I waited.
I’d already run, and I wasn’t running anymore.
Leif was the first to creep up to me, followed by the others. I saw no reason to shift, when mental conversation would be clear and involve no possible hearing problems for me.
You will not shut me in anywhere, and if you try, mates or not, you will be removed from the kingdom.
It was only a suggestion.Leif’s mental tone held far too much humor for my peace of mind.
It was a bad suggestion, and one that will never be acted upon.
So we gather.Leif went on.It is only that we would protect you from harm, and Bors would cause you the utmost harm.
I am charged to protect the kingdom. How would it look if I hide away while they face danger? I ran because of me, but I am returning because of everyone else who needs me. If you three are to be in my life, you must know I’m not a coward. I can face what I have to.
They protested they’d never thought me a coward. We went back and forth for a while, but in the end they agreed to support me in what I needed to do for my people, but they would not agree not to protect me as best they could without infringing on that.
And I found that acceptable. At least acceptable enough that we enjoyed a run for the rest of the night, letting the wind in our fur wash away the tension between us and all our other worries for just a little while.