“Oh.” Lottie blinked, and almost stopped walking when he asked for her name. She hadn't given him her name? She ran through their conversation in her head, distinctly recalling that he'd given her his name, Tyr, because the woods were named for him. Had she not returned the courtesy? Oh, no, she hadn't because they needed to get moving to get ahead of the wolves. That's right. Or more correctly, that was wrong, because she knew better.
“I'm sorry,” she told him. “I got distracted, because you were telling me about all the nasty, evil things that were in the forest that's named for you, which made me wonder if you were all nasty and evil too, though you did offer to help, and I know first hand that those that have nasty and evil jobs aren't necessarily that way themselves, because I'm the daughter of Night and Darkness, and my sister is Hate and I have a brother that's Doom and another that's Old Age and another that's Death, and really, they're all wonderful people despite their jobs, once you get to know them, so I got a bit irritated that you were talking down to me a bit, and you really were though I understand why because I know that just finding a random girl hauling a baby deer around might make her seem simple and maybe a bit fluffy, but you really shouldn't judge that quickly because you never really know what somebody is like until you get to know them, do you? For instance, Highball, and yes, I know his name is Heimdal, I'd never call him that to his face, it's just that's the way I heard it the first time we were introduced and it comes out sometimes, but he comes off as all kinds of gruff and cranky, and sometimes he really is, but he is because he takes his duty seriously and that's a really admirable thing, so even though he doesn't like muffins and he makes frowny faces at me, I think he's a really good guy, and I'm glad he'll let you bring the fawn in, because the wolves are coming.”
And they were. She'd just caught a flash of fur behind one of the trees. She'd sort of been hoping with two gods there, they'd veer off. They must be really hungry, the poor things. But Friendship had made up her mind, and they were not getting the fawn today.
“I'm Philotes,” she said, as an afterthought. And then she gave Tyr a smile, stopped walking backwards, and instead headed straight for the wolves. Maybe they'd like a friend too.