Hushed Willows east of the sun

"I have two aunts who are spotty like you," he said when Alejandro talked about how his relatives would be recognized. "But I'm sure you aren't related. I know my family tree three generations back." He didn't, on Akuti's side, but he was still fairly certain they weren't related. The Spiritwalker had been the fairy wife, after all, and not his grandfather's middle wife.

His reassurance received a tacit nod in return; in truth, he felt a bit guilty about extracting this sort of promise from the other man, as he was sure the right thing to do would be to visit Whitebark Stream and pay his respects to his venerable aunt. If an emissary was was sent from Round Valley, they would worry that he hadn't checked in.

Alejandro's surprise distracted him, disarmming him, for the moment, of his previous suspicions. "I like to keep busy," he excused, but it was clear from his amused expression that this was said more for his new friend's benefit than anything else. And then, because he couldn't imagine Alejandro having any more power over him than he currently had, he was happy enough to reply: "Valiant."

The word was appended with a wide yawn, and Valiant remembered that he'd been travelling for several days without end. "I'm about ready for a nap," he admitted, feeling much more settled in the man's company than he had at first.