an eyebrow condescendingly, ebony stare harsh. "How about 'Revenant'"? The french word was purred from the woman's throat, resounding and prounouced: rev-uh-nuhnt.

Flicking her gaze to Yvonne, Kale paused a moment to think.

"Psychology, hm? I do believe there was a space cleared and prepared for you." The harpy tapped her chin and looked around. If she was correct it was- "Ah, yes. There." Kale pointed a lazy finger over to one of the walls of the courtyard directly opposite the breakfast area. "That is your room, I believe. Go in the breakfast area via that terrace." She gestured to the circular patio area. "And go through the kitchens. Hang a left down the hall and keep walking until you have met the second set of doors to the music room. There should be a small hallway on your left with a door that leads to your classroom, and your office should branch off the side of that room." The Dean was pleased she had memorized the castle layout. There was something to be said for wandering aimlessly in those beginning months.

"About your duties. As a teacher, you will be expected to care for your students, but let me make it clear that you are in charge of only your students. Every little twit in this school belongs to one of the four houses. They are under the protection that their House Guardian. You keep order, generally, and teach your class. Of course, kids may come to you if they feel comfortable, but you should inform their House Guardian if it is something of major importance." She then gave the woman a strange look then. "I suppose if you should want to hear the children's petty troubles and deal with their whining, then by all means, be the counselor."

Kale crossed her arms and shifted her weight to her left foot, tilting her hips. She eventually sighed and rolled her eyes, annoyed. Tossing her gaze to Rosie, she said simply: "What are you doing?"

(( Dx sorry this took so long. I had many others to catch up on, and I forgot about it momentarily. I apologize profusely. ))

"I was going to pray, but I usually do it alone, and I didn't feel like disturbing your group." she said, simply, and with the same cool tone that Kale had expressed to her, and looked up at the tree, quietly thinking about her husband and Ndale and her time at the castle.

(sorry wanted to add this before I forgot my post)

Lunie winced visibly at Kale's hiss, raising his arms as if he were to defend himself from a blow. When none came, he peered tentatively up at Kale. "Umm..." He wasn't so keen on Kale's choice of name. Sure, it didn't sound aggressive, but it wasn't friendly either. It sounded more like grunting than anything pleasant. "Can I not please call you Harry?" he asked defensively, having already grown an attatchment to that name.

Glancing nervously at Rosie, he wanted to speak out to her, but he couldn't be sure that averting his attention from the science professor would be safe. You not disturbing! he inwardly whined. You distracting her! He glanced back towards Kale, unwilling to look her directly in the eye.

Pray? Kale blinked at Rosie, a blank noncomprehending look on her face, until a quirk of the lips broke the expression to pieces. The small tilt turned into a smirk, which grew into a smile and split into a highly amused grin. A light feeling bubbled from the harpy's chest and she released a bright and merry laugh of a high and clear note and tone. It died down to a cheerful chuckle that occasionally came forth, leaving an open smile and a smoothly arched brow.

"That so? Well, good luck with that there, dear." Kale tilted her head back slightly, lifting her jawline prominently and her eyebrow barely, revealing the kind air about her just a moment before to be a bit more condescending and sarcastic than it would have originally seemed. With a graceful sweep, the harpy turned her back on Rosie and strode towards Lunie, the furry creature now having her complete attention. She crouched, bring her face even to his, raising a hand to place it on the boy's head gently, but heavily. Her smile was still deceivingly warm where her gaze was hard.

"I dare you to call me Harry, squirt." Inside, all Kale could think about was that if he called her Harry just one more time, she was taking off into the sky, dragging this kid with her. Maybe no one would notice if he was randomly dropped in the ocean a few miles in.

Lunie smiled meekly at Kale's unexpected laugh, still not quite understanding what was quite so hilarious. After all, Rosie didn't seem to look like she was cracking a joke.

