The Beast pressed back into Beauty so tightly that his ribs scraped against her hip and she could probably feel his heart drumming like hummingbird wings under his skin. His fur flattened entirely and he pulled paws and chin down to make himself as small as possible under the assault of the Witch's anger, a strange feat for so large an animal. Daniel would have become angry, but under the fear the Beast only had desperate hope, too much to ignore even in answer to the Witch's rebuttal. "It has been many years," he said, in a soft whine.