"Well, some of the undead can still speak."

"But they're - dark things, right? I mean things that are not dark, but aren't human and can still think and speak and philosophize."

"Imps can speak too - no, it's only humans and animals and dark things."

"... So technically killing me is okay?"

"Well, I don't know if it would make me stop being a paladin, but I'm not going to do it if you don't hurt anyone."

"Thanks. I meant for causing you to stop being a paladin, I kind of figured you weren't going to kill me by now."

"Yeah, I don't know. I've never heard of a peryton before today."

"I feel special. Also, kind of glad I'm not a griffin, no offense to griffins, but it would be weird if people could mistake me for a mount."

"I mean, other orders far away use different creatures we don't have this far north, I wouldn't be stunned if some of them looked like you..."

"... Oh, that'll be fun. Okay, probably should not hang out in fullform that much, I don't want to impersonate a paladin, or a paladin's mount."

"Impersonating a mount is not a hanging offense."

"Heh. I'll avoid it, anyway. Spirit of the law instead of just the lettering of it, and all."

"I'm pretty sure the law is to protect people from false assertions that somebody's not a disguised dark thing, or false promises that a paladin is there to protect them and by the way would you like to make donations to the Order, neither of which a mount could do."

"Aha. Well, then - I will probably still avoid being in fullform that often, because can you imagine some of the explanations? 'Ah, a paladin's mount, one must be nearby!' 'Actually, no, I'm a peryton and also I can talk and shapeshift and am not a dark thing.' 'Aaah! MAGIC!'"

She giggles.

"Besides. Opposable thumbs? Pretty great."

"I use mine every day."

"Me too. Hooves are really not good for writing. Or making tea. Or opening doors."

"I bet they aren't. Of course, if you did have a paladin then he or she could do those things for you."

"Yeah, but I like being self reliant."

"Maybe you wouldn't like being a paladin, what with having to keep a mount, then."

"Ha. But what if I could be both the mount and the paladin? With my peryton status and all, I could masquerade as both."

"I don't think it works that way."