Bragi opened his mouth briefly as if to object, but of course he did not, because to do so again would be churlish — and besides, he absolutely wanted her help; and, he appreciated it more than he could utter.

And so he said nothing further on the matter, but might’ve smiled had a certain Penny not taken leadership of the situation. The fluffy dog headed across to the right with an assertive bark, and Bragi exchanged glances with his new acquaintance before nodding and following the young lady and her pup towards what he hoped would eventually be the lost and sought-after Maid Marian.