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It was possible, judging from the long moment of silence, that Peeper had said something very, very wrong. Nettle's eyes, distantly gold-orange, didn't stray from the younger buck's face, not even as he thudded down to sit at his feed. His tail thrashed again, a coiling motion, the tip flicking back against itself.

"I see." His tone was frosty, and that made it clear -- he assumed Peeper was teasing him, and was working up a proper response.

But Nettle was suspicious; he tended to assume the worst, that Kimeti were small-minded and bitter, cruel and sharp-edged beasts who couldn't learn to mind their tongues. Probably because that's what he was. Everyone sees a reflection of themselves in others.

"I couldn't imagine." His tone was even more brittle now, though, icy, and it seemed that the light behind his eyes had gone even brighter in a dangerous way.

Peepr was -- exhausting. And baffling. And the slowly-growing anger and frustration in Nettle's expression was both growing and shifting, since he simply couldn't decide if Peeper was serious or still teasing, if he was genuinely this hyperactive or if it were some kind of act designed to mess with Nettle's mind.

Confusion mingled with fury. Uncertainty touched the frustration. His offensive pose shifted just a little and his eyes twitched to the flowers in a meaningful sort of way.

"I do not need flowers."

He was like a foal in a buck's body, and it left Nettle staring at him for a very long moment as the last of his frustration and worry evaporated, leaving only his complete befuddlement behind. His tail still thrashed slowly from side to side, his eyebrow ridges pulled together tightly, but the set had gone out of his jaw and some of the tension from his features.

"What do you want, boy?" At least he held onto his haughty tone. "What are you looking for?"

Young. He must have been a child. Nettle was quiet for another long moment, watching Peeper through more thoughtful eyes, before he flicked a look up and over to the protective ring of nettles around his home, the unassuming camouflage. If nothing else, this probably was a safe place for a bit.

However, "It would hardly be peaceful if you were here." Nettle's eyes snapped back onto him.

Nettle should have sent him back out into the woods, but -- instead he just stared at Peeper for a long moment before turning back to enter his cave, tail swinging roughly back and fort behind him, the tip of it thrashing crookedly. It wasn't an invitation, but neither was he being outright hostile anymore.

"Just be sure you don't touch anything, don't break everything, and don't make too much noise." And that was it, as far as he was concerned. Peeper could prowl the clearing out front as long as he needed to hide out. Nettle disappeared inside.

[FIN?]