[There's a kind of leonine aspect to her, if lions came in smooth bronze scales and had faint rosette patterns. Lion, dragon, a bit of antelope.]

Thanks. No, they're pretty decorative. Probably deflect a little better than bare skin, I suppose.

[Her lips quirk at his interest, and she swings her tail over to offer the spade tip. On her tail the scales aren't tiny, they're great overlapping plates, as smooth as the belly of a snake and with that same sense of gripping muscle beneath.]

Don't squeeze.

It's always about being pawns to bigger powers, in the end. I was lucky.

[Things are hazy. Scout doesn't know if the Carnival was swept up or if they got out - they do get out of a lot of things, the Ringmaster can bail in a tearing hurry - and she was left behind to be rescued by the Director. Dark as that is though, it's better than thinking too much about home.]

Yeah.