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Yea, he does that... [ Oni shrugged, holding the business end of the python with one hand below the quadrate. But the rest of the snake was conspicuously wrapped around the she-wolf's neck.

She squeezed her fingers under the coils of his scaly belly, nonchalantly tugging it away from her throat as if she'd done this loads of times. ] This is Gaspard. Who's a naughty little constrictor? You are!

He seems...cuddly. [Look, she's trying. Between having to dispatch snakes on a farm and her own more avian aversion, this is being nice.]

How on earth did you end up with him?

[She snorted.] That's a word for it.

We're workin' on his "people skills." Among other things... [ Oni made a face; Here and there were sores, patches of dead skin, bits of old sheds that never quite left the station. When the python opened his mouth, mucus webbed between its jaws-- The old boy was in bad shape. ]

Ah, that. Darlin', you wouldn't believe me if I told you. Let's just say I managed t'piss off a snake goddess, and this is supposed t'be a show of good faith.

Murderous is an alternative?

[Cole is not a reptile person. Nothing against them, exactly? But, well, she's only got a rough idea that the snake looks a little suspect.]

...That's a heck of a deal. Not the worst one I've heard this year, but I guess I get that.

[ Oni turned his triangular face towards her. He flicked his tongue, as if in annoyance. ] Nah, I don't think he'd go through with it.

... But don't quote me on it. [ Getting a mischievous glint in her eyes, Oni grinned at Cole. ] Y'wanna hold him?

Eh, on second thought you'd better not. He only barely lets me hold him, and by "barely," I mean he don't exactly got a choice.

Really? What's th'worst y'heard?

Only because he can't actually unhinge his jaws wide enough to eat you.

[That gets a scoff of a laugh.] No thank you, kindly. I don't take to having something curled around my neck well.

There's a list at this point.

That's definitely a factor. But, where there's a will, there's a way.

[With one hand pressed against her heart, Oni affects a wounded air-- Or tries to, except her devilish smirk gives her away.] Aww, Cole... You don't wanna pet my snake?

I'll have t'find a way t'live with that. [Grinning at her own joke, one that she's obviously told everyone she knows, she carefully puts Gaspard back in his enclosure so he can have a rest from her nonsense. He doesn't like to be handled, but that's all the more reason why she has to do it; his former owners didn't socialize him for shit.]

Eh, you're right. Could be a helluva lot worse than havin' t'deal with one cranky noodle. His bite ain't even venomous. Y'hear him hissin'? I keep telling him he's not a cobra, but does he listen? No...

You mean he's tried to do it? Or you think he'll try?

[Cole has to laugh at the smirk and innuendo. No amount of bothered by a snake could stop that.] Not at the moment, no. Maybe when he looks less likely to try and take a finger for the fun of it.

What is he? [Deflecting? Yes!] I don't know much about snakes other than how to spot the poisonous ones.