a different stink

Even though she was surrounded by taller relatives, it felt worse to have a stranger look down on her. It wasn't fair that she was completely surrounded by giants! Disgruntled, Fable rose up to her full height and still found herself coming up a bit short. But, of course, his words stole the breath out of her puffed-up chest. He wasn't dying of some horrible parasite or affliction. He just looked like that. "Omigosh... I'm so sorry," she said, suitably chided. Fable didn't make a habit of being rude but it often seemed to happen by accident. "I was going to ask if you needed a healer or something. I thought it was like, growing... in your face. Like a tick. Or something." Embarrassed, she stared at the ground just before his front paws. "Can you feel it if someone touches them? Or is it like a tree branch being up there?" she added shortly after, though she didn't raise her eyes to meet him. Despite her shame, she was unable to resist peppering him with questions. The girl was inquisitive to a fault. "The rest of you is very nice!" Fable added lamely, digging her grave deeper paw by paw.