Creature Languages, 1/12, Period 3

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

A fishbowl-sized terrarium has been placed on Dream's desk, and students who look closely may notice a small brown arachnid within it, crouched between two rocks.

"Hello.

I have decided to start the term with a discussion with a creature who many of you might be wary of, a Brown Recluse Spider. Like all spiders, brown recluses are arachnids, not insects. This means they have only two body segments instead of three; a fused head and thorax (called a cephalothorax or prosoma) and an abdomen (called the opisthosoma), supported by an exoskeleton composed mainly of chitin.

Spiders also have eight legs (insects have six), no antennae, and their eyes are single lenses rather than compound eyes. Additionally spiders have pedipalps (or just palps), at the base of which are coxae or maxillae next to their mouth that aid in masticating food; the ends of the palp are modified in adult males into elaborate and often species specific structures used for mating.

In short? Do not refer to our guest, who you may call Aunt Nancy, as a "bug."

And do not fear her. Brown recluses bite only when disturbed, and she is bold for her breed. No harm will come to you from her."

As he speaks, Dream reaches into the terrarium and draws out the small brown spider. She crouches on his palm, then waves a foreleg.

//Hey there, children.//

"She is greeting you. I will interpret for the duration of class, but I believe you will pick up on her cues soon enough."

"As always, I am in my office after class."

Comments

Sit in class

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Pass notes, chat, listen to the lecture, etc.

Re: Sit in class

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

Blair finds a seat and sits, sniffling slightly and pulls out a notebook to write down his notes from the lecture.

Re: Sit in class

[anole-x.livejournal.com]

Victor waves hi.

Re: Sit in class

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

Blair grins and waves back. "Hey, man. How's things going?"

Re: Sit in class

[anole-x.livejournal.com]

"They're...okay, I guess. Hey...exactly how when did you leave the bonfire a couple of nights ago?" he whispered.

Re: Sit in class

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"I left early" Blair whispered back. "It was really cold and turns out I was coming down with the flu."

"Why? Anything interesting happen after I left?"

Re: Sit in class

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

Walter plopped down behind Blair and grinned slightly. "That depends, I guess."

Re: Sit in class

[soldtoarmenians]

Xander sat down and, under cover of an open binder, casually reached into his bag to pull out a plastic-wrapped Twinkie. He shot a speculative glance at Dream, however, and hesitated, not actually opening it.

Re: Sit in class

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

Blair glanced over at Xander and his eyes widened. "Man, are you Xander with the twinkies? Are you going to eat one right now?"

Re: Sit in class

[soldtoarmenians]

Xander, startled, dropped the Twinkie back into his bag, looking around to make sure there wasn't a disapproving professor standing next to his desk. "Well, not now," he answered in a hushed tone. "Way to harsh the stealthy mellow, dude."

He blinked, then grinned. "My tribal name is Xander With The Twinkies, but most people just call me Dances With Preservatives."

Re: Sit in class

[anole-x.livejournal.com]

Victor giggled. "Hey, I can help you with that if you want..."

[ooc: i follow you! like a lemming!]

Re: Sit in class

[soldtoarmenians]

Xander looked over. "The mellow, or the dancing?"

Re: Sit in class

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

"Sorry, man. It's just...Janet told me to find you for the twinkies and now I need the wrappers too and are they really good?" Blair grinned and bounced. "That's a cool nickname, Dr. House calls me Tigger"

Re: Sit in class

[soldtoarmenians]

Xander eyed him. "You know, I never ever thought there would come a time in my life when I'd say these words, but you may in fact not need Twinkies, Tigger."

"Which are good," he added. "The wrappers, not so tasty, though."

Re: Sit in class

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi smiled. "He needs to learn how to be more *clandrstine*"

Re: Sit in class

[soldtoarmenians]

"And also sneaky," Xander said, nodding.


__
{ooc - heeeee pippiphone. Which reminds me I need to set up textmessaging for Xander's LJ. Not that he has a cellphone, but I do.}

Re: Sit in class

[anole-x.livejournal.com]

Victor scribbled notes in his notebook as the lecture went on. After he asked Aunt Nancy a question and took notes on her answer, he made a little bit of small talk with the rest of his classmates.

Re: Sit in class

[upforachase.livejournal.com]

Cordelia sat down and affected like she was making notes, which were really more like doodles. Spiders? Not so hot on them.

She glanced at Xander mischeviously, because the whole situation brought forth another such one involving a praying mantis.

Re: Sit in class

[soldtoarmenians]

Xander caught her glance, and... stuck his tongue out at her. Because he was all mature like that.

Re: Sit in class

[upforachase.livejournal.com]

Cordy smirked and repressed a giggle.

Re: Sit in class

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

After promising to bring Aunt Nancy coffee, Jake went to sit down to doodle take notes.

Re: Sit in class

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly sat down near Jake and poked him in the shoulder. "You didn't tell me you were a mutant too."

Re: Sit in class

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

"I didn't?" Jake blinked at her. "Um. I'm a mutant too?"

Re: Sit in class

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly narrowed her eyes at him. "I know. Rory told me." She pouted. "You two need to learn what things are important to tell people.

"But, anyway," she stopped pouting and looked at him questioningly, "Rory said you're a shapeshifter?"

Re: Sit in class

[courier-gavin.livejournal.com]

"I'm not, really, but it's the easiest bit to understand. I have complete control of my cells," Jake explained. "So they can do what I want 'em to, like change how I look."