There was no need to consider extreme action, however.
All the talking had done its job. Roseroar snorted once and
opened those bottomless yellow eyes.
“Well, good morning, man.”
“Good morning yourself. Roseroar, I value your friend-
ship, but you’re breaking my arm.”
Her expression narrowed. “Suh, are you insinuatin’ that
ah am too heavy?”
“No, no, nothing like that.” Somewhere off in the
bushes Mudge was attending to necessary bodily functions
while trying to stifle his laughter. “Actually, I think you’re
rather svelte.”
“Svelte.” Roseroar considered the word. “That’s nice.
Ah like that. Are you saying I have a nice figure?”
“I never saw a tiger I didn’t think was attractive,” he
confessed, honestly enough.
She looked mildly disappointed as she rolled off him.
“What the fuzz-ball said is true. Yo ah at least half
solicitah.”
Jon-Tom rolled over and tried shaking his left arm,
trying to restore the circulation at the same time as he was
dreading its return. Pins and needles flooded his nerves
and he gritted his teeth at the sensation.
66
AlaA Dean Foster
“I did study some law in my own world. It might be my
profession someday.”
– “Spellsinging’s better,” she rumbled. “Svelte?”
“Yeah.” He sat up and began pulling on his boots.
“Nice. Ah think ah like yo, man.”
“I like you, too, Roseroar.”
“Svelte.” She considered the new word thoughtfully.
“Want to know mah word fo yo?” She was putting on her
armor, checking to make sure each catch and strap was
fastened securely. She grinned at him, showing six-inch
fangs. “Cute. Yo ah kind o’ cute.”