Grouse Thicket put on your war face

Laurel was confused and filled with mixed feelings when he seemed to grow shy, too, after he had just so boldly promised to protect her. She did not understand why; maybe some day she would, but not now. She didn't get why and found it a bit off-putting, and neither did she realise that he only mirrored her own bashfulness.

But it wasn't like there were many others who liked her and the boy Seff had left the Grotto. "No," she decided curtly, then, a bit softer and sadder, "All my friends just leave." She didn't want to make a friend only to have them ripped from her. "But we can hang out." Whatever that meant. She wasn't even really sure, but at least she had someone who would have her back when she needed it, and someone who cared; at least until he would run away from her, too.

She wasn't really sure what she should tell about herself. "What do you want to know? I'm pretty boring," she said without humour, because she really did think she was. Her ugly boring tan colours mirrored how she felt inside, and if even her own parents didn't find her all that interesting except to bargain and fight over, then why should she care about herself? Why should anyone?