Patience wished that everyone she cared about was more like the kittens in her lap: that they weren't caught up in whatever all this was that was happening now, and that they were small enough for her to easily be able to transport them to safety. A futile wish, but a nice one, nonetheless.
"I believe you when you say you don't know what's going to happen," she said quietly. "And if that means there's a possibility that things might change so much that you're the one in trouble, it'll be my turn to protect you. I hope you're not going to fight me on that."