"A what?" says she.

"Is not, she's got BROWN hair," says Kota. "AND her teeth are big."

"My what? Where did you kids come from?" says the local.

"I'm not a kid and also I'm pretty sure we came from a different planet."

To Kota: "But she's big and all Amentan looking! Not like an amalien or a you."

"That just means she's a grownup, not that she's a grownup Amentan," says Kota.

"Did you two run off from a wagon train or somesuch?" says the woman, crossing her arms.

"What's the difference?"

To the woman: "No, we came from another world. Not a wagon train."

"Well, you can come back with your minders or not at all, I haven't got time for mischief-making urchins. And stay clear of my chickens." She goes to shut the door.

"Um."

"She wasn't very nice."

"She probably thinks we ran away from our parents."

"I still don't get it."

Are there any other houses they can see?

Yup, there's a little dot of a house a ways farther down the track.

"Whoever's here," says Kota, while they walk, "is gonna think the same thing."

"If they do I'll be more bossy bout it I guess. 'less you are good at staying out at night?"

Most amaliens are okay with camping, but not all of em.

"I don't think I am especially. How will being bossy help?"

"Maybe can con-vince them to listen. Hope-fully? Make sure they know we don't have other places."

"Or I could sneak us into an extra room to sleep in if there is one, I dunno."

"I don't think we should break into a house!"

"Oh, okay. If you'd be okay outside instead. Don't have to."

Knock knock!

"You can't break into people's houses, it's not right!"

Old woman with a drop spindle gets the door. She has gray hair like Kota's.

"Hi! We're lost and far away from home and don't have a place to sleep for to-night."

"Oh no, poor things. How'd you get lost? Where'd you come from?"

"Far away, were walking together and then we didn't recognize anything and everyone else was gone."

Less words better? Maybe?

"Where do you live?"

"Not sure what it's called here."

"Are you... Jansai?" she asks, squinting.

"Havn't heard of that?"

"Edori?"

"No?"

... she's tempted to pre-tend Yes but she doesn't know what Edori are like.

"Look, I can let you sleep in the hayloft, but only if you can tell me where you're meant to get back to, otherwise it's just asking for trouble."