However, he wasn't one to bash optimism, especially coming from someone he'd assumed to be rather terrifying. When the science professor strode towards him, he stiffened, but tried to relax upon noticing that she still didn't appear to be angry. In fact, she seemed to be approving of his decision to name her, even granting him a nickname of his own in return. Perhaps this was the change of heart he'd been waiting for? Beaming, he nodded, although it was rather restrained under her hand. "I so happy I can call you Harry!" he chirped, smiling stupidly. "I knew you would like it!"

Kale could practically feel a giant cartoon sweat drop descend over her head. Was this kid just stupid? Her expression stayed forced on to her face, pretending to be amiable as she ruffled the boy's fur with the hand on his head.

"But of course, squirt. I'm not entirely cold hearted." The harpy withdrew her hand and opened her arms wide, inviting the little yellow creature in for a hug. That was it, she was dropping him in the ocean the first sign of a shark. She would tell Everly that she returned him to his dorm room and that she hadn't seen him since. He mysteriously disappeared, that's all, these things do happen of course, such a shame that. The intruder hadn't been caught yet, perhaps that evil man was responsible. Who knew, right? Kale's smile became a little less forced and her eye crinkled in amusement.

Squirt. It was a funny sounding word, and every time it was mentioned, he'd let out a slight giggle. Immediately raising a hand to neaten his ruffled hair, his eyes widened at the sight of Kale's opened arms. He had to blink a few times to believe it was true, before his smile broke into a wideer one than before, if such a thing was possible. "Really?!" he squeaked, relief flooding over him. "You so kind, Harry!" Wasting no time, he bounded towards the professor, his arms reaching towards her, aiming to envelope her in a loving hug, feeling confident that she really had changed.

Kale stiffened at both the name and first contact as Lunie enthusiastically embraced her. It was not often that she was hugged, people were not usually so naive. Reflexively, the harpy wrapped her arms around the boy's frame and she took a moment to consider the fact that hugging Lunie was much like hugging a warm, breathing teddy bear. It wasn't utterly revolting, she guessed.

Gradually, Kale's arms tightened, wrapping around Lunie's midsection like a boa constrictor, pulling the boy closer to her and securing her hold. With a quick motion, the harpy's wings were out and she shot from her crouched position, propelling herself with a powerful, silent flap. The courtyard quickly shrunk beneath them as Kale struggled slightly to heave the extra weight with her into the sky. Luckily, Lunie was smaller than Valentin, and using air pressure to compensate for the passenger would be far less taxing.

An uncontrolled laugh escaped the woman's chest as she tipped her wing and swerved dangerously to her right, gliding over the walls of the castle.

Snuggling the petite harpy, Lunie had never felt better. He was comfy just where he was, not to mention he was finally reassured that everything was okay. As the hug was returned, his tiny heart felt like it was about to burst with sheer joy. She was good after all! How silly of him to think she'd pose any threat. The naive felus hardly noticed her tightening grip.

The last thing he expected was to be suddenly whisked into the sky. In mere seconds, his loving embrace had turned into a terrified cling, his claws desperately digging into anything. He couldn't be sure what was even happening - it was hard to see anything with his face currently buried into Kale's shoulder. The wind whipped furiously by his ears, and he recognised the sound of... laughng? He tried to open his mouth to ask why, but all he managed to let out was a loud, high-pitched scream, clinging ever more tightly to the professor.

Kale was prepared for a death grip from the boy but she hissed in pain as the sharp little claws dug into her skin. It was when the kid screamed though, a high ear-shattering screech, that the harpy's vision swam. Her sensitive ear drums took the punishment, and the ear closest to Lunie was ringing painfully. A headache was setting in and she faltered in her rhythmic flapping, making the pair lurch towards the ground before she picked them back up again.

"Will you SHUT UP!" Kale growled in anger. "If you continue, so help me, I will drop you this instant!" The owl paused and thought a moment. "In fact..." Grinning with a new idea, Kale swung back around to circle the courtyard tightly, heading straight for the clock tower - her own nest.

(( Continued: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] ))