Étoile stares at the entrance to the haunted mansion with a sour look hidden under her veil. It bothered her that every decision felt like a wrong one. Go inside? Could be a trap. Might be a duck. Hard to say which would be worse. And even then, if not, if she'd just seen a compliant and ready-for-catching person? It still didn't... listen, Lady might be silly and sweet, and tranqs are tranqs, but Étoile did not [i]want[/i] her hunting anybody.

She'd had a plan, when she woke up this morning. It was a pretty simple plan, too! She'd get here with Lady, tell her stories about human hunting traditions and then help her climb onto the roof of an old concession stand or something and just... wait. Eventually, she'd break out a parasol to keep Lady Tamytha out of the sun for too long, she'd arrange a picnic (it was all in her pack anyway), and they'd sit there together talking and letting the day pass them by. Probably no humans (feral or otherwise) would come within a thousand meters of the pair of them. 

But then Jezcha happened. Well, the trip was her idea in the first place, the problem is that her friends happened, too. Terrible things happened when those disgusting pigs gathered in numbers, and if Tamytha came up empty handed they'd feel provoked for certain. Best not to think about it. Best not. Don't think about the whips or the big, heavy gauntlets they put on for punishments, don't think about how easy it would be for them to switch to lethal ammunition to teach Her Ladyship a lesson in why you couldn't afford to be soft with humans. Or if they... [i]non, Étoile.[/i] We are not thinking about this, remember? 

Behind her, there's a squeak, and then a chorus of angry honking. And before she can form another thought Étoile has already spun around and run three paces in the other direction, 'hey hey'ing and banging the heavy rifle she's still holding against the metal of her gauntleted hand. She is the brave [i]chevalier[/i] riding forth to do battle with demon mallards on behalf of her Lady. 

"Ah! Ah! Go, shoo, shoo! Leave her alone, you brutes! Little fiends! Have you forgotten the French know your secret? Get away before I remind you how good you taste with orange sauce!"

Fighting off wild ducks is a contest of wills. Either you convince them you are big and scary, or they convince you how much it hurts to be bitten by duck bills. Which is a lot! But these ducks, ah! Poor fools! Not one of them can stand against the soul that cages the brilliant fires of Marianne. They squawk in protest and flap away to parts unknown, where if there's justice in the world they'll introduce Jezcha's butt to their brand of pain. 

And Étoile, wearing her mask with pride, gives Tamytha a bow and a hidden smile before she stoops to one knee and kisses Her Ladyships hand through her veil.

"Are you alright, Lady? Goodness, that was close!"