Being a first year had its ups and downs.  Homesickness, not having any friends, and the sheer amount of homework that she wasn't used to, were the bad parts.  But older students looked out for you, professors were somewhat lenient, and the food was delicious.

Wynter however, was still very homesick.  She missed her mother with a passion and even though he'd been gone since she was 8, she missed her father.  He was always the one she ran to with her silly ideas, the one who helped her figure out what animal she'd imagined she saw in the clouds, and the person who she brought injured animals too.  He was gone though, and she couldn't help but feel that something was missing in her life, a large hole that no one could fill - not even her mother.

After lunch she headed outdoors, ignoring the weather - it had never bothered her before - and walked towards the forbidden forest.  She'd heard about the new groundskeeper and his small menagerie of creatures.  Being so close to her father and his love of all things animal had her curious, but she hadn't worked up the nerve to go see until today. Wynter knew she wouldn't get too close to them because she knew from a lesson drilled into her brain from a young age that she should never approach strange animals.

So she found herself standing about a foot away from the edge of the forest and glancing around to see if she could glimpse any creatures frolicking about.  She needed to do something to get her mind off of how she wanted to go home and just cuddle on the couch with her mother and a mug of hot chocolate.

Dallas' leg was now fully healed up from the Kelpie encounter, and the bruises from falling off of a nut-horse Gale had him ride had faded away. He was now back to normal, down to earth, rustic, Dallas. He listened as the puffskeins in their box rolled around and whimpered, craving attention. Thor was curled up by the fire, his head resting on his paws as his heavy eyelids drooped.

Dal got up from the table in his cottage and grabbed the box of puffskeins from off the shelf and opened the door, not seeing the small first year near his home. He opened the bin of puffy-ness and was jumped on my dozens of fluffy critters, licking his face and ears. Dallas dumped the lot onto the grass; sitting cross legged in the middle of the small mountain of puff.

He smiled and laughed as the mini-puffs rolled around on their heads. He finally noticed the young girl standing nearby. He looked about the same age as young Alice Hunter, maybe a little taller. "Hello there." He said, letting his Scottish accent take control. He re-adjusted the cowboy hat on his head. "How are you on this fine day, little miss?" He asked, light snow coming down.[1]

Darrel had gotten quite used to students and faculty coming down towards his shack, with Alice Hunter coming around often, and Althea popping in from time to time along with the always whimsical Nightingale, Dal had become well accustomed to company.

1.

Weather

Wynter was too busy looking about for animals and didn't see Dallas come outside. When she heard him speak she jumped a little before looking at him and replying, "F-fine." She didn't really know what to say, being a shy first year had it's own issues.  She did, however, notice the puffskeins all around him.  Wynter wanted to ask him if they were what she thought they were, but was too afraid to.

Dallas smiled at the shy little first year. "Y'ever held a puffskein?" He held a fluffy tan one out for her to take. He used another hand to pat the grass besides him. "They get bored easily, so it's fun to take them all out and play with 'em ever once in awhile, they get a little happier after you play with them and they live longer, I did a little study a few years ago with two puffskeins, it was pretty interesting."

He realized he was rambling and stroked the head of the beige puff. "You like critters?" Dal asked; most of the students that dropped by did, or wanted to observe some of the animals he had in his possession. He liked helping out the Care of Magical Creatures students particularly, especially since he had so many books on magical beasts of more of Great Britain and the rest of the U.K.

His augurey called sadly from her nest. "Poor Ink" he said, turning towards his cottage where the pathetic Irish Phoenix sat cooing, his calls full of melancholy that it could not fly while it's wing was healing.

Wynter noticed him as he went to check on a bird that wasn't sounding happy and she inched closer to the puffskeins.  Once she was about a foot away from where Dallas had been sitting earlier, she sat down and crossed her legs while looking at the puffskeins.  She took her attention off of anything but the furry creatures moving around.

She had seen puffskeins before, but it was always at a safe distance because her mother didn't want her near any of her father's creatures.  Which was weird since the little furballs were virtually harmless and wouldn't of hurt her. She reached her hand towards one of the little brown ones to see if it would come to her.

Dallas came back to his spot with the bird on his shoulder, Inkspell leaned her head on the brim of his cowboy hat and adjusted her weight as Dal sat back down on the grace next to the first year. "I'm Dallas, by the way." He stuck out his hand to the small, yet beautiful young girl. The brown mini-puff rolled around into the girl's hand.

"I guess they like you." Dallas took off his hat and put it on the ground next to him. Inkspell leaned her head to look curiously at Wynter, eyeing her cautiously. Locksley ran a finger along the bird's head.

"'Guess Ink likes ya too."