On his next trip out of the Keep, he went straight to the small stream, carrying his earthen pot. The tiny fish could still be seen, darting in and out of the current. Standing with one foot either side of the creek, Gwydion attempted to scoop the fish up. It took a number of tries before he got a few fish in the pot, during which Gwydion ended up soaked from the knee down after falling in more then once. Closing the pot tightly with its large cork lid, Gwydion made his way back to the Keep. Once there, he carefully drained the water out, and was left with 4 tiny fish gasping for air.
After yesterday and chicken, he wanted to kill them quickly, but couldn't figure out how. Using one of the knives, he tried to cut their heads off, but their flopping bodies seemed to twist out of the way each time. After about 10 minutes, the fish had stopped moving, and he pulled them out. He was surprised he didn't feel anywhere near as bad about the fish as he had about the chicken, maybe because the had seen the chicken and feed the hen everyday? Using the sharpest knife he had, he scrapped the scales off the tiny bodies. Once he had done all four, he had a small pile of scales, which he put into one of the small spice vials. He threw the fish bodies to the cat, who seemed very pleased. It was still midday, and so he took the vial and hid it under his bed. He spent the rest of the day using the telescope to look around in the desert, hoping to spot a snake. He was surprised when he saw one just south of where he knew the temple door was. If he ran, he could make it out and back in time.
Setting off at a fast clip, he was hitting his stride when he found the approximate area he had seen the snake. In the sand the snakes takes twisted back and forth. Following down into a small gully between two rocky overcrops. Gwydion hesitated then spoke to the hopefully present snake, "My name is Gwydion. I don't mean any harm, I was hoping to take one of your old skins."
"Whats this? A speaker?"
"Um yes?"
"Interesting. You may have one of my skins, there at the base of my rock."
And as the voice had said, a dry skin the size of his leg lay crumpled in the shadow. As Gwydion edged forward, all the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and his gut clenched. He stopped inching forward and looked up, meeting the small black eyes of the serpent which was perched above him on the rock. Gwydion could almost feel its amusement. Its brown head was as large as a football as it peaked over the edge of the rock above Gwydion head.
"Ummmm." Gwydion wasn't sure, but he had the same feeling he use to get when Dudley was about to jump on him and beat him up. "I can take it? Are you sure?"
"Clever little speaker!" Its hissing laughter bounced around the gully. "I do not worship Speakers as some of my kind do. If you had taken it I would have bit you. Your body would have lured many a creature here for me to feast on."
Gwydion gulped. "What would I need to do for you not to bite me?"
"What need do I have? I have a good rock, a hot sun, and many small creatures who stumble into my little gully to eat."
Gwydion didn't know what he could give the snake. He needed the skin. "You can't watch me forever. Wouldn't it be better to get something from me now, then allowing me to steal it later?"
"Mmm, Yes I suppose that it true. And I have no use to the old thing. Very well little speaker, take it."
"I… thank you." Gwydion decided it was best not to argue. He darted forward, and keeping an eye on the snake incase it changed its mind, picked up the skin he had to fold it over a few times before tucking it in one of his pockets. Glancing again at the snake only to see the snake unhinging its jaw in a terrifying yawn, he backed away, turned, and sprinted back to the mountain.
That night Manannan yelled at him for being dirty and that he smelt (likely from all the running he had done). He demanded Gwydion wash, or he would lash the skin away. Gwydion complied silently. He finally had almost all the ingredients for the potion, and nothing could bring his mood down.