https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-265-Norbert-s-Adventurous-Encounter/12538383/
Chapter 266: The Birthing of the Poison Sac Leopard
Chapter 266: The Birthing of the Poison Sac Leopard
As someone who could stumble upon a Poke Ball containing a Dodrio during a casual stroll, Newt's life was never short of unexpected surprises. With the school term commencing tomorrow, Kyle had planned to return to Hogwarts after dinner. However, just as he took a bite of the freshly baked caramelized potato pie, Newt rushed over, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him into the box.
"W-what's going on?" Kyle asked, bewildered, as he munched on the remaining half of his pie.
"A Poison Sac Leopard is about to give birth, and it's happening tonight," Newt explained urgently, not pausing in his strides. "We have to hurry."
"Wha—?" Kyle's eyes widened, and his mouth twitched.
The Poison Sac Leopard was an extraordinary beast resembling a cougar, with a black coat and a large poison sac on its neck that emitted deadly toxins even as it breathed. While it could control the toxins within its body, that required effort and intention.
Kyle doubted that during the arduous process of giving birth, the leopard would have the energy or focus to restrain its poison from harming others. In fact, birthing made these creatures even more dangerous.
The exertion of labor weakened them, and to ensure their safety during this vulnerable period and keep other creatures at bay, they instinctually released large amounts of toxic gas into the surrounding area. Approaching them now would be akin to walking into certain death.
"Can I opt-out?" Kyle attempted to refuse. "It's not that I'm scared, but caramelized potato pie gets hard when it cools down..."
"Don't worry, Tina can make more," Newt reassured him.
"That's a lot of trouble, though..."
"Tina enjoys baking them. Sometimes, even Dobby and Winky help her finish them all."
"But..." Kyle wanted to object further, but Newt suddenly slapped his forehead and pulled out something about the size of a Snitch. "Here, take this. Dumbledore helped make it. It contains a bezoar stone from a Re'em's stomach. As long as you carry it with you, the poison mist won't affect you."
"..." Kyle was speechless. "You had this the whole time? Why didn't you bring it out earlier?"
He would have come along sooner if he'd known about this nifty item. Without hesitation, Kyle took the object. It was a small ball woven from silver threads, with a fine mesh covering a golden "stone" within. He could faintly smell the fresh scent of earth emanating from it...
Kyle nodded. Indeed, it was genuine bezoar—similar to the fecal stones found in a goat's stomach, known for their potent detoxifying properties. However, this one was unusually bright in color. Typical bezoars were brownish, but this one shone with a golden hue reminiscent of a galleon.
Kyle plucked a leaf from a nearby tree, transfigured it into a string, and hung the bezoar around his neck, ensuring the string was nice and short for safety.
"Alright, Kyle, we must hurry," Newt urged, seeing that Kyle had finished his preparations.
...
Newt grabbed Kyle's arm and, with a swish of his wand, they apparated to a grassland east of the box.
The moment they arrived, Kyle knew something was amiss. The air above the grassland was shrouded in a faint green mist visible to the naked eye, reminiscent of the smoggy mornings in London. However, there seemed to be an invisible barrier along the edge of the grassland, preventing the toxic fog from spreading further. Newt must have cast a containment spell.
"All I need to do is carry this?" Kyle asked, holding up the bezoar.
With a gentle wave of his wand, Newt created a transparent bubble around Kyle's head. He did the same for himself.
"Alright, let's go in," Newt urged as he stepped into the toxic fog.
Kyle hesitated for a moment, glancing at the approaching Fawkes. "Fawkes, think of something sad and squeeze out some tears. I might need them later. Not too much, just about a pint will do."
It's always good to be prepared, and phoenix tears could neutralize even a Basilisk's venom, so the Poison Sac Leopard's poison should be no issue.
Hearing Kyle's request, Fawkes gave him a light peck with his wing, clearly unimpressed.
As if he were a faucet that could be turned on and off at will... and a pint of tears, no less! How bold of him to make such a request... Was he feeling thirsty?
Even if he were, a pint would surely be excessive.
Fawkes, feeling slightly annoyed, grabbed Kyle's clothes and pulled him into the misty grassland without another word.
The combination of the Bubble-Head Charm and the bezoar proved effective, as the poisonous fog automatically parted around them.
It didn't take long for the duo and the phoenix to find the Poison Sac Leopard. They spotted it lying on its side on a large rock, its belly swollen, and it let out occasional painful moans.
Newt approached and gently placed his hand under its chin, massaging it rhythmically. "This helps her relax," he explained.
Watching his actions, Kyle asked, "But won't the scent of the bezoar affect it if you get that close?"
"It might, a little, but not severely," Newt replied, glancing down. "It's probably similar to someone who dislikes vegetables smelling the scent of carrots. It's not pleasant, but not unbearable."
Kyle nodded, understanding Newt's analogy.
While it was unpleasant... it wasn't something that couldn't be tolerated.
Kyle sat down nearby, observing Newt as he skillfully massaged the Poison Sac Leopard's chin.
Under his adept touch, the leopard's breathing gradually became more relaxed, and it no longer emitted those agonized moans.
However, as mentioned earlier, this was destined to be a lengthy process.
Kyle had initially thought that Newt had brought him along to witness this rare opportunity and broaden his horizons.
But two hours later, when even Newt's technique lost its effectiveness, Kyle realized he had been brought along as a "chat partner" for the leopard.
Literally, he was supposed to chat with the Poison Sac Leopard and distract it with conversation.
From its tone, it was clear that the leopard didn't feel like talking and even tried to bite Kyle due to his incessant chatter. Fortunately, Newt was able to soothe it.
"Don't stop, keep talking!" Newt urged.
Reluctantly, Kyle continued his one-sided conversation, despite his reservations.
The problem was, Kyle didn't know what else to say.
He had already repeated the comforting words he could think of several times, and if he continued, he was sure the leopard would bite him.
Not even Newt would be able to stop it.
Left with no choice, Kyle shifted the topic to the magical creatures he had encountered, from Fluffy, the three-headed dog, to Norberta, the Norwegian Ridgeback, and wove in stories from Hogwarts.
(End of Chapter)
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