Today's Guest - Snowball

[azure_mercy]

[OOC: Millitimed, like, way back to early fall.]

Zhaan leads the children into the garden for the day's biology lesson. It's their first field trip - hopefully the first of many, if it goes well.

"Snowball?" she calls. He was supposed to meet them here, but she doesn't see him. "I've brought the children here."

Comments

[scapepig]

The pig approaches from behind some bushes. He walks with a slight limp and raises his head, checking for the scent of the party. His nose is more accurate than his eyes.

"Comrade Zhaan." he nods, coming over and sitting in front of them. "And pupils."

[smallestopener]

Ingress smiles in delight. Snowball is cute!

"Hello," she says. "I'm Ingress."

[scapepig]

"A pleasure to meet you Comrade Ingress." The pig bows.

[smallestopener]

"What's a comrade?" she inquires.

[scapepig]

"Comrade is a respectful title, like Mr or Mrs, that my people used after the first rebellion. It was suppressed by those who followed me as leader, but I have never got out of the habit. At the time, it was considered rude not to use it."

[smallestopener]

"Oh, okay. I get it. You were a leader in a rebellion? Was that scary?"

[scapepig]

"All happened rather quickly, to be honest. But yes, it was scary, and we had rather a fight to get there and keep it. I was joint leader."

[smallestopener]

She nods seriously. "How did you fight? Being that you're on four legs and all. Megwyn, my Companion, is on four legs, too, but she has sharp hooves and long legs, since she's in a horse's body. But your legs aren't so very long."

She doesn't mean to be rude. She is simply curious. She also knows what it means to fight, being a future Herald of Valdemar already in training.

[scapepig]

"Well we were a mixture of all sorts of animals. I personally use my teeth and trotters, or charge straight at the enemy."

Small sigh. "I used to anyway. I have arthritis in both knees these days, slows me down a bit."

[smallestopener]

"I didn't know pigs had sharp teeth. I don't know what trotters are. I use a sword, a bow and arrow, and hand-to-hand when I practice fighting."

[scapepig]

Snowball shows her his teeth. And then holds up a trotter, with difficulty.
He's a bit stiff at the knees.

He squints at her. "You look mighty little to be waving sharp implements around. They must have got you trained up young."

[azure-mercy.livejournal.com]

"It's one of her other classes," Zhaan explains.

[smallestopener]

"I've taken sword fighting lessons since I was six. I'm eight now. I'm quite good for my age, and when I go to Valdemar when I'm twelve, I'll be the best Herald-in-training ever."

[scapepig]

"Congratulations." Snowball says with a twinkle in his eye. Then looking at Gavroche. "And is this young gentleman your brother?"

[street-sparrow.livejournal.com]

Gavroche nods stoutly.

"I'm Gavroche. Did your revolution work?"

[azure-mercy.livejournal.com]

Zhaan looks a bit uncomfortable and shoots an apologetic look at Snowball. But it's not her way to dissuade someone from asking questions: how to handle this one is up to Snowball himself.

[scapepig]

"Not at first, no. But that was many years ago now, and things have improved. I am leaving here soon to become Minister of Animal Relations."

He twitches an ear. "Very few revolutions work immediately. With drastic reform comes difference in opinion of how to do it."

[smallestopener]

Ingress isn't too terribly sure about how revolutions work, but she understands about things improving.

"Things are better in London Below now, too, but there wasn't a revolution. Door and Tom helped make things better by getting people to listen to them."

[scapepig]

"That in itself is an achievement."

[street-sparrow.livejournal.com]

"I was in a revolution once", Gavroche contributes. "But it didn't get very far."

[scapepig]

"That's a shame. What were you trying to revolutionise?" Snowball asks kindly.

[street-sparrow.livejournal.com]

"France", is the cheerful answer. "It was in Paris."

[scapepig]

"All of it?" Snowball enquires, with a hint of amusement.

[street-sparrow.livejournal.com]

Gavroche does not approve of the amusement. It's too close to patronising.

"Yes", he insists. "I wasn't by myself, it was a real revolution. Against the government."

[scapepig]

"I beg your pardon comrade." Snowball says, curbing his amusement.

"Now, I believe comrade Zhaan said this was a biology lesson, not that I'm at all unhappy to talk about politics."

[smallestopener]

"We can learn about two things at once. We're smart."

She's already learned about trotters, so hey! The lesson is a success!

[azure-mercy.livejournal.com]

"Yes, you are," Zhaan chuckles, "but we are getting a little off subject." She leans down and whispers to the children: "Ask him about what he eats."

[smallestopener]

"What do you like to eat?"

[scapepig]

"I am an omnivore, which means I can eat more or less anything that constitutes food. Mostly I eat plant material; I do not eat animal products more as an ethical choice than because my digestive system would not tolerate it."

[smallestopener]

"What kind of plants do you like the best?"

She is envisioning Snowball grazing on hay and oats, similar to horses and horse-shaped creatures she knows.

[scapepig]

"I'm rather partial to potatoes and other root vegetables, but will eat grains if they are what is available."

[smallestopener]

"Do you cook them in the kitchen or do you eat them from the ground?"

[scapepig]

I wat them raw usually, but I don't mind them cooked.