[That look of suspicion is one Illarion's sadly familiar with by long experience. A shrike got it frequently, no matter how benign his intent--and from the look of Nehan's ears, people who handled them didn't often have benign intent.]
Thank you for permitting this. [There's a certain solemnity to the words; he means them in more than a casual way.
He leans forward, taking one of the erune's ears in both hands and working his fingers through the thick fur to feel where the tears are. He's gentle about it, thorough without fondling anything. The second ear gets the same treatment.
Quietly,] Your ears are not this way from fighting your rivals, I take it.
no subject
Thank you for permitting this. [There's a certain solemnity to the words; he means them in more than a casual way.
He leans forward, taking one of the erune's ears in both hands and working his fingers through the thick fur to feel where the tears are. He's gentle about it, thorough without fondling anything. The second ear gets the same treatment.
Quietly,] Your ears are not this way from fighting your rivals, I take it.