Okay.

If it was less of a challenge there'd be less reason to do it, but that has some very obvious problems. Other than that, or making it so hard it's obviously just impossible, I really don't see a way to solve the problem, and I've been thinking about it for a couple decades now.

I trust you.

Thanks.

...I really should go eat, I skipped dinner and most of breakfast.

Okay. Go eat.

Yeah. Thanks for coming to talk to me. She starts the careful maneuvering that'll let her teleport safely from midair.

Take care.

You too.

She picks up some breakfast leftovers and then heads to the wood shop, where Tirinquo is watching one of the Quendi use an unfamiliar carving technique. They look up when she comes in, questioning, and she gives them a slightly sheepish grin and a hug.

The Quendi mostly carry on, not oblivious but not trying to make inferences.

The kobolds settle into their usual work habits after a moment anyway.

After lunch they head to the Ñolofinwëan city to look for Findekáno.

Hey. Hug?

...hug.

Snuggle, too.

Hey.

What's up?

...I told you about the thing with the tigerfolk, right? When I was a young adult?

Yes. Squeeze.

And that was, they thought we weren't people, because we don't talk.

People've been being rude about Tirinquo.

I'm sorry.  Saying things to them, or -

I could tell they were thinking it and then when I tried to explain why that wasn't okay, they got worse.

...I can ask people not to be rude or say things, but I can't ask them not to think things...

It is not considered okay where we're from to make demands about what people think. Just how they act.

Yeah, I know.

If there's something you want me to tell them, I can do that.

I don't mind if people know what happened, if that'd - make the point, or whatever.

I expect it would.