Hushed Willows east of the sun

The fae's first question was a test that Valiant hadn't been prepared for. His heart leapt into his throat, and he floundered: "Well — " But then he realized he was being made fun of, and he joined the creature belatedly with a nervous chuckle at his own expense.

There was more of the strange and incomprehensible tongue; Valiant reclaimed the little step he'd put between them, as if drawing nearer might help him to understand what was being said. It did not, and in any case, the faerie was smiling at him, now, and his heart was pounding against the back of his tongue and he was warm all over and this had to be that insidious fae magic he'd been warned about, but he was powerless to stop himself from becoming enthralled.

"You want to help me hunt?" he verified, feeling almost as dumb as he looked. It did not quite seem to be the way of the fair folk, at least as he understood them, and he was wary of being taken in through his misunderstanding. He had enough of his wits about him to remember that he must never give his name away to one of the fae; Names have power, he could her Aunt Spot whisper in his ear. But that didn't mean he couldn't learn the faerie's name, did it? "What is your name?" he asked, shy but frank in his desire to please the pretty creature.