Mostly, but I'd be on my back getting eaten, wouldn't I? That's holding still enough for a trick or two. Some of them don't require much. [Like spearing the thing in the head with a spirit blade.] "Makes up all her own rules." Has she got a way of casting on the run, then? [Hedge witches are known for doing what Circle scholarship ordinarily called impossible...

...And despite his maundering on the subject he definitely notices the squeak.] Hi, Strogganug. [You talk to pets like people, right? That's normal.] You really did name them all for food. That's wonderful.

Chop one open? [There's genuine distress in his voice; someone never liked the idea of dissections for all his love of natural philosophy.] I'd never; food's one thing but that's not right. It isn't. I'd, [he gets control of his tone again between one word and the next] only meant I'd like to hear how they'd get on, for the sake of learning. Not because I want one. [But he's wavering on that last; he sounds it.]