"--and so, we're going to need at least three extra days to prep the wagons for a safe crossing here, whereas if we continued a day downstream we could probably handle it with just a bit of sealant on the undercarriages--"

As Emi approaches, she and the girl can overhear a conversation in progress between the caravan's human quartermaster and its orcish protector.

"Couldn't I just carry them all over? Water doesn't look that deep."

"I don't doubt you're strong enough, but some of the wagons are in pretty bad strain and might crack if all their weight were placed on two palm-sized supports. Maybe if we rigged them up properly, but that would take extra time too, and--"

She stays close to Emi, and doesn't interrupt.

Eventually, the two adults reach an agreement about how the caravan should proceed from here and Koshnak wanders off.

He flashes a wink in her and Emi's direction as he goes--probably aware of their presence there the whole time through his Scent ability--but doesn't shout any greetings their way or anything.

"Mhina."

Emi approaches and speaks up once the orc's out of earshot.

"Hey, are you busy right now? There's someone I was hoping to introduce you to."

She's not quite sure what to make of the wink, and watches the orc as he goes, but turns her attention back to Emi's friend when Emi starts talking.

"Oh! Hello there!"

Like most adults, Mhinasukambre makes an extra effort to be enthusiastic and upbeat towards children.

Unlike most adults, she's good enough at putting on such airs that the artifice isn't transparently obvious.

"My name's Mhinasukambre. But you can just call me Mhina if you like. What should I call you?"

She looks up at Emi. (She'll try it if she has to, but only if she has to.)

"She doesn't talk, much."

"Oh, okay." Mhinasukambre quickly re-calibrates her diction to focus on yes-or-no questions. She turns her attention back to the as-yet-unnamed stowaway. "So, has Emi explained who I am?"

Nope.

"I mentioned that you were my friend, and that you could be trusted. Not much else."

Mhinasukambre looks momentarily taken aback by Emi's use of the word 'friend' to describe her.

The confusion crosses her features only momentarily, though, before she resumes her smooth upbeat patter.

"Well, I've been with this caravan since its beginning--better part of half a century. I'm in charge of supplies and navigation, though Kosh sets the course and the calendar. I can help you with most anything around here. I take a shift on patrol about one night every month, and you mustn't bother me then, but any other time of day is fine. Everyone in this wagon line is my responsibility... that all make sense?"

She nods.

"Emi mentioned she was teaching you to play the flute. You enjoy picking up new skills?"

"Mmhmm."

"Well, I happen to favor classes that grant bucketloads of skill ranks, so I've dabbled in a lot of things over the years."

"I could teach you whittling, knot tying, tracking, lockpicking, firespinning..."

"Not firespinning."

"Ah. Well. Anyway. Did I mention anything you think you might like to practice?"

She giggles, a little, at Emi's reprimand, and nods.

She lists them out again one at a time, giving the girl-of-few-words a chance to stop her on whichever sounded most interesting.

Whittling gets little attention; knot tying, a little more; tracking she's definitely interested in, and lockpicking she's quite enthusiastic about.

Figures.

"Alright, so. While I've got the tools of the trade on me presently, they won't do you much good without a lock to practice on. I'll see if I can't scare up a spare after I'm done plotting out our route for tomorrow."

"Come back after dinner, maybe?"