[ Little does he know that no sooner than those words had left her mouth, she began to chastise herself for speaking too bluntly. She has been told she does that, and that she should learn to control herself and her tongue, but somehow, she has never fully mastered the art of knowing when to keep silent.

She may not be able to see all of him and thus his expression, but she can tell from the way he is holding himself that she has upset him. ]

Listen, I- Everyone tells me that I need to learn when to be quiet, or at least, to not say everything that comes to mind.

[ Her tail droops just slightly and her ears lie a little flatter against her head. ]

I should not have said anything. [ She thinks back to the lectures she has received because she let her mouth run away from her. ] I misspoke, and I will not do it again.

[ At least, as far as she can help it. ]

Are you and I really so different? [ She gives him another brief appraising look. Of course, she is not becoming increasingly covered by crystal, but his words have her thinking that they are more similar than they are different. ]

You want to help, and that has always been what I have wanted to do.

[ She just wants to survive and live to tell the tale, alongside the ones she has helped or saved. ]

I'm sorry. [ She looks properly abashed, even as she goes on: ] And you have no reason to look for my approval, or to even use me as an example of standards.

[ She laughs a little bit wryly then. ] I might be a Warrior of Light, but I have often been told that I need to be more like my sister. Calmer, and not so quick to rush into things.