School grounds, Thursday afternoon

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow was sitting outside on the school grounds. A determined look was on her face.

Beside her? A seven-inch wood turtle with a small, lightweight basket tied to its shell with wrapping paper ribbon. In the basket was a piece of coal.

"Okay, Shelby," Willow said, trying to be encouraging. "I know this is a whole new world for you and not the sort of thing you'd normally do in the average wood turtle day, but if you'd just give it a try you may just like it. Please? For me?"

Shelby the wood turtle simply blinked at her.

Willow realized this might take a while.

At least she'd gotten her form approved.

[ooc: open!]

Comments

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"I've been reading up on local wildlife - " Willow gave him a small grin, since he now knew about her yen for research " - and happened to see him one day when I was on my way to the cabins. I matched him with a picture in my book and realized his plight."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"You're a very lucky turtle, Shelby," Peter said. He grinned at Willow with amusement. "Not so many girls would be this kind to a poor defenceless turtle."

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"I don't know if I'd say defenseless," Willow said, pointing. "I mean he does have the shell."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"Which is a defence, true," Peter agreed. "But a offence built purely on defence rarely works."

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow grinned at him.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"What?" Peter asked.

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"You're really cute when you're being knighty."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter blushed. "You're very cute when you're being worried about woodland creatures."

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"I'm just trying to help," Willow said. She studied Shelby again, since that helped hide her own blushing. Or so she thought. "Can you think of anything else I should try to teach him about this? I've already explained why going to Newcastle is a waste of time."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"Newcastle...like in Britain?" Peter asked.

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"Correct," Willow said with a nod.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"Because...it would be too far to walk?" Peter guessed.

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Willow looked like that hadn't occured to her. "Well, that too. But apparently they're not keen on people carrying coals there. I assume that extends to turtles."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter just started laughing.

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow smiled curiously, not getting the joke. "What?"

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"Well, yes, but..." Peter stopped laughing. "One doesn't carry coals to Newcastle because they do coal mining there. So if Shelby wanted a job mining, he might want to think about going to Newcastle. Or Wales."

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Willow said, taking that in. "Well... it still works though, right? I mean he doesn't need to carry them to Newcastle, but from he could be all over like the coal-carrying turtle he was born to be."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"True, true," Peter said, stopping laughing. "I didn't mean to laugh. Just - struck me as funny."

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow gave him a shy smile. "It's okay. You're cute when you laugh. Plus it wasn't at me. I know what that sounds like."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"No, I'd not do that," Peter said. Then he grinned mischieviously. "Well, not much," he teased.

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"Excuse me, Doody?" Willow replied with a grin.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter gave her a puppy dog look. "I was teasing?" he offered.

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"Just pointing out that I am not without offense for my defense," Willow told him. She then shifted over to sit in his lap. Mostly because she realized she hadn't done that yet.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"But that's a very low blow," Peter said, still with the puppy dog look. He put his arms around her for mostly the same reason.

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"Okay, I won't tease you about that," Willow said. She reached up to lazily run her fingers through his hair. "Nobody picks on my knight. Not even me."