Overture Downs what we lost in the fire, we'll find in the ashes

His interest in her interest was all Pipit needed to find herself a foothold with the male. She glanced up into his slim, grinning face, and besides the slight fading of his eyes like burnt tangerines, she found that he wasn't looking at her directly. Good. Avoidance meant she had stirred something, and Pipit never felt better than when she could become a spoon to hot tea. Her tail wagged a little fiercer, and she stood now at his chest, extending her nose politely to sniff the wrinkled guard hairs at his shoulder. "Three girls and two boys," she remarked in an awed whisper, a soft whine bubbling up in her throat. "You must be so proud."

She tilted her head at him as he asked her the same, and gave him a lamented smile. "Regretfully, no, I've never had the pleasure. Never seemed appropriate before. But I keep hope for one day!" she added with a quick, mirthful laugh. "Some knight'll bring me my season, I'm sure. I nearly can't wait," Pipit babbled like a cool brook, daring to nip at his fur with another giggle to mark her playfulness.