The enormously large human in a painfully garish green tunic that sudden waddled out, throwing things about and speaking far too loudly, was a bit of a shock and Torao stared at him for a moment. [i]I had no idea humans could get so big![/i] He thought. He was slightly alarmed when the human advancd on the smaller of the two bird-girls - she looked so delicate he was alarmed that the human would accidentally crush her. The human's name caused his ears to tilt slightly. [i]Waldo Maria'Shante du Blanche.[/i] This was the human who had agreed to lease out the inn to the beastkin who had been chosen to study for the year. [i]I hope he's not staying with us,[/i] he thought. He looked at the inn. [i]I'm not sure the floor would be able to withstand the weight.[/i]

He glanced at the other beastkin, to see their reaction to this gross human. He caught the rabbit's eye and was slightly taken aback when he flicked an offensive gesture the tigerkin's way. Affronted, he managed to supress his immediate response [i]- screw you too, long ears! - [/i] although his tail lashed furiously. Did the rabbit think because he was so damn tall he could insult predators with impunity? Torao remembered a favourite saying of his grandfather's about large prey animals: [i]the bigger they are, the more there is to eat.[/i]

Not that he would try eating a fellow student - after all, that wouldn't impress people, and there was no way he would give humans more so-called proof about the barbarity of the beastkin. He made a graceful formal bow to the human, hand touching forehead, lips and heart as he bowed from the waist. "Master Blanche; I thank you for your hospitality." He spoke politely and formally, with a very slight accent.