Northstar Vale (o,..,o)

Her question strikes a chord within him, and rather than brush off the stranger's attempts at being friendly, he combats it as he combats everything else as of late: responding sharply and with more vehemence than he can control, I'm a warrior! I'm protecting everyone, obviously.

Maybe Titmouse has been spending too much time alongside his friend Redshank? Or his worries have been made manifest with a sudden darkening of his behavior; either way, he rudely states this fact as if the entire world already knows, then with a snort, continues on his way - as if he had somewhere important to be, and hadn't just been staring morosely at his own petite reflection.