Well, that wasn't exactly an answer, was it? But Philotes didn't think he was deliberately trying to change the subject to avoid telling her what she'd asked. He had that look on his face that she sometimes saw after she babbled for a while. She'd confounded him somehow, though she couldn't figure out what she'd said or done to accomplish that.
“Champion for the misunderstood?” she repeated, mildly bemused. “That's the first time I've gotten that one. Animal protectress only came up once before and that was just because of the incident with a wayward chicken that I didn't even really intend to help but what else was I supposed to do with the poor thing, it's not like it could swim, even without the octopus infestation, so I had no choice, you see, I had to rescue it. But that's the only other time I've been called an animal protector. Really, that's Artemis' thing, and she's seriously good at it. I don't think champion of the misunderstood is entirely accurate either though, though I do try to be understanding and help everybody that I can. I guess it would sort of fit, in the loosest interpretation, maybe. I'm really just friendship and affection.”
She was quiet for just a moment, then she reminded him, “You didn't answer my questoins. I know you probably meant to and got distracted, but I'd really like to know, please. Have you heard him play? Is it pretty?”
Then she abruptly dropped the topic as she noticed what the baby deer was doing. “Um, you may want to put the fawn down for a minute. He's sort of flipping his tail over his bottom.”
And in Lottie's experience, when a deer moved their tail that way, a particular bodily function was performed shortly thereafter. Somehow, she didn't think Tyr would be as generous should that happen while the creature was slung over his shoulders.