Beasts Within Us | Newt Scamander

09. Suffer Twice.

  The group steps through the only sign of natural life in the city.  Their feet crunch over the frost that glistens under the moonlight. Walking across the bridge, an ostrich flies past them as if running from something. A rumble grows in the distance. Newt shuffles through his pockets and retrieves a leather helmet, handing it to Jacob.

  "Put this on." He instructs.

  The no-maj squints at the helmet the wizard holds. "Why- Why would I have to wear it?" he asks.

  Newt leans closer to him. "Because your skull is susceptible to breakage under immense force."

  He gives Jacob a smile before running off to the other side of the bridge.

  "I'll protect you, Jacob. Promise. " the witch assures before chasing after Newt.

  There's a slight tremble in his hands as he buckles the helmet to his chin and picks him his pace after them.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ------

  A roar echoes in the streets of New York. Tina lifts her head growing suspicious. She stands up and marches for her and her sister's room. It's locked.

  "Dang it, Esther..." She mutters casting an unlocking charm.

  She slams the door open. It's empty. A fire grows in Tina's core as she storms off to grab her coat. Queenie stands at the door frame, devastated that Jacob left with her friend and the British man.

  "I made him cocoa..."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ------

  The wizards and Jacob climb over the rubble that was the entrance of the zoo. Parts of it are demolished and more than half the animals residing left.

Growing grumbles

  Newt pulls out a leather chest harness, fully prepared for what could happen. He doesn't want a no-maj, especially his newly acquainted friend, to be compromised.

  "Okay, if you just, uh, pop this on." He orders Jacob for the second time.

  He stands behind him, helping to fasten it on him.

  "Now, there's absolutely nothing for you to worry about. "

  "Tell me... Newt, has anyone ever believed you when you tell them not to worry?" He asks looking up at him filled with uncertainty.

  "My philosophy is that worrying means you suffer twice, " he says with a faint smile. He goes to pick up his case while Jacob digests his choice of words.

  "I'm not worrying.  Esther says she'll protect me." He shouts for the wizard to hear.

"And protecting you, she will." He says looking back at her with a crooked smile than moving forward into an opening of an enclosure.

  Esther takes Jacob by the arm as they meet up with the magizoologist.

  At the entrance, loud snorts are heard from within.

  "She's in season. She needs to mate." Newt explains aloud.

  In front of them is a large, as big as a commercial construction truck, rhinoceros-like creature. A large horn protrudes from her forehead as she closes in on a frightened hippopotamus, her potential mate.

  Newt pulls out a tiny glass vial of liquid. His teeth rest on the stopper and yanks it open, spitting it across the enclosure. He dabs a drop on both wrists.

"Erumphent musk.  She's mad for it."

  The smell is pungent. Like patchouli. As disgusting as it is, the smell reminds her of her mother. Though nothing good comes to mind, she knows she used patchouli with almost everything. Growing up, she hated the scent.