"It has been hypothesised that this species is related to racoons," Rogeiros agrees. "But it is a species in its own right. Although perhaps using a mix of creatures would, in fact, have been a wiser decision... Something to think on I suppose."

She pets him along the spine, shoulders to rump, watching carefully so that she can back off if he seems bothered. "Racoon I'd say - maybe train for tricks, spy, something like that - clumsier than a racoon, though. And not - fire, really. Hm. -could be just reagents, not really fair to ask me to guess it but could be."

He mostly seems confused, and a little wary, but not...distressed? Probably not distressed at least.

And although his fur and small size hide it fairly well, once she's stroking him she'll be able to tell that he is far thinner than could be considered healthy.

"No. And you got further than I would've expected you to." Rogeiros regards her for a moment more. "I have noticed in recent days that something is not quite right with it. It doesn't appear to be related to the magic, or to the hyrbridisation." A shrewd look. "You could consider it an audition, figuring out what plagues it. As much as this might be considered a failure of my purporse, it does represent a not insubstantial amount of time and resources."

"Wasn't done," she chuckles. "What does it eat?"

Figment reappears through the window as she speaks, carrying a small leaf-wrapped bundle in her beak; she swoops over, staying a polite distance from Rogeiros, and deposits it in Deka's hand.

"Mostly herbivorous, grasses, fruit, the occasional insect."

She nods, and somewhat clumsily unwraps the little bundle to reveal a bit of dried meat, a large dead cricket, and a couple of dried berries. She picks out a berry to offer to Figment, who takes it solemnly, and offers the rest to the mystery creature, including the leaves that made up the wrapper. "I want to see his teeth - gives an idea of - diet, how they live, kinds of thing."

He shifts a little at that, sitting back, stretching up a little and opening his mouth - his canines are sharp, but most of the rest of his teeth are flatter, looking designed for chewing something perhaps tougher to break down?

...uh?

Well. "Grasses, bugs, yeah. Maybe more bugs than he's had. Doglike, in the front. Here, sweetie, eat."

His eyes flicker briefly to Rogeiros, but then he settles back down some and cautiously starts eating, watching Deka as he does so. There doesn't seem to be any impediment to his eating?

Yeah, something weird's going on here. "I'll need to see more to figure out what's wrong - hard to do without knowing the species, I don't know what's normal. But I can - guess, or tell you you need an expert, in a few weeks."

"Acceptable. And it will give me time to decide if I do wish to take an apprentice."

She nods. "I'd like - a lesson or two, too, make sure we work together okay. Maybe - I have, Ventriloquism, a scroll, to copy to my book, you could help."

(Phantasm climbs down from Deka's shoulder, making use of the hand she automatically offers as a step when he starts moving, to nudge a runaway berry back toward the mystery creature and then settle down to watch him.)

"Quite," Rogeiros agrees with a nod. "It would be pointless to take an apprentice I couldn't teach."

The creature tilts his head at Phantasm before reaching out a paw to pull the berry closer, and picking it up to eat, eyes still fixed on Phantasm in curiosity.

"Wuk," the griffon comments quietly, watching just as curiously.

"Start - tomorrow, if you're not busy? Give me time to settle in."

The creature chirps back at Phantasm, and then twitches slightly, as though surprised by it's own voice.

"There was nothing that was time sensitive, and there's little reason to delay." Another, brief pause. "Do you require a room?"

"I'd prefer one."

Phasm cocks his head curiously, then stretches grandiosely and pads a bit closer.

"Then I shall provide one. And a temporary dwelling for your animals until we're sure of the match."

The creature stretches out again, enough to sniff at Phasm, although still in a position easy to retreat from.