Working With Animals.
---
There was some talk among the workers of the Menagerie about how the Frosting would take the continued presence of the Hunter's Guild. They seemed so antithetical to the beast master, seeking out animals and monsters in order to simply slay them and take them apart for mere trophies.
However, if one asked James R. Kreemy himself, they would learn that his attitude towards the huntsmen was closer to indifferent bordering on positive. Sure, he enjoyed the challenge of taking his quarry alive, but he wasn't above killing a dangerous beast, even using its parts for crafts or what have you. Of course James wasn't really the type to keep trophies when he was done, keeping souvenirs always seemed like such a waste to him, all he really needed was the memories...
So, when Muntz, Lady Waltham, and little Alice stopped by, his friendly smile wasn't feigned in the slightest, though he did act more boisterous then usual, if only to try and keep them from noticing how tense the workers and stable hands seemed to be.
He greatly enjoyed showing off for them, taking them to see the sirrush (it was good to get it used to seeing strangers) the rhinos, and, of course, the camels and horses. All the while, he wove tales of some of the beasts he faced.
"... Of course, that trick only works if the beast has just two heads. Trying it with one that's got three or more, and you're just asking to get bit by the one in the middle even as the other two struggle."
"Truely?" Alice was completely enraptured, and Muntz himself was interested, if only for the useful information he had.
"Yep. Figured that out the hard way." Frosting patted his left shoulder and showed of a scar that had some slight burns to it, "Though an interesting fact, sometimes the different heads can do different things, but it also means that it can only do one, so I got lucky that the venomous head was distracted."
"Oh my!"
Frosting noticed the looks Muntz and Waltham were giving him, and motioned to one of the stable hands, "Well, Alice, since you'll be here a while, how'd you like to try riding one of the horses. They're well trained, I guarantee it."
"Can I?" Alice looked to the Lady, who gave a cautious nod, and was led away by the stable hand.
Once the innocent ears were out of range, Frosting gave the two adults a side glance, "Something you want to say?"
Muntz adjusted the grip of his cane, "I was just wondering, what was the most dangerous thing you ever hunted was?"
James R. Kreemy smiled, and if they noticed something dark in his being, well, that was surely just a trick of the light, "It's hard to say, I was always after the most dangerous thing I could find."
Muntz and Lady Waltham tensed, before Muntz spoke, "And you preferred to capture rather then kill?"
James nodded, "Made things so much more interesting, but of course, I wasn't nearly as skilled at keeping things alive back then." He let the tension rise a bit before continuing, "But I've dropped certain... bad habits... that I had back home, started over here in Ababwa, land of second chances and all that."
"Is that so?" Lady Waltham asked coldly.
"Indeed, otherwise the prince's man wouldn't have let me in. Besides, I've always preferred working with animals."