❖〣— a brow rose at his words. she had been singing across the wind to her brother,
hoping his sharp senses would catch her words so that he may seek her out. they
never were so far separated that they could not hear one another, for they were a
near inseparable duo. where torunn went, morumnai was not far, & the other way
around as well. adjusting her feathered coat upon her shoulders, the dwarrowdam
turned her eyes towards the sky above once again.
☩—❝He may peck you, as you smell rather… unusual to us—
but that is the most harm that will become of you beneath
his claw. he is my brother, && I have already told him you are no threat.❞
❝Simply be polite, && do not threaten
either him or myself in any way.
He may even like you.❞
"'Unusual?' Is that a polite way of telling me I stink?"
It was not the first time he had heard such an accusation--it was quite a common complaint among the tall-folk, who were unused to the smell of dwarves and found their scent repelling, but to hear such words from a dwarrowdam, one of their own kind, was more than a little insulting. He had not heard such complaints from a 'dam since the gentle teasing of his amad, when he was but a dwarfling.
The subtle insult drew his shoulders up, and the king-in-exile held his head higher in stubborn defiance. Yet despite the scowl that creased his face, his eyes were lit with something akin to humor.
"I suppose that is to be expected, of one who spends their time with birds among the wind and sky. Perhaps it is you who smells unusual."
"Understood. I pose no threat to you or your...kin. I bear you no ill will and will draw no weapon--unless you should give me reason to."