The knight's eyes went round, like those of a child listening to the ghost stories of a malicious sibling. "The Deep Roads?" he repeated in a tone that mirrored his expression. He had heard of the Deep Roads. Perhaps she ought to be the one telling him about how to face the Darkspawn. He reined in the uncomfortable surprise long enough to hear what she was saying. As horrible as the humming was, at least she did not need to see the fighting itself at such a young age. She should not have to see it now, but it was too late for that. "I see. If Nivak is here, I have not met him yet," he answered. Though those he had met in the past month numbered far more than those in the past years, it was a very small number compared to how many had gathered. A bit of loose hair had fallen alongside Falina's face when she shook out her hair, and he unthinkingly reached to tuck it away with the rest so he could see her eyes. "I am very grateful he found you," he went on. As needless as it was to say, Ordhan often spoke the obvious.
He listened in quiet fascination as she mused about the trees. It seemed that she put as much thought into it as he had--either that or was naturally insightful. Perhaps both. It weakened his reservation, and he replied, "It is strange to think of. I think you are right; if they think on their own, we must seem strange to them. I wonder if they can speak to each other, or have names?" He grinned as she elbowed him, then shrugged a shoulder as he added, "Perhaps not. I am sure I am much slower than you are."
Falina's reaction to the stories of the Kokari Wilds made him immediately regret his wording. "I am sorry, it was only a manner of speaking," he said quickly, one corner of his mouth lifting in an apologetic half-smile. "They are not much larger than usual, only bolder and more numerous. A nuisance more than anything." He could mention stories of the insects that were not so harmless that he had seen: spider-creatures bloated by whatever foul magicks let them grow so large, likely as tall as Falina herself. But this was hardly the time for it; she had come to him for comfort, or at least company, not to be frightened further.