Andrew cut two inches off the end of the snake, its rattle, which he shook a little. He smiled slightly at the shifting that didn't sound like the snake's original shake, but that was because humans couldn't quite do it right. Loose scales shifting against one another made that sound, he knew, and when they vibrated hard and fast enough, they made a noticeable warning sound. Strange how wild animals were automatically afraid of anything bigger than them. Even Andrew, who didn't---couldn't---normally hurt anything. He glanced up and quickly looked down again. "Uh, yeah, fine!" He called back, sliding the knife along the last section of rib. Then he glanced up, barely looking toward Joey as he laid out under the sun.

Wow... Andrew didn't dare say anything aloud. He was worried he might be staring, but it was hard not to. He had never had the chance to study such a perfect body, and so close, before. He shook himself, breathing in carefully to get some control of his body. "Uhh... Ay---I mean, I got all the bones out..." He separated the final few tendons from the ribs and held the spine up. It was perfectly intact, and he smiled a little at his work. Hopefully Joey was as pleased with it as he was.